Friday marked a lighter day for the Carolina Panthers after two days of full practices. The team had walk-throughs, which were closed to outside media, and maintained a slower pace. The intensity is expected to increase again on Saturday with a longer practice session, followed by a day off on Sunday before resuming full-pad practice on Monday.
Defensive tackle Derrick Brown returned after excused absences, adding to the team’s light-hearted atmosphere. Andy Dalton, part-owner of an English Premier League soccer team, entertained with ball tricks before practice began.
Head Coach Dave Canales discussed the challenge of selecting wide receivers for the roster. The starting group includes Adam Thielen and first-rounders Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette. A second group features Jalen Coker, David Moore, and Hunter Renfrow, along with rookie Jimmy Horn Jr., who has been impressive in practices.
Canales noted the difficulty in narrowing down players due to their potential contributions on special teams. “Those last couple of spots… really come down to who we can count on in special teams,” he said.
Rookie pass-rushers Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen have shown promise during camp despite not being in pads yet. They add depth to the outside linebacker group alongside Patrick Jones II and D.J. Wonnum.
The offensive line also appears strong, with Cade Mays rotating into the first group at center while other experienced players form a solid second line. This depth allows veteran Taylor Moton to rest during practice sessions.
The Panthers have not rushed to sign an inside linebacker following Josey Jewell’s release this week. General Manager Dan Morgan is focusing on developing current players like Trevin Wallace and Christian Rozeboom rather than making sudden moves for veteran names.
