RB Jordan Scarlett
The fifth-round running back from Florida missed a chunk of training camp practices and the preseason opener at Chicago with a back injury. But he's since returned to action, and he's in line to play Friday night against the Bills.
Fellow rookie running back Elijah Holyfield took advantage of his opportunity with two touchdowns against the Bears. Will Scarlett assert himself when given the chance versus Buffalo? This the time to do it as the Panthers evaluate options behind star running back Christian McCaffrey.
QB Will Grier
The rookie quarterback took some time to settle in during his preseason debut last week. It'll be interesting to see what kind of progress the third-round pick shows in his second outing.
The coaches want to see him speed up his process and get the ball out on time. The Bills, of course, will try to disrupt Grier as much as possible.
EDGE Marquis Haynes and DE Efe Obada
Haynes stood out against the Bears with two sacks in the second half. He showed his speed of the edge and also used a killer inside move to get to the quarterback. Haynes has clearly made some strides with his pass-rush technique. Obada, who as you all know was the first international pathway player to make a 53-man roster, has been pretty quiet this summer. The Panthers have solid D-line depth, and Obada needs to prove he deserves a roster spot again in 2019.
S Rashaan Gaulden and CB Javien Elliott
Gaulden had a couple eye-popping moments in Chicago. His perfectly timed Peanut Punch forced a fumble and his perfectly timed blitz led to a big hit on the quarterback for what went down as a pass breakup. He'll be featured prominently at "big nickel" once the regular season begins, and the hope is that playmaking ability continues to flash.
As for Elliott, the "small nickel" candidate is looking to lock down that role. Locking down the Bills slot receivers would be a good way to stake that claim.
K Joey Slye and WR Terry Godwin
The swole kicker was the feel-good story from the first preseason game, converting all three field goal attempts and two extra points. What's Slye got for an encore? Another solid outing and some other kicker-needy teams might start circling.
Speaking of special teams, let's see if the return game can build on their impressive performance. Godwin led the way with two punt returns for 79 yards. Perhaps the seventh-round pick can carve out a role on this team as a weapon in the third phase.
Check out the best photos from the locker room, field and everything in between from the Panthers photographers at Chicago.
