Dave Canales and Dan Morgan had two key objectives throughout their first offseasons in positions of power. They wanted to increase competition for places and surround quarterback Bryce Young with everything needed to thrive in Year 2 of his professional career. Something they managed to accomplish despite the limited resources at their disposal.
These new faces raised urgency across the board. The Panthers had very few cornerstone pieces and lost two of them – Brian Burns and Frankie Luvu – during the spring. Nobody aside from a select few is seemingly safe. Everyone is getting a fair shot.
As is typically the case around the league, a new season comes with an incoming batch of college recruits looking to make a name for themselves. Those already established will be looking to keep them at arm’s length, but it doesn’t always work out that way.
With this in mind, here are three Panthers players who could lose their starting job to a rookie in 2024.
Troy Hill – Carolina Panthers CB
The Carolina Panthers re-signed Troy Hill to a one-year deal. He performed well as the starting nickel cornerback last season after opting to reunite with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. His size and physicality should be an asset once again in 2024 if there’s no drastic drop-off in production.
Hill isn’t getting any younger. If performance levels start to dip, a situation could emerge where Chau Smith-Wade gets a shot.
The No. 157 overall selection impressed the coaching staff over early workouts with accomplished production and an exceptional work ethic. Smith-Wade is a little undersized for an outside coverage option, but his athleticism indicates a potential role on the interior as a STAR corner cannot be dismissed at some stage.
Smith-Wade harbors ambitions to play an integral role sooner rather than later. Hill’s job will be to keep his consistency intact to ensure this doesn’t happen on his watch during the upcoming campaign.
Tommy Tremble – Carolina Panthers TE
Tommy Tremble looks set for increased responsibilities in 2024. It’s been a long time coming for the former third-round selection, who’s been on the fringes under two previous coaching regimes despite flashing some promising athleticism when called upon.
The Carolina Panthers are confident Tremble can thrive in a more prominent role. Dave Canales praised the player’s work ethic and emerging leadership over early offseason workouts. This is a strong step in the right direction as he looks to make the No. 1 tight end position his own.
Momentum is building around Tremble. However, the Notre Dame product cannot let complacency creep into his mindset after the Panthers drafted someone capable of filling the void with a smooth transition.
Carolina felt Ja’Tavion Sanders was too good to pass up at No. 101 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s not the most accomplished in-line blocker, but the former Texas standout is a versatile pass-catching option who could potentially carve out a role for himself immediately.
Tremble is a more well-rounded player thanks to his blocking prowess. He’ll have an integral role to play immediately. What comes next for the player will be determined by how he performs over the opening few weeks of the campaign.
The Panthers believe Sanders can thrive under Canales’ guidance. He plans to deploy tight ends heavily within his creative system. Targets should increase for everyone, but the margin for error is slim where Tremble is concerned.
If that wasn’t enough to raise urgency, this is also a contract year for Tremble. A new deal could go either way at this juncture. Performing well next season and establishing himself as an important piece will likely result in an extended stay in Carolina.
Should Tremble struggle to maximize this significant opportunity and Sanders come to the fore, this could be his final season with the Panthers. That’s how pivotal the 2024 campaign is for the fourth-year pro.
Chuba Hubbard – Carolina Panthers RB
Much like the situation with Tommy Tremble, the impact made by Chuba Hubbard over early workouts came in for significant praise. Dave Canales highlighted leadership and setting the tone with maximum effort in practice as reasons for optimism surrounding the running back. This is in keeping with the attitude he’s displayed since entering the league as a fourth-round selection in 2021.
Hubbard has become known for seizing the moment and grasping opportunities over the last three years. Things didn’t go according to plan as a rookie. It’s been nothing but positive after that.
The former Oklahoma State star emerged as an integral part of the team’s offensive strategy last season once Miles Sanders went down. Hubbard looked assured in all phases and improved as a blocker in pass protection. He went over 1,100 all-purpose yards and looked like someone who could become a long-term lead presence in the backfield alongside quarterback Bryce Young.
This was positive for Hubbard. However, it didn’t stop the Panthers from identifying another promising running back as a high-priority target during the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Panthers traded up to acquire Jonathon Brooks at No. 46 overall. He’s recovering from a torn ACL right now, but Canales is confident that the former Texas star can participate at some stage during Carolina’s training camp with a view to immediate involvement.
Canales and his staff will err on the side of caution with Brooks initially. At the same time, they didn’t strike with supreme conviction to bring him into the fold without harboring lofty expectations about his involvement.
It’s another obstacle for Hubbard to overcome. Nothing new to the player throughout his time in the league, so he’ll be well prepared to make a go of things in a contract year and leave no doubt as to his importance moving forward.
If Hubbard cannot, then it won’t be long before Brooks assumes lead-back duties.
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