Cat Scratch Reader
Tonight, the long awaited moment will arrive when the Carolina Panthers play an actual football game. No, really – they’re going to keep score and everything! It may be preseason, but the first game is always a fun watch for even the most casual fan.
This will be especially true this year, since fans are not allowed at training camp. Many are relying on the words of a handful of beat writers and livestreamed press conference tidbits to get a feel for the team, instead of being able to use their own eyes. They’ve done an admirable job as the gatekeepers, but it’s time to gauge for ourselves.
If you haven’t been keeping up, there’s a few players who fans don’t know much about that have seemingly been making waves. Here’s a rundown of some fresh names or players who are sitting on the roster bubble that you’ll want to keep an eye out for on Friday.
The Panthers 6th round pick from the most recent NFL Draft has been garnering some headlines due to flashy one on one reps and talk of his “game changing speed”. Horn should get plenty of opportunities on offense to make some noise as he’s competing against a stacked receiver room and the Panthers will need to get a solid evaluation on the player. Horn will not only have an opportunity to stand out on offense, but he’ll also likely get a few attempts on special teams to return kicks and punts.
While the acquisitions made in free agency to fortify the defensive line deserve a lot of the hype, they won’t be the story line of the preseason if the starters are only set to play a series or two. Once starting nose tackle Bobby Brown comes out, Jackson will be the only true nose tackle left to take those reps. Can he make the most of this opportunity to prove he can be a valuable piece of depth for a defense that severely lacked it last season?
The Panthers 4th round pick was not the safety many expected to choose in the NFL Draft, but that has not stopped him from making a name for himself in recent practices. While veteran Nick Scott was listed as a starting safety on the first unofficial depth chart, Ransom seems to be making a strong push for the other safety spot opposite Tre’von Moehrig. With a Cleveland Browns team set to start a rookie quarterback, Ransom will have about as easy of an introduction to NFL football as one could ask for. Will he take advantage?
With Jayce Horn having suffered a thumb injury during a car accident on Wednesday morning, the Panthers were reminded of the importance of having depth at cornerback. According to some reports, Thornton is standing out similar to 2024...
