What to watch for when the Panthers play the Jets in their second preseaon game

Carolina plays host to the AFC contenders in a preseason game tonight, but will we see any starters on the field?

Aug 12, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) with New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) after the game at Bank of America Stadium. / Bob Donnan-USA TODAY

The Carolina Panthers play host to the New York Jets this evening in the second preseason game on their 2024 NFL schedule. This comes on the heels of Thursday's joint practice, which represented a big breakthrough for this young team. That's especially true for their growing franchise quarterback Bryce Young, who looked as sharp as he ever has at this level while going against an elite defense.

We still don't know if head coach Dave Canales plans to play Young or any of his other starters tonight, so it's pretty difficult to guess what we should be watching for. Our best guess is that Canales will want to sit Young, especially after his strong outing on at Thursday's joint practice. This is the right move, even if it's frustrating for fans watching at home. Most likely we will only see Young briefly in action in next week's preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills.

For now, that means we'll have more time to evaluate the rookies and role players on this roster. Specifically, it'll be another chance for undrafted rookie quarterback Jack Plummer to show what he can do after bombing in his debut last week against the New England Patriots. Carolina's backup offensive linemen will also want another shot to show they can perform better than they did in that game.

Defensively the Panthers were stout for most of that game, especially outside linebacker Eku Leota, who was their most disruptive defender up front. On the back end, D'Shawn Jamison and Lamar Jackson (the other one) posted two pass breakups apiece and will have a chance to build on that good work against the Jets.

We'll post an update as soon as we hear Canales' plans for the lineup tonight. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time.

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