2023 Carolina Panthers training camp is here! (Well, just about.)
With rookies reporting on Saturday and veterans on Tuesday, the summer action is set to begin. So, which pieces of that action will have the most impact heading into the regular season?
Here are the six most important Spartanburg battles for the Panthers this year:
6
Punt returner
Favorite: Damiere Byrd
Underdogs: Raheem Blackshear, Shi Smith
Dark horse: Marquez Stevenson
Despite a top-tier 2022 campaign under Chris Tabor, the special teams unit is still without a clear answer here. While there really isn’t a distinct leader at the moment, Byrd’s track-star speed and experience on both punts and on offense make him, perhaps, the safest choice.
Stevenson, another free-agent addition, also possesses some speed and experience of his own. He returned 14 punts for the Buffalo Bills in 2021.
5
No. 2 nose tackle
Favorite: Marquan McCall
Underdog: Bravvion Roy
Dark horse: John Penisini
Although they’ll be flexible with their three-man front, the Panthers are likely looking to use free-agent signing Shy Tuttle as their primary nose tackle. So, who’s his understudy?
The 6-foot-3, 345-pound McCall—who flashed signs of promise during his rookie campaign—seems like the most fitting option. But keep an eye on the now unretired Penisini, who played under defensive line coach Todd Wash in Detroit.
4
No. 3 cornerback
Favorite: CJ Henderson
Underdogs: Keith Taylor Jr., Stantley Thomas-Oliver III, Greg Mabin
Dark horse: Rejzohn Wright
Even if Jaycee Horn and Donte Jackson can be trusted to stay healthy, the defense is quite thin at the cornerback position. But they can’t be, and they’re not.
Both starters are working their way back from injuries, with Horn trying to shake an offseason foot issue and Jackson returning from a torn Achilles tendon. If they’re limited, to any degree, the men behind them should get plenty of chances to emerge as the third and fourth options for new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.
3
No. 2 wide receiver
Favorite: DJ Chark
Underdogs: Terrace Marshall Jr., Laviska Shenault Jr.
Dark horse: Jonathan Mingo
Given his credentials and what the Panthers are looking to do on offense behind rookie quarterback Bryce Young, Adam Thielen is probably the favorite to command the most targets in 2023. Who’ll be behind him isn’t as easy to predict.
We’ll give the early edge to Chark, another veteran and former All-Pro. The second-round pick Mingo, however, could continue his premature push and pay dividends sooner than expected.
2
Outside linebacker
Favorite: Marquis Haynes Sr.
Underdog: Yetur Gross-Matos
Dark horse: DJ Johnson
Pro Bowl pass rusher Brian Burns may be getting a new contract pretty soon, but he’s still without a partner off the edge.
The middle of Evero’s new 3-4 base defense will call for two starting pass rushers, one more than the Panthers can certifiably lay claim to. Expect Haynes Sr., who may be more suited for a standup role, to take advantage of the expanded opportunity.
1
Right guard
Favorites: Cade Mays, Chandler Zavala
Underdog: Michael Jordan
Dark horse: Justin McCray
With Austin Corbett expected to miss the early portion of the season, the Panthers have a starting spot on its offensive line to address. Oh, and the answer is a tad more pressing considering that man will be trying to protect a particularly small rookie.
Mays, a sixth-round pick from 2022, and Zavala, this year’s fourth-rounder, will be the headliners of this battle. It could, however, be the veteran in McCray—who previously worked alongside offensive line coach James Campen in Houston—sneaking in the win.
