Tag: Brady Christensen

Panthers name starting center for Week 12 matchup vs. Chiefs

Panthers HC Dave Canales has tabbed Cade Mays as the team’s starting center for Week 12.

The Carolina Panthers have a pretty good problem at the center position, where both Brady Christensen and Cade Mays have played well of late. But who will get the start there this weekend?

Head coach Dave Canales, in his post-practice presser on Wednesday, officially gave Mays the nod for their Week 12 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Sunday will mark the third straight start at center for the former sixth-round pick, who rejoined the team on Oct. 8.

“Yeah, Cade Mays took the snaps with the first group today,” Canales told reporters. “Brady took snaps as well, and he does some other things too. But Damien [Lewis] was out today with an illness. He’ll be back tomorrow, hopefully. So Chandler [Zavala] got some good work in there.

“The group, again, when one guy goes down, next guy come up and try to continue to just take the next step forward.”

Christensen was the initial replacement at center for Week 1 starter Austin Corbett, whose campaign was cut short after just five games due to a triceps tear. He’d then have to kick out to left tackle in place of an injured Ikem Ekwonu for the last two weeks, giving Mays his shot at center.

With Ekwonu expected to return from his ankle injury this week, Christensen will likely serve as the “sixth man” of the offensive line for the time being.

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Carolina Panthers players who are free agents in 2025

With the trade deadline now behind us, let’s take a look at the Panthers who are set to become free agents following the 2024 season:

(This story was updated to add new information.)

The 2024 NFL trade deadline has come and gone, and it didn’t go without a few moves from the Carolina Panthers.

Last week, the team shipped off wideout Diontae Johnson to the Baltimore Ravens in a trade involving a late-round pick swap for the 2025 draft. And yesterday, in a much more favorable return, they sent fellow receiver Jonathan Mingo over to the Dallas Cowboys.

So now that those departures are official, we could start looking ahead towards free agency for quite a few more.

Here are Panthers whose contracts are set to expire following the season:

  • QB Andy Dalton
  • RB Chuba Hubbard (Signed four-year extension)
  • RB Raheem Blackshear (RFA)
  • WR David Moore
  • WR Jalen Coker (ERFA)
  • TE Tommy Tremble
  • TE Ian Thomas
  • TE Feleipe Franks (RFA)
  • OL Brady Christensen
  • OL Cade Mays
  • C Austin Corbett
  • DL LaBryan Ray
  • DL DeShawn Williams
  • DL Jonathan Harris
  • DL Raequan Williams (ERFA)
  • OLB Charles Harris
  • OLB Thomas Incoom
  • OLB Cam Gill
  • ILB Shaq Thompson
  • CB Mike Jackson
  • CB Lonnie Johnson Jr.
  • CB Anthony Brown
  • S Xavier Woods
  • S Jordan Fuller
  • S Sam Franklin Jr.
  • S Nick Scott
  • S Demani Richardson (ERFA)
  • K Eddy Piñeiro
  • P Johnny Hekker
  • LS JJ Jansen

*RFA = Restricted free agent
*ERFA = Exclusive rights free agent

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Brady Christensen’s versatility shining along Panthers’ offensive line

Panthers OL Brady Christensen is proving to be one of the NFL’s most versatile hog mollies.

Thanks to a few new pieces, the Carolina Panthers have successfully gone to work on their reconstructed offensive line here in 2024. Heck, even a few familiar pieces have proven to be extremely handy in the process.

After spending big on starting interior linemen Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt this offseason, Brady Christensen—the starter at left guard in 2022 and 2023—was shifted into a reserve role. So it seemed as though the former third-round pick would be headed into free agency in 2025 without much argument.

But when starting center Austin Corbett sustained a season-ending triceps injury in Week 5, Christensen was thrust right into the middle—where he’s excelled.

When the Panthers drafted the former Brigham Young University standout three years ago, they anticipated him playing any one of the five offensive line spots. His reactive and functional athleticism stood out with his fluidity and flexibility, which allowed him to get into his pass sets early and work to the second level of the defense with ease.

Throughout his career in the black and blue, Christensen has seen starts at every position on trench—and every time he’s stepped onto the field, each unit rarely skipped a beat. This is an underrated aspect of having someone who can come in and play any position up front and not see consistent mistakes with the change in pass sets and blocking angles.

Christensen was outstanding against the Washington Commanders in Week 7. The communication in the trenches remained steady and he showed effort in pass protection. And when he was beaten, he’d work to reset and wash pass rushers out of the play to give his quarterback time to throw.

Since becoming a pro, Christensen’s growth and development with power at the point of attack and pure play strength has been a sight to see. For an offensive line that is known for generating movement at the line of scrimmage, not much has changed with their performance since Corbett was sidelined for the rest of the campaign.

With his play up front, there is now an argument to be had about Christensen re-signing with the franchise this upcoming spring. He is one of many players on the roster in a contract year, and his presence has been felt in an offense that has flashed improvements at times.

The versatility will have to come back into play this weekend, as left tackle Ikem Ekwonu has been ruled out with an ankle issue. In his stead will be Christensen, who was a consensus All-American at the position at BYU.

He got a head-start on the blindside last week, where he played ten snaps at left tackle against the Denver Broncos. Christensen showed an explosive first step and incredible quickness to work off blocks and match speed rushers up the arc.

That brief relief appearance is an example of Christensen’s impressive athleticism and football intelligence, both of which make him one of the most flexible hog mollies in the game. In fact, how many other linemen can play any of the five spots without missing a beat?

How Christensen performs the rest of the season at center, or anywhere else, will be telling for his chances at staying in Carolina. So far, he’s made a great argument as a key, yet underrated piece on the offense.

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Panthers All-22 film review: Good and bad from Week 5’s loss to Bears

A few Panthers rookies made last Sunday’s loss to the Bears a little less dreadful.

The Carolina Panthers enter Week 6 off the heels of another blowout defeat. This time, they took a pretty painful 36-10 loss at the paws of the Chicago Bears.

But with the bad came a little bit of good, perhaps some that head coach Dave Canales and his team can build upon heading into Sunday’s divisional matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

So, let’s take a look back at the All-22 film for that good (and bad) from Week 5 . . .

Jalen Coker should have a bigger role

With veteran receiver Adam Thielen still sidelined, the Panthers’ passing offense is looking for playmakers opposite of their No. 1 option in Diontae Johnson.

In Week 4, it looked like 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette would be the one to step up—as he tallied a career-high 66 yards and his first NFL touchdown. But when he went down with a shoulder injury this past Sunday, a fellow rookie made his own case.

The undrafted Coker contributed in a big way, leading Carolina with 68 receiving yards on only four receptions. He had reliable hands at the catch point, never seemed fazed by traffic around him, showed impressive zone and spatial awareness and made himself available to the quarterback.

Furthermore, Coker offered the ability to create yards after the catch. On his first grab, he showed off ample contact balance and enough acceleration to generate an explosive play.

His route running was good, too. He understands how to attack cornerbacks’ leverage using quick and subtle movements, creating separation before his breaks and at the top of his routes.

Once his outlets were closed, Dalton seemed off the mark with his game. He was late on some throws and inaccurate on others. Dalton failed to step up in the pocket at times, inviting pressure.

This was a down game for the 36-year-old, but there were still glimpses of productivity. A rebound offering should be expected against a Falcons defense that is one of the worst in the league through five games.

Defense also struggles

Rookie linebacker Trevin Wallace filled up the stat sheet in his first career start, posting 15 tackles with 10 solo takedowns. Those numbers, however, can be misleading.

While he effectively utilized his athleticism and physicality at the point of attack, Wallace bit on play fakes often—seemingly doing more thinking than reacting at times.

The 21-year-old needs to do a better job of trusting his reads and playing fast. But even with his struggles, Wallace was still solid and flashed good flow to the ball along with great effort.

In the secondary, tackling in space proved to be a hiccup again. Improper technique led to more big plays and run-after-catch opportunities.

A miscommunication between cornerback Jaycee Horn and safety Nick Scott, where the former was attempting to pass off Bears wideout DJ Moore to the latter, led to a touchdown. This has been an issue, and they must improve their discipline here.

The Panthers’ pass rush was nonexistent against rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. Outside linebacker Charles Harris did have a sack on the first three-and-out—but otherwise, there was no pass rush plan from seemingly any of the team’s edge rushers or interior linemen. Their chests are exposed and allow offensive linemen to latch frequently, leading to very little pressure consistently.

More notes

  • Rookie tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders had two bad drops during the game and a few missed blocks. While many Panthers fans won’t like the sound of this, getting Ian Thomas back from injured reserve could be a blessing for Sanders—who wouldn’t be facing as much pressure. Thomas will add an important blocking element that could allow Canales to roll out more 12, 13, 21, and 22 personnel sets.
  • Despite injuries to the group, Carolina’s offensive line remains a formidable unit. Left tackle Ekwonu had his best game of the year with few mistakes in pass protection. He showed consistency in his sets, moved rushers out of plays and displayed accurate and well-timed punches.
  • With right tackle Taylor Moton out this weekend, backup Yosh Nijman is set to take the start this Sunday. Nijman looked impressive, even after an early struggle against Bears edge rusher Darrell Taylor. He improved his first step with each rep and was able to slow the speedy pass rusher down. Nijman has good reactive athleticism to mirror and match displaying a smooth anchor, showcasing the ability to reset his base and hands to counters.
  • Also out is center Austin Corbett, who is done for the year after tearing his biceps. Brady Christensen, who took over for Corbett on Sunday, remains a great five-spot reserve lineman. He displayed excellent reactive/functional athleticism and flexibility at center while generating movement at the line of scrimmage. His hand placement is sufficient and he does an adequate job of resetting his base. Christensen did whiff on a block against a slanting interior defensive lineman Andrew Billings early in the fourth quarter. Otherwise, he has good short-area quickness and second-level ability at center.

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As of now, Coker appears to be much more of an effective weapon than his teammate Jonathan Mingo—who played 80 percent of the offensive snaps in Week 4 and 68.3 percent in Week 5. So perhaps it’s time for the Holy Cross standout to cut into that share.

Andy Dalton struggles

Dalton has brought a vertical element to the air that the Panthers offense had been missing for quite some time. And while there were still examples of that on Sunday, the 14th-year veteran turned in his worst outing of the campaign.

The Bears were excellent defensively, playing a lot of Cover 2 and Cover 1 man. The Panthers didn’t see much separation from their playmakers, and even Dalton’s checkdown outlets in the vertical passing game were sealed tight.

Once his outlets were closed, Dalton seemed off the mark with his game. He was late on some throws and inaccurate on others. Dalton failed to step up in the pocket at times, inviting pressure.

This was a down game for the 36-year-old, but there were still glimpses of productivity. A rebound offering should be expected against a Falcons defense that is one of the worst in the league through five games.

Defense also struggles

Rookie linebacker Trevin Wallace filled up the stat sheet in his first career start, posting 15 tackles with 10 solo takedowns. Those numbers, however, can be misleading.

While he effectively utilized his athleticism and physicality at the point of attack, Wallace bit on play fakes often—seemingly doing more thinking than reacting at times.

The 21-year-old needs to do a better job of trusting his reads and playing fast. But even with his struggles, Wallace was still solid and flashed good flow to the ball along with great effort.

In the secondary, tackling in space proved to be a hiccup again. Improper technique led to more big plays and run-after-catch opportunities.

A miscommunication between cornerback Jaycee Horn and safety Nick Scott, where the former was attempting to pass off Bears wideout DJ Moore to the latter, led to a touchdown. This has been an issue, and they must improve their discipline here.

The Panthers’ pass rush was nonexistent against rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. Outside linebacker Charles Harris did have a sack on the first three-and-out—but otherwise, there was no pass rush plan from seemingly any of the team’s edge rushers or interior linemen. Their chests are exposed and allow offensive linemen to latch frequently, leading to very little pressure consistently.

More notes

  • Rookie tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders had two bad drops during the game and a few missed blocks. While many Panthers fans won’t like the sound of this, getting Ian Thomas back from injured reserve could be a blessing for Sanders—who wouldn’t be facing as much pressure. Thomas will add an important blocking element that could allow Canales to roll out more 12, 13, 21, and 22 personnel sets.
  • Despite injuries to the group, Carolina’s offensive line remains a formidable unit. Left tackle Ekwonu had his best game of the year with few mistakes in pass protection. He showed consistency in his sets, moved rushers out of plays and displayed accurate and well-timed punches.
  • With right tackle Taylor Moton out this weekend, backup Yosh Nijman is set to take the start this Sunday. Nijman looked impressive, even after an early struggle against Bears edge rusher Darrell Taylor. He improved his first step with each rep and was able to slow the speedy pass rusher down. Nijman has good reactive athleticism to mirror and match displaying a smooth anchor, showcasing the ability to reset his base and hands to counters.
  • Also out is center Austin Corbett, who is done for the year after tearing his biceps. Brady Christensen, who took over for Corbett on Sunday, remains a great five-spot reserve lineman. He displayed excellent reactive/functional athleticism and flexibility at center while generating movement at the line of scrimmage. His hand placement is sufficient and he does an adequate job of resetting his base. Christensen did whiff on a block against a slanting interior defensive lineman Andrew Billings early in the fourth quarter. Otherwise, he has good short-area quickness and second-level ability at center.

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Biggest storylines for Panthers vs. Bengals in Week 4

Panthers QB Andy Dalton will have the chance to scratch his former team quite deeply on Sunday.

Bank of America Stadium will play host to a rather intriguing cat fight on Sunday.

The 0-3 Cincinnati Bengals, an AFC favorite just a few short weeks ago, are attempting to save their season while the 1-2 Carolina Panthers, who faced very little expectations, have seemingly just revived theirs.

So as the claws get closer to coming out, let’s look at the biggest storylines heading into this Week 4 matchup . . .

Cool Cat

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Carolina’s aforementioned revival was sparked by quarterback Andy Dalton, who made his first start since replacing 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young. The 14th-year veteran kickstarted the offense in a cool and collected performance—as he completed 26 of his 37 throws for 319 yards, three touchdowns and no turnovers.

Dalton’s veteran presence brought some much-needed stability under center, where the 23-year-old Young faltered to begin his sophomore campaign. The Panthers, for the first time since 2022, hit the 400-yard mark while successfully converting five third-down tries—three more than the unit amassed in Young’s two starts combined.

Will Dalton be able to keep the offense and the good vibes going?

Oh! And you may have heard this a time or two over the past few days, but Dalton kinda sorta played for the Bengals earlier in his NFL career. So, yeah, that seems somewhat pertinent as well.

Scratched

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Much of Dalton’s success min Week 3 can be attributed to his offensive line, which has been one of the league’s most reliable in pass protection thus far. (Didn’t think you’d be reading that about a Carolina Panthers offensive line, did you?)

The group, however, will be without starting left guard Damien Lewis—who will sit out due to his UCL tear. Lewis, like his fellow hog mollies, has shined to start the season—as his 80.9 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus ranks sixth amongst all guards.

There’s also a chance that Carolina may not have starting right guard Robert Hunt either. Hunt did not finish practice on Friday due to a hip injury and is listed as questionable.

Second-year lineman and 2024 fourth-round pick Chandler Zavala, like he did for 22 snaps in the Week 3 win, will take over for Lewis. And if Hunt cannot go, the versatile Brady Christensen would be in his stead.

With the offense getting on track behind Dalton and looking to further establish the run behind a hot Chuba Hubbard, Zavala (and perhaps Christensen) must step up to keep the machine moving.

Here, Kitty, Kitty

Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If you were told prior to the season that one of these two teams would be winless heading into their Week 4 matchup, we’re willing to bet that you didn’t think it’d be the Bengals.

Well, it is indeed the Bengals—and they’re one loss away from essentially ending their season. There’s only one team in NFL history (the 1992 San Diego Chargers) that made the postseason after starting 0-4, so the situation is extremely dire.

Unbelievably enough, the Panthers have a chance to bury these cats in their backyard on Sunday.

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Biggest takeaways from the Panthers’ 1st unofficial depth chart of the 2024 regular season

The Panthers answered a few lingering questions with the release of their first “unofficial” depth chart of the regular season.

Now that the Carolina Panthers have officially rolled out their first unofficial depth chart of the 2024 regular season, let’s do a little dissection.

Here are the four biggest takeaways from Tuesday’s release . . .

Ja’Tavion Sanders may be starting in his NFL debut

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

The Week 1 outlook on both Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas, who continue to nurse their respective soft-tissue injuries, remained a bit bleak entering the week. Then, it got even bleaker on Tuesday—when multiple reports from this afternoon revealed that the team is set to sign rookie tight end Messiah Swinson off the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad.

Carolina’s addition of Swinson, now the fifth tight end on their 53-man roster, likely indicates that at least one of Tremble or Thomas will not be ready to suit up on Sunday. That would leave an opportunity to start for Sanders, who is listed as the next man up.

And Sanders, along with his newly-minted No. 0 uniform, could take advantage of said opportunity following an eye-opening summer.

Brady Christensen, backup center

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

The Panthers haven’t made life easy for Big Brady, ever since they drafted him back in 2021. A standout left tackle during his collegiate career at Brigham Young University, Christensen has been moved around quite a bit—as he’s picked up snaps at every single position on the offensive line . . . except for center. Heck, he didn’t play there during the preseason.

Nonetheless, Christensen comes in as the No. 2 behind starter Austin Corbett—who is in his first season at the spot. Rookie Andrew Raym, the only true center on the roster, is listed as the No. 3.

So, head coach Dave Canales may have found that role for Christensen.

The No. 2 OLB

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Former No. 1 overall pick and three-time Pro Bowler Jadeveon Clowney finally has his pass-rushing partner.

Perhaps the most concerning question mark on the roster, the second starting outside linebacker role is being filled by second-year defender DJ Johnson. The 2023 third-rounder disappointed as a rookie, recording as many sacks as your grandmother did this past season.

After today’s release of former first-rounder K’Lavon Chaisson, Clowney and Johnson are backed by Eku Leota and Jamie Sheriff—who was claimed off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks last week.

Return man

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette did a fine job on punt duties for Carolina in 2023, leading the entire league in returns and even sprinkling in a 79-yard touchdown against the Chicago Bears in Week 10. But he’s gone now.

That’s left the vacancy to running back Raheem Blackshear, who is also listed as the primary kick returner. He’s flanked by veteran wideout David Moore.

Blackshear has six career punt returns, all of which came for the Panthers in 2022.

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Initial 53-man roster projection for the 2024 Panthers

Here is our final projection for the Panthers’ initial 2024 53-man roster:

Now that the preseason is officially in the books, the Carolina Panthers have another task to tackle—the big cutdown.

Between now and 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the Panthers and the rest of the NFL’s 31 teams must get down to their initial 53-player rosters.

Here is our final projection for Carolina’s initial 53:

Quarterbacks (2)

In: Bryce Young, Andy Dalton
Out: Jack Plummer

Plummer impressed in the summer finale, completing 21 of his 29 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns. But that still won’t be enough to devote a third spot on the roster to a quarterback.

Running backs (4)

In: Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, Raheem Blackshear, Mike Boone
Out: Jaden Shirden
Reserve/NFI list: Jonathon Brooks

Boone has benefitted from the inactivity of both Blackshear and Brooks, who isn’t expected back for at least a handful of weeks into the regular season. And luckily for the former, his successful track record as a kick returner keeps him around.

Wide receivers (6)

In: Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette, Jonathan Mingo, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, David Moore
Out: Terrace Marshall Jr., Michael Strachan, Jalen Coker, Sam Pinckney

The sixth and final spot came down to Marshall Jr. and Moore. Moore’s experience on special teams and his previous history with head coach Dave Canales in both Seattle and Tampa Bay give him the edge.

Tight ends (4)

In: Tommy Tremble, Ian Thomas, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Jordan Matthews
Out: Feleipe Franks, Jacob Hollister, Jesper Horsted

Matthews earned his spot with a spectacular summer. The 32-year-old opened the preseason with a team-high 48 receiving yards in New England and ended it with a touchdown to kick off the last outing in Buffalo.

Offensive linemen (9)

In: Ikem Ekwonu, Damien Lewis, Austin Corbett, Robert Hunt, Taylor Moton, Brady Christensen, Yosh Nijman, Cade Mays, Chandler Zavala
Out: Ricky Lee, Jeremiah Crawford, Mason Brooks, Andrew Raym, Jack Anderson, Ike Boettger, Tyler Smith

Given that he’s the only true center on the roster, Raym has a shot to stick on. But the versatility of backups such as Nijman, Christensen and Mays allows the Panthers to keep the number of hog mollies at nine.

Defensive linemen (5)

In: Derrick Brown, A’Shawn Robinson, Shy Tuttle, Nick Thurman, LaBryan Ray
Out: Jaden Crumedy, T.J. Smith, Ulomoo Ale, Jayden Peevy, Walter Palmore, Junior Aho

Crumedy, the team’s sixth-round selection from this spring, could be in trouble while dealing a high-ankle sprain. So could Smith, who’d be a favorite to sneak back on as a practice squad member after recording a pair of sacks this preseason.

Outside linebackers (5)

In: Jadeveon Clowney, K’Lavon Chaisson, DJ Johnson, Eku Leota, Luiji Vilain
Out: Cam Gill, Derrick McLendon, Kenny Dyson
Reserve/Physically unable to perform list: D.J. Wonnum, Amaré Barno

Vilain and Gill could be battling for the fifth locker. But if it actually doesn’t go to either, look for the Panthers to pick up a pass rusher off the street.

Inside linebackers (4)

In: Shaq Thompson, Josey Jewell, Trevin Wallace, Claudin Cherelus
Out: Chandler Wooten, Tae Davis, Aaron Beasley

Canales does not take special teams prowess for granted. Cherelus and Wooten could claim spots with theirs.

Cornerbacks (6)

In: Jaycee Horn, Michael Jackson, Troy Hill, Chau Smith-Wade, Dicaprio Bootle, D’Shawn Jamison
Out: Willie Drew, Chris Wilcox, Quandre Mosely
Injured: Dane Jackson

The “significant” hamstring injury to Jackson (Dane, that is) could force the Panthers to keep a few outside options—including both Bootle and Jamison.

Safeties (5)

In: Xavier Woods, Jordan Fuller, Nick Scott, Jammie Robinson, Alex Cook
Out: Demani Richardson, Rudy Ford
Injured: Sam Franklin Jr.

As Canales has stated, there’s no replacing Franklin Jr.—who will be out for quite a bit while healing up a broken foot. Cook, however, could give the Panthers a little bit back on special teams.

Specialists (3)

In: Eddy Piñeiro, Johnny Hekker, JJ Jansen

Well, nothing to see here.

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Panthers HC Dave Canales asked which position he wants OL Brady Christensen to play

While he values Brady Christensen’s versatility, Panthers HC Dave Canales wants to see the fourth-year hog molly settle into one side of the O-line.

The Carolina Panthers haven’t had the simplest of times in trying to find a perfect spot for offensive lineman Brady Christensen. But Dave Canales, Christensen’s third head coach in his four-year NFL career, seems to be narrowing down a specific role for the 27-year-old hog molly—even despite his valuable versatility.

With the team’s offensive front having to shuffle around a bit this summer due to numerous injuries and absences, Christensen’s positional flexibility has come up quite clutch for Carolina. Canales spoke about that skill following Wednesday’s practice.

“Yeah, it’s a blessing for us,” Canales told reporters. “As different guys have kinda missed a little bit of time in different positions, to be able to see him—the flip-side of it is, what I would love is to just let Brady settle into a couple spots. Having the ability to play all five doesn’t mean you really necessarily should—because there’s reps, there’s time-on-task. So as we go forward, really honing in on our group and saying, ‘Ok, where does Brady help us most?'”

That wasn’t an easy question to answer for previous regimes, specifically the very first one Christensen walked into as a pro. Former head coach Matt Rhule, who called Christensen a “third-round tackle and a second-round guard” upon drafting him in 2021, played the Brigham Young University standout at four different spots (left tackle, left guard, right tackle and right guard) over a two-year span.

Last year, under then-head coach Frank Reich, Christensen was named the starting left guard. But he’d only record 54 regular-season snaps at the position before succumbing to a season-ending biceps injury.

So, where would Canales like to see him go?

“I’d really like to see him just like guard and tackle,” he responded. “And if he could, play on one side—’cause it changes when you start flipping sides.”

If the preseason is any indication, then the right side may be the right side—at least according to Canales. Christensen played 54 snaps in the summer opener against the New England Patriots, with 51 coming at right guard and three at right tackle.

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Reviewing film for the Panthers’ top performers from 2024 preseason opener

Let’s take a closer look at the Panthers’ top performers from Thursday night’s preseason opener.

The Carolina Panthers played their first preseason game of the summer against the New England Patriots on Thursday night. 33 players, including most of the team’s projected starters, did not participate—leaving the rest of the roster to get some valuable playing time.

These reps were important, especially for some guys at the bottom of the depth chart—so consider this game more of a rehearsal for those who saw action. It was their time to shine, and there were quite a few who did exactly that.

I took a deep dive into the All-22 film from Carolina’s first live-action game of the campaign and came away impressed with several players. So without further ado, here are four Panthers who shined from Week 1 of the preseason:

OL Brady Christensen

Not often do you have any player who can line up at all five spots on the offensive line. Since being selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft, Christensen has shown just that—and continued to prove himself as a valuable depth piece for the Panthers up front.

Christensen has played in various blocking schemes over the last three seasons under three different offensive coordinators—Joe Brady, Ben McAdoo and Thomas Brown. This year, he’ll be playing in what looks to be a mixture of both gap and zone blocking.

This gives him an advantage, and could even make him an intriguing free agent next offseason.

Christensen played 100 percent of the offensive snaps, seeing time at right tackle and right guard. He displayed sound technique overall, working with accurate punches and strikes to the chest plate of defenders.

When he strikes first, he tends to win more often than not. His anchor was steady and he showed good communication in stunt and twist games.

Thursday night showed why the offensive line may not take a step back if the former BYU standout were forced into the lineup during the season.

OLB Eku Leota

Frankly, the edge has been an area of concern for Carolina since Haason Reddick left to join the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022. The problem this year is that the group doesn’t have an established No. 2 pass rusher to pair with Jadeveon Clowney.

But while he’s a long shot to win that role, Leota has stood out in more ways than one this summer.

The former undrafted free agent from Auburn made a statement in his first piece of preseason action, getting consistent pressure on the quarterback and terrorizing the backfield. His effectiveness shows that he has added more mass to his 6-foot-3, 252-pound frame.

Leota displays more power and explosiveness as a pass rusher than he did a year ago while offering technical prowess when attacking the quarterback and defending the run. He displayed how to squeeze gaps, set the edge and attack the inside shoulder offensive linemen as a counter.

The second-year player’s performance from Thursday night will do for Sunday afternoons this fall. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he not only makes the 53-man roster, but also earned significant playing time as a potential situational pass rusher.

CB Lamar Jackson

You might be thinking about the quarterback and two-time Most Valuable Player here. But this is the relatively unknown corner who’s trying to make the name for himself.

Jackson showed why he’s a top backup on the unit—one that not only lacks solidified depth, but also needs reinforcements given the injury history of starter Jaycee Horn.

What Jackson displayed early in this game is impressive. If you watch the first clip of the post above, you’ll see him use great recovery speed while turning his eyes back to the ball at the last second to make a play on it.

Later, he showed awareness and discipline in zone coverage while attacking downhill to charge at the ball. Jackson also showed capable skills and willingness as a run defender.

The next thing we should want to see from Jackson is how he handles uncomfortable situations. That is going to be key on whether he’ll be a reliable depth piece moving forward for defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s defense.

S Alex Cook

The former Cincinnati Bearcat has been on my radar, going back to Week 9 of last season when he flashed run support ability against the Indianapolis Colts.

With backup safety and special teams ace Sam Franklin Jr. shelved due to a foot injury, Cook is taking advantage of the opportunity presented to him. He’s flying around on special teams and playing fast.

More so, he’s playing with discipline in the run game. Should he make the 53-man roster, Cook has a great chance to make an impact early on with the special teams unit.

Cook has shown to struggle at times in coverage, but it’s not what he needs to be asked to do. He did, however, put forth a few good instances of working into the flats and hook drops in Cover 3—showing he is capable of improving. We’ll see how the remainder of the preseason goes for him.

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Where do Panthers fall in ESPN’s post-draft power rankings?

Did the Panthers budge off the bottom of ESPN’s power rankings?

It looks like it’ll take more than just an offseason to get the Carolina Panthers out of the basement.

ESPN’s NFL Nation staff just compiled a new set of power rankings fresh off the 2024 draft. And as we head into OTAs, the Panthers—just as they did in the post-free agency rankings—bring up the rear for the worldwide leader at No. 32.

But hey, at least they improved one of the areas that contributed most to the 2023-worst 2-15 record. David Newton writes of Carolina’s offensive line:

This easily could have been wide receiver with the additions of Diontae Johnson and first-round pick Xavier Legette, but quarterback Bryce Young was sacked a team-record 62 times so giving him time to find his receivers was the first priority. GM Dan Morgan did that by signing free agent guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis and shifting guard Austin Corbett to center. Inside pressure resulted in 35 of Young’s sacks and hindered his ability to effectively run the offense.

Hunt and Lewis signed to a combined $153 million—with the former inking a five-year, $100 million deal and the latter a four-year, $53 million deal. That pair of big-money additions has, as Newton notes, moved right guard Austin Corbett to center and left guard Brady Christensen into a sixth man role—giving the group some solid depth.

As for their draft additions on offense, the Panthers used three of their first four selections (Legette, running back Jonathon Brooks and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders) to improve Young’s arsenal of weapons.

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