Contributor Jared Feinberg gives his top notes and biggest takeaways after attending Thursday’s joint practice between the Panthers and Jets.
Not only was this morning’s training camp session the final one of the summer for the Carolina Panthers, but it was also their biggest.
For the second time in as many years, the team hosted a joint practice with the New York Jets. And, as expected, the competitive juices weren’t just flowing—they were flooding.
Here, from my visit to Thursday’s outing, are the top notes and takes on the day:
Panthers offense turns in their first great day of camp
The biggest storyline heading into Thursday’s highly-anticipated practice was how the offense would perform against a well-regarded Jets defense. With wide receiver Diontae Johnson out with a mild groin strain, Carolina and their new scheme hoped to snap out of the recent lull.
To my surprise, the offense performed well in multiple competitive drills that included one-on-one, seven-on-seven, 11-on-11 and two-minute drills. It seems that head coach Dave Canales has an attack that allows his receivers to get open and perform on rhythm. It helps when quarterback Bryce Young is on time, accurate, making off-platform throws and putting passes where he wanted them to go.
Young had his best day of camp, in my opinion. It was impressive to watch him navigate through the pocket and work through his progressions. He made great decisions with the ball and never put it in harm’s way against a talented New York defense.
Despite injuries to their overall depth and a couple of key starters, the Panthers offensive line gave their second-year signal caller enough time to get the ball out on time. Austin Corbett, who has been handling his transition from guard to center, had his best practice as well. The bad snaps were non-existent and his execution was steady.
One thing that I’ve come to notice is how little noise there has been on left tackle Ikem Ekwonu. I wanted to see for myself if he had continued to show improvement since Fan Fest and, sure enough, he has been consistent at Young’s blindside.
Defense holds its own against Aaron Rodgers, Jets offense
At age 40, Aaron Rodgers looked like the same player he was before he tore his Achilles last year. Yet, it was the defense that looked impressive in team drills.
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s group created five takeaways, including four interceptions against all of the Jets quarterbacks. Interior defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson forced a fumble via the “Peanut Punch” at the goal line during a red zone team drill. Rookie linebacker Trevin Wallace continued to have a solid camp, having been one of the Panthers to snag an interception against Rodgers.
Wallace’s biggest issue right now is he’s thinking more than he is doing, which means he’s too focused on pondering during plays. Once he does more reacting, there will be a clear sign of progression this fall.
Defensive backs Alex Cook and D’Shawn Jamison continued their standout camps. Both had an interception and made plays on the ball.
Despite his smaller frame, Jamison plays with physicality, discipline and aggression—showing he has a case to make the final 53-man roster at the end of the month. He did, however, have some missteps—including some pass interference and holding calls.
Carolina’s safety room is deep with talent and could be the strongest one on the roster. While Xavier Woods is out with a groin injury, Jordan Fuller and Nick Scott have closed off the deep halves of the field. Along with Cook, fellow youngster Demani Richardson has stood out as well.
Pass rusher Eku Leota could be an impact player for the Panthers defense this fall. He won some one-on-one reps in individual and team drills against the Jets’ offensive tackles.
Evero’s defense looks to be a strong unit again in 2024. It’s aggressive, physical and disciplined. You rarely see someone out of position in zone coverage or man assignments.
I don’t expect this unit to be put in impossible situations like it did last season, where there was zero margin for error. With an improved offense, Carolina’s defense could play close to its potential.
Injuries continue to hamper the Panthers
In a sport like football, injuries are bound to happen. Unfortunately for the Panthers, they’ve been hit with quite the bug.
Some notable injuries include Woods (groin), cornerback Dane Jackson (hamstring injury) and guard Chandler Zavala (hamstring).
With Jackson now out for about six weeks, that adds more pressure to the group behind star cornerback Jaycee Horn. Jamison, Lamar Jackson and Dicaprio Bootle are the top remaining players at the spot.
(I feel this could be a prime opportunity for the Panthers to sign veteran Stephon Gilmore to ease those depth concerns should Horn go down himself.)
The offensive line has not had all five projected starters on the field together outside of a few practices due to injuries or other absences. Their depth has been battered with injuries, short- or long-term. The wavier wire will be very popular and crucial at not just the line, but at other positions as well.
Extra notes
- Wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. had his best day of the summer. In team drills, the fourth-year pass catcher grabbed two impressive touchdowns with his quality ball skills. The talent is there, but has never come together on the field. It’s unclear whether he makes the final roster or not. Yet, practices and preseason games like today help his case.
- Running back Mike Boone continues to stand out. The Charlotte Observer’s Mike Kaye pointed out his value on special teams coverage, as a receiver and as an overall runner. With rookie Jonathon Brooks likely to remain on the sidelines to start the season, Boone’s chances to make the roster look good.
- Furthermore, on the Panthers offensive scheme, it seems there will be more motion and usage of crossing routes and creative concepts. The difference between last year’s system under Frank Reich and this year’s under Canales is astounding.
- It is still unclear whether Canales will have his starters play Saturday night in the second preseason game. It shouldn’t come as a surprise if they don’t—but with the amount of injuries that have piled up amongst their depth, the starters could see some playing time. If not, look for all of them to play in the third and final preseason game next week against the Buffalo Bills.
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