Panthers are ready to throw struggling CB back into the fire after making no moves during bye week
The Carolina Panthers had two weeks to make any additions to the secondary after getting picked apart by Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions, and now they appear content in throwing the same group back into the fire.
The Carolina Panthers had one clear weak spot heading into the bye week, and it was a spot that was exposed on a national stage in the team’s last game against the Detroit Lions.
The good news is that the Panthers had plenty of time to assess their options during the week off and determine what would be the best route moving forward. And the team decided inactivity was the best plan after reflecting on what happened in Week 4.
Let me be clear, the Panthers still came away with a big win in that game against the Lions, but the team’s cornerback position was deliberately targeted without Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson. It was clearly a mismatch the Lions leaned into targeting in that game, and other teams will plan to do the same after Carolina made no additions to the room.
Panthers’ inactivity in adding a CB will put even more pressure and attention on that position
During that Sunday night game, rookie cornerback Will Lee III was targeted six times, allowing four receptions for 53 yards. The results on the other side were even worse after Akayleb Evans was targeted 14 times, allowing 11 receptions for 197 yards and a touchdown, according to Pro Football Focus.
Evans’ 28.6 PFF coverage grade was easily the worst on the team in Week 4, and his 197 yards allowed in coverage led all defenders in the NFL that week (with the next closest defender allowing 27 less yards in coverage). It was a bad showing and that kind of performance before a bye week should have prompted some kind of change.
Instead, no moves were made at the cornerback position over the last week in Carolina and all signs point toward Evans remaining in the starting lineup on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“There’s things obviously he needs to correct and I’m excited to see what he does with that. I have a lot of confidence he will & they’re very correctable things,” Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero told reporters on Thursday.
Panthers are taking a massive risk if they start Akayleb Evans again
That’s not something fans want to hear, and it’ll only add to the frustrations they have with the team’s defensive coordinator. It is something the Eagles want to hear and I fully expect quarterback Jalen Hurts to single out Evans in coverage until he proves he can correct his mistakes that he showed in the team’s last game.
Good news for the Panthers is that the Eagles’ top pass catcher in DeVonta Smith missed practice on Wednesday with hamstring/toe injuries. Smith hasn’t played since Week 3 and in his absence, the team’s top pass catcher has been Dontayvion Wicks, who is averaging 15.3 yards per reception this season.
Personally, this is a massive gamble if the Panthers send Evans back out there as a starter. Evero noted that Evans played 65 really good snaps but a few bad plays. Those bad plays can define the game and easily lead to a loss if it’s plays like he allowed the last game.
But, the Panthers don’t have many other options, unless you move Chau Smith-Wade outside or promote Corey Thornton or Robert Rochell off the practice squad to start. I don’t see any of those things happening and hope for the team’s sake that Evans is able to rebound with a stronger performance on Sunday. If not, it’s a inexcusable decision.
