Panthers’ Secondary Was Softer Than Charmin
It wasn’t all good for the Panthers in the preseason opener, as their pass defense struggled mightily against the Bills. Playing without top cornerback James Bradberry who was held out as a precaution, the secondary gave the Bills’ receivers way too much room to operate.
Consequently, the Panthers allowed 338 passing yards to the Bills’ quarterback trio of Nathan Peterman, AJ McCarron, and Josh Allen. Kelvin Benjamin was one of the standout receivers for Buffalo, making four catches for 59 yards and a TD.
Not only did they surrender a lot of passing yards, but the Panthers also allowed Peterman and McCarron — who are battling for the starting job — to combine for a completion percentage of 80 percent (16 of 20). Neither has an abundance of NFL appearance, so those aren’t promising numbers for a secondary that remains one of Carolina’s biggest question marks.
Third-year pro Kevon Seymour is expected to start opposite Bradberry, at least initially. The team already lost Ross Cockrell for an extended period of time after the 27-year-old cornerback broke his left tibia and fibula on July 30, so there aren’t many other in-house options available. Rookie Donte Jackson may eventually supplant Seymour, but don’t expect that to happen right away.
The offensive line was another question mark entering the preseason, especially after injuries to Daryl Williams and Amini Silatolu. But it proved to be at least serviceable in Week 1, allowing just one sack to a solid Buffalo front seven.
