The Carolina Panthers are adapting to a sudden change in their lineup following the unexpected release of veteran linebacker Josey Jewell. Trevin Wallace and Christian Rozeboom, now thrust into starting roles, were seen on the field during the first day of training camp. Both players expressed concern for Jewell’s health, with Rozeboom stating, “A lot of that is probably behind the scenes that we don’t know, but I was kind of more just on the side of worrying about him as a human.”
Wallace shared his surprise upon hearing the news of Jewell’s departure: “I was like, damn, he’s really gone. It shocked everybody.” Despite the abrupt change, Wallace remains focused on maintaining performance levels and stated that Jewell advised him to continue building his skills.
Head Coach Dave Canales also commented on Jewell’s impact: “To talk about Josey, you talk about a leader… It’s a big loss, definitely for us from that standpoint.”
With limited experience beyond Wallace and Rozeboom, the team will rely heavily on these players. Rozeboom took up defensive signal-calling duties in practice and reflected on his previous experiences stepping into similar roles with other teams.
Wallace emphasized preparation as key advice he received from former teammates Shaq Thompson and Jewell. He noted that last year taught him to be ready at any moment: “They always told me my first year here never to slack off because you never know when your day’s going to come.”
The Panthers’ young linebackers will use this training camp period to solidify their roles while adjusting to recent changes. Cornerback Jaycee Horn remarked positively about their initial performance: “It went smooth today… The communication and stuff in the huddle was… we played fast.”
