On the day July comes to an end, the Panthers will open training camp with their first practice at Gibbs Stadium. So on the first day of this brand-new month, let’s talk about some of the biggest remaining mysteries surrounding Carolina.Last week, we took a look at what we learned during offseason workouts, but there’s much more we don’t know yet. Here’s a sample of storylines soon to play out through training camp and the preseason:
Some are already penciling in the fifth-round pick directly behind Jonathan Stewart, but that’s not much more than an assumption right now. Artis-Payne may be able to handle a larger load than Fozzy Whittaker and Jordan Todman, but the two veterans remained ahead of the rookie throughout the spring.
We could have been spoiled last year. Most rookie wideouts aren’t supposed to walk on the field and dominate the spring and summer like Kelvin Benjamin did. That’s not to say Funchess won’t be productive; it’s just that Benjamin — and his incredible receiver class — set a new standard.
Roster spots are likely reserved for Benjamin, Funchess, Corey Brown, Ted Ginn and Jerricho Cotchery. That leaves one or MAYBE two openings for guys like Stephen Hill, Brenton Bersin and Jarrett Boykin.
Oher and his new teammates said all the right things this spring, but noncontact offseason workouts are a long way from actual game action. If Oher can again be the guy he was at the start of his career, the Panthers’ offensive line should be much improved. But if he is who he was the last couple seasons, the protection in front of QB Cam Newton could be a house of cards.
Last summer, Chandler was competing with Byron Bell at left tackle, but that says more about the Panthers’ lack of great solutions back then than it does about Chandler’s potential. After an injury-hampered first season at right tackle, he was largely forgotten while he sat out drills this spring. The odds aren’t great he’ll emerge as a huge help, but a healthy Chandler could boost the line’s depth.
It’s almost like this bunch has been playing musical chairs and no one’s sitting down even though the music stopped early last fall. The Panthers want to pick someone to get starter reps, but Frank Alexander, Kony Ealy, Wes Horton and Mario Addison remain a nondescript group. Alexander could eventually stand out, if he can stay on the field. And coaches have seen some growth from Ealy, but bouts of immaturity remain a concern.
We don’t have a good answer for this right now mostly because of the practices the first-round pick missed. But since the Panthers put linebackers on the field furthest from the media, it was tough to get a true sense of Thompson’s skills even when he wasn’t at Washington. He saw a very limited amount of reps with the starters in minicamp, something that should change quickly in Spartanburg. The Panthers say they can do different things with him in the lineup, so what those things are remain to be seen.
The veteran cornerback signed in time for minicamp, but those three practices can only reveal so much. Like Oher, the real tests for his surgically repaired toe are still to come. Unlike Oher, Houston isn’t the key for an entire unit, but if he can still play, the seven-year starter could be a nice Dave Gettleman value.
Some of Gettleman’s diamonds in the rough played big parts in the Panthers’ past two playoff runs, but it’s not ideal to annually depend on undrafted guys. Among the current crop, the backfield may be too crowded for RB Brandon Wegher, WR Damiere Byrd is likely practice squad bound and CB Garry Peters couldn’t get on the field in June. There may not be an Andrew Norwell or Corey Brown in this bunch, but it’s not like we knew what that pair was going to become a year ago.
It’s hard to argue this roster isn’t better than what it was heading into 2014’s training camp. The important question is how much better? A healthier Newton seemingly has better weapons and protection, the top-10 defense remains largely intact and special teams underwent a much-needed makeover. But what happens if Stewart goes down or if Oher doesn’t work out? Or if the passing game can’t get vertical? Or if the front four can’t dial up proper pressure? Or if CB Charles Tillman and SS Roman Harper have no tread left? There are plenty of unknowns ahead, but that’s part of what makes sports agonizingly fun.