What We Learned from the Panthers' preseason finale vs. Bills

A mini recap of the Carolina Panthers' preseason finale.

Schuyler Callihan | Aug 24, 2024

Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

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Carolina Panthers

And just like that, the preseason is officially over for the Carolina Panthers. Dave Canales picked up his unofficial first win as head coach as the Panthers topped the Buffalo Bills, 31-26, in the preseason finale.

Here a few key takeaways I had from today's game.

Bryce Young is ready to roll

The Panthers' starting quarterback got his first live game action today and did not disappoint. Yes, it was against the Bills' backups, but he did exactly what he was supposed to do. A rock solid 6-for-8 performance with a touchdown pass to Jordan Matthews to cap things off has Panthers fans feeling much better about the offense heading into the season opener in New Orleans.

Mike Boone could stick around in some capacity

Boone saw limited work in today's game, but made the most of it. He finished with four carries for 20 yards and a touchdown in addition to one catch for ten yards. With all of the depth Carolina has in its backfield, there's no room for Boone to make the 53-man roster here, but if he doesn't get picked up by another team he would be a nice depth piece to stash on the practice squad. He's had a really strong camp/preseason.

Jack Plummer is QB3

In his previous two preseason outings, Plummer didn't look all that great. But then again, he was playing with the twos, threes, and fours aka a lot of guys that won't see the field much in 2024 or perhaps not even make the roster. This afternoon, he had Terrace Marshall Jr. and a few others who should make the 53 to get the ball to. Even when the bottom of the barrel guys entered the game, he remained sharp. I questioned whether or not Plummer made sense as the Panthers' third option, but he hear earned it today going 21/29 for 278 yards and two touchdowns.