To hear Bené Benwikere explain it, he's just waiting in the wings.

Sure, Carolina Panthers' coach Ron Rivera said Wednesday that rookies James Bradberry and Daryl Worley are "pretty much set" at both outside cornerback spots. That would put Benwikere at nickel — again.

But there's a month of practices and an entire preseason ahead.

"I'm kind of the guy that you usually have wait and you let everyone else kind of understand what's going on at corner," Benwikere said Thursday. "(Coaches) know that I understand the game, that I'm smart, and that I'm able to do nickel all week — and then in the game — be able to go outside at corner and perform well."

The problem for Benwikere is Bradberry and Worley have so far performed better than many may have expected. That's a good problem if you're the Panthers, but not for a guy who's been hoping for a permanent role on the outside.

"Of course I prefer to be every-down," Benwikere said.

"Since I've been here, I've kind of flip-flopped back and forth. I started at nickel, then was every-down and rotating in at nickel, then come back the next season as starting nickel and toward the end of the season every-down."

And just when it appeared the Panthers were finally granting Benwikere's wish, they let Josh Norman head to D.C. before drafting three corners. That, and Brandon Boykin's short stay, blew up the Benwikere plan.

"I'd definitely like to be every-down rather than rotate-in," Benwikere said, "but the team has their own plans, and however they may fit, that's how we're going to go.

"The coaches understand. They know that I know the mental reps and I know the prep and how things are going to go from week to week. So I don't think they're really worried about me when it comes to corner. They just want to make sure I get things down at nickel."

Benwikere lined up solely at nickel during team drills Wednesday and Thursday, but that could be a byproduct of his ease-back-into-things schedule. And for what it's worth, he hasn't yet been told he's back in the slot.

So Benwikere will continue to wait. He's nice insurance for the Panthers, who appear ready roll with a pair of rookie starters, as tentative as that plan may be.

"It is a big vote of confidence and we'll see," coach Ron Rivera said.

"To me, what's going to be real important is how we play in the preseason games."