CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Snap counts are the most telling during the preseason when players are fighting for starting jobs and roster spots, particularly in the third game that is considered a dress rehearsal.
As the Carolina Panthers prepare for their first round of cuts, here’s a look at some of the more interesting snap counts from Friday night’s 17-16 loss to the New England Patriots.
Shaq Thompson: The first-round pick was in for only 17 plays at outside linebacker, compared to 26 for starting middle linebacker Luke Kuechly and 27 for outside linebacker Thomas Davis. Backup outside linebacker Adarius Glanton was in for 26. A.J. Klein, a starter last season, was in for 16. Coach Ron Rivera said the staff was working on different schemes. They were effective, as this unit held Tom Brady and the first-team offense to seven points in the first half. Still, I expected more from Thompson, a player considered the X-factor on defense.
Scott Simonson: With Brandon Williams and Ed Dickson battling injuries, the former Assumption College tight end is getting what players call good video. He had 33 snaps on offense and three on special teams. He might be a dark horse to make the final roster.
Corey Brown: Nobody on either team played more than Brown’s 56 snaps. That’s because Brown asked to play longer after dropping four passes in the first half. He wanted to work on catching with his hands and not his body, which led to the drops. He had one reception for 5 yards in the second half. He also had another deep pass he could have caught, but we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt on that one because the defender was there.
Brandon Wegher: With the first round of cuts coming over the next couple of days, you start to look at special teams snaps for players on the bubble. Undrafted rookie running back Wegher was the star of the first two preseason games with three touchdowns. He had only seven offensive snaps on Friday and seven more on special teams. To put that in perspective, Adarius Glanton and Teddy Williams had the most special team snaps (14). Jordan Todman, battling Wegher for a backup spot in the backfield, had 15 snaps on offense and 10 on special teams. That gives you an idea of the pecking order here.
On the bubble: If snap counts are a good indication of who might not survive the first round of cuts, check out these numbers: Wide receiver Damiere Byrd -- 0 on offense, 2 on special teams; OT David Foucault -- 0 on offense, 2 on special teams; WR Paul Browning -- 0 on offense, 1 on special teams; OT Tony Hills -- 0 on offense, 1 on special teams; LB Brian Blechen -- 0 on defense, 2 on special teams.
