RSS Panthers Team Notes

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers 13 Jets 6: That’s a winning streak!

The Carolina Panthers defeated the New York Jets in an ugly football game. But a win is a win is a win, and the Panthers now have a winning record.

First Quarter​

The Panthers won the toss and deferred their possession to the second half. The Jets, who have been a good returning team this season, ran the ball back out close to midfield. The Jets picked one first down, but the defense did a good job of stopping it there. The Jets ended up in between a comfortable field goal and a punt, so they went for it on a 4th and 5. Justin Fields looked for Josh Reynolds on a quick slant, but the Panthers had it covered well, and there was nowhere for the ball to go.

Chuba Hubbard got the start and had a few modest carries. Bryce Young was able to keep the drive alive with completions to Tetairoa McMillan and Jimmy Horn Jr. The drive ended after a third down shot to the endzone couldn’t find anyone, so the Panthers had to settle for a Ryan Fitzgerald field goal.

The Jets second possession was just as anemic as the first. They picked up one first down and quickly were forced to punt.

Second Quarter​

The second quarter started with the Panthers trying to pick up a 4th and 1 at midfield. They handed the ball to Rico Dowdle up the middle, but the Jets bottled it up and got the stop.

An unfortunate roughing call for a barely-late hit on a sliding Justin Fields quickly moved the Jets into field goal range. The defense responded by handling most plays that weren’t aided by officiating and then benefited from a Jets illegal shift penalty. That set up a third and long that was blown up by pressure and a near sack. Nick Folk kicked the tying field goal.

Another Panthers drive stalled out at midfield, but this one ended in a punt. The Jets did the same and punted it right back to the Panthers at about the same spot. One of the weakest offensive pass interference calls on Xavier Legette made it 1st and 20. Bryce Young overthrew a wide open Jimmy Horn and then couldn’t get the ball out to Jalen Coker on a deep out to make it 3rd and long. A screen to Legette went nowhere, and the punt fest continued.

That punt fest was finally broken went Dave Canales elected to go for it on 4th and 3 around midfield again. This time, Young found McMillan in the middle for the conversion. A screen pass to Chuba Hubbard found no resistance, and the back ran it down to the five. On the next play, Young bought time outside the pocket for long enough that Legette got open for a short touchdown completion. The Jets did their usual conservative attempt to gain yards before the half, much to the dismay of the home

Third Quarter​

Trevor Etienne ran the opening kickoff of the second half out to midfield, which is where the Panthers ran seemingly half their plays from. A pitch to Rico Dowdle picked up another fourth down conversion and took the Panthers into field goal range. That’s where the drive ended with Ryan Fitzgerald kicking through his second field goal of the game.

Tyrod Taylor got the nod for the second half and made the Jets look a little more competent at the start of their first drive. He led them into Panthers territory, but a blitz helped Nic Scourton get home to sack the Jets out of field goal range.

The Panthers had to punt it right back. During the ensuing Jets drive, Young was spotted walking to the locker room. The Jets tried to get tricky with a wildcat reverse that got the ball into Taylor’s hands. The play worked, but Taylor badly underthrew the receiver, which allowed Trevin Wallace to recover and break up the pass. Taylor had another open receiver on a deep ball, but he underthrew it again, which allowed Jaycee Horn to recover and make a spectacular one handed interception in the end zone.

Fourth Quarter​

Andy Dalton took the reins with Young back in the locker room. He picked up a third down with another good completion to Legette. Dowdle pushed through the middle on a 4th and 1 on the plus 40 yard line. Ja’Tavion Sanders dropped what would have been a first down on a second down, and then Dalton was sacked out of field goal range on third down.

Tyrod Taylor took the Jets down the field for their second scoring drive of the game. The Jets exclusively aired it out with a lot of plays just picking up first downs or getting out just before Taylor got hit. He took a deep shot to the end zone once the Jets got inside the 40, but Mike Jackson made a terrific play breaking the ball up. The front four got pressure on the ensuing third down and forced a throwaway that could have been (but was not) called for intentional grounding. Nick Folk’s field goal made the score 13-6.

A toss to Hubbard got blown up and then a false start by Cade Mays blew up a chance to put the game away. Dalton tried to take a shot to McMillan, but the ball was underthrown and McMillan couldn’t back to it with a lot of contact.

On the second pass of a possible game tying drive, Taylor tried to throw to Josh Reynolds, who was being plastered by Horn. Horn got his head around just in time to pick off his second pass of the day. The offense did another run-run-incomplete pass-punt possession to give the ball back to the Jets with under three minutes to go.

Derrick Brown blew up the line on the first play of the next drive, and he and Princely Umanmielen combined to sack Taylor. That led to another Jets punt. The Panthers again went run-run-pass, but this time Dalton found Legette open for a big gain that allowed the Panthers to kneel the clock out.

Overview​

All in all, it was not a very appealing game to watch. A lot of the game was spent watching the teams punt back and forth between midfield and the Jets endzone. The offense didn’t look good in either phase, and Xavier Legette was probably the only bright spot on that side of the ball, as surprising as that may be. The defense looked really good, though they were obviously aided by a very poor Jets offense. The team more than doubled their sack total for the season, and hopefully that’s something they can build on.

They’ll try to keep the winning streak alive at home against the Buffalo Bills next week.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...ation/56398/results-final-score-new-york-jets

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Bryce Young ankle injury update: Carolina Panthers QB’s status uncertain for Week 8

There weren’t many details available Monday morning on the ankle injury that forced Bryce Young out of Sunday’s win against the Jets.

“We’re evaluating for the right ankle,” Panthers head coach Dave Canales said via the team’s website after the Panthers’ 13-6 win. “So we’re taking all the information and we’re going to look at him when we get home some more, and see where we’re at.”

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported late Monday morning that Young has a high ankle sprain and is expected to miss this week’s game against the Buffalo Bills, opening the door for backup Andy Dalton to start.

#Panthers QB Bryce Young suffered a high ankle sprain on Sunday, an MRI revealed, and he is expected to miss this week’s game against the #Bills, per sources.

Andy Dalton is now in line to start against Buffalo, and quite possibly beyond. pic.twitter.com/hHFmT7MWfP

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 20, 2025

Young’s ankle was injured when he took his only sack of the day for a loss of 12 yards.

According to the Panthers’ website, Young left after Sunday’s game wearing a walking boot. The most detail I’ve seen about his condition came from Rico Dowdle postgame.

“I know he got the X-ray and stuff, but he said he’s going to be fine,” Dowdle said.

If Young cannot play next week, the team expects to start Andy Dalton, who took over for Young on Sunday and finished completing four of seven passes for 6 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions.

“We’ll look at all that and see what the best version of us is,” Canales said. “But right now it’s running the football, and Andy can handle all those things and the pass game, the reps, the time on task with the group that we have, we’ve got to stay within the core of our system, and Andy’s fully involved in all that.

“So if he does play, that’ll be the mode.”

High ankle sprains can be notoriously difficult to bounce back from. The Panthers have the latest bye this season, Week 14, which makes things a little trickier.

The Panthers face the Buffalo Bills at home this week, and the Bills are coming off a bye. We will update this post as more information on Young’s injury and his status for next Sunday’s matchup become available.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...-young-ankle-injury-update-andy-dalton-backup

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers vs Bills: Week 8 odds

The 4-3 Carolina Panthers have as many wins as the 4-2 Buffalo Bills entering Week 8, just like everybody predicted. The similarities are expected to end there, however, as the obvious betting favorites are enjoying one of the larger spread margins of the week. Only the Indianapolis Colts (-14.5 favorites over the Tennessee Titans) and the Kansas City Chiefs (-10.5 favorites over the very injured Washington Commanders) are bigger favorites in Week 8.

Week 8​

Spread​

Bills: -7.5 (-115)

Panthers: +7..5 (-105)

O/U​

46.5 (-105/-115)

Moneyline​

Bills: -460

Panthers: +360

Remember that home-field advantage is traditionally accounted for by spotting the home team—the Panthers, in this case—three points on the spread. That would have the Bills favored by ten points on a neutral field or nearly two touchdowns in Buffalo.

Two things are notable about these odds. One, the Bills are coming off of a bye week and an embarrassing Week 6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. They are a good team with clear motivation to re-establish themselves as one of the AFC Super Bowl favorites. At the same time, they have one of the worst running defenses in the NFL and are facing the Panthers, who have one of the stronger rushing attacks in the league. The spread here feels a little wide for me if the Panthers can focus and stick to a run first attack.

Second, the odds started about here before the news officially broke that Bryce Young was likely to miss this week with a high ankle sprain. They haven’t shifted in the 24 hours since then. I don’t know if that reflects bettor confidence in Andy Dalton, a complete lack of confidence in Young, or simple disregard for the Panthers as a factor in this game. I do know that the Panthers play wildly better at home than on the road. I think this game might be closer than people expect, regardless of who is under center.

The above odds were current as of the writing of this post. You can take a look at—and place a bet on—live odds for this game and more here at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/carolina-panthers-odds/56406/panthers-vs-bills-week-8-odds

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers vs Jets game review: It doesn’t need to be pretty

The Carolina Panthers managed to grind out one of the more ugly wins in recent history in a 13-6 victory over a wilting New York Jets team. Ugly wins still count the same in the win column, though – and the Panthers don’t seem to be in the business of collecting style points.

While the old heads among us may prefer the phrase “defensive slug fest” and took no issue with the flow of the game, there are a fair few in the Panthers fanbase who took some exception to the method of the Panthers win.

Let’s take a look at what made this hard fought victory so ugly for many a viewer.

Defensive lead victory​

In a league where the most lauded games each week are the back-and-forth shootouts between two high flying defenses, the low-scoring defensive bouts almost always get branded as ‘ugly’. When a pair of good offenses feast on a couple of porous defenses it gets labeled the game of the week. When 2 defenses take over a game and stonewall the offenses, the game is called boring. That’s not the only reason this game was called ugly, but it’s not often a game where the total points scored doesn’t eclipse 20 gets the ‘pretty’ label.

The Panthers did manage to double their sack count on the season, have their newly extended cornerback make two of the most aesthetically pleasing interceptions you’ll ever see, and manage to maintain a lead for the final 51 minutes of the game. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose.

Untimely mistakes​

A few more plays go the Panthers way on offense and many fans would be singing a much lighter tune:

Not converting on 3rd or 4th down with 1 yard to go

The Panthers tried to take a play-action shot on 3rd and 1 knowing they would go for it on 4th and 1 if it failed. Aside from the 4th and 1 rush attempt, the Panthers were also stuffed on a 2nd and 3 run. An aggressive play that did not work out.

Jimmy Horn Jr drop on 1st and 20

After a penalty on 1st down, the Panthers once again try to take a play action shot down the field. This time Bryce Young is able to step up to avoid pressure and get the ball out to Horn 35 yards down field. The placement was not perfect by Young, but good enough that it hit Horn square in the hands. The catch was bobbled and Horn was already on his second attempt to clutch the ball before the nearest defender ever made contact. Instead of 1st and 10 at the NYJ 30, it’s 2nd and 20 from the CAR 38.

JT Sanders drop in the redzone

2nd and 5 from the NYJ 30 yard line. With 10 minutes left in the game, Andy Dalton finds Sanders open just inside the redzone and puts the ball on his numbers. Sanders bobbles the catch a couple times before the defender manages to catch up and knock it down. Next play the Panthers are sacked out of field goal range and settle for a punt. A touchdown on that drive makes it a 3 point game, a field goal makes it a 13 point lead. Sanders drop effectively takes points off the board in a game where they’d been tough to come by.

Fluctuating depth chart​

The Panthers had a few players returning from injury this week whose return might have thrown off some chemistry built during their time away. The most high profile of the bunch was the return of Chuba Hubbard. Rico Dowdle had put up franchise record breaking numbers in his stint as the bell cow, but Hubbard’s return to the starting line-up relegated Dowdle to snaps in every other series. Dowdle was clearly the more productive and explosive back while Hubbard seemed a half-step slower than his usual self. Still, they shared a 50/50 split in the backfield. If Hubbard is not able to knock the rust off by the next game, riding Dowdle’s hot hand would be the prudent decision.

Rookie tight end Mitchell Evans scored a touchdown in each of the last two games and appeared on the top 5 players on offense list that PFF puts out on multiple occasions. Sanders first game back he received the worst grade on the offense and dropped his only target.

Austin Corbett returned from IR to immediately fill in at LG – the first time lining up at LG in his Panthers career. An admirable job with a handful of plays he likely wishes he had back, but Damien Lewis’s presence beside Ikem Ekwonu was missed.

Not to mention, the starting quarterback took a cleat to the ankle which took him out for most of the 3rd quarter and onward. Dalton put the game away, so let’s hope he can continue his success if Young can’t go next week versus the Buffalo Bills.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...snt-need-to-be-pretty-bryce-young-rico-dowdle

 

[Carolina Panthers]

2026 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Francis Mauigoa

Even though the 2025 NFL season just started, it’s never too early to look ahead toward the 2026 NFL Draft. This weekly series will take a closer look at some of the prospects the Carolina Panthers could select in the 2026 iteration of the Draft. In this series, we’ll only be looking at prospects the Panthers could seriously consider. This week our profile will focus on

Bio​

Mauigoa has consistently been a top tackle prospect since leading his hometown high school team to an undefeated season. He then transferred to IMG Academy and was the consensus number one tackle in his class. He ultimately decided to attend Miami over other powerhouse schools like Alabama and Georgia. Mauigoa started 13 games at right tackle as a true freshman, earning Freshman All-ACC and Honorable Mention All-ACC awards. His sophomore season saw him get even better, particularly as a pass blocker. This year, he’s continued his dominance and is far and away the top tackle prospect for the 2026 Draft.

Strengths/Weaknesses​

You’d be hard pressed to ask a scout about Mauigoa without them mentioning his insane physique. Coach Mario Cristobal said Mauigoa has “the most muscle density of any athlete we’ve had here at the University of Miami.” Despite being a literal mountain, Mauigoa has been clocked at over 20 miles per hour on multiple occasions. This athleticism and size combination pair well with his natural abilities as a blocker. He is also extremely coachable, as evidenced by his immense improvement year over year.

Mauigoa’s main weakness is consistency in technique. While his technique overall is good, occasionally his hand placement and pass sets show a lack of refinement. As with any physically dominant player, he also tends to rely on his physical traits to win as opposed to his technique, which could be exploited at the next level.

Projection​

The consensus on Mauigoa seems to be that he is likely to become, at worst, an excellent right tackle with many scouts believing he could develop into one of the top blindside protectors down the line. While you can’t teach his size and athleticism, the things you can teach like technique and scheme he has taken to quite well.

While the Panthers might have more glaring needs this April, offensive tackle is an underrated position of concern. Ikem Ekwonu was played well enough at left tackle and will likely sign a modest extension in the offseason. There is still some question as to whether or not the former top 10 pick can stick at left tackle, especially considering the price point most left tackles demand. Assuming Icky returns and doesn’t break the bank, there’s still cause for concern at right tackle as Father Time has finally starting winning the battle against Taylor Moton. Moton’s contract makes it tough to outright move on from him, but there is an out after the 2026 season where the Panthers would only incur just under $14 million in dead cap. A post-June 1 designation would spread that over two seasons. Ideally both Ekwonu and Moton are back with the team the next couple of years and playing well, but passing on someone like Mauigoa with the question marks the other two have would be malpractice.

What do you think, Panthers fans? If Francis Mauigoa is available when the Panthers select in the 2026 NFL Draft, should they take him? Sound off in the comments!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...26-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-francis-mauigoa

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Bryce Young headlines Panthers first injury report of the week

Today is Wednesday, which means are required to release their first practice reports of the week as it pertains to player injuries. The Panthers haven’t posted it in a friendly chart on the site yet, but we got the report, and we’ll make it pretty for you:

• Bryce Young – DNP (ankle)
• DJ Wonnum – DNP (rest)
• Jaycee Horn – LP (rest)
• Damien Lewis – LP (shoulder)
• Princely Umanmielen – LP (ribs)

And that’s it. Everyone else on the active roster practiced in full. There’s lots of good news there. Damien Lewis missed Sunday’s win over the Jets, but his return to practice, even in a limited capacity, would suggest that he’s trending towards playing sooner rather than later, perhaps even this week. The other good news is that the Panthers somehow came away from the MetLife Stadium turf largely unscathed.

Bryce Young didn’t practice in an official capacity after suffering a high ankle sprain, but he was apparently present at practice and walking without a noticeable limp.

Bryce Young walking into practice with his helmet and without a noticeable limp. pic.twitter.com/jQLeZ9oVtT

— Joe Person (@josephperson) October 22, 2025

Head coach Dave Canales said Young’s status is day-to-day, so it’s still entirely possible he makes it back in time for the showdown with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. If he can’t go, the Panthers will hope to get their once-per-year lightning-in-a-bottle Andy Dalton game.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...nthers-first-injury-report-of-the-week-week-8

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers vs Bills: Offensive preview

The Carolina Panthers won their third game in a row on Sunday to improve to 4-3, the first time they’ve had a winning record in about 25 years based on my feelings and not facts. They reached that milestone by capturing a rare road win, the second of Bryce Young’s career. The win and the current record have everyone feeling good, but somewhat lost in the shuffle is the fact that the offense was not good against the New York Jets.

The performance and the health of Young make expectations for this week murky. On one hand, the Panthers are coming off an uninspiring performance and are facing a Bills team that is supposed to be a Super Bowl contender. On the other, the Jets defense might actually be pretty good, while the Bills defense has been pretty poor this season. Plus there are bonus points for this game being at home, where the Panthers are an entirely different team for some reason.

The Panthers do catch the Bills in a tough spot. Buffalo lost two surprising games in a row going into their bye week and are going to come out looking to right the ship in Carolina. Their offense hasn’t been its usual explosive self, so it hasn’t been able to outweigh a defense that allowed 6.4 yards per play in the two losses. For reference, Carolina has allowed 3.7 yards per play during their three game winning streak, second best in the league during that span. The Bills are probably going to better that number, so the Panthers offense has to keep up. Here’s how they can do that:

• Keep grounding and pounding. The run game struggled against the Jets, but to be fair, the Jets run defense is about the only good element of that team. The Bills rank 32nd in the league in run defense DVOA, so the Panthers should have every opportunity to make this game look like the Dolphins and Cowboys games on offense. Keep feeding the ball to Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard. They’re going to find room to run. Bijan Robinson torched this defense with 170 yards on just 19 carries a couple weeks ago. Carolina should aim to generate another 200 yards of rushing if they can keep this game under control.
• When airing it out, target Tetairoa McMillan. I know I’m going out on a limb here suggesting that a team throw the ball to its best pass catcher, but this is an opportunity for McMillan to have a real breakout game. The Bills have struggled to corral number one receivers in recent weeks with Drake London most recently tallying 158 yards and a touchdown (almost two) on 10 catches. The Bills starting outside corners Tre’Davious White and Christian Benford rank 80thand 83rd out of 112 CBs according to Pro Football Focus’s grading system. They’ve given up a healthy helping of chunk plays on the outside, and McMillan should be able to beat them should Young or Andy Dalton give him a chance. Maybe Xavier Legette can keep the momentum going as well.
• Keep the chains moving and minimze possessions. I’m normally a big “time of possession is overrated” guy, but I think there are exceptions if one team clearly outclasses another. In a large sample size, it’s hard to see this Panthers offense going score for score with a motivated Josh Allen. The best chance to keep pace is to keep the number of possessions low so the defense only needs to make a couple of stops to keep the game within reach. If the offense starts going three and out or turning the ball over, it’s very easy to see a Buffalo avalanche engulfing Carolina and turning this game into a laugher.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...anthers-vs-bills-offensive-preview-nfl-week-8

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Welcome to Dave Canales’ first big coaching test

From underwhelming starts to overthinking play calls, fans have had plenty of things to complain about with young, second-year head coach Dave Canales. It’s hard to say how legitimate many of the common gripes amongst fans are, as the Carolina Panthers head coach is both very new and at the helm of a franchise whose fanbase has had little to do but complain for years on end. Are we over sensitive? Is he just showing growing pains? It’s hard to say. The hope is that we might learn more this weekend against the Buffalo Bills.

What is certain is that Canales has had no real opportunity to coach a game that had any real stakes for the Carolina Panthers. Slow starts and shaky quarterbacking have kept the Panthers far away from conversations about the postseason until now.

The Panthers suddenly find themselves at the end of a three-game winning streak, above .500, and with an old school, ball controlling, run first identity on offense. They face one of the league’s Super Bowl favorites with two big reasons to hope for an upset.

First, the game is in Charlotte. The Panthers have been outrageously better at home than on the road this year. They have a -7 point differential on the season, but are +36 and undefeated at home. I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s something.

Second, the Bills may not be equal to their reputation. Their passing game is a shadow of past years and their rushing defense is one of the worst in the league. That makes them uniquely vulnerable to a Panthers squad built to pound the rock and stop the run.

The 4-3 Panthers are on the verge of being viewed as a low tier contender in the NFC. A win over the Bills elevates that profile. Higher expectations equal higher pressure, making this the first game of Dave Canales’ brief career as a head coach that has actual stakes for the team, for the fans, and for himself.

How he calls this game and how prepared his players are will tell us a lot about Canales’ potential and future with the Carolina Panthers. Nobody is going to remember this game if Andy Dalton gets the start and can’t complete a pass because there is nothing left in his tank. Similarly, we all know who will shoulder the blame if Bryce Young plays and fumbles the ball away on the first three drives.

But if the team as a whole falls apart from the opening whistle? Or if they repeatedly get stopped on third and short because of some cutesy, ineffective play calls? Those are the kinds of things that fans will remember.

Fans will also remember anything that works. If the team comes out and shows the kind of effort they had against the Atlants Falcons or the Dallas Cowboys then, win or lose, that kind of fight will be the first impression Canales makes in a big game.

How about it Panthers fans? How do you think Canales will fare in the biggest game of his coaching career so far?

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/general/56466/welcome-to-dave-canales-first-big-coaching-test

 

[Carolina Panthers]

CSR Weekend Warriors: 10/24-10/26

Greetings, Panthers fans. Welcome to the weekend.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/the-scratching-post/56384/csr-weekend-warriors-10-24-10-26

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Reacts Results: Riding a realistic high before the big game

Fans of the Carolina Panthers who responded to our Week 8 survey are experiencing some tempered optimism amidst their favorite team’s first win streak since the early days of Matt Rhule. Of course, the outside world is expecting that to all come crashing down tomorrow as the Panthers host the much more highly regarded Buffalo Bills.

But nothing the Bills do can erase the fact that the Panthers have won four of their last five games on top of a stifling run defense, a dominant rushing attack, and mistake free quarterbacking. Sure, the pass rush may be largely non-existent, a flaw which could prove fatal against quarterbacks of Josh Allen’s caliber, but the team as a whole is playing better football than they have in years.

82% of respondents recognized that as reason to be confident that the team is headed in the right direction. The long term question about Bryce Young may yet to be settled by the team, but fans are at least happy to see what everybody else can do when turnovers aren’t the story of the day.

Unfortunately, Young is not going to play this week after suffering an ankle injury last week against the New York Jets. And Dalton, who turns 38 next week, is far from inspiring confidence in his own right.

We’ll have to see if the overlap between the 63% of fans who expect the offense to look no better to worse than usual under Dalton and the 82% of fans who are confident the team is heading in the right direction can retain any of their optimism in the wake of a loss to the Bills.

Of course, if the Panthers pull the upset of their decade today then we can all enjoy that watching that confidence rating spike through the roof.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ge...s-riding-a-realistic-high-before-the-big-game

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers Injury Report & Transactions – Week 8

The Carolina Panthers front office is busy throughout the season with transactions, roster moves, and injury updates. Here’s what’s happening at Mint Street this week.

Injury Report​

The Panthers injury report looks pretty clean with the exception of the most important position in football. Quarterback Bryce Young has not practiced all week due to an ankle injury and was listed as doubtful in today’s report. That’s not ideal for a suddenly resurgent 4-3 Panthers squad that’s preparing to host a very good Buffalo Bills team on Sunday. Here’s to hoping Bryce Young can heal up rather quickly.

Guard Damien Lewis and outside linebacker Princely Umanmielen were both limited in practices earlier this week but were full participants Thursday and Friday.

Transactions​

Signed QB Mike White to the practice squad

White is a little bit of insurance on the quarterback front with Bryce Young dinged up. The NFL veteran is one of the poor unfortunate souls among quarterbacks who started their careers with the dysfunctional New York Jets, with White playing his first reps with the team in 2021. He has also appeared in games for the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills. In his career he has appeared in 15 games with 2,247 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

Signed OLB Jeremiah Moon to the practice squad

The 6-foot-5, 247-pound outside linebacker was a 2022 undrafted free agent from Florida and landed on the Baltimore Ravens practice squad that year. In 2023 Moon had 12 tackles in eight games with two forced fumbles. He spent last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and registered nine tackles in 13 games, playing 111 defensive snaps and 222 special teams snaps.

Released CB Keion Crossen and OT Michael Tarquin from the practice squad

Veteran cornerback Keion Crossen appeared in one game for the Panthers this year without recording any stats while Michael Tarquin has yet to appear in an NFL game.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...74/panthers-injury-report-transactions-week-8

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Carolina Panthers vs Buffalo Bills recap and result

The Carolina Panthers sorely missed Bryce Young and suffered catastrophic failures on both sides of the ball in an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Bills.

First Quarter​

The Panthers got the ball first and unceremoniously went three and out. The Bills got the game started in full with one of their trademark opening drives. Josh Allen completed one pass, but the drive was mostly the James Cook show. He picked up yards in moderate chunks before giving way to Ty Johnson. The defense was able to stiffen up there and Trevin Wallace got home on a blitz to sack Josh Allen and force a field goal.

The second attempt at possessing the football went a little better. The offense matriculated down the field and nearly scored with a Rico Dowdle run on third down around midfield, but he was run down from behind after stumbling through the line. A couple plays later, Andy Dalton was caught from behind trying to scramble and lost the ball.

A couple big plays had the Bills in Panthers territory as the first quarter drew to a close.

Second Quarter​

The Bills started the second quarter in the shadow of the Panthers’ goalpost, but a reckless play by Josh Allen took them the wrong way. He dipped dived ducked and dodged backwards until it was him versus four Panthers lineman. He still tried to escape, but Nic Scourton dragged him down to force another field goal.

Dalton found Tetairoa McMillan for a chunk play to move the Panthers across midfield. A few more modest plays moved the offense into field goal range, but the drive ended when Dalton missed an open Jimmy Horn on an corner route. Ryan Fitzgerald split the uprights on his field goal attempt.

The Bills stayed leaning on the run, but they were able to pop a good one. James Cook burst through the middle and there were no defenders past the second level, leaving Cook to run a one man race for a 64 yard touchdown.

The Panthers had another unceremonious punt, and then the Bills did the same as the Panthers took away all of Allen’s options in the passing game. Carolina got the ball back with a chance to score before the half, but Dalton threw a screen pass right to AJ Epenesa, who plays for the Bills. He ran it back to the one yard line which set up a Josh Allen quarterback sneak.

They had one more chance to score before the half, and they almost did. Almost. A couple of solid intermediate passes moved the Panthers into Bills territory then a Joey Bosa tripping penalty set Carolina up inside the 10. On third down with no timeouts, Dalton inexplicably took a sack after about five seconds of looking for a wide receiver, and the clock ran out as the Panthers scurried to get the field goal unit on the field.

Third Quarter​

The Bills hit the Panthers with another quick strike on the first drive of the second half. Allen hit Khalil Shakir on a quick stop route. Nick Scott badly missed the tackle, and that sent Shakir off to the races for the Bills second long touchdown of the game.

In response, Dalton took another bad sack then Austin Corbett’s snap hit Chuba Hubbard in the arm on third down. So another punt. James Cook gashed the defense again, crossed 200 yards rushing, and punched in yet another touchdown to put the Bills up 30.

Now it was time for Andy Dalton to shine. Or not. He hesitated on another pass play, got hit, and fumbled again. Allen scored his second rushing touchdown on a quarterback sneak a few plays later.

Fourth Quarter​

A nice catch and run by McMillan got the ensuing drive in motion. He almost scored a few plays later but was brought down at the one. Chuba Hubbard got the honors and drove through the line for a touchdown, that was followed by a missed extra point.

That was essentially the game if it wasn’t over long before that. The teams took turns trying to not get hurt for the rest of the game.

Overall Outlook​

Andy Dalton looked old. He couldn’t evade pressure of any kind and was knocked over by the slightest content. He wasn’t trusting his eyes and might have had more pump fakes than pass completions. It was a brutal outing for the veteran and is surely going to make the return of Bryce Young a welcome sight.

The defense wasn’t the unit that it had been against weak offenses in recent games. James Cook set a career high in rushing yards and had all sorts of room. To their credit, they did keep Josh Allen in check, but that didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things.

The Panthers will try to figure things out next week against at the Packers.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...na-panthers-vs-buffalo-bills-recap-and-result

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers vs Bills: Open game thread

The Buffalo Bills are coming to Charlotte to see if Andy Dalton wants to play. A home game with a healthy offensive line sets the Panthers up to have a strong rushing attack, but Dalton’s capacity to still play professional football may decide how the game ultimately unfolds.

There’s a lot to be said about the vulnerabilities of the Bills. The weakness of their rush defense has been talked about all week. The paucity of talent across the wide receiver position has held Josh Allen back all season. Allen himself has looked less than his previous MVP-caliber self in a few games. They are, by reputation, a Good Team that may not actually be great this season. That means the potential for a confidence and reputation boost for the Panthers is large today. If they can beat this vulnerable team then they walk into Week 9 at 5-3, heads held high, and looking entirely differently at the rest of their season.

The Carolina Panthers are not, nor have they been in recent memory, a Good Team. They are an actively rebuilding team with question marks stacked on question marks almost every where you look on the depth chart. The biggest questions lie at the quarterback position. Bryce Young is out today. Dalton will start. If the Bills or Dalton force the Panthers to be a one-dimensional team then they probably lose this game by a comfortable margin.

Again, the hopes for what today could mean to a long-struggling franchise are high. I’m just not confident that the odds are in their favor. I suppose we’ll see.

This is your open thread to follow along with all the action today.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...tion/56493/panthers-vs-bills-open-game-thread

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Canales: Christensen ruptured Achilles, likely out for season

During his postgame press conference, Dave Canales broke the news that sixth-man offensive lineman Brady Christensen likely ruptured his Achilles in Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, adding injury to insult.

Canales: Ruptured Achilles for Brady Christensen, so that will be season-ending. Tough.

— Joe Person (@josephperson) October 26, 2025

Christensen was lauded as a do-it-all lineman who could step in at all five positions on the offensive line. He had recently been filling in for the also injured Robert Hunt at right guard. Center Cade Mays and right tackle Taylor Moton also left Sunday’s game with injuries. Interior lineman Austin Corbett recently returned from an injury, but the line is still very thin moving forward. It will be interesting to see the line combinations moving forward, especially considering other injuries (e.g. Damien Lewis missing time earlier in the season). In an ideal scenario, Mays and Moton are back next week and we see a line of Ekwonu-Lewis-Mays-Corbett-Moton. With Bryce Young also nursing an ankle injury and Andy Dalton not being an NFL caliber quarterback, the Panthers better hope and pray for some good news on the injury front.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...ensen-ruptured-achilles-likely-out-for-season

 

[Carolina Panthers]

The Optimist: This isn’t our first time

Right, so, we’re here again.

The Carolina Panthers ended their historic three-game winning streak with a loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have been a favorite of bettors nationwide to make the AFC Championship game this season and the Panthers can’t even get odds on that game. This was penned in everyone’s calendar as a loss from the moment schedules were released. Even with the Panthers recent successes and the much-discussed matching up of Carolina’s strengths against Buffalo’s weaknesses, most of us still expected a loss.

And yet, fans young and old are disheartened today. It’s not that the Panthers lost. It’s how they lost that hurts. The 40-9 score is part of it. Andy Dalton’s worst Bryce Young impression didn’t help. The rash of injuries across the field, but particularly on the offensive line are terrifying right now. But the worst of it all was watching bad decision follow bad decision from head coach Dave Canales.

Keeping Dalton, even primarily as a mentor for Young, feels like a coaching-driven mistake. Trying to balance the run and the pass in a game that was always going to be decided on the ground was a mistake. Rico Dowdle being hilariously out-touched by Chuba Hubbard is an absolute mistake. The only caveat to that last point is if Dowdle was secretly injured.

An entire week of being cute in the media with Young’s ankle and game status led to a game where Canales got too cute for his own good. This is now a habit of his. His short-yardage and crunch time play calls often abandon what is working for his team for transparent attempts at out-smarting his opponents. That apparently translates into his big game game plans as well.

The Panthers were supposed to commit to the run, wisely playing towards Carolina’s strength, against Buffalo’s defense, all while insulating the team from Dalton’s “heroics.” It would have been one thing if they did that and lost after injuries to their offensive line forced the wheels off. Best laid plans of mice and wagons and all that. One good “Harrumph!” and we’re on to Week 9.

Instead, we saw Dalton repeatedly get handed the opportunity to prove he is not an NFL caliber quarterback anymore. He may be a great mentor. He may have a future as a coach. His days as a quarterback on an active roster are behind him.

The reason I’m harping on this is because it is so familiar to Panthers fans.

This reads like I’m writing about Matt Rhule or late career Ron Rivera again. Who remembers the years of Optimist columns vaguely hoping for competent offensive coaching and some future, reliable quarterback to unlock the potential of Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, and Curtis Samuel?

The likes of Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, and Jalen Coker have us in the same position again. Dalton threw a pass in the end zone that was inches away from being catchable by McMillan. That came on first & goal with 0:26 left in the first half and could have sent the Panthers into the locker room down only 19-10. That was one of several missed opportunities that could have made this a different game. Up until the Bills scored their second touchdown in the second half, the game felt much closer than the score.

I’m using the phrase “missed opportunities” here deliberately. Unlike the Rivera years, the opportunities have consistently actually existed for Canales’ offense. Saddled with questionable quarterbacking, a talent strapped roster, and stifled by his own inexperienced instincts, Canales has still deliveres one of the most successful and entertaining offenses I have watched as a Panthers fan.

I want him to learn from his mistakes. I want to watch him grow as his roster develops. I want to see what happens when he learns to twist the knife instead of drop it in his own foot while attempting some kind of silly spinning flourish.

I’m not optimistic because I expect him to improve. Too many people are unwilling to learn from their own mistakes. I’m optimistic because I want him to. The mistakes that led to fans being mad about a result they expected are plain as day. The opportunity is there to be missed. That amounts to a rare second chance to learn and grow. I really hope he takes it.

And I really hope Derrick Brown and Cade Mays are OK, because all of this may be moot without them.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/general/56502/the-optimist-this-isnt-our-first-time

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Brian Asks: Well that was rough

Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Asks, your weekly Panthers fan mail bag for everyone! We’re moving on from a really tough Sunday, where the Panthers both got beaten badly in the football department and beaten badly in the injury department. It was rough sledding, but that’s life of the regular season. The Panthers are four and four so that game does not have to be a season defining game, but I know many Panthers fans faith is shaken come ask all your questions, I’ll have answers for you later on this week. Remember, you know the drill, you can ask any question whether they be Panthers related, football related, or even completely off topic! Sound off down below, and KEEP POUNDING!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/carolina-panthers-rumors/56529/brian-asks-well-that-was-rough

 

[Carolina Panthers]

2026 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Keldric Faulk

Even though the 2025 NFL season just started, it’s never too early to look ahead toward the 2026 NFL Draft. This weekly series will take a closer look at some of the prospects the Carolina Panthers could select in the 2026 iteration of the Draft. In this series, we’ll only be looking at prospects the Panthers could seriously consider. This week our profile will focus on

Bio​

Faulk is an Alabama native and was a consensus four star recruit when he committed to the hometown Auburn Tigers. He earned All Freshman-SEC in his first year and vastly improved in his second season. The 6’6”, 285 lb-er also has a basketball background, which has allowed him some positionally versatility along the defensive line.

Strengths/Weaknesses​

Faulk is more than just his size, but that is the first thing that jumps off the tape. He has the height, weight, arm length, everything NFL teams look for in an edge defender or exterior defensive lineman. His high motor and insane athleticism and strength allow him to be a monster against the run, violently setting the edge even against pulling offensive lineman. Faulk has also shown impressive coachability as evidenced by his improved hand usage both against the run and the pass.

Despite his improvement in that area, Faulk’s hand placement can still be a bit inconsistent. This is especially true when he starts overthinking his keys which leads to a late get-off from time to time. That hand placement could also help Faulk better fight off zone blocking schemes, which he has struggled against at times.

Projection​

Faulk projects to be an immediate impact defender at the next level. He has the size, athleticism, and power to be a game wrecker against the run. While his pass rush technique needs refinement, he has the potential to be a double digit sack producer. Faulk has also managed to produce despite Auburn being an uninspiring team overall, showing he doesn’t always need a supporting cast to maximize his impact.

While the Panthers might have more glaring needs this April, defensive line could be an area they decide to invest even more in. While they added some youth and free agents to the mix, Faulk could provide a versatility that the other additions do not, playing 5 technique on rushing downs and moving all over the front in passing situations. With how often Ejiro Evero likes to rotate his down linemen and edge defenders, Faulk would see plenty of playing time right away and could create a young Monster Trio with Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen.

What do you think, Panthers fans? If Keldric Faulk is available when the Panthers select in the 2026 NFL Draft, should they take him? Sound off in the comments!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...2026-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-keldric-faulk

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers vs Packers: Offensive preview

The Carolina Panthers were without Bryce Young last Sunday and instead had to roll with Andy Dalton. Recent history would have told you that the drop off from Young to Dalton wasn’t all that significant, and if the Panthers were going to compete with Young, they could do just about the same with his backup. That did not hold true against the Bills. Dalton looked old. He couldn’t evade or break away from any sort of pressure, and he might have had as many pump fakes as he did completions. He was hesitant and flustered, and the offense was completely neutered because of it.

Young is trending towards playing this Sunday against the Green Bay Packers after fully participating in the first official practice of the week. That’ll be a welcome sight for Panthers fans. Unfortunately, the line blocking for him isn’t looking as welcome. Brady Christensen is out for the year after tearing his Achilles, and Cade Mays looks like he’s going to be out this weekend as well. Taylor Moton might play, but he didn’t practice on Wednesday. We’re going to potentially see a center through right tackle grouping of Austin Corbett, Chandler Zavala, and Yosh Nijman. Not exactly confidence inspiring.

To add insult to injury, this weekend’s opponent is arguably better than the one that just shellacked the Panthers at home this past weekend. The Packers are 5-1-1, the best in the NFC and are top 10 in both offensive and defensive DVOA. On defense specifically, they’re top 10 defending both the run and the pass. There are no clear weaknesses on paper. They’ve been even better at home, where they’ve held the Lions, Jayden Daniels-led Commanders, and Joe Flacco-led Bengals all under 20 points. Carolina is probably the easiest offensive opponent they’ve faced at home, at least on paper.

All that to say that the Panthers offense needs to step up and play over their heads to give themselves a fighting chance in Lambeau. Here are three things that can make that happen.

• Lean on Rico Dowdle. The Panthers offense has been at its best this season when Dowdle is rushing for 200 yards. The coaching staff tried to reintegrate Chuba Hubbard after he missed time with a calf injury, but it just hasn’t worked for Chuba this year. He’s averaging just 3.6 yards per carry to Dowdle’s 5.7. His longest run is 14 yards. Dowdle has matched or exceeded that on seven different carries. Dave Canales seemed to suggest that the offense was going to go away from the committee approach and lean on Dowdle more, which seems sensible and should give the Panthers at least a small chance at controlling the clock and limiting the possessions in the game.
• Stay patient in the passing game. Packers opponents are averaging 8.0 yards per completion this season, far and away the lowest mark in the league. That’s a whole yard better than the next best team, and that gap is the same as the one between the second worst team and the league average. Bryce Young isn’t exactly Mr. Aggressive when it comes to attacking the deep and intermediate parts of the field, and he’s probably going to have to stay that way for at least another week. There should be room for the backs and tight ends as checkdowns, and Young is going to have to keep taking them if they’re there.
• Score at least 28 points. The Packers have scored exactly 27 points in all three of their home games. If that trend holds true and my math is correct, 28 points should be enough to win this game.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...thers-vs-packers-offensive-preview-nfl-week-9

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers vs Packers: Defensive Preview

Hello CSR! Its time for this week’s edition of the Panthers defensive preview, as they’ll travel to Lambeau Field to face the 5-1-1 Green Bay Packers. The Panthers defense is coming off a dreadful performance, albeit definitely not aided by 3 turnovers on the offensive side of the ball. The Panthers defense managed to keep the team in it, as the score was at one point brought to 6-3 Bills after a Ryan Fitzgerald field goal. The wheels fell off after that, and in total the Bills ripped off 245 total yards rushing and 4 TDs, which led a 40-9 thrashing of the Panthers. With a bunch of injuries on the offensive line, and a potentially hurt Bryce Young stepping back in on Sunday, the Panthers defense will likely need to once again keep the Panthers in the game in order to have any chance of a victory. Let’s dive in.

• Limit the rushing attack. The Panthers got blown up against the Bills, but luckily they are facing a Packers team that seems much less effective at running the football. They are 16th in rushing yards per game, despite running the ball 47.65% of the time, good for 4th in the NFL (all stats per Teamrankings.com). They average roughly 3.9 yards per attempt, 24th in the league. So while I would expect the Packers to try and lean on some of the concepts that killed the Panthers this past Sunday, the Panthers might be able to win this matchup if the game script manages to fall in their direction. All they can do is try to control the line of scrimmage and let the big men in the middle do their work. This will especially matter in the RedZone, as Josh Jacobs has racked up all 9 of the Packers rushing TDs in 7 games this season.
• An injured pass rush. The Panthers managed another two sacks against the Bills, which didn’t really help but continues their upward trend of doing better than zero sacks on GameDay that we’ve seen finally over the last few weeks. However, Princely Umanmielen and Trevin Wallace both did not practice as of Wednesday, and the Panthers general ammunition for rushing the passer was already starting to wear thin. They added 49ers practice squad OLB Trevis Gipson this week to their active roster, someone who was contributing this year due to injuries but in general hasn’t moved the needle since 2022, so that should tell you what kind of state the pass rush is in. They’ll still need to find a way to get after Jordan Love, who has a bevy of weapons that he can and will throw to if given too much time in the pocket.
• Navigating a diverse passing attack in the secondary. Tight end Tucker Kraft has been the Packers leading receiver this season, which is already a bad sign for a Panthers defense that generally struggled against tight ends (but has improved over the last two weeks!). Romeo Doubs has been their second leading receiver, and that duo has 10 TDs between them on the season. Behind them, you have rookie WR Markus Golden, Dontayvion Wicks, and Christian Watson all expected to factor into the passing attack. The Panthers have done relatively well in limiting the pass this season, but I don’t know if they’ve faced an offense that could and likely will spread the ball around as much as this offense can do.

What are you looking for on Sunday, Panthers fans?

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...n/56552/panthers-vs-packers-defensive-preview

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Brian Answers: Rico Dowdle/Chuba Hubbard, cap casualties, Dave Canales and more!

Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Answers, part two of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! After a rough outing against the Bills, things have not been so fun in Panthers-land. But you all still came out with all your questions, let’s dive right into some answers!!

JakeNCVA: Is the Panthers’ success rate on plays from an empty set terrible or does it just seem that way?

I do think from the eye test standpoint, those plays tend to work out a lot less than they end up as negatives. I understand the idea of spreading the defense out and exploiting matchups that way, but I do find it frustrating that they do this so often on 3rd/4th and short downs. So I’m with you there.

KeepPounding88: How would you rank our biggest positions of need? It feels like we have some solid talent, but then when things go wrong, everyone sucks and it’s hard to pinpoint the actual problem.

I think the biggest positions of need at the moment are inside linebacker, EDGE, OL (if they didn’t continue to get massacred by injuries I’d feel differently), and possibly QB depending on your mileage with Bryce Young. That was in no particular order for quarterback as I think that all depends on the observer. I think this team needs one more draft of just adding solid talent across the board for things to look a bit more cohesive consistently regardless of the plan at quarterback.

Bruce Guild: It was clear that Andy is not what he once was and struggling would not describe what he was experiencing. It was easy to see he just is not cabable to play at this level.

My question to you is why wasn’t he pulled for his sake and the teams sake? Is HH this woefully unprepared that he wouldn’t be capable of running the offense or unable to perform at a level expected of a NFL backup quaterback which clearly Andy was not doing?

I don’t think Hendon Hooker was ever brought in as more than a speculative add that would only play if Bryce Young and Andy Dalton are both injured, which at that point the season’s likely lost anyway. I do think the fact that they stuck with Dalton and didn’t bring in any meaningful competition for at least the QB2 spot is something you can definitely blame the coaching staff for. Dalton was already showing decline last season after an extended stretch of starts. With Andy Dalton apparently having suffered a broken thumb, its possible we’ll see Hooker or Mike White out there should Bryce Young get injured again or see his ankle go in a negative direction, so maybe you’ll get to see what Hooker looks like as a starter at some point after all.

Chef: Is it really fair to complain about DC concerning Chuba/Rico? I, for one, want a leader that’s willing to back his guys. Coaches ask so much from team leaders so I like the loyalty. There’s a lot more to coaching than what happens on Sundays. Ultimately, this philosophy didn’t cost us anything as far as W/L go so I think calling it a failed experiment is a bit much. We’re gonna ride Rico from here on out, and he’s well rested, that feels like a win. Can everybody move on?

I think it made sense to continue mixing Chuba Hubbard into the offense after coming back from injury. Why it was a 50/50 split against the Jets and an even more favoring workload for Chuba last week I’m not sure. But hopefully either the team will run with the hot hand, or at least stop the alternating drives thing until Rico Dowdle slows down a bit. Chuba could also still be getting back into form, but I do understand why fans questioned his usage over the last couple of weeks. I’d still like to see Chuba get a healthy amount of touches, but leaning on Dowdle has been the most effective strategy all season on offense.

Old Dominion Panther: Hey, Brian! I know that we’re only at the halfway mark of the 2025 season. But, I want to look ahead to forecast the 2026 offseason. While key decisions will have to be made (Ickey extension, BY 5th year option, etc.), I want to focus specifically on potential cap casualties.

In this regard, I don’t see the Panthers shaking things up too much in 2026. This feels more of a stay the course/take your medicine type of offseason. But, by 2027, if it’s deemed necessary, the Panthers would at least be in a better position to undergo a hard roster reset. But, going back to 2026, there are a handful of potential cap casualties where the cap savings exceed the dead money: A’Shawn Robinson, Mike Jackson, Tommy Tremble, Bobby Brown III, and Damien Lewis. Do you see anyone out of this list who won’t make it to the 2026 season? Also, do you see any potential cap casualties that are not on this list? Thanks!

I think you pretty much hit on every name I would have thrown up, per Spotrac’s 2026 financial summary. Based on Damien Lewis’s performance this season, I’d be very shocked if they moved on from him. I could see Bobby Brown getting cut if Cam Jackson steps up, but so far I’ve been happy with Brown’s play when he’s getting in the game. Mike Jackson’s still been extremely solid opposite Jaycee Horn, so cutting him to save what appears to be about $4 mil in cap space doesn’t seem prudent either. The Panthers seem to be in pretty solid financial standing going into next season.

ericbuck: You can replace any current Panthers player with one from the past. The catch is, they both have to have the same jersey number.

So, if you want Brenton Bersin you would have to give up Nic Scourton. if no player currently has the number, you cannot pick the Panthers legend.

Who do you choose?

I’d swap out Brycen Tremayne for Muhsin Muhammad in a heartbeat (and that’s no slight on Brycen) for the offense. He’d add more of that run blocking aggressiveness that would help this team, with an absolutely solid receiving pedigree to boot. On defense, let’s go with Jon Beason, swapping out for new Panthers OLB Trevis Gipson.

And for your Brian special of players very dear to my heart, let’s go with prime Charles Godfrey over Chuba Hubbard. He’d absolutely add that over the top speed safety. Or Mike Minter, if you want to shatter my hopes and dreams.

SwampPanther: Q: I don’t have the chart thingy that shows run direction and length of run so going off of memory here.

Seemed as though the Bills figured out that the key to defeating the Panthers amazing run defense is to run wide avoiding the hog mollies up front. Granted, they have a great RB and a QB who’s a threat to run at any time so that adds some nuance but we sure looked vulnerable to the run outside the hash marks. Can we expect that the rest of the year from offenses?

Shifty Fish and Dcangio09 answered the question probably better than I could have, so go read their responses. But to summarize, the Bills leaned on their heavier personnel (tight ends, full back) to give them added leverage in the run game. I think other offenses will try to replicate it, but not many offenses really run with multiple tight ends and a full back anymore. At least, not with the conviction the Bills were and have been able to. That’s the funny thing about the NFL; everything is cyclical. After the NFL got away from being run heavy for the most part, and building their teams around both passing the ball and defending against it, the most successful teams right now seem to have a heavy power rushing attack. But to your point, the Bills just put a lot of good film out there on how to soundly beat this defense. And it’ll be up to Ejiro Evero to adjust to it.

Panthers75: What’s this teams identity? Do they even know and if they do why arent they doubling down? I think we all have seen what works ans works well for this team and its malpractice to not do it until it gets stopped.

For every game the team seems to have “found” its identity, they put up a performance like last week that makes us doubt they know what it is. This team is built in theory around running the football between the tackles and piggy backing the passing game off of it, with some unique wrinkles sprinkled in. When they get the tight ends involved in the passing game while running the ball a bit, good things happen. This would be the week to double down, as that Packers pass rush is really darn good even without loading the box a whole lot.

Carolinamaybenextyears: I would love to see the Panthers bring in a battering ram of a full back and embrace that position again like in the past. If you want to be a running team, be a power running team! Both Super Bowl years we had above average at the position, Hoover and Tolbert. Thoughts?

The position seems to be making a comeback in the NFL, so I wouldn’t be opposed to it. They do have tight ends on the roster who can function in this role, but it doesn’t seem to have much of a place in Dave Canales’s offense aside from a creative wrinkle or mixed in here and there.

Mozzie11: Unless you have an elite qb, you are generally on the outside looking in. When you are doing basically the same thing as the best teams but with lesser talent, there is little chance for real success. I think one of things BB did with the Patriots was to pivot his personnel to go against the flow of what other teams were built for.

Along those lines, what would the best alternate team building be to minimize having an avg qb (maybe generous with our current situation) and maximize our team against the established flow of the league.

I go through this exercise occasionally when I am board of doing something productive and wondering what others think.

I think the best thing you can do is actually what the Panthers have attempted to do throughout the last couple of offseasons, which is build the trenches. The job is incomplete, and the Panthers need to continue to throw resources at it. Not just bring in inside linebackers, bring in more EDGE guys. On the offensive line, I’m generally happy with the moves they’ve made, but unfortunately the injuries have just been terrible this season.

So I think in general for this iteration of the Panthers, they just need to bring in good players (WILD theory, but bear with me). Continue to build depth, even if the need isn’t perceived as pressing. They’ve done a pretty good job with that at running back and along the interior Defensive line. But continuing to use resources to build up the trenches is my pick. Couldn’t hurt to add more wide receivers either.

ALLSTATSANDNOPLAY: Sometimes I wonder if I have some sort of disorder.

Because it actually really bothers me how these articles are titled.“Brian Asks:” and then it is NOT followed by a question.

Brian Asks: Well that was rough.

And then my brain screams, “That’s not a freakin’ question !!”

I mean, I get that “Brian Asks” is the name of a reoccurring article.But, I really need it to be followed by a question. Please tell me I am not alone.

I generally try to have a unique headline for each week, but I am certainly open to suggestions. Ask Brian is a good suggestion, what else do you guys think?

Thanks for all the questions this week, and enjoy Sunday!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...-hubbard-cap-casualties-dave-canales-and-more