News Panthers Team Notes

Panthers 2025 season opener countdown: 26 days to go

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Hello CSR! We’re only 26 Days away from the start of the Panthers 2025 regular season! To celebrate another day off the countdown, I’m going to talk to you about #26 for the Panthers; cornerback Chau Smith-Wade.

CSW as he’s known by many fans, joined the Carolina Panthers as the 157th overall pick in the 5th round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The former Washington State Cougar played in 14 games with 4 starts as a rookie, logging 39 total tackles, 1 pass deflection, 1 forced fumble, and 1 interception. He also logged 144 snaps as a special teamer (all stats via Pro Football Reference). That’s a pretty solid rookie year for a 5th round pick, as Smith-Wade ended up contributing just about everywhere he could for the Panthers.

Going into 2025, Smith-Wade figures to be heavily involved as part of the starting defense. The coaches have raved about him all Offseason, and he should see a ton of time as the nickel corner for Ejiro Evero. We’ll see if he can continue that momentum, but as a contributor at a position of relative weakness depth-wise, Smith-Wade should get every opportunity to show he was a gem of a late round pick in 2024. Let me know your thoughts on CSW below, and KEEP POUNDING!
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...rs-2025-season-opener-countdown-26-days-to-go
 
Panthers vs Texans: Preseason Defensive Preview

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The Panthers defense looks to rebound from a 30-10 beating by the Cleveland Browns on Friday. Granted, this is the preseason, and the starters on defense didn’t play a ton much like the offense, but it did cause for some concern across the Panthers internet community. While we again cannot quite preview too many specific matchups due to the constant subbing in and out of starters for 2s and 3s on both sides, we can preview specific positions on the defense ahead of their 2nd preseason outing. Let’s dive right in!

The depth looks rough​


Across the defense as a whole, it seems pretty clear that they lack depth at virtually every position. That was my biggest takeaway from Friday’s game. There were flashes of some younger guys and veterans who made plays, but as a whole the defense struggled in basically every facet of the game once the starters began to leave the rotation. I don’t expect this problem to get any better on Saturday. But, what we can watch out for are the guys who stand out from the rest of the pack. More on those soon, but I say as someone who has watched the preseason for years and admittedly gotten too hyped up about guys who didn’t even make the final roster, I suggest watching for the bright spots!

Safety battle is picking up steam​


I know many Panthers fans did not like seeing safety Nick Scott out there opposite Tre’Von Moehrig with the starters, but I don’t think that particular battle is anywhere close to over. Demani Richardson had himself several nice tackling plays when he came in, including a sack, while Lathan Ransom got some work with the 2s and 3s as well. I would chock Scott being a “starter” up to his veteran status, and rather than focus on him getting snaps with the starters, I’d continue to keep my eye on Richardson and Ransom. Richardson excelled last preseason as well, and it seems Ransom has really started to get some attention at practice recently. Keep your eyes on those two for sure.

Rookie highlights​


The Panthers had several standout performances by rookies on Friday. Firstly, second round pick Nic Scourton was graded the highest by Pro Football Focus for all of last Friday’s games, and in general got tons of praise on Twitter/X as people were breaking down film. I expect him to continue to get valuable snaps since he’ll most likely end up being a starter/three down player sooner than later on this defense. He and fellow rookie EDGE Princely Umanmielen got to play a ton of snaps opposite each other, and I expect that to continue on Saturday. On the secondary side, UDFA CB Corey Thornton once again had a standout performance, a continuing trend throughout the off-season. As a long zone corner, he has the exact tools to thrive in Evero’s zone defense, and I think he’s making a real case to make the 53 man roster. I called him my standout player on defense in our CSR Slack Chat as the game went on.

What are you watching for from the defense, Panthers fans?
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...anthers-vs-texans-preseason-defensive-preview
 
Panthers vs Texans: Preseason Offensive Preview

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The Carolina Panthers offense only mustered 10 points against the Browns last week, but that doesn’t really matter. Bryce Young only played two series, and one of them resulted in a touchdown pass to Jalen Coker. That’s a win for the offense as they get their rhythm down throughout camp and the preseason.

They’ll probably play more against the Texans this week. With the three game preseason schedule, teams that actually play their players tend to use the second week as their heaviest week of key player usage. The Texans didn’t use many starters in their opener against the Vikings. Hopefully they’ll give them some burn this week so we can see what the Panthers offense looks like against a Texans defense that is supposed to be pretty good.

Since the result of the game doesn’t matter, we have to pick out some other interesting things to watch. Here are a few of those things.

Can Bryce Young and Tetairoa McMillan continue to improve their chemistry?​


Young found McMillan deep down the right sideline to get the ball rolling on the scoring drive. McMillan expertly tracked the ball in the air and made the over the shoulder catch with a defender bearing down. It was a kind of play that’s been very rare for the Panthers in recent seasons. The duo had a chance to cap off the drive with a touchdown, but Young delivered a pass before McMillan came out of his break, and the rookie receiver couldn’t get his hands up in time to reel it in. That rep and another week of practice should help the pair dial in their timing. Hopefully they’ll go back to that well a few times this weekend.

How does the offensive line look without Damien Lewis?​


The Panthers have done a good job of building enough offensive line depth to withstand some injuries, and they’re getting an early test of that depth. Starting guard Damien Lewis has been out with a shoulder injury, and one of his backups Chandler Zavala has been out nursing a knee injury. The Texans have a very good pass rushing front four that can provide some stress on the front line. The interior isn’t quite as strong as the edge rushers, but it’s still a test. We’ll want to see the offensive line keep Bryce Young clean to let the offense keep up the rhythm it started last week against the Browns.

How do the running back carries get divided up?​


In the first week, there was a pretty clear delineation between Chuba Hubbard getting the first carries and Rico Dowdle coming in as the seconds started to come in. With Week 2 likely featuring more extended time for the starters, I want to see how the carries get split between Hubbard and Dowdle. Is this going to be a backfield by committee or is it going to still be the Chuba Hubbard show with some cameos by Dowdle?
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...anthers-vs-texans-preseason-offensive-preview
 
Have the Panthers cracked the code to kicking off?

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Since the complete overhaul of the kickoff rules last year, the NFL has introduced a new layer that sets the starting field position after a touchback to their own 35 yard line. Now, more than ever, teams are incentivized – or even almost forced – to keep the ball out of the endzone. You only need to stop a team from getting past the 35 yard line to make inviting a return worth it, so expect to see a lot more returns in 2025.

It seems as though the Carolina Panthers are leaning all the way into this new opportunity and have identified an innovative way to kickoff. Shawn Syed of Sumer Sports breaks down the logic behind the Panthers new plan here:

If you have not heard of Sumer Sports before, they are a sports analytics startup (similar to PFF) that has several notable connections to the Panthers. Eric Eager, the Panthers Vice President of Football Analytics, was Sumer Sports’ Vice President before joining the Panthers. John Idzik, the father of Panthers Offensive Coordinator Brad Idzik, is Sumer Sports current President of Football Operations.

A careful eye watching the Panthers kickoffs versus the Cleveland Browns during last week’s preseason matchup might notice that the Panthers placekickers set the football on the tee with the laces oriented towards the sideline instead of pointing towards the receiving team’s endzone. This orientation of the ball, along with what I can only assume is a specific kicking technique that I’m far too unqualified to break down, gives the football a knuckleball-like effect while it is in the air, making it exponentially more difficult to predict and therefore more difficult to catch out of the air.

Keep in mind that the kicking team cannot start advancing up the field until the ball is either caught or lands in the “landing zone” (between the 20 yard line and the endzone). So, if the ball hits the ground within the landing zone, any extra time that the returner needs to use to collect the football and gain possession, is time the kickoff coverage unit can leverage to get down the field.

Here’s another breakdown on YouTube from the channel “Isaac Punts” that gives a new perspective on the Panthers process:

It’s only been one game and three kickoffs, but this has officially become a storyline to watch as the regular season approaches. With the Panthers also in the midst of a position battle at kicker between Matthew Wright and Ryan Fitzgerald, this just adds another layer to that evaluation beyond just kicking the ball through the uprights.
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...-the-panthers-cracked-the-code-to-kicking-off
 
Brian Answers: Preseason week 2 roster questions

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Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Answers, part two of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! We got a lot of questions about Corey Thornton, Jalen Coker, and just general preseason roster questions. Its one on the best times of the year! As a recap, this is where I answer all YOUR questions from earlier in the week. I highlight those questions and some of the comments I enjoyed along the way. Let’s dive right in!!

@WTMealey: Thorton-just a preseason MVP or UDFA gold? Is he the CB equivalent of Coker? Give them each a Madden score

I actually am buying into this one as a UDFA gem right now. The Panthers need CBs, and Corey Thornton’s biggest knock as a draft prospect seemed to be that his skillset would limit his fit in the NFL. Luckily, he fits right into what the Panthers want out of a corner on defense; long, rangy, and zone forward. I don’t know if he’ll be cracking the starting lineup short of an injury occurring, but I think he’s going to be a depth pieces for this defense. I wouldn’t put him in the same tier as Jalen Coker yet, as Coker produced at a level above first round pick Xavier Legette last season. Madden score for Thornton would be a 70. Coker is closer to 78.

KeepPounding88: How long until Coker officially overtakes XL on the depth chart?

I don’t think its necessarily about one or the other winning on the depth chart. I think Coker can do a lot for this offense, but Legette’s athletic talent should still give him a place on this receiving group whether Coker starts to take the lion’s share of snaps nor not. I think they are both primed for a step forward this season, and this passing offense will need at least 3 WRs to really step up if the optimism they garnered over the off-season is warranted.

SwampPanther: Could bad raccoon meat have been what uncharacteristic set Xavier Legette off? If I learned anything from Frank Reynolds it’s that raccoon meat is lousy with parasites.

I think Legette’s brawl last week is the result of jawing with the same guy for multiple days in a row and it boiling over, moreso than his diet (and I know, that was a joke, a good one!). It isn’t often that NFL players that don’t occupy the same locker room end up going at it on the practice field as long as they do during joint practices during the preseason. Legette doesn’t seem to have a history of being a hot head. Going to chalk this one up to road rage.

Bull123: Hunt & Lewis…these guys may be the most valuable players we have…are they healthy for the reg season start?

I’m not worried about either of them long term, but Robert Hunt especially just seems to be dealing with the usual aches and pains of training camp/preseason. Damien Lewis’s absence has been a bit longer, but he’s a veteran guard who played well last season and really doesn’t need to be out there if he’s on the mend. Luckily today we’ll get to see Cade Mays at left guard, which should show us the contingency plan if Lewis is still not healthy come week 1. Last week, they played a guy who might not even make the roster at that spot, where I’d expect Mays, Chandler Zavala, or Brady Christensen to occupy that left guard spot if we’re in regular season mode.

Old Dominion Panther: Hey, Brian! With the Coker/XL battle already covered, I’ve got a few other spots on the depth chart I’d like to address this week. How long before the following roster spots are officially overtaken on the depth chart?

Safety – Richardson OR Ransom – Nick Scott

Edge – Scourton/Umanmielen – Wonnum/Jones

LB – Anyone – Trevin Wallace

  • Safety: Sorry y’all, Nick Scott is going to start every game. The new Ace That Runs The Place has stepped up. Kidding aside, I think come week 1 we’ll probably see a bit of a rotation at that safety spot, some mix of all 3 until Lathan Ransom or Demani Richardson step up and show they’ve got it.
  • EDGE: Kind of the same answer as above, but I don’t think the depth chart really matters in this regard. While the end goal would hopefully be for Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen to be the starters for a long while, I don’t think it hurts the Panthers to have a healthy mix of all 4 of their top edge rushers. They all bring something to the table, so I don’t see DJ Wonnum and Patrick Jones hitting the bench any time soon.
  • LB: Christian Rozeboom is really the only realistic option on the roster to start opposite Trevin Wallace. If anybody else does, its either because this scouting staff identified yet another gem, or the Panthers are in dire straits.

Shifty Fish: Why does it feel like so long ago since I woke up with an existential dread everyday that we were going to draft Jalon Walker?

The Panthers worked us, BROTHER. I definitely wouldn’t have hated Jalon Walker if they drafted him, but the sigh of relief when they did the smart thing, didn’t overthink it, and took a top tier WR in the draft instead definitely took a weight off my shoulders. I’m enjoying throwing the ball to Tetairoa McMillan in Madden, by the way.

brake23: I’m really impressed with Thornton and would like him at the #3 CB behind Horn and MJ. Bartholomew can go in my opinion as he was abused all night. Who else do you think will fill out the CB room? I’m pulling for Mello Dotson because he’s a ballhawk. I drafted him late in a few of my mocks but I haven’t heard anything about him since he was signed last week.

I think the Panthers will inevitably be combing through 53 man roster cuts again to fill out their CB room. For reference, I expect Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, Chau Smith-Wade, and Corey Thornton to make the roster. Trevian Thomas also surprised me a bit last week so he could make it, but in reality to me the difference between CB5/6 on the active roster and the CBs on the practice squad probably won’t be huge. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Panthers swing a trade again with a team that’s got a deep CB room and needs to let a decent one go like last season.

WanderingGnome: Will Davis Mills, the backup for CJ Stroud, get as much media love as Sanders when he also looks good against our backups?

Probably not, unless Davis Mills also has an NFL Hall of Fame father gassing him up and DMing every NFL media person who will listen. (That last part was a joke, Prime. Please don’t come after me!)

TXPanther: Will someone duplicate the Cam Little 70 yard FG in the regular season?

Harrison Butker.

Coach_K: which Panther to grab on your fantasy team?

I’ve personally tried to get Chuba Hubbard as my RB2, and grabbed Rico Dowdle in the later rounds as his handcuff. I’m generally RB heavy in the early rounds so I don’t know if I’d be comfortable with Hubbard as my RB1, but locking down that room to fill my RB2 role seems ideal. I also think T Mac and Adam Thielen should be safe WR plays at their ADP.

Senanima: I still got Coker down for 5.7. We believing yet?

As a Jalen Coker dynasty owner, and a guy with a bet he’ll make the 53 man roster with an Eagles fan friend of mine, I’m all in. 6 TDs seems like a lot in my head, but Coker definitely has chemistry with Bryce. I’ll go with 4-5 TDs for now, but only because Thielen and McMillan are likely to get more end zone throws on the goal line.

dayneb12: Who’s your bet to win the kicker competition?

Eddy Pineiro with the Money in the Bank briefcase.

Temujin07: People found out Legette actually first name is Anthony and are now dating him to have a bad game again 😂

T Leg and T Mac on this offense sounds like a winner.

positivebob: What are you looking for in the joint practice and 2nd preseason game? Texans have a better team, better roster than Cleveland. On the road. Looks like a stiffer test than last week. Will Hunt and Lewis play/practice? How much pressure will BY be under and how will Carolina pass catchers do against a better secondary? Houston is better at WR than Cleveland, how does the secondary hold up, especially the safeties in coverage? Lots of question, maybe some answers this week.

I’m expecting the Panthers starting offense to play 2-3 series again. I’m expecting on defense to see the rookie edge duo and the safety battle to play a ton of snaps, but other than that mostly the backups that aren’t really worth putting too much stock into. Hunt and Lewis seem to both be on the mend, but I’m not all that worried whether they play or not. I think Bryce and the pass catchers will do just fine. Davis Mills will probably carve the backup secondary up, but I hope to see some nice pass breakups from guys like Chau Smith-Wade and Corey Thornton. The reps in this game should help us shake out the back end of the CB depth chart. It’s hard for me to make much headway on what the safeties are doing short of big run defense plays or obvious mishaps in coverage. The Panthers don’t really do anything special with their coverages in the preseason, pretty simple zone stuff which isn’t what they do in real games.

That’s all for this week, Panthers fans. Enjoy preseason game 2, and join us next week for another edition of your weekly mailbag!
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...ian-answers-preseason-week-2-roster-questions
 
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