Panthers starters set to play
What I'll be watching for when the Panthers travel to Buffalo.
The Carolina Panthers will travel to Buffalo to take on the Bills in their new stadium on Saturday.
The starters will play 10 to 20 snaps per Head Coach Dave Canales.
Here’s what I’ll be watching for on Saturday.
How will Bryce Young fare?
Young’s preseason performances in the past - like the rest of the team - are nothing to write home about.
The most snaps he’s played in a single preseason game is 21, which happened in the final contest of the 2023 preseason.
Here are his preseason totals by year:
2023: 14-of-24, 129 yards, 1 TD, 3 sacks taken [7 total drives, 50 plays, 13 points]
2024: 6-of-8, 70 yards, 1 TD, 1 sack taken [1 total drive, 12 plays, 7 points]
2025: 4-of-8, 58 yards, 1 TD, 2 sacks taken [4 total drives, 18 plays, 7 points]
The last time we saw Young play in preseason, he was getting harassed by the Houston Texans defense. Young didn’t complete either of his two pass attempts and the Panthers didn’t score a single point.
One thing I’d like to see Saturday is Young avoid taking a sack. Young has taken a sack in every preseason game he has played.
Sack avoidance was one area Young improved in during the 2025 season. Per FTN’s 2026 Football Almanac, Young’s adjusted sack rate dropped from 7.5 percent in 2024 to just 6.1 percent in 2025.
Based on reports from the beat writers covering the team, Young has been sharp all camp.
Will the sharp play continue or mirror what we’ve seen in preseason past?
How many carries will Jonathon Brooks get?
It was announced on Thursday that Chuba Hubbard is week-to-week with a hamstring injury.
Canales said that Brooks will start. I’m looking forward to seeing him back on the field and I’m sure he’s ready to be back out there for live game action.
Will there be extra fire from the tight ends?
The Panthers will add veteran Darren Waller to their roster after the conclusion of Saturday’s game.
Waller showed he still had plenty in the tank last season and the Panthers got to see it in person. Waller caught five passes for 78 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers in Week 5 last season.
Waller turns 34 in a few weeks. In order, the Panthers top three tight ends on the depth chart are Tommy Tremble (26), Mitchell Evans (23) and Ja’Tavion Sanders (23).
Sanders being third on the initial depth chart doesn’t seem like a good sign for him. Could the third year tight end be on the roster bubble?
I don’t think the Panthers will keep four tight ends.
Will his signing add a sense of urgency from the tight ends on Saturday?
Other notes
Monroe Freeling has held his own in camp. He isn’t going to win every rep but I’m ready to see him get live game action.
Xavier Legette has had a solid camp per the beat reporters out at camp. Let’s see how he begins year three.