Panthers News: Bryce Young, Matt Corral, Ikem Ekwonu and Marquan McCall
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers news stories are hitting the headlines as the team begins preparations for their final preseason contest versus the Detroit Lions?
The Carolina Panthers are always looking for ways to improve their roster. This brought about yet more drama since their preseason loss at the New York Giants and came with a shocking personnel switch on Monday that became a fierce topic of discussion among the fanbase.
Of course, this brought its fair share of news and rumors. Among the top stories causing debate include Bryce Young playing in the preseason finale, confidence in Ikem Ekwonu, Matt Corral's journey, and explaining the shocking release of Marquan McCall.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Carolina Panthers have confidence in Ikem Ekwonu
It hasn't been the most profitable preseason for Ikem Ekwonu in terms of performance levels. The franchise left tackle has looked a little uncomfortable so far and seems to be in his own head a little bit - something that the Carolina Panthers won't want to continue into the regular season.
When discussing Ekwonu's lack of production during warmups, head coach Frank Reich stated via CBS Sports that confidence remains high surrounding the former first-round selection out of North Carolina State. Especially considering he'll be tasked with protecting Bryce Young's blindside for the next decade if everything goes according to plan.
"A lot of confidence in Ickey. I have no concerns about him playing winning football and being one of the true anchors to our offensive line. The year he had last year and the training camp that he's had -- I think not only is he gonna be a really good player for us, I think he's gonna be a good leader. We have had a couple miscues he's been involved in, but those things will get worked out."
- Frank Reich via CBS Sports
Ekwonu performed well enough last season to suggest that this is nothing more than a blip. It's also worth remembering that we are working on an extremely small sample size compared to how much time he'll be on the field when competitive action begins.