Locked On Panthers

The wait is finally over! Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule announced to the media on Monday that Baker Mayfield will be the team's Week 1 starter against Mayfield's former team, the Cleveland Browns. Julian Council breathes a sigh of relief and explains why this was always the case.Now that Baker Mayfield is the starter, what does this mean for Sam Darnold? Will Darnold now be traded? Will Darnold ever get an opportunity to be a starter in the NFL again? Julian outlines the cold, hard reality that Darnold faced on Monday and where he goes from here.Now that Baker is the starter, what is the ceiling for the Carolina Panthers in 2022? Could this team contend for the NFC South crown? Julian explains why he's all-in on a Year 3 turnaround for Rhule and the Panthers.Plus, Shaq Thompson returned from the PUP list on Monday.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DaveDownload the Dave app from the App store right now for an Extra Cash account and get up to 500 dollars instantly. For terms and conditions go to d

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule told reporters on Saturday that rookie quarterback Matt Corral is likely out for the 2022 season due to a "significant" Lisfranc tear.What does this now mean for Corral's future in Carolina? Will Corral be healthy enough next season to compete for the starting job? Is it in the Panthers best interest to draft a QB in the first round if Baker Mayfield doesn't turn out to be the long-term answer at QB?Should the Panthers coaching staff be blamed for the way they handled Corral's early development? Julian Council believes that this injury could've possibly been avoided had the coaching staff done a better job at putting Corral in a position to have success.Will the Panthers now only keep two QBs or will PJ Walker fill the third QB spot?Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DaveDownload the Dave app from the App store right now for an Extra Cash account and get up to 500 dollars instantly. For terms and conditions go to dave.com/legal. Instant transfer fees apply. Banking p

The Carolina Panthers fell, 20-10, on the road in New England as the team highlighted the 2's and 3's in the second preseason game of the year.While Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield both sat out the contest, PJ Walker and Matt Corral rotated quarters Friday night. Julian Council provided his thoughts on Corral's outing along with Walker continuing to be offered an "audition" for the other 31 teams.Ickey Ekwonu and Brady Christensen were among the few starters who played on Friday night. Ekwonu had his share of struggles allowing back-to-back sacks early in the game. Ekwonu also had protection issues in his brief outing last week against Washington. Should there be any concern about Ekwonu at left tackle this season? Julian discusses the value of Ickey getting meaningful snaps during the preseason and why Panthers fans need to be patient with any growing pains.Plus, an injury update and two players who stood out on Friday in New England.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DaveDownload the Dave app from the App

The Carolina Panthers take on the New England Patriots in Week 2 of the preseason but before they do Julian Council is back to answer listeners question for another edition of the Weekley Friday Mailbag,Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DaveDownload the Dave app from the App store right now for an Extra Cash account and get up to 500 dollars instantly. For terms and conditions go to dave.com/legal. Instant transfer fees apply. Banking provided by Evolve. Member FDIC.BetterHelpIt’s not a crisis line, it’s not self-help, it’s professional therapy done securely online, available to people worldwide. And they have a special offer for my listeners: get 10% off your first month at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnEliasNFL season is right around the corner, so don’t wait! Find Elias Game Plan in the App Store or Play Store today!LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFLBuilt BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar.

The Carolina Panthers wrapped up Day 2 of joint practices with the New England Patriots on Wednesday morning in Foxborough. Panthers head coach Matt Rhule should be drawing near a decision on which of the two quarterbacks, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, will be the team's starter for Week 1 vs. Cleveland. Instead, Rhule is stay mum on the team's plan while also stating that the plan is "really good". Will Rhule in fact name a starter following this week in New England?Tensions were high on several occasions Wednesday during joint practices as the Panthers and Patriots were wrapped up in several fights. One Panther who found himself in the middle of the melee was Kenny Robinson, who was escorted out of practice on Tuesday. Following practice, when asked about Robinson being cut for his actions, Rhule was noncommital to whether that would impact Robinson's status on the team. Julian Council wonders how much the Panthers truly benefitted from the joint practices considering the number of fights and injuries the

The Carolina Panthers took part in Day 1 of 2 joint practices with the New England Patriots on Tuesday morning. Following the practice session, Panthers head coach Matt Rhule officially named Ickey Ekwonu the team's starting left tackle answering the prayers of Panthers fans everywhere. While the Panthers had positive news with Ekwonu, projected starting center Bradley Bozeman was carted off with a lower leg injury. Julian Council discusses Ekwonu's learning curve between now and Week 1 vs. Cleveland along with the importance of Pat Elflein.Rhule is still not prepared to name a starting quarterback. Because of that both Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold have at times struggled to be on the same page with their receivers. Is Rhule's indecision negatively impacting the Panthers offense?Plus, updates on a practice fight and other standouts during Day 1 of joint practice.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DaveDownload the Dave app from the App store right now for an Extra Cash account and get up to 500 dollars in

The Carolina Panthers are set for two days of joint practices with the New England Patriots ahead of the two teams facing off in Week 2 of the preseason Friday night. Panthers head Matt Rhule believes that his team may be able to gain more from those two practice days considering the ability to manufacture and control game scenarios. Rhule also has stated that this week in New England will be telling when it comes to setting a depth chart. Is this the week the Panthers finally establish starters at quarterback and the offensive line?The Panthers made five cuts ahead of the NFL's Tuesday deadline to go down from 90 to 85 players. Following a poor outing on Saturday, cornerback Chris Westry was one of those cuts. Julian Council believes this further highlights the depth of the roster.The defensive back and wide receiver rooms offer some of the most compelling battles. Who will be able to separate this week in New England?Plus, Camp Confidential is back. Did Panthers fans miss out by not having HBO Hard Knocks?S

The Carolina Panthers opened the 2022 preseason with a 23-21, preseason win against the Washington Commanders. The story coming into the preseason opener was who would start at quarterback for Carolina. Baker Mayfield got the nod, leading the Panthers to a field goal in his lone drive. Does Mayfield starting solidify that this is his job to lose?Incumbent starter Sam Darnold also had success capitalizing on a short field for a touchdown while going three-and-out in his other driver. Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said that the starter for Friday's preseason game at New England hasn't been determined. Does Darnold still have a chance at retaining his job?Panthers had to wait until the 4th quarter on Saturday to see rookie signal-caller Matt Corral. Corral was up-and-down as he missed several throws and had to battle a struggling offensive line all while leading the game-winning driver. Did Corral's performance prove that he has a ways to go before being ready?Plus, several rooks who flashed vs. Washington and

The Carolina Panthers head to Washington Saturday afternoon to face former head coach Ron Rivera and the Washington Commanders in their preseason opener. Panthers head coach Matt Rhule has stated that both quarterbacks, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold will see action on Saturday. Rivera also plans on playing his starts between 15-20 snaps on gameday, which should allow Rhule to get a look at both Darnold and Mayfield against the Commanders first-team defense. What should we expect to see or learn from the Panthers preseason opener?Plus, Julian Council is back to answer listener questions in another edition of the Weekly Friday Mailbag.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DaveDownload the Dave app from the App store right now for an Extra Cash account and get up to 500 dollars instantly. For terms and conditions go to dave.com/legal. Instant transfer fees apply. Banking provided by Evolve. Member FDIC.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKE

The Carolina Panthers wrapped up Training Camp at Wofford College Wednesday morning as the team sets its sights on the preseason opener at Washington on Saturday afternoon. Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said that both Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold will see action on Saturday vs the Commanders. How much should be made of who starts?When asked, Rhule named Taylor Moton his camp MVP citing Moton's leadership and the steps that he's made to be an elite tackle. Will Moton finally earn a Pro Bowl and/or All-Pro honor this season?The Panthers released their unofficial depth chart Tuesday night. Julian Council encourages fans to look past where Rhule has some starters listed and takes a dive into the roster bubble and contemplates how keeping a third quarterback will impact other position groups. Will the Panthers keep 10 defensive linemen once again? Is the final offensive line spot down to Cade Mays, Deonte Brown, and Dennis Daley? How many defensive backs will the Panthers be able to keep?Plus, an injury update

The Carolina Panthers wrapped up their penultimate day of the Wofford portion of Training Camp on Tuesday. After 11 practices it's clear that Baker Mayfield not only has control of the locker room but he is above and beyond the best option for the Panthers at quarterback. Julian Council implores Panthers head coach Matt Rhule to stop wasting time and name Mayfield the starter ahead of the preseason opener in Washington.Chicago Bears All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith submitted a trade request to the organization on Tuesday morning. Julian discusses the challenges the Panthers might face if GM Scott Fitterer inquires on Smith's availability.Plus, injury updates and more from Day 11 of Training Camp.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DaveDownload the Dave app from the App store right now for an Extra Cash account and get up to 500 dollars instantly. For terms and conditions go to dave.com/legal. Instant transfer fees apply. Banking provided by Evolve. Member FDIC.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes

Early reports on Monday from Benjamin Allbright stated that the Carolina Panthers were trying to shop quarterback Sam Darnold but teams across the league weren't interested in Darnold at his current $18.8 million price tag. Allbright and others later refuted the report as did Panthers GM Scott Fitterer and head coach Matt Rhule. Either way, things are beginning to trend strongly in Baker Mayfield's favor as the Panthers quarterback competition rolls onto the first week of the preseason. Julian Council lists what is true about the current quarterback situation in Carolina.Matt Rhule has been hesitant to hand out jobs to anyone so far during Training Camp. That includes first-round rookie left tackle Ickey Ekwonu who Rhule has stated several times has a ways to go in his development. Recently, Ekwonu has been seeing more reps with the first team at left tackle leading Rhule to say on Monday that the team would be "more aggressive giving him reps" moving forward. Is Ekwonu finally solidifying himself as the team

Following the Carolina Panthers first padded scrimmage on Saturday, Panthers head coach Matt Rhule reiterated that he's "not in a rush" to name a starting quarterback or any roster decisions. Rhule did reveal that he would like to have some clarity following joint practices with the New England Patriots next week. Will a starter be named prior to the preseason finale vs. Buffalo?The Panthers avoided a significant injury as defensive end Marquis Haynes is only out day-to-day with a knee injury as opposed to a significant period of time. Haynes' scare only highlights the Panthers need at edge rusher. Will Panthers GM Scott Fitterer address that need this week?The injury bug has hit the cornerback room hard as Jaycee Horn still is battling back from injury and others like Keith Taylor and recently signed DB Duke Dawson are on the shelf. Is it time to be concerned about the overall depth of the position group?Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DaveDownload the Dave app from the App store right now for an Extra

The Carolina Panthers wrap up Week 2 of Training Camp at Wofford College on Saturday with the team's first padded scrimmage. Will Baker Mayfield be able to separate himself from Sam Darnold? We'll get that answer later but in the meantime, Julian Council is back to answer listeners' questions on another edition of the Weekly Friday Mailbag on Locked On Panthers.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DaveDownload the Dave app from the App store right now for an Extra Cash account and get up to 500 dollars instantly. For terms and conditions go to dave.com/legal. Instant transfer fees apply. Banking provided by Evolve. Member FDIC.BetterHelpIt’s not a crisis line, it’s not self-help, it’s professional therapy done securely online, available to people worldwide. And they have a special offer for my listeners: get 10% off your first month at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnBuilt BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next ord

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule is staying patient on making any depth chart decisions as competitions heat up a week into Training Camp. Julian Council explains why Rhule actually has a good reason not to rush personnel decisions.One player that isn't running with the first team that has fans concerned is rookie Ickey Ekwonu. Rhule has maintained that the sixth overall pick will have to earn his spot on the Panthers starting offensive line. In the meantime, Taylor Moton has taken up a role as a mentor for Ekwonu, highlighting a few things that he has to improve on to reach the level Rhule is expecting. Julian recalls how the start of Moton's career in Carolina is similar to Ekwonu's at this current stage.Plus, the Panthers will scrimmage in pads for the first time on Saturday. Julian details what he's looking forward to seeing.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DaveDownload the Dave app from the App store right now for an Extra Cash account and get up to 500 dollars instantly. For terms and condit

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule talked about wanting the team's defense to go from good to great in 2022. Despite ranking second in total defense the Panthers 2021 defensive unit struggled to get stops in the red zone and force takeaways. One player who has emerged early in Training Camp is CJ Henderson. Henderson's comfort and play-making in Phil Snow's defensive scheme could allow for Jaycee Horn's versatility to show. Is Henderson the key to taking the Panthers defense from good to great? Could Henderson, Horn, and Donte Jackson form the best cornerback trio in the NFL?The QB competition continues in Carolina. According to Ellis Williams of the Charlotte Observer, Baker Mayfield has strung together back-to-back strong days in comparison to Sam Darnold to start Week 2 of camp. Could Mayfield be pulling away already?Plus, updates on Jaycee Horn, Dameon Wilson's legal issues, the healthy of Keith Taylor, and the absence of a player expected to be on the roster bubble.Support Us By Supporting Our Spons

The Carolina Panthers offensive line competition ramped up on Monday morning as the pads went of for the first time at Training Camp. The depth of the offensive line should be a strength for Carolina in time once the team defines roles for the unit. Currently, Brady Christensen is receiving all of the first-team reps at left tackle which has left many Panther fans upset about first-round pick Ickey Ekwonu being slotted with the second-team. Julian Council detailed why Panther fans should remain patient and buy into Matt Rhule's "long view" approach to the offensive line.Second-year cornerback Jaycee Horn was activated from the PUP list on Monday. Horn only participated in individual drills before spending the rest of practice on the stationary bike. How much should Horn play in the preseason? Should the Panthers take a similar approach to Horn as they have with Christian McCaffrey?Plus, a quick update on the QB competition and how Deshaun Watson's suspension impacts the expectations for the Panthers heading i

The Carolina Panthers will put on pads for the first time in Training Camp on Monday afternoon. The expectation is that Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold will continue to compete for the starting quarterback job. Considering that Darnold has struggled through his first four seasons in the NFL and that the Panthers spent the offseason searching for a replacement, why is Darnold a part of the competition? Julian Council tries to get into the head of Panthers head Matt Rhule and understand why he's going through with a competition instead of getting Mayfield up to speed before Week 1.Several questions will begin to be answered on Monday with the pads going on. Julian highlights what he's looking forward to learning about this Panthers team.Plus, much like Darnold and Mayfield, reps are being split between Matt Corral and PJ Walker. Are the Panthers stunting Corral's development by having him split time with Walker? Would it be in the team's and Corral's best interest to find a trade partner for Walker?Support Us By

The Carolina Panthers are through the first two days of Training Camp so it's time for another edition of the Weekly Friday Mailbag on Locked On Panthers. This week, Julian Council answers questions surrounding the concern over the Panthers tight end room, who the Panthers should target after Carlos Dunlap signed with Kansas City, whether PJ Walker is a trade candidate, and much more.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DaveDownload the Dave app from the App store right now for an Extra Cash account and get up to 500 dollars instantly. For terms and conditions go to dave.com/legal. Instant transfer fees apply. Banking provided by Evolve. Member FDIC.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Carolina Panthers continued Training Camp at Wofford College Thursday afternoon as the QB battle between Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield continues. Julian Council sends out a PSA to all fans overindulging in the competition and ready to draw conclusions after two days of camp. Free agent edge rusher Carlos Dunlap signed with Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday. Carolina had been pursuing Dunlap. Who should the Panthers target now? Is it worth taking a flyer on Dee Ford?Second-year corner Jaycee Horn was out again on Thursday as he's on the PUP list due to soreness in the same foot he broke last season. Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said that the Panthers would be looking to work out a few corners on Friday as Horn's return is unknown and Rashaan Melvin has retired. Is Horn's foot troubles officially a point of concern?Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DaveDownload the Dave app from the App store right now for an Extra Cash account and get up to 500 dollars instantly. For terms and conditions go to dave.com