Ten Final Thoughts & Observations of Panthers Minicamp

Recapping some takeaways from the Panthers minicamp practices.

Panthers aren't sold on Sam Darnold as QB1 in 2022

Sam Darnold had a really nice day throwing the ball last Wednesday in the final day of OTAs, but didn't look quite as sharp in minicamp. On the final day of minicamp (Thursday), Darnold threw a handful of balls short or behind receivers. In the two-minute drill, he held onto the ball too long and the clock expired after Shi Smith made the catch, meaning no field goal attempt. Matt Rhule said that "if the season started today, Sam would be the starting quarterback". The thing is, the season doesn't start for another two and a half months. There's plenty of time for things to change.

Baker Mayfield is becoming a very realistic option

It may not be a popular move amongst the fan base, but the possibility of Baker Mayfield becoming a Carolina Panther is starting to seem more real by the day. It's all going to come down to money. The Panthers have an offer that the Browns are willing to accept, but Cleveland doesn't want to pay the majority of Mayfield's 2022 salary. If they can get Cleveland to budge, he'll be a Panther.

Lastly on QBs: Corral has a long way to go

No one expected Matt Corral to come in and push Sam Darnold for the starting job right away. In fact, the coaching staff and front office is completely fine with taking a more patient approach with him as he adjusts to the NFL. The potential is certainly there as we saw the widely talked about quick release throughout the past few weeks. He's comfortable throwing on the run, but can get a little robotic if he stands in the pocket for too long. For him, it's all about learning defensive coverages, making the right protection calls and checks at the line of scrimmage. Don't expect to see him early in the year unless there's an injury. 

I'm not confident Robbie Anderson will be with the Panthers in 2022

Robbie tried to downplay his retirement tweet, but he didn't seem to thrilled to be at minicamp. When speaking to the media, he repeatedly said, "I'm here, ain't I?" As if to say he's here for the 2022 season, but really, he could have just been there to avoid being fined. This gave me real Marshawn Lynch "I'm just here so I don't get fined" vibes. Even the way Matt Rhule deflected the questions about Robbie's tweet didn't seem right. It felt more like he didn't truly know if he would be here for the season, so he just tried to move on to the next topic. Whether it's retirement or being traded, I'd say there's a chance Anderson isn't with the team this season. How much of a chance is really hard to gauge.

Ekwonu is going to be a franchise player

I know it's just shorts and helmets, but you can tell how special this kid is going to be. I don't care if he lines up at tackle or guard, he's going to make a massive difference on this offensive line. Once the team gets to Spartanburg next month and they throw the pads on, it'll be interesting to see how well he holds up then. There will be some growing pains, no doubt, but he's the kind of guy who will figure it out quickly.

Brady Christensen looks the part

Matt Rhule said Thursday that Brady Christensen is one of the best players on the team and not just the offensive line. That's a pretty bold statement for a guy who barely played as a rookie, but I can see why Rhule is high on his second year guy. Everything Christensen does is technically sound and he plays with 100% effort 100% of the time. He looks more confident and comfortable then he was a year ago, which might have something to do with not bouncing around as much.

Darryl Johnson had a couple of solid days

The Panthers traded for Johnson last year who came in from Buffalo. He didn't see the field all that much and some of that could have stemmed from being added to the mix a little late. Now that he's went through a full regular season and offseason with the Panthers, you can see him making strides. Is he going to be an every down player? No, but he could turn into a valuable rotational player as the season moves along. 

CJ Henderson looks good, like real good

After being traded to Carolina early in the season last year, Henderson played more of a rotational role than anything. With Stephon Gilmore and Donte Jackson eating up most of the reps, Henderson was viewed more so as the third guy. He'll still be considered the "third corner" this season now that Jaycee Horn is fully healthy, but he'll be on the field a lot more. He made a ton of plays this week on the ball and I don't believe he was beat once on a deep ball.

Zane Gonzalez is still money 

Hey, kickers are football players too, so that's why we'll give Zane some recognition here. On Wednesday, he nailed a 56-yard field goal to end practice early which made him a very popular guy among his teammates that day. I didn't watch the field goal unit much, but when I did, Zane wasn't missing. He looks to have picked up right where he left off following that injury he suffered during pregame warmups in Buffalo.

Too talented to be picking in the top five in 2023

The Panthers may struggle to win games this season, but this team has improved in just about every area possible (except quarterback). There are several way-too-early mock drafts out there that have the Panthers taking one of the top quarterbacks in the class but if I'm being honest, I don't think they'll be in position to take one of those guys. This team has too much talent to completely bottom out and only win three or four games.

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