The Panthers are still trying to figure out

The Panthers are still trying to figure out who they are on both sides of the ball Carolina Panthers Hoodie , but have found a bit of a rhythm on both sides against the Bengals.Cam Newton just hit Devin Funchess for a touchdown and a 14-7 lead, as things have started to stabilize.The Panthers defense which looked so good in the opener against the Cowboys was leaky last week against the Falcons. And when the Bengals took their opening drive 75 yards on 11 plays, it appeared things might still be amiss.But the Panthers came back to tie the game on a Newton touchdown run (set up by a 45-yarder by Christian McCaffrey), and then forced a turnover, with rookie cornerback Donte Jackson coming up with an interception.The Panthers are still working on their formula for offensive balance, however. Newton’s completing more passes Youth Customized Carolina Panthers Jerseys , and his running threat makes him dangerous, but he’s still missing the deep passing element which has made him more dangerous in the past.Panthers 2018 season opener countdown: 57 days to go We are 57 days away from the beginning of the Carolina Panthers 2018 season. That means today we take a closer look at linebacker Andre Smith.Andre Smith, LinebackerBioHeight: 6’0”Weight: 240 lbsAge: 21College: North CarolinaNFL Experience: RookieSmith was drafted by the Panthers in the seventh round (No. 234 overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. Here’s a brief look at his college production, courtesy of the Panthers official website:Smith will compete with veterans Jared Norris, Ben Jacobs and Richie Brown for a roster spot this year, and if he does make the final 53-man roster he’ll mostly contribute on special teams. The Panthers already have a pretty decent rotation at linebacker— you may have heard of Luke Kuechly www.panthersauthorizedshops.com , Thomas Davis and Shaq Thompson— so I don’t expect Smith to get many starting minutes unless something goes catastrophically wrong this year. However, he could be in the Panthers’ future plans once Davis retires, so I’d say he probably has a decent shot to make the roster this summer, provided he proves that he can play special teams.