Tag: Carolina Panthers

Former Panthers WR DJ Chark reportedly visits Chargers

The Chargers are reportedly trying to zero in on yet another former Panther.

Bradley Bozeman and Hayden Hurst might have themselves from familiar company out west pretty soon.

According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, wideout DJ Chark visited the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday. The former Pro Bowler spent the 2023 campaign as a member of the Carolina Panthers.

Prior to landing in the Queen City for a year, Chark spent four of his NFL seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. A second-round pick from the 2018 draft, the Louisiana State University product went on to amass 147 receptions for 2,042 yards and 15 touchdowns over 43 games in Duval.

Chark then signed on with the Detroit Lions in 2022. His lone season there resulted in just 11 outings, in which he caught 30 balls for 502 yards and three scores.

The Panthers reeled in Chark last March, to the tune of a one-year, $5 million pact. He appeared in 15 games for Carolina—totaling 11 starts, 35 catches, 66 targets, 525 receiving yards (second-most on the team) and five touchdowns.

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Panthers ‘leaving the door open’ for free-agent CB Stephon Gilmore

Panthers GM Dan Morgan is leaving the door open on a potential return for CB Stephon Gilmore.

A homecoming for Stephon Gilmore may still be in the plans for the Carolina Panthers.

President of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales held their pre-draft press conference on Thursday afternoon. During the chat, Morgan was asked if bringing back the free-agent corner is still on the table.

“Yeah, we’re gonna leave the door open there,” Morgan replied. “We’re still gonna stay in communication and after the draft, we’ll circle back and kinda see where it goes from there.”

Talks of a return for the 33-year-old Gilmore, who played for the Panthers in 2021, really revved up with the signing of fellow Rock Hill, S.C. native Jadeveon Clowney. The outside linebacker told reporters a few weeks ago that he’s been in contact with his old high school teammate, and that Gilmore is hoping that the Panthers will sign up for his services once again.

Since his Pro Bowl campaign for Carolina two seasons ago, Gilmore has suited up for the Indianapolis Colts and the Dallas Cowboys.

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Panthers HC Dave Canales: ‘I’m trying to create a place that’s great to work at’

Panthers HC Dave Canales is looking for that “one touch” a day.

The Hunger Games are over on 800 South Mint Street.

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales joined president of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan for their pre-draft press conference on Thursday. In a bit of non-draft talk, the 42-year-old spoke about what type of culture he’s trying to build in his very first season on the job.

“I’m trying to create a place that’s great to work at,” Canales said this afternoon. “A place that people get excited to come in, excited to sit in these meeting rooms. It’s entertaining, it’s informative, but it’s not too much. And just in general, it feels personal. So just trying to make sure I position myself in those high-traffic places in the building and just make that one touch a day if I can.”

Canales implemented that approach on the first day of the offseason workout program, when he greeted each player one-by-one before the start of a meeting. And although he didn’t nail every guy’s name down, it’s clear that things feel quite a bit different at Bank of America Stadium.

“Just say the guy’s name,” he added. “I was about 85, 90 percent on the first day. Even off going off just the headshots. These guys look different. When you get to see LaBryan [Ray] in person, he’s ginormous.

“So it’s just taking in all of that, but just saying a name—if it’s a handshake, if it’s a pound, oh, this guy wants a hug, let’s bring it in for a hug. Whatever that touch is. Just trying to create that kind of environment here that this is a place where they feel safe, they can just come in and do their job.”

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Dan Morgan describes ‘Panther fit,’ what he wants in a draft prospect

GM Dan Morgan said the draft isn’t just about getting playmakers for Bryce Young, it’s about getting playmaker for the Panthers.

Dave Canales began his first pre-draft press conference as head coach of the Carolina Panthers by throwing out the term “Panther fit.” So, what exactly does that mean?

President of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan, who also took questions alongside Canales on Thursday afternoon, gave his description of what’ll surely become a buzz term around these parts.

“I think when me and Dave were talking about the type of player that we want—those passionate, hungry, the dawg mentality, passion for the game, love of the game. That’s kinda what we’re looking for,” he said. “Measurable-wise, obviously, we want guys with height, length, speed, all those type of traits. But, at the same time, if they don’t have that dawg mentality, they don’t have that passion for the game—they’re not gonna be able to reach their full potential. So we really gotta filter those guys out and be thorough with everything we do.”

Speaking of buzz terms, this isn’t the first time Morgan has expressed his desire for that “dawg mentality.” In fact, it was probably the most notable takeaway from his introductory press conference back in February.

He was then asked if the main focus of next week’s draft will be on securing playmakers for quarterback Bryce Young.

“I think it’s about just not getting playmakers for Bryce, it’s about getting playmakers for our team,” he replied. “For our organization—who’s best gonna fit our team? Who’s gonna make plays? Who’s gonna take the ball away on the defensive side of the ball? Who’s gonna put the ball in the end zone on the offensive side of the ball?”

Carolina’s dreadful offense was, of course, the most prevalent story for the team in 2023. And that’ll happen when your No. 1 overall pick throws for only 11 touchdowns and your unit finishes last in the league in both yards and points.

But the Panthers defense also left a bit on the table. Despite allowing the fourth-fewest yards per contest, the group recorded the fewest sacks and the fewest takeaways this past season.

So if you’re a playmaking dawg in this year’s class, then get familiar with the Charlotte area code.

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Dan Morgan, Dave Canales hint at what players Panthers will look for in draft

The Panthers will be drafting for “Panther fit,” not so much for need.

The Carolina Panthers will be drafting more for fit than for need.

On Thursday, president of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales spoke to reporters ahead of their first draft as the organization’s new power duo. Morgan led off the presser by hinting at what he and Canales will be looking for in a week’s time.

“I think me and Dave are obviously really excited about the direction we’re headed—as an organization, as a team,” he said. “The communication and the alignment that myself, Coach Canales, the scouts, the coaches, the training staff, sports science—it’s just been awesome. It’s been a lot of fun. So we’re really excited about the future.

“I feel we addressed a lot of needs in free agency. And I think that will set us up nicely during the draft to allow us to draft the best player available and just take really good football players that fit what we want from a schematic standpoint, from a culture standpoint and all those things we talked about in our presser.”

After Morgan’s opening statement, Canales would echo the same sentiment.

“One of the coolest things that I saw is as we worked through free agency, coming out of the other side of it with this great feeling like, ‘Alright, hey, this takes some pressure off of, gosh, we gotta meet all these needs through the draft,'” he stated. “Now we get to really just hone in and focus on the guys that are really Panther fit. I’ve heard that a lot in our building just as we’ve been talking about guys.”

Carolina began free agency by addressing their most troubling deficiency—the interior protection of second-year quarterback Bryce Young. The team signed guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis to a combined $153 million in fortifying the front for their franchise guy.

They also added to the edge with outside linebackers Jadeveon Clowney, D.J. Wonnum and K’Lavon Chaisson, signed a new middle linebacker in Josey Jewell, gave defensive tackle Derrick Brown and cornerback Jaycee Horn some partners in A’Shawn Robinson and Dane Jackson and acquired Pro Bowl wideout Diontae Johnson in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Panthers reportedly held visit for Alabama RB Jase McClellan

The Panthers brought in one of Bryce Young’s old battery mates from Alabama.

The Carolina Panthers have certainly done their homework on the running back position ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, the team has hosted a visit for University of Alabama’s Jase McClellan. The standout rusher, per Wilson, has also met with the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints.

McClellan, an Aledo, Texas native, played for the Crimson Tide from 2020 to 2023. Over his first two seasons, when he wasn’t a featured back, he ran for 436 yards and three touchdowns on 63 attempts.

His workload would increase beginning in 2022, when he tallied 112 totes for 655 yards and seven scores. McClellan capped off his stay at Tuscaloosa with his most productive campaign in 2023, running for 890 yards and eight touchdowns on 180 carries.

A former teammate of current Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, the 5-foot-10, 221-pounder could be an option for Carolina on Day 3 of the draft.

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Panthers CB Dane Jackson talks about Dan Morgan’s influence on his career

Panthers CB Dane Jackson thanked GM Dan Morgan for the influence he’s had on his NFL career.

Dan Morgan pounded the table for Dane Jackson well before he took over atop the Carolina Panthers’ front office. And apparently, he still is.

The 27-year-old cornerback, who signed on with the Panthers last month, spoke with reporters on Wednesday. He was asked about Morgan, who played a major part in getting Jackson into the NFL.

“He’s been a great influence in my career,” he said. “I would like to thank him for a lot, just for giving me a chance. He was a big advocate, coming out for me when he was in Buffalo and just getting me on the team and believing and trusting in me. And same thing when I got here—during the process, when him and my agent were talking back and forth, it was just how much he believed in me. So I gotta tip my hat off to him and give him a lot of thanks for that.”

Morgan, now the president of football operations and general manager for Carolina, had previously served as the director of player personnel for the Buffalo Bills from 2018 to 2020. During the draft in that final season, Morgan pushed for the Bills to select Jackson—who was ultimately taken in the seventh round.

But Jackson wasn’t exactly sure why Morgan and the Bills took him at the time. He was asked if there were any pre-draft hints of the organization looking his way.

“I don’t recall any conversation,” he replied. “I didn’t really talk to Buffalo during the draft process, so I honestly had no idea I was gonna go there. But once I got there, that’s when I learned how much he was advocating for me and how much he believed in me.”

As we head into this year’s draft, Jackson is currently projected as the team’s second starter at the cornerback position.

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Josey Jewell: Ejiro Evero, Peter Hansen were ‘big’ in decision to sign with Panthers

Panthers LB Josey Jewell on Ejiro Evero, Peter Hansen: “They were definitely big to me coming here and playing.”

Like A’Shawn Robinson before him (literally), Josey Jewell spoke about how familiarity pulled him into the Queen City.

The 29-year-old linebacker spoke with reporters on Wednesday afternoon, his first such chat since signing with the Carolina Panthers out of free agency last month. He was asked how much the team’s coaching staff, specifically defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and linebackers coach Peter Hansen, had influenced his decision and his game.

“They were definitely big to me coming here and playing,” Jewell replied. “Really enjoyed my time with them, even though it was just a year. Just the way they coach the game and they allow you to play the game and just go out there and flow and play to its true value and just go out there and findin’ the football. So that’s what I’ve enjoyed playin’ for them. Enjoyed bein’ in a specific room with Pete and he’s just a great coach.”

Josey, Pete and Ejiro spent the 2022 campaign together in Denver. That also just so happened to be the most productive season of Jewell’s NFL career—as he amassed 128 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

Jewell, who inked a three-year, $22.75 million pact, is currently projected to start alongside Shaq Thompson in the middle of Carolina’s defense.

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A’Shawn Robinson on why he signed with the Panthers: ‘Why not?’

Why did A’Shawn Robinson sign with the Panthers this offseason? Well, why not?

Some familiar faces helped lead A’Shawn Robinson into unfamiliar territory.

On Wednesday, the veteran defensive lineman sat down for his first press conference since signing a new three-year, $22.5 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. He confirmed that his past connections with the coaching staff, most notably defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, was a key to landing in him in the Queen City.

“I think it played a good part of that,” Robinson said. “Comfortability, knowing the scheme. Coming from it in L.A., just being used to that. Knowing the coaches, them knowing how I play and me knowing how they operate and how they want things done—I think that was very important to me. I know that they’re honest and they’re real about everything, and they want guys to be on point and honest and real about everything that goes on.”

Robinson and Evero shared a sideline in Los Angeles for two seasons, when the latter was a safeties coach and secondary coach/passing game coordinator in 2020 and 2021. The two helped the Rams capture its second Lombardi Trophy in their 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.

The big man was then asked why he joined the Panthers, who were the furthest team away from that mountaintop in 2023.

“Why not?” he replied. “It’s a great scheme, a great team, great city. I love the south, comin’ from Alabama. It feels like home. But coming to this scheme, I feel like it fits me perfectly.”

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