What the Carolina Panthers' Hall of Fame Game Lineup Reveals About Key Players

The Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals are facing off in the NFL's annual Hall of Fame Game. Both teams, and actually every team that ever plays in this contest, have pretty much agreed it matters even less than a preseason game.

For both teams, no starters are playing. Even some backups, like Jonathon Brooks, aren't playing. The Panthers obviously want to be cautious with these players during a fourth preseason game when other teams have just three to worry about.

But still, it says something about the players that are on the field tonight, and it might say that their performance won't matter as much.

Panthers' lineup reveals where players lie in team hierarchy

Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'tavion Sanders (0) runs after the catch | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Panthers aren't going to use Bryce Young, Jonathon Brooks, Jaycee Horn, Jaelan Phillips, Monroe Freeling, or anyone who is likely to start or play a big role during the regular season.

That ultimately means that, with all due respect, the players on the field tonight are not in that stratosphere. It's crude to say that they don't matter because it's a 53-man roster where depth really does matter, but these players are secondary.

Princely Umanmielen figured to be a crucial player with Nic Scourton out for the year, but the Panthers think he needs more reps and isn't as high on the depth chart as one might assume because he's out there against the Panthers.

The same is true for Will Lee. By all accounts, he's had an excellent camp and is making a case for more playing time, but if he were that close to being a starter or first man off the bench, he might not be out there tonight.

That is the situation for safety Lathan Ransom, too. He is technically battling for a starting safety spot, but given his presence in the Hall of Fame Game, he's potentially lower in the pecking order than we might have thought.

Carolina Panthers safety Lathan Ransom (22) walks off the field during the first day | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ja'Tavion Sanders finds himself in the same boat. He has the most upside out of all the tight ends, but a bad training camp has thrust him into the starting lineup tonight despite a recent injury. Clearly, he is nowhere near starting, which is a stinging blow for a player the Panthers had some hopes for.

The rest of the preseason will paint a clearer picture, but these players could have been good enough or important enough to sit out tonight. Instead, they've got a lot of work to do.

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