Carolina Panthers stock watch following Week 2 of the preseason

Matt Alquiza | Aug 18, 2024

Aug 17, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette tries to elude New York Jets cornerback Brandin Echols (26) during the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

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Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers fell to the New York Jets in week two of preseason action, falling to 0-2. Carolina rested their starters for the second week in a row, giving plenty of time for players fighting for their spot on the team to prove their value. In a sloppy, defensive-minded game, a few Panthers stood out among them all, while some faltered. Let's take a look at players who both raised and lowered their stock.

Stock Up

T.J. Smith - Defensive line

Smith's stock has skyrocketed in the preseason. The third year defensive lineman out of Arkansas impressed in last week's preseason opener, and he repeated that performance against the Jets. In the first half of action, Smith contributed a sack (for a 15-yard loss), a tackle for loss, and a tipped pass that almost ended in a Panthers interception against the Jets second team offense. Ejiro Evero is looking for contributors on his revamped front, and Smith's solid preseason play has him on track to join A'Shawn Robinson and Derrick Brown in the defensive line rotation.

Trevin Wallace - Linebacker

The rookie can play. Wallace spent the first half wreaking havoc on the Jets offense, racking up four tackles in an impressive display of speed, play-recognition, and sure-handed tackling. Dan Morgan preached the need for "dawgs" early on in his tenure, and it appears that his franchise found one in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Terrace Marshall Jr. - Wide Receiver

Marshall continued his star turn with a solid first half performance against the Jets. Dave Canales proved his trust in Marshall, as he pulled him after three drives, leaving Ihmir Smith-Marsette and David Moore to fight for scraps with the rest of the players on the roster bubble. Marshall hauled in two first-half receptions, but the brunt of his work was done on Thursday. With Diontae Johnson sidelined for the Panthers joint practice against the Jets, Marshall assumed the role of X-receiver and whopped Gang Green up and down the practice field. The LSU product came into camp unsure of his position on the roster, but he is now firmly entrenched in the Panthers receiver rotation following his strong preseason.

Stock Down

Ihmir Smith-Marsette and David Moore - Wide Receivers

In my opinion, the last spot in the Panthers' receiving core is going to come down one of these two veterans. Behind his solid week of practice, Terrace Marshall seems to have jumped Moore and Smith-Marsette in the pecking order. Diontae Johnson, Jonathan Mingo, Adam Thielen, and Xavier Legette are all locks to make the roster. As the third quarter started, Terrace Marshall Jr. was on the sidelines in a hoodie and shorts, while Smith-Marsette and Moore kept their pads on, playing deep into the second half.

Both Smith-Marsette and Moore got a chance to return punts and kicks with limited success. Notably, Smith-Marsette was more involved on offense, hauling in three receptions from quarterbacks Jack Plummer and Jake Luton.

Michael Barrett - Linebacker

The Panthers' seventh-round pick was AWOL in the first half, spending most of the time on the sidelines. The undersized linebacker entered the NFL as the winningest player in the history of the University of Michigan, but it's likely that he'll have to find his first NFL win elsewhere. Barrett played 10 snaps in the week one preseason loss in New England, and he was strapped for playing time again tonight.

Jack Plummer - Quarterback

The Panthers' third-string quarterback started the game out hot. Plummer (no relation to Jake) finished the first quarter completing 7 of 8 passes for 42 yards. It went downhill from there.

At the end of the third quarter, Plummer was 11 for 18...still for 42 yards. An efficient start fizzled out to resemble much of what week one of the preseason looked like. The undrafted rookie failed to deliver accurate throws to his young receiving core, making it hard to evaluate the receiving options.