Panthers mailbag: Will Panthers keep 3 QBs? Will Omar Bayless make the roster? And more
The pads are on and Panthers’ training camp is a full go with the first game of the season a little over three weeks away.
With so many new faces in Carolina, there are plenty of questions about what this team will look like going forward and how things in camp have gone thus far. A few days into practice and there’s already some signs about how Matt Rhule is building this team, from the fast pace of practices to certain players who have stood out as leaders. Each day at practice gives us a little more insight into what to expect from the Panthers in 2020.
With that, let’s dive into your questions and open up The Observer’s Panthers’ mailbag.
@PanthersFan_Afr asks Curious about anything you can share about the O-line. I know that’s a tough ask without preseason games. But is there a consensus emerging on starting 5? Details about chemistry? Leadership in the room now Trai is gone?
Unfortunately, we are very limited on what we can detail in terms of the starters due to the Panthers’ rules on what media can share.
I will say that there has been a lot of talk about Russell Okung as the leader of the line, including from Rhule, who referred to him as a “quiet” leader. It helps that he has been reunited with former Broncos teammate center Matt Paradis (as well as guard Michael Schofield). Paradis mentioned that the experience the three had together in Denver gave them a leg up in terms of jelling as a new offensive line.
Another thing to keep in mind with the offensive line is coach Pat Meyer. He has coached both Okung, Schofield and guard John Miller previously. He is extremely familiar with those players and their tendencies. It also helps the players who have worked with him before as they know what he expects. As far as rebuilding an offensive line goes, that will help give them a leg up.
“I’ve played with Michael and Russell in the past, so I feel like we get a jump-start there,” Paradis said. “Meyer will bring up a play and we’ll talk about something, and then we’ll jump in, whether it’s me and John (Miller) or me and Dennis (Daley) or me and whoever would jump in and like, ‘Hey, this is what I’m thinking here, this is my footwork.’ You’ve got to be very particular with your words and what you’re going to do, because we missed out on all those reps in the spring, so you have to be able to visualize it and communicate and then translate that over to the field so we can hopefully skip some of those steps that we would normally have done in the spring.” — AG
@WhichCarolina asks Any indications on who might be leading the charge for the 3rd starting LB spot? Obviously, Whitehead and Thompson will be there. Who is the best bet to start alongside them?
It’s too early to tell at this point. Plus, the Panthers have certain restrictions on what exactly we can reveal, as Alaina mentioned. But I’ll say this. Based on previous comments by coaches, and his performance in three days of camp, I think Jeremy Chinn has a good chance to see a lot of playing time at linebacker.
Phil Snow has said that he plans to use Chinn in multiple positions, including linebacker. At 6-foot-3, 221 pounds, Chinn certainly looks the part, and it appears he has the ability, too.
He made two huge plays on Tuesday, including one in which he got into the backfield and tackled Christian McCaffrey for a loss. He chased down Reggie Bonnafon on another play for a short gain. He covers a lot of ground. And he has the speed to play slot when the Panthers go into nickel.
The Panthers traded up to get Chinn, so they really value his versatility.
Other options at linebacker possibly include Jermaine Carter, who started in five games in 2019 for the Panthers. Against the Saints in Week 17, he had 10 tackles. So he’s shown he’s capable of starting, too. — JA
@carteer716 asks Odds of Omar Bayless making the 53-man roster? Also what are the chances we keep all 3 QBs.
As for your first question, I think the odds are pretty good as long as he’s healthy.
Bayless has actually been one of the most impressive players in camp through the first week. Bayless, who is 6-1, and 210 pounds, made one of the best catches of the day on Monday in the first day of contact practice. He leaped high over cornerback Natrell Jamerson to grab a pass for a touchdown from Will Grier.
This isn’t new for Bayless, though. He was a standout at Arkansas State, where he had 93 catches for 1,653 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019.
Rhule said Tuesday that he can see Bayless making an impact on the Panthers this season and in the future.
Bayless did, however, miss Tuesday’s practice with swelling in his knee. While Rhule didn’t seem particularly concerned with it, it’ll be something to keep an eye on in the following days.
For your question about the quarterbacks, I think it’s extremely likely the Panthers will keep three quarterbacks this season with Teddy Bridgewater leading group.
This is a season where injuries will be a concern with such a condensed offseason due to COVID-19. And neither Walker, nor Grier has much game experience, so it would seem beneficial for the Panthers to keep all three.
Walker and Grier have battled throughout camp for that backup spot. Both have had their good and bad moments.
“I think this year more than ever, you need to have everybody ready, and I believe that we have three guys that are good enough to start at quarterback,” Rhule said. —JA
@KTankTJR How often do you think we’ll see DJ/Curtis/Robby on the field together in a 3-wide set? Feels like with TE being a question mark, that formation would be our best chance for success.
Again, we can’t really get into specific formations due to the Panthers’ regulations, but I will say that we have seen a lot of good plays from Samuel and Anderson throughout the first couple practices.
Offensive coordinator Joe Brady is going to be using a lot of offensive schemes from his time with the Saints, and then adapting it to what works best with the Panthers’ weapons to construct this offense. While tight end isn’t as much of a position of strength as wide receiver, Rhule has talked about his excitement for what Ian Thomas and Chris Manhertz can do this season. Based on what has been said and the recent Saints and LSU offense, I think the tight ends will be involved, while also using formations that take advantage of the wide receivers. — AG
@kmillernc asks Who among the rookies and UDFA have the look to be a “steal” that fans can/will latch on to?
Bayless is the obvious answer to this question. The undrafted free agent out of Arkansas State has been one of the stars of camp thus far and has certainly gotten a lot of attention for some impressive grabs.
Another undrafted player to keep an eye on is Sam Tecklenburg. Rhule specifically called the offensive lineman to see if he would leave retirement after his career at Baylor to come play for him in Carolina. He also got a shout-out from Rhule when asked about rookies that have done well thus far. Earning a spot on at least the practice squad seems realistic. — AG
Interesting to see TJ Green in a black (first team) jersey. I know it’s 2 days in but is he looking that good, or does Apple eventually come away starting opposite Jackson? Also, what’s nickel looking like?
Green is someone we’ve seen a lot of in camp. He previously played safety at stops in Indianapolis and New Orleans before he was waived and picked up by Carolina in December.
But Rhule said Monday that the coaching staff is currently experimenting with Green at corner because they like his size and speed, which fits well at cornerback.
I personally think Apple has looked better than Green through the first three days. Apple also has the most experience at the position, and I could easily see him emerge as a starter.
As would normally be the case for someone learning a new position, Green looks like he’s still trying to get adjusted. He got beat a few times in Monday’s practice. But Rhule and staff like his potential.
“If he goes to safety, great,” Rhule said Monday. “If he goes to nickel, great. He’s had a really good offseason. He has all the talent in the world. ... He’s out there now and we know he has versatility. We know we can put him in a lot of different places.
“But anytime you have that kind of length at corner. When you’re that tall, and that big, it’s a real bonus. So we’re working with them and just like all the guys, the way we look at football is as positionless as possible.”
At nickel, there are multiple options for the Panthers. They could use Chinn, rookie Troy Pride Jr. or Corn Elder. But I don’t think that has been decided just yet. — JA
Have a question about the Panthers? We’ll be doing more mailbags throughout training camp and the regular season. Reach out to jalexander@charlotteobserver.com and agetzenberg@charlotteobserver.com.
This story was originally published August 20, 2020 at 2:00 AM with the headline "Panthers mailbag: Will Panthers keep 3 QBs? Will Omar Bayless make the roster? And more."
