Top 5 Questions Going Into Preseason

[Jeremy Igo]

Things have been going pretty well at Carolina Panthers training camp. Still, there are plenty of question marks going into the first preseason game of the year on Friday night.

 

Here are my top five questions, in no particular order.

 

 

1. Offensive Tackles

 

Will Nate Chandler and Byron Bell split time in the game?  Ron Rivera may elect to have Byron Bell start with the first string at left tackle and allow Chandler to run at left with the second string. The Panthers are very thin at offensive tackle, I'm talking Jordan Gross post NFL thin. Will Garry Williams step up with a solid performance and muddy up the starting tackle question even more?

 

 

2. Passing Downs

 

One thing I have noticed in camp is the extremely long time it takes for passing plays to develop and for the ball to leave the quarterback's hand. Many, and by many I mean most, of the amazing catches you have heard about in camp would have actually been a sack or a Cam Newton scramble in a game. Will Cam Newton and Derek Anderson be able to leave behind the camp mentality and get rid of the ball more quickly and decisively? The Buffalo Bills have a formidable pass rush. The Panthers hopefully are ready for it. If they aren't, you may not see Cam Newton for more than a few snaps.

 

 

3. Bene Benwikere

 

I have been praising Bene since the start of camp. While he made a few mental mistakes early, I noticed his closing speed and nose for the ball were top notch. Mental mistakes are a part of the game for any rookie, especially in the secondary where players have to recognize coverage situations. As of late, Bene has been a camp all star. Can Bene produce those big plays when it counts? If so, you can go ahead and pencil him in as the lead nickel on the team.

 

 

4. Wide Receivers

 

So many questions still linger just within the wide receiver corps. Can Kelvin Benjamin dominate NFL corners? Is Marcus Lucas a camp all star or can he produce in games? Is Bersin a legitimate NFL player? Who is the number one go to receiver? Will Tavarres King continue to impress? Can Tiquan Underwood shake off the early camp rust and impress? And what about the vets Cotchery and Avant, will they lead the way for the younger players? I think you will agree that the receivers are the most fluid group on the team. The opportunity is there for anyone to move up the depth chart. There has never been a better time in Panthers history for a receiver to make a name for himself.

 

 

5, Kony Ealy

 

A second round draft selection is a huge investment for any NFL team. Kony Ealy has struggled at times in camp but has also shown some promise. Some players elevate their play in actual games, they just aren't "practice players". Could Kony Ealy be one of these players? On Saturday Cam Newton personally challenged him to step up his game, and he responded positively. It could be that Ealy requires the proper motivation to play to his potential. Friday night's game will provide us with a first glimpse on where he is and how far he has to go.

 

[DaveThePanther2008]

OT... my biggest concern is we don't have anybody (not counting camp fodder) besides Chandler, Bell and Williams.  I think there will be a learning curve when the bullets start flying but Chandler will be OK.

 

Passing downs.  That is the hard part about the red jersey.  Gives you that confidence you won't be hit.  Hopefully, that will change and the decisions to take what the defense is giving you will prevail.

 

Bene.... Would be awesome if he turns into a shutdown corner.

 

WR.   I love this group.   I think their hands will make a big difference.  That and the fact that most of those you mentioned are over 6 ft tall.

 

We couldn't have drafted Ealy in any better situation. He is a good player that needs to strength and toughen up some.  Learn from CJ and Kraken he will come alone well.  Use him in situational spots.  IMO he will excel.

[KillerKat]

I would put the return game somewhere around there.

[lola]

Yep. The return game is going to be interesting, to say the very least. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Cason look to be the front runner so far?

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[KSpan]

This isn't as significant as the OT and WR situations, but I'm interested to see how much time A.J. Klein ends up getting with the first-string D and if he ultimately ends up winning the job this year.

[PandaPancake]

It's like a rollercoaster. Just gotta ride it out and see where the engineer (Gman) built for us. Nothing we can say or do will change anything. Except wearing my Steve Smith jersey every time I wear it we lose.

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[top dawg]

I am finally glad that someone at least intimated that Marcus Lucas could possibly be more than a practice squad guy.  I'm not saying that he won't, I'm just saying that Ron Rivera has said that everyone gets a fair opportunity.  You may say it's just rhetoric, but I am going to take him at his word.  Of course I will admit that playing with the ones kinda matters, but at the end of the day these guys have a very unique opportunity to prove their case.

 

Ont thing about it, I still haven't heard anything about how Lucas blocks---Bersin or Toney Clemmons for that matter.  

 

A lot can happen between now and the final cuts, but I'm thinking that Marvin McNutt, Philly Brown and Tiquan Underwood become Marvin McCutt, Philly Frown, and Tiquan Undergood (as in average--a JAG).

 

We will see.

[Kuech the Sneak]

I'm so god damn excited for this game

[Ace_Aladdin]

Things have been going pretty well at Carolina Panthers training camp. Still, there are plenty of question marks going into the first preseason game of the year on Friday night.

 

Here are my top five questions, in no particular order.

 

 

1. Offensive Tackles

 

Will Nate Chandler and Byron Bell split time in the game?  Ron Rivera may elect to have Byron Bell start with the first string at left tackle and allow Chandler to run at left with the second string. The Panthers are very thin at offensive tackle, I'm talking Jordan Gross post NFL thin. Will Garry Williams step up with a solid performance and muddy up the starting tackle question even more?

 

 

2. Passing Downs

 

One thing I have noticed in camp is the extremely long time it takes for passing plays to develop and for the ball to leave the quarterback's hand. Many, and by many I mean most, of the amazing catches you have heard about in camp would have actually been a sack or a Cam Newton scramble in a game. Will Cam Newton and Derek Anderson be able to leave behind the camp mentality and get rid of the ball more quickly and decisively? The Buffalo Bills have a formidable pass rush. The Panthers hopefully are ready for it. If they aren't, you may not see Cam Newton for more than a few snaps.

 

 

3. Bene Benwikere

 

I have been praising Bene since the start of camp. While he made a few mental mistakes early, I noticed his closing speed and nose for the ball were top notch. Mental mistakes are a part of the game for any rookie, especially in the secondary where players have to recognize coverage situations. As of late, Bene has been a camp all star. Can Bene produce those big plays when it counts? If so, you can go ahead and pencil him in as the lead nickel on the team.

 

 

4. Wide Receivers

 

So many questions still linger just within the wide receiver corps. Can Kelvin Benjamin dominate NFL corners? Is Marcus Lucas a camp all star or can he produce in games? Is Bersin a legitimate NFL player? Who is the number one go to receiver? Will Tavarres King continue to impress? Can Tiquan Underwood shake off the early camp rust and impress? And what about the vets Cotchery and Avant, will they lead the way for the younger players? I think you will agree that the receivers are the most fluid group on the team. The opportunity is there for anyone to move up the depth chart. There has never been a better time in Panthers history for a receiver to make a name for himself.

 

 

5, Kony Ealy

 

A second round draft selection is a huge investment for any NFL team. Kony Ealy has struggled at times in camp but has also shown some promise. Some players elevate their play in actual games, they just aren't "practice players". Could Kony Ealy be one of these players? On Saturday Cam Newton personally challenged him to step up his game, and he responded positively. It could be that Ealy requires the proper motivation to play to his potential. Friday night's game will provide us with a first glimpse on where he is and how far he has to go.

 

1. The running game will also play into the success of passing downs especially with Play-action and how hard defense bites to stop the run.

 

2. I expect the OL to hold against the Bill DL and allow more time for Cam to throw in pre-season and regular season. 

 

[Your GFs favorite huddler]

I'll be watching the corners and secondary big time...how will the combo of white and Cason fare....has white continued to develop and progress into the corner he has the physical traits to be....how will Harper and decoud fare behind our monster front 7

[tailg8or]

Williams owned Bell last year.  Will be interesting to see the matchups when he is in the game.  I hope he lines up over Bell AND Chandler a few times so we see how they handle an elite DE.  This will be a good test of our OL.

 

I really hope the offense can take some positives away from this game.  I agree that the pass plays take forever to develop.  Shula is vanilla.  This week we get the preseason version of vanilla, which is even worse.  We need to see the offense move the ball.  Looking forward to seeing what Turner can do in the trenches.

[shelbypanther]

I'll say it again, it won't upset me to not see Cam Friday night.  No need at all to rush that ankle for just one series of play.

 

The return game is a disaster, going to have to look at the waiver wire and luck out and pick up a vet.