In what will hopefully erase some of the bad memories from the last time Carolina faced off against Pittsburgh, this go around will largely resemble a game of Whose Line Is It Anyway. In the last exhibition game of the season (thank God), the points won't matter and almost everything will be made up. But what will matter, to the few bubble players fighting for a roster spot, is how well they can perform against 2nd and 3rd stringers in their last opportunity to make a splash on the field. With that in mind here a few of the players to keep an eye on during the game:
Philly Brown
The biggest question marks on the offense originate in the receiving corps. KB going down has revealed a serious drop off in production and ability and may just be a blessing in disguise as the FO has to address this issue sooner than later. Whether or not Philly can manage to overcome his sudden case of stage fright is going to go a long way towards deciding whether there is a viable option at the position. The coaching staff has expressed great confidence in the troubled speedster but that didn't stop them from hitting the waiver wire the second an attractive option came available, one that many thought spelled the end for Brown. Maybe surviving the cut gives him the jolt he needs to get his brain right.
Kevin Norwood
According to Gettleman, Norwood was on Carolina's big board when he came out for the draft. Seattle scooped him up and we ended up with Tre Boston. Now through happenstance and an undisclosed 2017 pick here we sit with two talented young players. In his first performance as a Panther, it is unlikely that Norwood will know enough of the offense to make much of contribution but it would be ridiculous to expect the coaching staff to turn down this opportunity to see what they've got. No doubt the staff has been working to build a quick rapport with Cam for the newcomer but since Newton will be relegated to charismatic clipboard holder for the evening, it will be up to old reliable to make him look good.
Brenton Bersin
It's all but a given that Bersin has a place on the roster. Let's face it Sunshine is a Panther for as long as he can continue to show up to practices. That being said, I am actually impressed with the reliability shown from the golden wonder. He was thrust into an unfortunate position as punt returner and we should all collectively pray he never ever gets anywhere near a punt return again. This will be Bersin's opportunity to showcase why he's still suiting up on Sundays while other receivers will be looking for work. If he keeps up his progress, we just might have a surprise asset, from an unexpected source on our hands.
Damiere Byrd
Damiere Byrd will almost certainly spend this season on the practice squad. Which honestly isn't the worst place to be on a team with high turnover at the WR position and a tough year of trial by fire to look forward to. In limited action he has shone a lot promise as a rookie. Given a year to mature and the tutelage of Coach Proehl, I fully expect the 2016 preseason to showcase a much improved, hungry young player, the first flashes of which will be on the field for a large portion of Thursday night.
Devin Funchess
As the defacto WR 1 and heir apparent to Kelvin Benjamin's vacant spot, it sure would be nice to see the rookie actually hit the field. I expect the coaches to keep him limited, perhaps a quarter, maybe until the second half but with a lingering hamstring injury and only 10 days until week 1, it would be negligent to risk another untimely injury. All Panthers fans can do is hope Devin manages to put it all together with an off season that has littered with absences for various injuries. I'm calling for at least red zone possession for a TD and then sit the youngster, there's plenty of evaluation to go around.
Brandon Wegher
The most interesting bubble player lining up between the hash marks, Brandon Wegher's incredible journey could end this Saturday. Dynamic with the third stringers, it will be a great opportunity for the RB to show that he's got what it takes to stick on an NFL roster. This could easily be the Kenjon, Gaffney, etc. situation all over again. Young talented player that doesn't fit into our current plans, snatched up to become a contributor elsewhere. Personally I love Wegher, he's an end zone seeking missile. It remains to be seen if he will be able to perform as well against starting caliber players. Alternately, if last year's darling Fozzy Whittaker decides to show up, that could be all it takes to make the whole conversation moot.
Week 4 of the preseason is easy to write off since none of the starters will be playing and everyone is waiting for the real action next week. The reality is that next to college it's rare to find a more enthusiastic performance than potential roster casualties battling it out for a job. Let's get ready for the best kind of football, Panthers football.