FOXBOROUGH, Mass.— The preseason is about so many things, even if the actual outcome of the game is well into the double digits of those things. But near the top is the opportunity for depth-building and players to make their mark and force coaches to keep them on the field.

Both Eku Leota and Lamar Jackson are returning players, with a year under Ejiro Evero and his system. Jackson spent 2023 as a practice squad player with the Panthers, while Leota appeared in four games his rookie season. Both have had their high moments in training camp, both have had their lows, and both know that these three weeks of the preseason—when starters don ball caps, not pads—is their best chance to carve their place in the Panthers defense.

In the preseason, there is no game tape to study ahead of time, no opponent to game plan for, "because really they can roll out anybody," Jackson explained. "It's all about us to be honest, not making any mistakes and just really just putting ourselves on display.

"It was a faceless opponent and then it was just about me. My process of going into the game was just pretty much just make sure I just trust my technique, trust my preparation and just pretty much just shine like I know I can shine."

Jackson shined a few times in the Panthers 17-3 loss to the Patriots, with two tackles and two passes defended. On the first defensive play of the game, Jackson missed a tackle on a first down. Two plays later, it looked like Tyquan Thornton had a step on Jackson for a deep pass from Jacoby Brissett down the right sideline. And technically, for a few seconds, he did.

"To be honest, he actually got a step on me at the line," Jackson laughed as he recalled the play. "It's really just you're a DB, you got no time but to catch up."

So, he did. In the final few yards, Jackson saw Thornton's eyes get big and knew the ball was coming their way. He turned on the burners and caught up, knocking away the pass for his first break-up of the night.

"At the end of the day, I just, like I said, I didn't panic. I've been in that situation many times," Jackson said. Since Dave Canales has arrived, he's preached finish, and that's what Jackson felt like he did on that play.

"Every once in a while, they're going to get a step on you. But I think at the end of the day what we preach is finish and I just knew I had to finish that rep and I wasn't going to let him catch it."

He added another PBU and the pair of tackles before taking the rest of the night off. It was enough to make an impression on Dave Canales in his first game as head coach.

"Lamar made the most of the opportunities he was given, and he made some great plays for us," Canales said of the DB. "He had a couple of nice tackles and hits out there too. So, he really showed something and showed us something about him."

Closer to the line of scrimmage, Leota finished with two tackles, both for a loss, totaling five yards behind the line. He also added a quarterback hurry, a tackle on special teams (kickoff) and another on punt return that doesn't qualify as a stop in the box score, but his sheer presence in the returner's face forced a fair catch.

It was a notable performance from someone who admits he had to take a minute to lock in at the beginning of the night.

"I got a lot of family up here. So, the first football jersey I was given when I moved to the States was a Tom Brady jersey," Leota, a native of Samoa. "I grew up a Patriots fan, so this game meant a lot to me."

He gave himself a moment of reprieve walking onto the field at Gillette for the first time, a chance to truly take in the stadium he spent years watching as a child. Then it was over, and time to focus instead on the defense he'd spent the past year getting acclimated to.

"It felt great. Second year around. Playing a lot faster and a lot more confident as well," Leota said. "Last year wasn't playing as fast. Still having mental farts at times. But this year, I feel a lot more confident my second year in the system."

Added Canales of the second year outside linebacker, "Eku it just starts with strength. He played so hard tonight and was playing physical. I've got to look at the film to see what the whole story was, but the effort was there, and the style of play was fantastic."

Next week, the New York Jets set up camp in Charlotte, joining the Panthers for a joint practice the second year in a row. Coaches often feel more can be gleaned from a joint practice than a preseason game, given the ability for more ones-vs-ones in drills. For guys like Jackson and Leota, it's another chance to make a mark.

"I had a little stint in New York too with (Jets head coach Robert) Saleh and all them boys too my second year," Jackson shared. "So it's going to be a few familiar faces. So I'm excited to get my hands on them boys and compete. Show them boys I'm still working, I'm still here, I'm still relevant, so I'm excited for next week."

It's what the preseason is all about.