Panthers vs. Cardinals stock watch: Who helped themselves in Hall of Fame game?

CANTON, Ohio — The Carolina Panthers kicked off their preseason slate Thursday with a thrilling, 33-30 walk-off win over the Arizona Cardinals at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

The back-and-forth exhibition opener was highlighted by the performance of undrafted rookie quarterback Haynes King, who replaced veteran Kenny Pickett following Carolina’s first scoring drive in the second quarter. King immediately led back-to-back scoring drives to end the first half. Haynes’ 98.7 passer rating through his first two drives helped keep the Panthers in step with the Cardinals entering halftime, even as Cardinals rookie quarterback Carson Beck, a third-round pick, spread the ball all over the field against Carolina’s defense.

And while King was the headliner in the preseason opener, he wasn’t the only playmaker to shine before Carolina franchise legend Luke Kuechly receives the ultimate honor during Pro Football Hall of Fame weekend.

Here are 10 players who helped or hurt their stock in prime time:

Stock up

— QB Haynes King: The undrafted rookie came off the bench with an efficient scoring drive in the second quarter. He immediately anchored a 10-play, 65-yard touchdown-scoring series by completing 5 of 8 passes for 44 yards and the score. His on-the-run touchdown throw to wideout Ja’seem Reed put his mobility and accuracy on display.

Then, he ran the two-minute offense well — 16 plays, 65 yards in 1:55 — after a late Arizona field goal, punctuating the game with a 5-yard scamper for a score with no time left on the clock to lift the Panthers to the win.

King finished with a 95.2 passer rating after completing 61.8% of his throws for 180 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 39 yards and a TD as a runner. He led five scoring drives on six possessions.

— WR John Metchie: The well-traveled receiver was the catalyst for the Panthers’ first scoring drive on Thursday. He had an impressive 36-yard kick return to begin the second quarter. He then caught a pass for a 19-yard gain. While Pickett and Metchie failed to connect on another pass, the wideout did his job to put the Panthers in position for positive results. He finished the game with three catches for 38 yards on six targets.

— WR Ja’seem Reed: After a miscue on a target in the second quarter, Reed came roaring back with the 15-yard touchdown reception for the second score of the game. He also made a nice catch on a great pass by King on the next scoring drive. Reed, who is having an excellent camp, finished with two catches for 30 yards and touchdown. He also had a 26-yard kick return in the fourth quarter.

— WR Jimmy Horn: Last year’s sixth-round pick made a couple of nice grabs. The speedy receiver got open with regularity and would have had a touchdown in the second quarter if King didn’t overthrow him on his way to the end zone. It was a nice night for a homegrown player having a relatively quiet camp. He caught four passes for 44 yards on seven targets.

— DE Jared Harrison-Hunte: The second-year defensive lineman got a third-down sack in the second quarter to hold the Cardinals to a field goal after a productive drive. Harrison-Hunte kept his motor going after Arizona rookie QB Carson Beck got flushed from the pocket.

— RB A.J. Dillon: The journeyman running back scored the first points of the Panthers’ preseason. After catching a pass for 18 yards, Dillon carried the ball twice before hitting pay dirt for a second-quarter touchdown. He finished the game with 36 total yards and a rushing score.

— DB Zakee Wheatley: The rookie from Penn State tackled well against the Cardinals. He forced a fumble and collected seven takedowns on the night. Wheatley was aggressive and physical in a game that was otherwise forgettable for the secondary. He looked the part in Ejiro Evero’s defensive backfield.

Stock down

— CB Akayleb Evans: It’s a tough look when you get called for illegal contact and give up a 49-yard completion on the same play. Evans is a special teams standout as a gunner on punt coverage, but he showed why he’s lower in the pecking order at cornerback. In fairness, fellow corners like Corey Thornton, Will Lee and Chau Smith-Wade had their own miscues as well.

— OT Albert Reese: The undrafted rookie has had a nice camp, so far. But he was whistled for two penalties on the same drive in the first half. He got called for a false start before getting penalized for holding on a play where he clearly gave up ground and pressure to a defender. It was his first-ever NFL game, but it was an up-and-down start to the preseason.

— RB Anthony Tyus: With Dillon putting forth a strong effort in the first half, it was imperative for Tyus to keep pace in the second half. Unfortunately for the 2025 practice-squad holdover, he fumbled away his second carry of the game. The Panthers were unable to build momentum after an early third-quarter stop by the defense, as they lost possession on their first series of the second half. Tyus caught a touchdown pass later, but the fumble was noteworthy. Plus, Miles Davis put up 62 total yards in the fourth quarter.