If it’s been six months since you’ve had your fix of NFL football. you’re in luck. Tonight the offseason drought will end (the Hall of Fame game doesn’t count) and we’ll finally get to see a live game again. Specifically, the Carolina Panthers will be featured in the first real preseason game of the year against the New England Patriots.

Panthers fans won’t get to see Brye Young, but they will have plenty of promising draft picks and undrafted rookies vying for a roster spot to watch. As for the other side, the Patriots will be playing a familiar face to Carolina fans at quarterback. With the third pick in the 2024 NFL draft, New England selected Drake Maye, a quarterback out of North Carolina. Apparently he grew up a Panthers fan idolizing Cam Newton and his family had season tickets.

Maye’s college career peaked in 2022 when he posted 4,321 passing yards, 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions, finishing with a 157.9 QB rating. Maye added another 698 yards and seven scores on the ground. For his efforts, he won the ACC Player of the Year award.

It’s one thing beating up on amateurs in the college ranks. It’s another to do it against grown men in the NFL for the very first time. For now, Maye is second on his team’s depth chart at QB beneath veteran Jacoby Brissett. A good showing against an underrated Carolina defense in his pro debut would help narrow that gap.

— Enjoy more free Panthers coverage with Carolina Panthers on SI — 

Cam Newton tells embarrassing story on his podcast

NFL analyst doesn’t have Panthers last in power rankings

Reasons for optimism going into the 2024 NFL season