The Carolina Panthers begin their 2025 season with a tricky-looking road test against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Dave Canales laid down the gauntlet to anyone standing in their path. And now, his players must deliver accordingly.
It's been an encouraging offseason, aside from a few complications along the way. The new arrivals have settled in well, and everyone has stayed relatively clear of injuries. However, not having the presence of left tackle Ikem Ekwonu isn't exactly ideal versus the formidable Jaguars pass-rushing duo of Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen.
Canales believes his team can be more competitive during the upcoming campaign. The strides made over the second half of 2024 support these claims, but this bullish outlook will count for nothing if sufficient progress is not made when it comes to the crunch.
Carolina Panthers defense will be seeing plenty of Travis Hunter in Week 1
One of the biggest dangers facing Carolina is two-way phenom Travis Hunter. The No. 2 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft describes himself as a unicorn, and it's not hard to see why. He was an elite wide receiver and cornerback during his time in college at Jackson State and Colorado. Jacksonville is giving him the chance to play both ways in the pros, which represents a journey into the unknown that has both positive and negative aspects attached.
There isn't much chance of Hunter logging every rep on both sides of the football. The NFL is a grown-man league, and the punishment Hunter would be subjected to has the scope to shorten his career significantly. However, the Jaguars didn't give up a king's ransom to not maximize his skill set.
Adam Schefter from ESPN offered some clues on what the Panthers can expect from Hunter at EverBank Stadium. The respected insider revealed that the former No. 1 high school recruit will be a full-time wide receiver alongside Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown in the starting line-up. The Jaguars also plan to use him as a rotational cornerback, depending on the situation.
This is a smart approach. Hunter is a difference-maker with the football in his hands offensively. The Panthers should also be wary of his ball-hawk credentials in the secondary whenever he's on the defensive rotation. That will be saved for key downs, but it's a problem Carolina must plan for effectively.
Hunter is one of the most highly-touted prospects in recent memory. Being able to play two ways so effectively makes him a generational talent. The Panthers are aiming to ensure his big breakout moment doesn't happen at their expense. That's only going to improve the team's chances of achieving a morale-boosting victory at the first time of asking.
There are other players for the Panthers to worry about, but not many come with more hype than Hunter. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is under enormous pressure to turn the tide in his third season. Anything less than major improvements won't be tolerated by fans or Canales. Containing Hunter and the Jaguars' offense would be a good place to start. Whether he can accomplish this feat or not is another matter.
The fact that Hunter is in the team's crosshairs only adds to the level of fascination. Carolina lost recently acquired cornerback Damarri Mathis to a torn ACL, so they'll be moving forward with Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson Sr., Chau Smith-Wade, and undrafted rookie Corey Thornton as their preferred options. Hopes are high that this can become a productive quartet, but the Jaguars' passing attack will give them all they can handle if quarterback Trevor Lawrence hits the ground running under new head coach Liam Coen.
All eyes will be on Hunter. He's the Heisman Trophy-winning star tasked with spearheading an era of prosperity in Jacksonville. The Panthers cannot afford to give him any space in which to operate. Otherwise, they'll have a major problem on their hands.
Hunter has bona fide superstardom in his sights. That's not up for debate, but Panthers fans will be hoping this doesn't come to fruition on his NFL regular-season debut.