Tag: Chandler Zavala

Panthers having ‘wide-open competition’ for starting RG spot

On Tuesday, Panthers GM Scott Fitterer mentioned Chandler Zavala, Cade Mays and Justin McCray as potential candidates to fill in at RG for Austin Corbett.

Austin Corbett may be back sooner than expected, but the Carolina Panthers will still need a starting right guard at the beginning of the season.

General manager Scott Fitterer talked to reporters (on report day) in Spartanburg, S.C. on Tuesday. Among the handful of topics he addressed was that likely void on the interior of the offensive line, one that doesn’t have a solution just yet.

“No, I don’t know that yet,” he replied when asked if second-year guard Cade Mays would be Corbett’s temporary replacement. “It’s a wide-open competition. The good thing is we have numbers in there. We have versatility in there. Brady’s [Christensen] back, he’s fully healthy. Austin, he’s pushing to get back. He’s ahead of schedule. We’ll see what that means. We won’t know until like cut day, like where he’s at.”

Corbett tore his ACL in the 2022 season finale against the New Orleans Saints. Although there seems to be some encouraging progress for the 27-year-old, the Panthers are prepared to enter the campaign without him.

As a result, some of the young and newer hog mollies must also be prepared—including 2023 fourth-round pick Chandler Zavala.

“But those young guys really need to push,” Fitterer added. “And Zavala coming in—and unfortunately, he tweaked his hamstring last week, so he’s gonna be a couple weeks. But he’ll be in that mix. So Zavala, Cade Mays, Justin McCray—all those guys pushin’ and we like that group inside.”

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Panthers place 4 players on active/PUP list before start of training camp

Before settling into Spartanburg, the Panthers placed a handful of players on the active/PUP list.

The first step of 2023 Carolina Panthers training camp was taken on Saturday, when the team’s rookies arrived at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. But that wasn’t the only step for the day.

As announced through an official release that evening, the Panthers placed a handful of players on the active/physically unable to return list—guards Austin Corbett and Chandler Zavala and defensive linemen John Penisini and Jalen Redmond. The four were not cleared to participate for the start of on-field activities, which begin on Wednesday.

Corbett’s placement on the list was to be expected, as the starting right guard is still on the mend from offseason knee surgery. Corbett tore his ACL in last year’s regular-season finale against the New Orleans Saints and will likely miss the beginning of the 2023 campaign.

Zavala, a possible fill-in for Corbett, is dealing with a pectoral strain—which kept him out of mandatory minicamp in June.

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6 most important battles for 2023 Panthers training camp

With the battles of Spartanburg about to begin, here are the Panthers’ six most important training camp competitions for the summer.

2023 Carolina Panthers training camp is here! (Well, just about.)

With rookies reporting on Saturday and veterans on Tuesday, the summer action is set to begin. So, which pieces of that action will have the most impact heading into the regular season?

Here are the six most important Spartanburg battles for the Panthers this year:

Could Cade Mays challenge for Panthers’ starting right guard job?

With Austin Corbett expected to miss the start of the season, the Panthers could turn to a more confident and comfortable Cade Mays.

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With starting right guard Austin Corbett expected to miss the early portions of the 2023 season, Chandler Zavala has quickly become the presumed favorite to fill the fifth spot on the Carolina Panthers offensive line. And why not?

The 2023 fourth-round pick was a force North Carolina State University, he already has some chemistry with fellow Wolfpack member Ikem Ekwonu and he quickly endeared himself to the current regime. Zavala could hold the fort down for Corbett or even fall into his natural position on the left side while kicking Brady Christensen over to the right.

But there’s another young hog molly that will challenge for honors—Cade Mays. The 2022 sixth-rounder, via Augusta Stone of Panthers.com, said most of his work during minicamp and organized team activities came at right guard and center.

“I feel more confident,” Mays said. “I feel like I know the playbook better. I’ve been playing the majority (of reps) at right guard and center. I feel comfortable at those spots, and I just feel prepared. Like I come out here, and I feel like I’m ready.”

34 of Mays’ 51 offensive snaps as a rookie came in relief of Corbett, after the veteran right guard tore his ACL in the season finale against the New Orleans Saints. He didn’t do too shabby either, earning himself a 69.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in that very effort.

So if the confidence and comfortability continue to rise through the summer and into his second campaign, Mays could be in for an even longer relief appearance for Corbett and the Panthers in 2023.

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Chandler Zavala sold himself to Panthers with in-draft text message

In a move Panthers GM Scott Fitterer said he’s seen maybe just once before, Chandler Zavala texted the team mid-draft to let them know he wanted to be in Carolina.

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We got a little ABC in the NFL, and we’re not talking about the broadcasting network.

When the 2023 NFL draft was nearing its fourth round, North Carolina State University guard Chandler Zavala took it upon himself to close . . . for himself. As revealed in Tuesday’s episode of “Panthers Blueprint,” the local product texted general manager Scott Fitterer to tell him he really wanted to stay in the area—a move that took the team’s braintrust aback.

“Doesn’t happen often,” Fitterer said of the bold move. “I think it’s happened maybe once before. And he said something, ‘Hey, just want you to know, I really wanna be a Panther. Don’t forget about me. I wanna come there.'”

Well, it worked.

Knowing that he’d tip off other interested parties if he replied too eagerly, Fitterer played it cool. Then, the Panthers selected Zavala with the 114th overall pick of the draft soon after.

Hey, when opportunity knocks (or texts), maybe you should answer it.

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Panthers’ projected offensive depth chart following minicamp

Now that Bryce Young is QB1 for the Panthers, how does the rest of the offensive depth chart look heading out of mandatory minicamp?

Before we fully dive into summer break, let’s graze over our projections for what the offensive side of the Carolina Panthers’ depth chart currently looks like.

Biggest takeaways from Panthers 2023 mandatory minicamp

10 biggest takeaways from Panthers’ 2023 edition of mandatory minicamp

Carolina Panthers mandatory minicamp may have only lasted two days, but we still learned a whole lot.

Here are the 10 biggest takeaways from this spring’s workouts:

NFC South roundtable: 2023 draft grades for each team

Now that the dust from the annual calling of names has settled, our managing editors have handed out 2023 draft grades for each NFC South squad.

Did the NFC South squads ace their respective 2023 drafts?

We asked our managing editors—River Wells of Bucs Wire, Matt Urben of Falcons Wire and John Sigler of Saints Wire—to help hand out grades for their teams.

Panthers’ Brady Christensen prepared for competition at LG

Panthers LG Brady Christensen seems aware that he could be in a competition for his starting job with rookie Chandler Zavala.

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Carolina Panthers offensive lineman Brady Christensen has been rolling with the punches ever since stepping foot into the NFL—even if one of his feet haven’t been completely underneath him.

As he continues his comeback from offseason ankle surgery, Christensen took some time to speak with reporters following Thursday’s outing of organized team activities. And the third-year veteran, who has gone through multiple positional and coaching changes in the NFL, said he’s used to transition.

“Once you kinda get used to learning a new offense, it gets easier and easier as you go,” he said of having three offensive coordinators in as many seasons. “So, it’s been a better process. You understand where to study, what to study. And then there’s a lot of similar plays in the NFL. It’s been awesome to learn.”

Unsurprisingly to him, Christensen may have to learn about a new challenge as well. He could soon find himself in a competition for his starting left guard spot with rookie Chandler Zavala—whom the Panthers selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft.

“Competition is always there for everyone,” he said about the possibility. “So, we’re just all taking it day by day and that’s what we love about this game, that’s what we love about the NFL. The competition is there no matter what.”

Zavala played all but one of his 1,084 snaps for NC State at left guard. Over 300 of those, in fact, came alongside fellow Wolfpack member and Panthers left tackle Ikem Ekwonu.

Carolina, however, might get a little creative—especially with starting right guard Austin Corbett expected to miss some time. So maybe there’s room for these two hog mollies come Week 1.

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Projecting 2023 stats for Panthers rookies Chandler Zavala and Jammie Robinson

Despite being Day 3 picks, Panthers rookies Chandler Zavala and Jammie Robinson may see the field quite a bit in 2023.

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Most of the attention surrounding the Carolina Panthers’ 2023 draft class will, of course, find its way to No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young. But general manager Scott Fitterer and company found some solid value in a pair of later selections—fourth-round guard Chandler Zavala and fifth-round safety Jammie Robinson.

Zavala, who’s the likelier of the two to snag a starting role, is particularly interesting given the team’s possible void on the interior of their offensive trench. With right guard Austin Corbett set to miss some time to begin the campaign, the 6-foot-5, 322-pounder could figure into Carolina’s plans.

His connection with former NC State teammate Ikem Ekwonu may also give him a bit of an edge. Perhaps a combo of the Wolfpackers on the left side, with Brady Christensen shifting over to the right, may be an enticing prospect for the Panthers.

Robinson, on the other hand, probably won’t sniff out a featured role right away. That, though, doesn’t mean he won’t see the field as a rookie.

The 5-foot-11, 191-pound back is a versatile defensive weapon who can provide depth at both safety and nickel. And if Jeremy Chinn really is moved closer to the line of scrimmage at times, Robinson could get some burn in the secondary and potentially flash in this Ejiro Evero defense.

Projections:

Zavala

  • Sacks allowed: three
  • Penalties: five

Robinson

  • Interceptions: two
  • Passes defensed: four

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