What we learned about the Panthers' depth in preseason loss to Jets

A few things were revealed in the Carolina Panthers' second preseason game.

Schuyler Callihan | Aug 18, 2024

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

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Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers dropped to 0-2 in preseason play with a 15-12 loss to the New York Jets on Saturday night. Head coach Dave Canales opted to rest his starters once again, opening up more playing time for guys trying to fight their way onto the roster. Despite there being very little action on either side of the football, there were still a few things that stood out.

WR Terrace Marshall Jr. feels safe

Marshall made two catches in the game for 14 yards and nearly made a third on a shot to the end zone in double coverage. He came out of the game pretty early in the first half, opening the door for others to have more opportunities. With David Moore and Ihmir Smith-Marsette playing deeper into the game, that leads me to believe TMJ is safe while Moore and Smith-Marsette are the two battling for the final receiver spot on the 53-man roster.

LB Trevin Wallace is going to be a dude

I caught on to Wallace's potential about a week or two ago, but this past week he's shown that he has the ability to be a reliable force in the second level. So much so that I see him being a guy that Ejiro Evero wants to groom into being a starter in the near future. He flies around, has great instincts, and can make tackles in the open field, as evidenced in his play tonight.

O-line depth is still an issue

Although the Panthers only allowed one sack on the evening, Jack Plummer was under duress more than Dave Canales probably would have liked. It wasn't horrendous pass protection, but there's a clear need for more bodies to be brought in. Too much sloppiness in technique, a lack of consistency in pad level, and tackles were getting beat at the point of attack. I'm well aware that a couple of these guys arrived just a few days ago, but the second and third string of the o-line is as concerning as we all thought entering training camp.