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ESPN: Panthers may search for new starting ILB before start of regular season
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- ESPN: Panthers may search for new starting ILB before start of regular season
When it comes to the question of who will start next to Pro Bowl inside linebacker Devin Lloyd , the answer may not be on the Carolina Panthers ' current roster.
That question persisted throughout Friday night, in the team's 34-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars . Carolina's third preseason outing failed to yield a clear winner, or at least a clear favorite, in the competition between 2024 third-round pick Trevin Wallace and fourth-year veteran Claudin Cherelus —who have been battling for the right to help man the middle of the defense.
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ESPN's Mike Kaye, in a roundup of yesterday's action , came away from the contest asking if the Panthers have a worthy enough complement to Lloyd:
Carolina didn't play Devin Lloyd, so Trevin Wallace and Claudin Cherelus both started Friday. Neither defender has gained an advantage in their position battle this summer, and the depth behind Lloyd could be upgraded before Week 1.
Similar to tight end, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Panthers search for a veteran free agent linebacker before or after the cut-down deadline next week.
Wallace and Cherelus finished the game with very similar marks from Pro Football Focus. The two—respectively—scored overall defensive grades of 54.0 and 53.6, tackling grades of 75.5 and 75.0 and run defense grades of 66.8 and 58.5. The widest difference came in coverage—where Wallace received a 36.7 and Cherelus a 54.3.
Regardless, neither linebacker seems to be inspiring enough faith to earn the starting gig.
As Kaye suggests, general manager Dan Morgan will likely survey the open market and the waiver wire over the next week. Teams will have to cut down their rosters from 90 players to 53 by next Sunday, which could leave the front office with quite a few outside options at the position.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: ESPN: Panthers may search for new starting ILB before start of regular season
