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David NewtonAug 1, 2025, 02:22 PM ET<\/p>\n
Close<\/a>David Newton is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Carolina Panthers. Newton began covering Carolina in 1995 and came to ESPN in 2006 as a NASCAR reporter before joining NFL Nation in 2013.<\/p>\n CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers<\/a> coach Dave Canales<\/a> said Friday that starters will play in the first two preseason games, stopping just short of admitting he made a mistake last season holding them out.<\/p>\n The plan includes playing quarterback Bryce Young<\/a>, who got off to a historically bad start to the 2024 regular season that got him benched after opening 0-2.<\/p>\n Carolina opens their preseason schedule Friday at home against Cleveland<\/a>, followed by an August 15 road game at Houston<\/a> and August 21 home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a>.<\/p>\n Editor’s Picks<\/p>\n 2 Related<\/p>\n Canales said he will evaluate after the first two games whether starters will play in the third game.<\/p>\n “Kind of going through it last year, we had a mix of veteran players, but [this is] predominantly a pretty young team,” said Canales, who has at least six new starters to the defense that was the worst in the league a year ago. “I just can’t pass up the opportunities. The reps in games are valuable.<\/p>\n “[But] it goes to the night before, when guys know they’re going to go out there, they’ve got to make a decision to play football. So it starts the night before with the prep. You start thinking about your plan, taking care of your body, making sure you get your rest.”<\/p>\n Carolina didn’t play Young and the rest of the starters in the first two preseason games last season, losing to the New York Jets<\/a> and New England Patriots<\/a>. The thought process then was starters got enough good work during joint practices before those games.<\/p>\n