Part 7 of a position-by-position Panthers’ training camp preview. Who’s a lock, who will be in a battle and who’s a long shot?
Teaming Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis with first-round pick Shaq Thompson gives the Panthers what is arguably the NFL’s most athletic linebacking corps. But since this group is so deep, we could see some surprises when cuts come in.
| Name | Year | Games/Starts | Age | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Blechen | R | 0 | 23 | 6-2 | 225 |
| Thomas Davis | 11 | 117/99 | 32 | 6-1 | 235 |
| Adarius Glanton | 2 | 10/2 | 24 | 6-1 | 230 |
| Ben Jacobs | 3 | 21/0 | 27 | 6-4 | 240 |
| A.J. Klein | 3 | 30/10 | 23 | 6-1 | 240 |
| Luke Kuechly | 4 | 48/48 | 24 | 6-3 | 238 |
| David Mayo | R | 0 | 21 | 6-2 | 240 |
| Kevin Reddick | 2 | 21/0 | 25 | 6-1 | 240 |
| Shaq Thompson | R | 0 | 21 | 6-0 | 230 |
| Jason Trusnik | 9 | 109/25 | 31 | 6-4 | 250 |
Locked In
Davis, Kuechly, David Mayo, ThompsonSticking with the theory that Carolina general manager Dave Gettleman won’t cut a draft pick quickly again after The Tyler Gaffney Incident, Mayo should have a spot secured. The fifth-round pick may spend the season on special teams, but that would still be an important contribution.Limited to just five practices this spring because of classes at Washington, Thompson still needs to slip past A.J. Klein when they get to Spartanburg.
Facing a Fight
Adarius Glanton, Ben Jacobs, Klein, Jason TrusnikSome of these names may be surprising, but after this offseason’s additions, the Panthers have some tough decisions ahead. If four guys are locked in, that would leave one or two roster spots left.Glanton, Jacobs, and Klein combined to make 10 starts in 40 games last year, and of the three, Jacobs is the most vulnerable. Trusnik, an eight-year veteran, can play inside and out, or he could be a special teams ‘ace.’
Long shots
Brian Blechen, Kevin ReddickBlenchen isn’t just facing a steep climb as an undrafted rookie, but he’s also making a switch over from safety. Reddick helped out on special teams at the end of 2014, but numbers now aren’t in his favor.
Coming Friday: Defensive backs
[vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html]
They need to carry at least 6 LB’s, just for Special Teams bodies, and I can see Mayo bumping Glanton to the Practice Squad.
The battle is between Glanton and Klein…Trusnik’s a lock for special teams. Mayo is a weird pick…wouldn’t it be wild if he’s Davis’s replacement…instead of Thompson? He’s got a couple years to learn/train behind the best. I agree that Glanton may end up on the Practice Squad.