Panthers Wire mailbag: What fans want to know in Week 2 of the preseason

USA Today

a day ago

The preseason is well underway, and the Carolina Panthers are looking more and more interesting by the week.
From last Friday's exhibition opener against the Cleveland Browns to sorting out the roster moving forward, there's plenty to dive into as we navigate through the rest of the summer.
So, let's do it!
Here, thanks to your questions, is the latest edition of our Panthers Wire mailbag . . .
Making moves after roster cuts
Roster cuts are now less than two weeks away. All teams will have until 4:00 p.m. ET on Aug. 26 to get their 90-man summer rosters down to 53.
Like last year, when they put in claims on a handful of freshly-released players, the Panthers will almost assuredly look to make some additions. The focus should be on the inside linebacker and cornerback positions, and possibly at safety.
As for D.J. Wonnum, he's maintained his health after healing up from quad issues for much of 2024. He's popped up in training camp and recorded a hit on Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the preseason opener.
Wonnum is currently one of the two projected starters for Carolina at outside linebacker, and will have a chance to produce in a larger capacity this season.
Who is the defensive signal-caller?
Save for an unexpected addition, free-agent signee Christian Rozeboom is likely to wear the green dot in 2025. He took over the role as the defense's quarterback at the start of camp, after the Panthers parted ways with Josey Jewell.
Rozeboom is fresh off a career campaign, where he tallied 135 tackles for the Los Angeles Rams. While he may not shine in coverage, he's a reliable tackler who can help patch up what was a porous run defense in 2024.
Causes of the defense's struggles
It should be noted that defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley was the defense's play-caller last weekend. While the blame shouldn't be squarely on him, there were some good features such as timely blitzes and execution from pass rushers.
The play-calling under Evero should be different. The struggles overall come from a mixture of issues—such as execution, early preseason rust, and yes, weaknesses at key positions. Plus, the depth of the back seven showcased a dire need for improvement across the board.
This is a big year for Evero, who will need to lean on his experienced starters on all three levels to make plays and return to, at least, average play in 2025.
Evero being more aggressive?
Malte, this will likely be a play-it-by-ear situation, especially with the uncertainty at safety.
In theory, the Panthers have the personnel to play more press, not necessarily press-man. But the bigger defenders can create logjams and timing issues for opposing offenses.
There will be plenty of zone—mixtures of quarters, cover 2, cover 6 and press-robber from single-high alignments. Some coordinators are stubborn—and while we can't assume a person's feelings toward their work, some looks could remain the same from a coverage aspect.
New faces off the edge and in the trenches should help the Panthers be more aggressive in certain situations. Free-agent additions Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III and rookie pass rushers Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen should factor in. (Oh, and Pro Bowler Derrick Brown is back.)
While the back-seven defenders still have depth and talent issues in some cases, having a strong pass rush can help in more ways than one.
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