Panthers’ risers and fallers: Matt Rhule has eyes on ‘tough, hard-nosed’ players

Wide Receiver Brandon Zylstra (16) catches a touchdown during team scrimmage at Training Camp on Saturday, August 22, 2020. (Photo by. Brandon Todd via Carolina Panthers)
By Joseph Person
Aug 24, 2020

The Panthers have a week of padded practices in the book, including a Saturday scrimmage with game-like situations featuring ambient noise at an empty Bank of America Stadium.

There’s been some good (the McCaffrey kid has caught some eyes), bad (three fumbles in one mid-week practice) and ugly (wall-clearing punts — more on those later). With less than three weeks left before the opener against Las Vegas, first-year coach Matt Rhule said he’s not focused so much on the depth chart as he is on finding “gritty, tough” players who enjoy competing, can create their own energy and don’t mind getting physical.

Advertisement

“We have big-name guys, and those guys are great guys. We’re lucky that we have elite, star players that love the game, who show up every day and want to work,” Rhule said. “But what we also have is this group of tough, hard-nosed, competitive guys who work really hard. And they’re getting better and better and better.”

A look at the Panthers’ risers and fallers through the first full week of training camp.

Risers

S Juston Burris

The Raleigh native and former N.C. State standout was the first player the Panthers signed after Rhule was hired. The former Jets’ fourth-round pick had only 11 starts in his first four seasons with New York and Cleveland, but the Panthers thought he could be a full-time starter at strong safety. He’s done nothing to make them think otherwise, with Rhule calling him one of the unsung heroes of camp.

“We signed (him) and I thought he was going to be good, but I just love his work ethic and attention to detail. He’s exactly the type of guy that I want to build this thing around. He’s tough, fast, explosive, versatile,” Rhule said.

“I know he’s a starter. But he’s been one of the guys this camp that you say to yourself, ‘Man, we’ve gotta keep this guy out here and really let him have an effect on the entire franchise.’”

RB Mike Davis

Davis was a non-factor last season after Marty Hurney claimed him off waivers from the Bears. But he’s been way more involved this summer, and seems to be the front-runner to claim the backup role behind Christian McCaffrey. Davis told The Athletic last week it was “refreshing” to get a clean slate with a new coaching staff, which has seen him emerge as a dual-threat, No. 2 back. “I think Mike Davis has had a great camp,” Rhule said. “He’s running. He’s getting open.”

TE Chris Manhertz

After cutting “Hard Knocks” star Andrew Vollert after a four-day layover at camp, the Panthers might still be in the market for a No. 3 tight end. But Manhertz looks to have solidified the spot behind (or alongside) Ian Thomas. Well regarded as a blocker since first arriving in Charlotte in 2016, the former Canisius basketball player has added to his game. Said Rhule: “Manhertz is a guy who’s a blocking tight end developing into a pass receiver, who works at everything every day.”

Advertisement

LB Adarius Taylor

Much was made of the handful of undrafted free-agent linebackers the Panthers brought in during the offseason, but only two are still on the roster — Sam Franklin and Chris Orr. Meanwhile, Hurney has supplemented the linebacker group with a couple of veterans, including Taylor, who was known as Adarius Glanton during his first stint in Carolina. Rhule mentioned Taylor (whom he calls “A.G.”) when asked for an example of a tough, gritty player. “He’s a true pro’s pro. He could start for us,” Rhule said. “He’s a really good player and fits us well.”

DE Yetur Gross-Matos

Scouts and draft experts loved Gross-Matos’ upside coming out of Penn State, but some wondered whether he might need a year or two in an NFL strength program to bulk up. So far, the second-round pick looks like has both the size (6-5, 265) to anchor the edge against the run, and the speed and athleticism to beat offensive tackles as a pass rusher. Gross-Matos has looked good in one-on-one drills and had a sack in Saturday’s scrimmage.

DB/RB Myles Hartsfield

With smaller camp rosters and the threat of COVID-19 outbreaks, Rhule said recently he might go the high school route and try guys on both sides of the ball. Clearly, he wasn’t joking. Hartsfield is listed as a defensive back, but he’s also been getting reps at running back. The former high school back enjoyed an eventful scrimmage at the stadium, with an interception and two rushing touchdowns (both of which were nullified by holding penalties).

“I don’t know if I’ve seen that before,” quarterback Will Grier said of Hartsfield’s two-way day. “He’s an impressive guy. Honestly, he’s kind of caught my eye in camp. Whatever you tell him to do, he’s gonna do it and do it at 100 percent. His steps might be off at running back sometimes, but you forgive a guy like that, that’s going back and forth.”

WR Brandon Zylstra

There wasn’t much memorable about the Panthers’ 42-10 loss to the Saints in Week 17 last year — except Zylstra, who caught six passes for 96 yards, including a diving, 40-yard grab to set up a touchdown. Zylstra has picked up right where he left, catching just about everything thrown his way and pushing for a roster spot at a position hit hard by injuries. “He shows up every day. He’s had several good days in a row now,” Rhule said. “He’s challenging for an opportunity.”

Advertisement

DT Zach Kerr

When Kerr celebrates his birthday this week, he’ll become one of only six players 30 or older on the Panthers’ roster. He wasn’t a starter at his three previous stops, and he won’t be here. But the 6-2, 334-pounder is a big body to plug in the rotation behind Kawann Short and Derrick Brown. Rhule said he liked the way Kerr showed up in the scrimmage tape. “He had great energy. He’s flying around. He’s a veteran. He stood out to me.”

FB Alex Armah

There were questions at the start of camp about whether there would be a place for a fullback in Joe Brady’s offense. But Armah’s ability to block, pitch in at tight end and play just about every special teams unit should put him on fairly solid ground. Said Rhule: “Alex Armah is a guy that’s just showing us his versatility and saying, ‘Hey, Coach, you can count on me.’”

Zach Kerry (Jim Dedmon / USA Today)

Fallers

LB Jermaine Carter

Most observers thought the fifth-round pick from 2018 would have a chance to be a starter in Phil Snow’s 4-3. But second-round pick Jeremy Chinn’s versatility makes him an option at both safety and outside linebacker. Rhule said he’s been challenging Carter and fellow linebacker Andre Smith and Jordan Kunaszyk to find a role on defense and “don’t just relegate yourself to special teams.”

RB Reggie Bonnafon

The former Louisville back made the most of his chances as McCaffrey’s backup in 2019, highlighted by his 59-yard touchdown sprint against the Jaguars. Bonnafon hasn’t necessarily played poorly, though he did have a drop in Friday’s wet conditions. It’s just that Davis would seem to have the upper hand at this point. Also, the Panthers thinned the running back competition Sunday by releasing Jordan Scarlett, their fifth-round pick in 2019.

P Joe Charlton

The Panthers signed the undrafted rookie from South Carolina after Michael Palardy’s season-ending ACL injury. Charlton has demonstrated the same leg strength that made him one of the country’s top punters last year, but he’s been plagued by at least one wayward kick. “I definitely had one bad punt, one mishit in one of our periods at practice,” Charlton said. “But the second punt that went over the fence the day after was actually a pooch punt that went out at the 15. So it was actually a good ball.”

Rhule has indicated his plan is to give Charlton the first shot at the job. But if Charlton falters, the Panthers gave themselves another option by adding kicker/punter Kaare Vedvik last week.

WR Omar Bayless

The undrafted free agent had a terrific start to camp and would have been in the “risers” category had he not aggravated a preexisting knee injury. Bayless, who was among the nation’s top receivers last year at Arkansas State, is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery that will determine the extent of his injury and recovery time. Rhule said Bayless could miss as many as a couple of months.

Advertisement

WR Keith Kirkwood

As with Bayless, it’s a bit harsh to list an injured player in the “fallers” list. Still, it’s going to be tough for Kirkwood to make the team while missing several weeks following surgery on his broken clavicle. The former Saints wideout — like quarterback Teddy Bridgewater — has background in Brady’s offense, which will feature a New Orleans flavor. In fact, the Panthers signed another former Saints receiver — the diminutive Tommylee Lewis — after Kirkwood was injured.

S Kenny Robinson

Robinson was part of the Panthers’ all-defensive draft following his stint in the XFL. Robinson, a 6-2, 200-pounder from the Pittsburgh area, missed a year of football due to academic issues at West Virginia. Robinson’s speed and athleticism could earn him a special teams spot, but he’s yet to make much of an impact in his first NFL camp.

CB T.J. Green

The former second-round pick from Clemson created a stir on Panthers’ Twitter when he was shown working with the first-team defense on the live-streaming practice look-in on the team’s website and social media platforms. And while Green is still very much in the mix in the secondary, it’s hard to see him beating out Eli Apple for the starting spot opposite Donte Jackson.

(Top photo of Brandon Zylstra: Brandon Todd / Carolina Panthers)

Get all-access to exclusive stories.

Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.

Joseph Person

Joe Person is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Carolina Panthers. He has covered the team since 2010, previously for the Charlotte Observer. A native of Williamsport, Pa., Joe is a graduate of William & Mary, known for producing presidents and NFL head coaches. Follow Joseph on Twitter @josephperson