September 24th, 2024 at 5:56pm CST by Adam La Rose
In addition to wideout Adam Thielen, the Panthers will be without Jordan Fullerfor an extended period. The veteran safety was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, per a team announcement.
Fuller will now be unavailable for at least four weeks. His absence will leave Carolina without a starting safety, as Fuller has logged an 82% snap share early in the campaign. The team does have Nick Scottin the fold, and he will now take on a starter’s workload alongside Xavier Woods.
Signed to a one-year deal in March, Fuller joined a Panthers secondary which lost Vonn Bellfollowing his release. The move allowed Fuller to reunite with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero after their time together with the Rams from 2020-21. The 26-year-old was one of many safeties who were unable to secure a long-term pact on the open market this offseason, but his Carolina pact provided him with the opportunity to boost his value.
Prior to going down with the injury, Fuller collected 15 tackles. He amassed seven interceptions and 17 pass deflections during his four-year run in Los Angeles, and a campaign with notable ball production would of course be welcomed on a Panthers defense which is without Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown. Carolina currently ranks 17th against the pass with an average of 202 yards per game allowed through the air.
In addition to moving Thielen and Fuller to IR, the Panthers waived tight end Messiah Swinson, who was previously signed off the Packers’ practice squad but did not see game action. To fill those roster spots, Carolina promoted wideout Jalen Coker along with safeties Demani Richardson and Russ Yeast. Richardson is an undrafted rookie who spent the offseason in Carolina, while Yeast is a veteran of 33 games and 10 starts with the Rams. He profiles as a logical candidate for a depth role behind Scott while Fuller recovers.
September 24th, 2024 at 11:55am CST by Sam Robinson
Just as the Panthers’ passing attack awakened, it will be without its most experienced option. Adam Thielen, who caught a touchdown pass in Carolina’s Week 3 win, will be shut down for a while.
Thielen suffered a hamstring injury, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets the Panthers will place the veteran wide receiver on IR. This move will give the 2023 free agency pickup time to recover ahead of the midseason point.
Hamstring maladies can certainly linger, and it might not be a lock Thielen comes back when first eligible. The 34-year-old wideout sustained what ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler calls a fairly significant injury. The Panthers saw a hamstring injury sideline Jaycee Horn for 10 games in 2023, with the IR move involving the cornerback sidelining him for almost all of Frank Reich‘s short-lived tenure. Thielen will be shut down until at least Week 8.
A notable market formed for Thielen following his 2023 Vikings release, and the Panthers won out with a three-year deal worth $25MM. Thielen, who commanded a $14MM guarantee at signing, was far and away Carolina’s top pass catcher last season. His 1,014 receiving yards led an anemic Panthers offense by nearly 500. Carolina, however, has since remade its receiving corps by trading for Diontae Johnson and using a first-round pick on Xavier Legette. This duo will be called upon to pick up the slack while Thielen rehabs.
Thielen’s injury occurred on his diving TD catch from new starter Andy Dalton. This will mark the former UDFA’s first missed game action since the 2021 season, when he missed four contests. Thielen now has three 1,000-yard seasons on his resume, which produced two Vikings extensions and his current Panthers pact. At 34, however, the Division II product is the NFL’s oldest active wideout.
While Thielen’s post-2024 Charlotte future is in doubt due to his age and nonguaranteed salary, this year’s edition will certainly miss the dependable possession target. Johnson is coming off a career-high 122 receiving yards with Dalton having taken over for Bryce Young, but this will thrust two of Carolina’s young targets — Legette and second-year cog Jonathan Mingo — into heavier workloads. It will be interesting to see how the younger pair responds now that more will be expected following Dalton’s strong showing.
The same is also true of Sam Darnoldand Baker Mayfield, both of whom were acquired with the potential to serve as a long-term Newton successor. The latter has since found success in Tampa Bay, while the former could set himself up for a strong free agent market after his Minnesota campaign. Bryce Youngwas acquired as Carolina aimed to end the QB carousel, paying a massive price in the process. To date, that move has backfired.
The 2023 first overall pick has been benched in favor of veteran Andy Dalton. First-year head coach Dave Canales offered support of Young in the wake of the team’s Week 2 loss, Carolina’s latest underwhelming offensive outing. One day later, though, a review of the game in addition with conversations with other members of the organization resulted in Young’s benching. No timeline for a reversal of the depth chart is in place, but the 23-year-old may see the field again in 2024.
While the Alabama product will likely remain in place through the remainder of the season (and quite possibly beyond that point), the Panthers will no doubt bring in competition for the starter’s role this spring. A number of veterans are projected to be available, and a high draft pick for April’s draft is a distinct possibility as things stand. The team should therefore have a number of options to choose from.
Free agents:
Dalton joined the Panthers on a two-year deal last offseason, and he now has the opportunity to boost his value with an extended look atop the depth chart. The 36-year-old’s tenure as the Bengals’ starter ended in 2019, and he followed that up with single campaigns in Dallas, Chicago and New Orleans. He made nine starts in place of an injured Dak Prescottin 2020, and similarly filled in for Jameis Winstonmidway through the 2022 campaign. Even when Winston was healthy, though, the Saints stuck with Dalton to close out the season.
After only making one start in 2023, Dalton now finds himself in position to stabilize Carolina’s offense as he did with New Orleans two years ago. Succeeding in that respect could result in a new Panthers accord or increased interest on the open market in March. Canales’ head coaching stock was built on his work with other veteran passers, and it will be interesting to see how he fares with Dalton over the coming weeks after he was primarily brought in to develop Young.
Darnold was acquired via trade in 2021 after he failed to establish himself as a long-term answer under center with the Jets. The former No. 3 pick started all but one of his 18 Panthers games, taking over from Mayfield to finish the 2022 slate after he was granted his request to be released. Darnold, 27, spent last season in a developmental capacity with the 49ers and took a one-year Vikings contract to operate as a bridge starter.
First-round rookie J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending knee injury has left Darnold without competition for 2024, though. An impressive season in Minnesota would make the USC product one of the top signal-callers available in March and give the Panthers a number of other suitors to bid against if a reunion were to be considered. A different regime is in place compared to the one which originally brought him to Charlotte, and a repeat of that endeavor from Canales and new GM Dan Morgan in 2025 would make for an intriguing storyline.
The underwhelming 2021 QB class figures to offer a number of buy-low options. Top pick Trevor Lawrenceis attached to a long-term Jags extension, but the passers selected second (Zach Wilson), third (Trey Lance) and 15th (Mac Jones) that year are all on their second NFL teams. No member of that trio is in a starting position at the moment, and a path to signficant playing time down the road does not exist. A prove-it contract with the Panthers could offer another change of scenery and the chance to at least compete for the QB1 gig with Young, provided he does remain in the team’s plans.
Justin Fieldsis another 2021 draftee whose career has not gone as planned. He has started three straight games with the Steelers to begin the campaign, though, and he could play his way into a Pittsburgh contract keeping him in place for years to come. The same could be true for veteran Russell Wilson, signed shortly after his Broncos release to operate as the Steelers’ starter. Plenty is yet to be determined regarding Pittsburgh’s quarterback outlook, but it would come as a surprise if both Wilson and Fields were to be retained. At least one could therefore be available for Carolina in the spring.
Drew Lock took a one-year deal to serve as the Giants’ backup, although struggles on the part of Daniel Jonescould allow him to see the field in 2024. Lock underwhelmed during his time in Denver, and Geno Smith’s recent Seattle success prevented him from seeing a run of first-team action. Carolina could offer him a new chance for a QB1 gig; at a minimum, a Panthers deal would mark a reunion between Lock and Canales after their single season together with the Seahawks.
Like every year, 2025 is projected to have a number of veteran journeymen on the market. The likes of Jimmy Garoppoloand Jacoby Brissettwill be an option if the Panthers elect to add a stopgap under center. Such a move would no doubt be accompanied by once again adding a rookie viewed as having the upside to serve as a franchise signal-caller.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates do not have a quarterback listed among their consensus top 10 prospects as things currently stand. Plenty can and will change over the next several months, but the upcoming QB class was seen as being inferior to its 2024 counterpart during the build-up to April’s draft. A clear-cut leader at the position is not in place, but a shortlist of candidates exist to hear their names called on Day 1.
Georgia’s Carson Beckis seen by many analysts as the top passer who will be on the board next spring. A two-time national champion with the Bulldogs, Beck had his first full-time campaign in 2023 and led the country in passing yards while amassing a 24:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. A strong campaign (which could very well include another national title run) would cement the redshirt senior’s status as a candidate for the title of top QB prospect.
Quinn Ewershas had a successful college tenure since transferring from Ohio State. His production jumped from 2021 to ’22 with Texas, helping guide the team to the CFB playoffs last year. Expectations are high for the Longhorns in general and Ewers in particular for 2024, and another deep postseason run would boost his draft stock.
Miami’s Cam Ward entered the year as a strong Heisman contender, and his play so far in 2024 has not disappointed. The senior scored 61 total touchdowns during his time at Washington State; he is expected to deliver major production once again upon taking charge of the Hurricanes’ offense. Ward could ascend to the QB1 spot if he were to continue his impressive start to the campaign.
The main wild-card in the class is Shedeur Sanders. The son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders – something which is being taken into account by NFL teams – is in his second season with Colorado. Sanders topped 3,200 yards and threw 27 touchdowns (against just three interceptions) last year, and a healthy Travis Huntercould yield similar production. Seen by some as the top signal-caller in the class and a Day 2 pick by others, Sanders’ consistency will be a key element of his development and thus his draft stock.
Young’s successor at Alabama (Jalen Milroe) is another option the Panthers could consider. Milroe finished sixth in Heisman voting last year, one in which he led the Crimson Tide to the CFP semifinals. His 531 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground from 2023 demonstrate his dual-threat ability and a skillset which separates him from the other top passers. Milroe has ground to make up on his classmates based on early rankings, though.
Whether or not Young remains in Carolina ahead of the 2025 campaign, the quarterback position will no doubt be an area of focus during the offseason. How the team proceeds (regardless of if a veteran or a rookie is targeted) will be a central storyline affecting both the short- and long-term future.
September 22nd, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Sam Robinson
Bryce Young‘s status continues to be a lead early-season storyline, and conflicting reports about the second-year passer’s future have emerged. For now, Young will sit behind Andy Dalton. The organization’s plan beyond that remains unclear.
With the team so quickly veering from its Young path, trade inquiries are coming in. Several teams have reached out to the Panthers about Young’s availability, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Beyond those clubs, others have debated an overture internally. The offseason looms as the most likely trade window, Schefter adds.
Dave Canales said this week the team was not interested in moving Young right now, and while the rookie HC had said following the Chargers’ blowout win the 2023 No. 1 overall pick would remain the starter, Dalton received word hours later he would take over. Panthers players had grown frustrated with Young, who is not coming especially close to developing — albeit in suboptimal circumstances — in the way the franchise had hoped when it traded a bounty to the Bears for the draft slot last year. And debate around the league about the Panthers’ long-term direction with Young is coming out.
The Jets took this route with Zach Wilson in 2022, allowing the embattled QB to climb back up the depth chart — with an assist from a Mike White injury — after veterans were wildly disappointed in the player’s showing. While Schefter adds the door is indeed open to Young returning this season, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini is bearish about the Alabama alum’s long-term Carolina outlook (subscription required).
Young had been reassured the Panthers were in this for the long haul, only to see the team scrap a plan it formed in 2023 and then doubled down via several acquisitions this offseason. Young was believed to be “pissed” at the Panthers’ about-face, and although the team is not planning to trade the 5-foot-10 passer now, Russini reports this relationship is fully expected to end in 2025.
A veteran Panther informed Russini that Young kept making the same mistakes. Despite the Panthers signing guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis and then trading for Diontae Johnson to improve on a poor offensive setup, Young sits last in QBR by a wide margin through two games. The second of which produced a paltry 84 passing yards on 26 attempts. Young is averaging a nonfunctional 4.4 yards per attempt this season, and Russini adds that despite any damage control coming out of Charlotte, he is done as the hopeful long-term Panthers QB1.
Young’s scout-team performance this week offered the Panthers some renewed hope for a rebound, per Rapoport, who adds the team had viewed its previous starter as “overwhelmed.” Though, even if the Panthers may well be planning to give Young another shot later this season, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones offers this relationship is “forever altered.”
Jones affirms the Panthers “blindsided” Young with news of the benching but echoes Rapoport’s reporting that the diminutive QB will have another chance to start this season. Neither Russini nor Jones dispute David Tepper being involved in the benching, though the latter pushes back that the oft-criticized owner was not the sole driver behind the move. Most around the league, however, believe Tepper was involved in this benching, Russini offers.
Tepper is believed to have been the driving force behind the Young draft choice last year. Both GM Scott Fitterer and HC Frank Reich announced they shared the view, with separate research efforts producing a consensus between the since-fired HC-GM combo. Though, rumblings out of Charlotte had tied Reich to C.J. Stroud— even after the quickly fired coach had denied strong consideration was given to the Ohio State product. That is well in the past, and the Panthers are now nearing a cliff with the player they chose.
Two years remain on Young’s rookie contract, and roster bonuses of $3.17MM and $4.78MM are respectively due in 2025 and 2026. The Cowboys took on Trey Lance‘s fully guaranteed rookie contract, while the Broncos and Jets agreed to split Wilson’s 2024 money. The Panthers will have an impossible task finding value near what they gave up if they were to unload Young, with Jones reporting a Day 3 pick would be most likely the highest return the team could expect.
Carolina gave up D.J. Moore, its 2024 first-round pick (No. 1 overall) and 2023 and ’25 second-rounders to climb from No. 9 to No. 1. The Texans had backed out of a three-team trade that would have sent them the top pick and the Panthers No. 2 overall, and after Carolina had also discussed No. 3 with Arizona, the NFC South club then dealt directly with Chicago to obtain No. 1. With Young 2-16 as a starter, that move has deteriorated into one of the worst NFL decisions in a rather bad period for QB missteps.
Dalton is tied to a two-year, $10MM contract, and he appears set for a long runway as the Panthers’ emergency fix. Whether the Panthers’ 2024 plan involves another Young look or not, trade rumors — after many QBs drafted in 2021 and ’22 have been moved — are unlikely to cool down before this year’s deadline. Assuming the Panthers stick to their guns and retain Young throughout this season, trade rumblings are almost definitely to follow — perhaps ahead of a deal that gives Young a true fresh start — in 2025.
Players like Hollman, Vigil, Webb, and Quarterman will now be getting called up for the third time this season. The NFL rules limit a practice squad player to three standard gameday elevations per contract. If their teams want to get them into more games in the future, the normal route is for them to be signed to the active roster after this weekend then released/waived and signed to new practice squad deals, starting their three-game count over.
Shy Tuttle‘s foot injury will keep him off the field for Week 3, as the Panthers announced that the defensive tackle has been downgraded from doubtful to out. The Panthers called up Williams to temporarily take the open roster spot. The defensive end started 10 of his 16 appearances for the Panthers last season, and he landed back on Carolina’s practice squad last month after spending the preseason with the Bills.
The Browns announced a handful of moves ahead of their game with the Giants tomorrow. Notably, the team didn’t promote any offensive tackles, which provided some optimism surrounding the availability of their injured tackles. While Jedrick Wills Jr. is expected to play (per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal), Jack Conklin will not (per Tony Grossi of 850 ESPN Cleveland). Conklin hasn’t played since Week 1 of the 2023 season while recovering from a torn ACL and MCL. He practiced this week and was initially listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game, but it sounds like a new hamstring injury is the culprit for his Week 3 absence.
With both Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce set to miss Sunday’s trip to Minnesota, the Texans are bringing up Taylor off the practice squad. Taylor will back up Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale against the Vikings this weekend.
September 20th, 2024 at 10:12pm CST by Adam La Rose
Week 3 will mark the first time in Bryce Young‘s career that he sits for a reason other than injury. The Panthers are relying on Andy Daltonunder center for the time being, a move which has led to questions about Young’s future with the team.
The 2023 first overall pick is in place as the Panthers’ backup, and no consideration is currently being given to a trade. Carolina’s return in any Young swap would of course fall well short of the price which was paid to acquire the No. 1 selection last spring, giving the organization incentive to keep him in the fold for now. If a trade were to be worked out, though, Young would appear to be on board.
ESPN’s David Newton reports the 23-year-old is “open to anything” regarding his future, whether that consists of a continued stay in Charlotte or a deal sending him to a new team. Young’s value is low as things stand based on his underwhelming production to date (59.3% completion percentage, 11:13 touchdown-to interception ratio, 5.4 yards per attempt average, 70.9 passer rating), but he is attached to a rookie contract through 2026. For his part, the former Heisman winner has publicly stated a commitment to remaining in Carolina.
“I’m a day-by-day kind of person,” Young said (via Newton). “I’ve talked about that consistently. Big picture stuff, that’s out of my hands. That’s organizational stuff, for the people upstairs. I’m super grateful to be part of the team, with our organization. I want to help in every way I can.”
The Panthers were shut out during the final two games of 2023, and they have scored just 13 points through two weeks this season. Dalton and rookie head coach Dave Canales will be tasked with delivering an improved showing on offense with a unit which saw additions made up front and at the skill positions this offseason. Dalton – who made one start last year when Young was injured – is a pending free agent, and his value will be affected by his performances in the QB1 gig.
How the Panthers proceed with Young will remain a talking point during the 2024 campaign, one which was projected to be founded on Canales’ work in developing him. A trade would be surprising given the lack of a market which presumably exists for him, but Young himself could benefit from (and perhaps even welcome) a change of scenery.
The Patriots sustained a blow to their offensive line depth when Okorafor left the team after being benched after just 12 snaps in Week 1. New England received a five-day roster exemption for Okorafor’s initial absence but was forced to move the offensive tackle to the reserve/left team list when the exemption expired. He is now ineligible to return this season.
Watson was drafted by the Browns in the sixth round of the 2024 draft and made Cleveland’s initial 53-man roster. He appeared in the team’s first two regular-season games, playing 33 snaps on special teams.
September 18th, 2024 at 10:17pm CST by Sam Robinson
10:17pm: Canales has since said (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport) a Young trade is “not something we’re really considering.” The rookie HC said he still believes Young can be a franchise quarterback but noted it is all hands on deck for this week.
12:57pm: The Panthers have gone through with a historically quick benching involving a No. 1 overall pick. With Dave Canales indicating this is not a mere reset effort involving Bryce Young, the 2023 top draftee’s status is in limbo after only 18 starts.
As Andy Daltonprepares to take the reins of an NFC South team’s offense early in a season for the second time in three years, the Panthers are coming to grips with the fact they traded a monster asset package — headlined by D.J. Moore and the 2024 No. 1 overall pick — for a player who is already drifting away from their big-picture plan.
Young is not taking this especially well, as could be expected. The 2021 Heisman winner is “pissed” about the Panthers’ decision, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Appeasing veterans — and potentially ownership and the front office — became a key factor here, as the team’s wide receivers were showing considerable frustration early. Young’s long-term development is on hold — potentially for good. This could soon start one of the more shocking QB searches in recent memory, considering the Panthers’ carousel and what they gave up to obtain the Young draft slot.
While Young has performed poorly — for the most part — since Carolina deployed him as its Week 1 starter last season, he was first asked to lead a poorly constructed offense with some conflicting voices in his ear before having to learn Canales’ system this offseason. Considering the dysfunction surrounding the Panthers during David Tepper‘s ownership tenure, many have voiced support for Young despite his shaky on-field work.
It is not known if Young will start again for the Panthers, but Fowler adds the team is not expected to explore an early trade. This would station Young as the backup, barring a Dalton injury, for the season’s remainder. Given the quick hooks involving many passers from the 2021 and 2022 draft classes, Young being elsewhere in 2025 would not be a complete shock. Though, NFL history does not provide many examples of a No. 1 overall pick ditched so soon.
All but one quarterback chosen first overall in the common draft era (1967-present) has remained with his original team at least four seasons. Even the lone exception here — Raiders mega-bust JaMarcus Russell — was given three years before being released in 2010. Among this lot, Jeff George (traded in 1994) and Baker Mayfield are the only other QBs to last fewer than five years with their first NFL franchises. Young being ditched after Year 3 would mark another blow to a Panthers franchise that has sustained many under Tepper’s leadership.
The Panthers still view Young as having the skillset to enjoy a productive NFL career, Fowler adds, making this benching strange due to this season being framed as the 5-foot-10 passer’s bounce-back year. Carolina’s offseason investments came about due to organizational interest in bettering Young’s situation. Despite the Panthers signing Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis to big-ticket contracts and trading for Diontae Johnson, Young has not shown improvement. He ranks last in QBR by a wide margin.
The fallout from this benching could certainly determine Young’s Carolina future, and the Panthers determining they need to start over yet again would cast doubt about the team having the organizational infrastructure necessary to solve this long-running issue. For now, Young remains in the Panthers’ plans.
While it would break with NFL precedent for the Panthers to bail on Young as quickly as the Steelers, Falcons and Titans separated from their 2022 draftees (Kenny Pickett, Desmond Ridder, Malik Willis), those moves certainly show an early divorce is possible. Carolina, of course, would recoup nowhere near the value it gave up to acquire Young if a trade did ultimately come to pass.
September 18th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Nikhil Mehta
Nine NFL teams have started the regular season with an 0-2 record. Some teams (Panthers, Broncos) are experiencing expected struggles, with others (Ravens, Rams) disappointing fans hoping for a playoff run.
Since 2015, 74 teams have opened the year with back-to-back losses, (h/t James Boyd of The Athletic). Just eight qualified for the postseason, a 10.8% rate that suggests only one of this season’s 0-2 starters will make the playoffs.
The Ravens were a toe away from taking the Chiefs into overtime (or attempting a do-or-die two-point try) in Week 1 before blowing yet another double-digit fourth-quarter lead to the Raiders in Week 2. Baltimore gambled on a new-look offensive line after jettisoning three veteran starters during the offseason, and the results thus far have not been encouraging. Lamar Jackson faced heavy pressure at crucial moments across his first two games, with right guard Daniel Faalele struggling in his conversion from tackle. First-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr is dealing with the same early hiccups that his predecessor Mike Macdonald did back in 2022, surrendering a league-high 257 passing yards per game.
Unlike past years, though, Baltimore has started the season healthy, and it is capable of winning almost any game with Jackson under center. Several young Ravens like Odafe Oweh, Travis Jones, Zay Flowers, and Isaiah Likely have begun the year with promising starts, too, so the team has plenty of reason to remain optimistic about its long-term playoff chances. The Ravens will need to win at least two of their next three against the Cowboys, Bills, and Bengals to avoid a near-insurmountable 1-4 hole.
The division-rival Bengals are also 0-2, scoring just 10 points in Week 1 against the Patriots and losing to the Chiefs on a field goal as time expired. Ja’Marr Chase‘s hold-in did not extend into the regular season, but his lack of practice time and Tee Higgins‘ hamstring injury has hindered Cincinnati’s downfield passing game. The running back committee of Zack Moss and Chase Brown is a clear downgrade from Joe Mixon, and Cincinnati’s defense has struggled to apply pressure outside of Trey Hendrickson.
Cincinnati’s minus-7 point differential is the best of any 0-2 team, and the offense will likely improve as Chase gets more reps and Higgins recovers. The Bengals’ secondary has allowed the second-fewest pass yards through two weeks, and that includes a matchup with Patrick Mahomes. Cincinnati’s season will rely on keeping its three offensive stars healthy. A search for a pass rusher at the trade deadline to pair with Hendrickson may also be avenue the team explores.
The Rams hoped Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp returning to full health would pair with last year’s breakthroughs from Puka Nacuaand Kyren Williams to create one of the league’s most explosive offenses. Injuries to Kupp and Nacua, plus starting offensive linemenJoe Noteboom, Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson, have decimated the Los Angeles offense — a clear factor in their Week 2 41-10 blowout loss to the Cardinals. The Rams also have three defensive backs on injured reserve, leaving their secondary shorthanded and placing a burden on a young front seven that lost Aaron Donald to retirement in the offseason.
That young defensive front has plenty of talent in second-year players Kobie Turner and Byron Young and rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske. They will need to step up their play over the next several weeks to keep the Rams afloat as the offense desperately tries to get healthy in time for a late-season playoff push.
The Jaguars‘ anemic offense has emerged as the team’s biggest issue to start the season, as Trevor Lawrence‘s 51.0% completion rate is the second-lowest in the league. The fourth-year QB needs more consistency from his pass-catching group, with none of Lawrence’s targets having more than six receptions yet. The defense has allowed just 38 points, a top-10 mark, but has not forced any turnovers that could have impacted in the team’s one-score losses.
The Colts are dealing with the highs and lows of quarterback Anthony Richardson, as the second-year QB has produced some of the best throws of the young season while also owning the league’s lowest completion percentage (49.1%) and most interceptions (four). Veteran Michael Pittman Jr. and rookie Adonai Mitchell have both struggled to find a rhythm on offense, and the defense has been gashed on the ground in both games.
Richardson’s continued development will advance the offense, which has plenty of potential with a strong offensive line and a fully healthy Jonathan Taylor. Indianapolis’ defense remains its biggest impediment to the postseason. Outside of the interior defensive duo of DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart, the Colts lack both consistent contributors and impact playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. And Buckner is now on IR.
The Titans have lost each of their first two games by a touchdown and have yet to score a point in the fourth quarter. Two of Will Levis‘ three primary receivers are new additions, as is running back Tony Pollard. As a result, Tennessee’s offense is a work in progress as the franchise’s decision-makers evaluate if Levis is the QB of the future. Defensively, the Titans have stars at all three levels: defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons, linebacker Harold Landryand cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. The addition of Ernest Jones via preseason trade with the Rams may well be a shrewd move to shore up the middle, giving Tennessee the framework of a high-upside defense.
First-round pick Malik Nabershas been among the few bright spots during the Giants‘ 0-2 start, recording 15 catches for 193 yards to open the year. Daniel Jones has largely struggled when not targeting Nabers behind an offensive line with multiple new pieces. New York’s defense allowed efficient passing performances from Sam Darnold and Jayden Daniels while surrendering 5.3 yards per rushing attempt in Weeks 1 and 2. Offseason addition Brian Burns and 2022 first-rounder Kayvon Thibodeaux have yet to record sacks this season, making life harder for a young Giants secondary.
The Giants considered trading up for a rookie QB during this past draft, indicating that Jones’ future in New York depends on his performance this season. Either he succeeds, and the Giants stick with him and his contract, or he struggles and is replaced before next season, giving general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll the chance to save their tenure. This duo may not be on the hot seat presently, but this trajectory would point to temperatures rising before season’s end.
Sean Payton landed on first-rounder Bo Nixas his starting quarterback in Denver, and the rookie’s early struggles have only amplified the overall talent deficiency on the roster. Nix’s four interceptions and a virtually nonexistent running game have hindered the offense thus far, putting the defense in disadvantageous positions in both games. The Broncos’ underrated defensive line has gotten pressure on opposing QBs, but the team will need more than just Patrick Surtain in the secondary to stay in games with such a limited offense.
The Panthers benchedBryce Young after their 0-2 start, which included three interceptions and league-lows in points (13) and passing yards (245). A season-ending meniscus tear for Derrick Brown has added injury to insult to a Carolina franchise with little talent or direction at the moment. Switching to Andy Dalton at quarterback may stabilize the offense and aid the development of its young playmakers, but that still provides no long-term solution under center.
Which of these teams has the best chance to beat the above-referenced odds and rebound en route to the playoffs? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
