The Carolina Panthers lost 20-3 to the Houston Texans in their second preseason game. Quarterback Bryce Young played only seven snaps, marking his lowest participation in a game so far. Running back Trevor Etienne led the team with seven carries, but Kayron Lynch-Adams had the most rushing yards at 27 on five attempts.
Rico Dowdle reached a top speed of 18.47 miles per hour, the fastest among Panthers players during the game. Brycen Tremayne was the leading receiver, catching three passes for 46 yards and recording the team’s longest reception at 23 yards.
On defense, safety Demani Richardson and linebacker Jacoby Windmon each recorded six tackles. Richardson made five solo tackles, while Windmon had five stops against the run—the highest on the team. Christian Rozeboom registered the Panthers’ only sack of the day. Five defenders managed at least one quarterback hurry; Princely Umanmielen had two.
Cornerbacks Corey Thornton and Shemar Bartholomew were each targeted five times in pass coverage. Akayleb Evans allowed no catches on two targets, while Thornton allowed two catches out of five attempts for a 40 percent completion rate.
Defensive lineman Derrick Brown returned to play three snaps—his first since suffering a meniscus tear in Week 1 of last season.
Rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald scored all of Carolina’s points with a successful 52-yard field goal. Fitzgerald previously kicked a long field goal of 59 yards during his time at Florida State in 2024.
Brady Christensen played more offensive snaps than any other Panther with 41, followed by Yosh Nijman, Brandon Walton, Jarrett Kingston, and Ja’Tyre Carter. Receivers Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan saw extended playing time alongside reserves as coaches evaluated depth options.
Demani Richardson logged a team-high 43 defensive snaps as he competes for playing time at safety with Nick Scott (33) and rookie Lathan Ransom (32). The absence of Nic Scourton due to injury and DJ Johnson not playing increased opportunities for outside linebackers like Princely Umanmielen, who participated in nearly 60 percent of defensive plays.
Special teams roles may shift over coming weeks as coordinator Tracy Smith evaluates personnel such as Thomas Incoom, Jacoby Windmon, and Jon Rhattigan—all trusted contributors based on recent snap counts. Kickers Fitzgerald and Matthew Wright each attempted both a field goal and kickoff; Fitzgerald converted from 52 yards while Wright missed from 55.
