Panthers News: Cam Newton, Brian Burns, D.J. Chark and Chandler Zavala
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers news stories are hitting the headlines as more injury concerns emerged for head coach Frank Reich ahead of Preseason Week 3?
Wednesday was certainly a strange day around the NFL. More so than usual, which also impacted the Carolina Panthers with some intriguing developments on and off the practice field heading into their preseason finale against the Detroit Lions on Friday evening.
On this topic, among the stories causing debate include Cam Newton's regrets, D.J. Chark's injury status, Chandler Zavala receiving a confidence boost, and Brian Burns' sack projections for the upcoming 2023 campaign.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Carolina Panthers give Chandler Zavala a boost
It wasn't the greatest performance from the Carolina Panthers' starting offensive line against the New York Giants in Preseason Week 2. But there was a lot to like about the right-sided tandem of Taylor Moton and Chandler Zavala.
The rookie made the most out of his first starting opportunity and did enough to convince those in power that he's worthy of another go with the first-string this Friday versus the Detroit Lions at Bank of America Stadium. If he does well and Cade Mays remains out through injury, the fourth-round selection is likely to start against Grady Jarrett and the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1.
When discussing his performance, Zavala stated via USA Today Sports that it's a work in progress - especially considering how much time he missed at camp. But the best could be yet to come where the North Carolina State product is concerned.
"I performed like . . . I was okay, like for not being in pads for eight months. Just the second day in pads, I did okay. But I can do a lot better."
- Chandler Zavala via USA Today Sports
It'll be interesting to see what growth Zavala makes during his time on the field next time out. If everything goes according to plan, expect the interior protector to feature heavily until Austin Corbett returns.