The Carolina Panthers just finished their first preseason game of 2019, a 23-13 victory over the Chicago Bears.
Here are four takeaways from the win.
Brian Burns is going to be special
It’s hard to get excited about any preseason games. That being said, Carolina fans have to be giddy about what they saw from first-round pick Brian Burns, who came up with two sacks on Bears quarterback Chase Daniel.
The Panthers appropriately shut him down early to keep him fresh and healthy for the real games to come.
It might be a little too early to say Burns looks like Von Miller on tape, but the similarities in the way they move and fight are striking. With the right coaching, Burns could be a special pass rusher at this level.
Marquis Haynes also flashed several times, racking up three tackles for a loss and four quarterback hits. Preseason is preseason, but the team’s edge rotation already looks deeper, younger and better.
Will Grier had some growing pains
Not every Panthers rookie had as good a night as Burns.
Third-round pick Will Grier made some head-shaking throws, including a ghastly interception in the second quarter.
Grier settled in after that and finished the game 9/16 for 77 yards, one touchdown and a 63.8 passer rating. By comparison, Kyle Allen looked sharper and more composed, going 7/11 for 76 yards and a rating of 83.9.
There’s still a lot of time for Grier to grow and develop. For now, Allen is secure in his role as the team’s No. 2 QB behind Cam Newton.
Cameron Artis-Payne isn’t going anywhere
We were surprised when the team released their first unofficial depth chart of the year and Cameron Artis-Payne was listed second at running back behind Christian McCaffrey. Tonight, we got a reminder why Artis-Payne continues to stick around: he’s an undeniable preseason stud.
More than anything, Artis-Payne needs to prove he can function as a receiver out of the backfield so as to not tip plays on the rare occasions he comes in for CMC. In the first half, he caught two short passes and turned them into 30 total yards with some sharp cuts after the catch.
There wasn’t much room for Artis-Payne to run against a completely ridiculous Chicago rush defense – he managed just eight yards on five carries. Elijah Holyfield (2.9 yards per carry) and Reggie Bonnafon (5.8) were more efficient runners, but they weren’t facing the starters.
Until somebody takes it from him, the backup job is Artis-Payne’s.
Terry Godwin proved himself as a punt returner
The best way for many NFL rookies to prove their worth is on special teams. Carolina’s seventh-round pick Terry Godwin earned a nice clip with a 57-yard punt return against the Bears.
The good field position gifted by the return helped set up a touchdown.
That wasn’t the only play Godwin made, either. Later in the game, he also had a 22-yard punt return.
Godwin is competing with Jaydon Mickens and Rashad Ross for the punt returner role. It’s going to be a legitimate battle, as Ross also had a strong return of 23 yards.
