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Panthers’ Xavier Legette learns a lesson, WR competition heats up and more ‘Unguardable’ with ‘freaky lateral quickness’: Hunter Renfrow returns to where he broke out

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6170321/2025/03/03/carolina-panthers-nfl-combine-draft-free-agency-defense/

Link to article CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Nothing mattered more to the Carolina Panthers in their exhibition opener than the crisp play of quarterback Bryce Young during a 73-yard touchdown drive on the second of two series for the first-team offense. But that’s not to say the rest of the game was meaningless. So there was a lot for Dave Canales and his coaching staff to comb through from the loss to the Cleveland Browns, which Canales indicated wasn’t quite as bad as the 30-10 final score would suggest. Climbers WR Jalen Coker - "Leaned out" in the offseason with a stricter diet and training regimen, maybe some impressive snags including a TD and a one-handed catch negated by a penalty, and logged five special teams snaps after playing a total of 31 all of last season. CB Corey Thornton - Showed up against the pass as well as the run and is competing for CB3. EDGE Nic Scourton - Made Canales' favorite play of the game when he hustled to force Shedeur out of bounds for a 1yd loss. S Lathan Ransom - Was second on the team in tackles against CLE and seems inevitable to take Nick Scott's starting position. Fallers S Nick Scott - Has been helping Moehrig with calls but made a critical special teams error and seems destined to be overtaken by Ransom or Richardson sooner rather than later. Special teams - Negated a 46yd kickoff return with holding penalties, had too many men on the field on a Browns punt, and gave up 46yds on two punt returns. CB Shemar Bartholomew - Was one of the guys called for holding that negated the 46yd return, has been passed by Thornton on the depth chart, slipped on a play that went for a 19yd completion, and was a step slow on an in-breaking route that turned into a 12yd TD (but did have a nice PBU). Back-up offensive tackles - Nijman and BC got beat bad on third and long to give up a sack, and Nijman also was called for a facemask penalty that wiped out a 34yd one-handed catch by Coker.

Link to article Because of the fieldhouse construction at the practice fields, Saturday marked the only opportunity for fans to see the Panthers in person during training camp — this summer and next. A good-sized crowd — more than 45,500 tickets were distributed — watched the rain stop just before the team took the field for the scrimmage-like practice. What they saw was mostly a microcosm of the first two weeks of camp — a steady performance by Bryce Young, some good and bad from rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan, and physical play by a defense that was the NFL’s worst in 2024. As the Panthers prepare to welcome the Cleveland Browns for a joint practice and preseason game this week, a look at seven things we’ve learned through the first two weeks. 1. Young is in a better place than last summer During training camp last year, Young was learning his second offense and working with his third play caller since the Panthers drafted him No. 1 in the spring of 2023. It didn’t help that his only reps in a preseason game came on the opening drive at Buffalo during the third exhibition. When Young looked listless and ineffective during a pair of blowout losses to begin the season, Canales benched him in favor of Andy Dalton. Fast forward to this summer, when Young has demonstrated a command of and comfort level in Canales’ system. That’s not to say he’s been on-point every practice: Nickel Chau Smith-Wade baited him into an end-zone interception last week. But Canales likes the way Young is running the offense, hitting most of his throws and making off-platform throws — his signature at Alabama and over the second half of last season. 2. Kicking competition is going to last a while longer The sense here has been that undrafted rookie Ryan Fitzgerald is the favorite to win the kicking job, and you wondered how long the Panthers would keep two kickers on the roster. But after Fitzgerald went only 1-of-3 on field goals during FanFest, it’s reasonable to think Canales will keep the competition open through at least the first preseason game or two. 3. Don't crown Princely just yet — and don't bury Ickey Princely Umanmielen, the third-round pick from Ole Miss, created a stir during the first practice by beating left tackle Ikem Ekwonu and inadvertently making contact with Young, causing him to fumble. Umanmielen got by Ekwonu on an inside move the following day, causing some consternation among fans on social media — which Umanmielen tried to shoot down by defending Ekwonu. It’s also worth mentioning that those plays came during shorts-and-helmets sessions, when defensive linemen typically have the upper hand. During Saturday’s full-pads practice, Ekwonu did a nice job locking his arms out against Umanmielen and protecting Young’s blind side. Still, you have to think Umanmielen — with his length, bend and explosive first step — is going to make an impact as a rookie. 4. Dan Morgan may have uncovered another undrafted gem Anyone who attended FanFest got a long look at undrafted cornerback Corey Thornton, who saw a bunch of first-team work with Jaycee Horn getting the night off. The Panthers love the 6-1 Thornton’s length and physicality, which was on display Saturday with his press-man coverage against McMillan, the first-round pick from Arizona. Thornton played four seasons at UCF before transferring to Louisville last year. He’s impressed coaches with how he goes about his business. 5. The Panthers also may have found a couple of dawgs The Panthers’ safeties weren’t particularly good at tackling last season. But Moehrig and Ransom don’t mind lowering their shoulders into teammates — sometimes when coaches would prefer they don’t. That was the case Saturday when Ransom, a fourth-round pick from Ohio State, came in high to hit receiver T.J. Luther in the end zone on an incompletion. That prompted a tackling lesson from Canales. “I love the physical play. (But) that’s gotta be a left shoulder hit,” he said. “You try to get your right shoulder across, your head will be involved. You will be getting mail from the league office. It’s an educational process.” 6. Panthers' receiving corps is deeper — and faster Young has more playmakers around him this year. That means even on nights like Saturday, when McMillan never got untracked, there are other guys to step up in the passing game. Xavier Legette caught a short throw from Young and took off through the middle of the defense for a 40-yard touchdown. Jimmy Horn, the sixth-round pick from Colorado, pulled down a pair of TD passes from Andy Dalton. 7. A few other young guys to watch Rookie running back Trevor Etienne made a nice cut Saturday to get to the second level, where a defender knocked the ball loose (it appeared to be after the play had been whistled dead). Etienne, a fourth-round pick and the brother of Jacksonville Jaguars RB Travis Etienne, is expected to displace Raheem Blackshear as a returner and No. 3 back. Bam Martin-Scott, an undrafted rookie from South Carolina, made a shoestring catch to intercept Jack Plummer late in FanFest. Martin-Scott seems like a lock to make the roster as a depth linebacker and special teams regular. Former Stanford WR Brycen Tremayne has made the most of his reps. The 6-4, 212-pounder spent the last two years on Washington’s practice squad, and should get opportunities in the preseason games.

Before the draft, Panthers G.M. Dan Morgan was vague when asked about the future of edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney. After the draft, a report emerged that the Panthers engaged in pre-draft conversations about possibly trading Clowney. It was no shock, then, when the Panthers moved on from Clowney, on Thursday. In eleven NFL seasons, Clowney (the first overall pick in 2014) has played for the Texans, Seahawks, Titans, Browns, Ravens, and Panthers. He fully intends to keep going. “I’m definitely gonna play well,” Clowney told Joseph Person of TheAthletic.com. “You can mark my word on that. I don’t care where I end up playing at, I’m gonna play extremely well.” Clowney seemed to disagree with the Panthers’ decision to part ways. “I think I played well for Carolina [last] year, considering the circumstances that . . . unfolded for me,” Clowney said. “I played with a bunch of guys that was hurt this past year. And I ended up playing extremely well for them. So it is what it is. I can play the game. I can play football. There are 31 other teams. I just hope another team gives me that opportunity so I can prove myself again. I feel like I can do that.” “I got a sense then they wanted me out of the building,” Clowney said. “I was just like, ‘Y’all could’ve told me this back when I was coming in here during the offseason.’ I kind of had a sense, though. I’ve been around the game long enough to know, so I was OK.”

https://x.com/josephperson/status/1915889876995899612?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6281859/2025/04/16/carolina-panthers-nfl-draft-2025-jalon-walker/

Round 1, No. 8 Mason Graham, DT, Michigan The Panthers have been open about wanting to improve the defensive line. Graham would be a big piece in helping Dave Canales and Ejiro Evero do so. The question is whether he’ll make it to 8. But there’s a chance Graham slips a bit after weighing in at 296 pounds (about 20 lighter than some expected), with 32-inch arms that scouts consider short-ish. Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker, who’s been a popular pick for the Panthers at 8 and will reportedly miss his pro day with a quad strain, also came in on the small side in his combine measurements. With the Panthers’ D-line emphasis, it could be another Georgia defender who’s the pick if Graham is off the board — edge rusher Mykel Williams. Round 2, No. 58 Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas With the Texans wanting to move up for a wide receiver in Pro Football Network’s draft simulator, we were happy to slide back one spot and give up a seventh-round pick in exchange for another fourth-round selection. We then took Mukuba for the second mock in a row, albeit a round earlier than in February. But Mukuba’s stock figures to rise after a fast 40 (4.45 seconds) at the combine. Plus, with the Panthers replacing almost their entire safety room, this is a position that will require the free agency/draft double dip. Mukuba lacks ideal size (5-11, 186), but he makes up for it with a knack for big plays in big moments. He had 11 tackles in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia, then sealed Texas’ quarterfinal win vs. Arizona State with an interception. Round 3, No. 74 Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State Round 4, No. 110 Shemar Turner, DT, TexasA&M Round 4, No. 113 Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon Round 4, No. 127 (from Houston) Oluwafemi Oladejo, edge, UCLA Round 5, No. 141 Jacob Parrish, CB, Kansas State Round 5, No. 147 Raheim Sanders, RB, South Carolina Round 5, No. 164 Andres Borregales, K, Miami

Ø Person notes the team would like to re-sign LB Sam Franklin, TE Tommy Tremble, and WR David Moore on short-term deals. Ø Meanwhile, CB Mike Jackson, S Xavier Woods, P Johnny Hekker, and OL Brady Christensen will likely hit free agency. Ø The team has already re-signed QB Andy Dalton and LS J.J. Jansen, however, they are letting LB Shaq Thompson hit free agency and Person believes they could do the same with TE Ian Thomas and K Eddy Pineiro. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6151550/2025/02/24/carolina-panthers-nfl-combine-draft-free-agency-storylines/

Here

https://nfltraderumors.co/panthers-will-probably-let-k-eddy-pineiro-test-free-agency-plan-to-re-sign-ls-j-j-jansen/

Round 1, No. 8: Jalon Walker, LB/edge, Georgia The Panthers lost a valuable, versatile player when Frankie Luvu signed with the Washington Commanders last year in free agency. That left Evero without a guy he could use as an off-ball linebacker, bring on blitzes or drop in coverage — the type of hybrid player who can thrive in a 3-4 scheme. Enter Walker, a native of Salisbury, N.C., who played off the ball for the Bulldogs but has the athleticism and playmaking traits to be a “slash” defender at the next level, i.e., linebacker/edge rusher. Round 2, No. 57: Alfred Collins, DT, Texas With Shy Tuttle a strong possibility to be a salary-cap cut, the Panthers need a big, burly nose tackle to line up between Brown and A’Shawn Robinson. Maybe Dan Morgan will find that brute in free agency. If not, he should give a long look to Collins, a 6-5, 320- pounder who played in 63 games across five seasons for the Longhorns. With his long arms, Collins showed a knack for knocking down passes: He had seven in 2024, when he also blocked a kick. Round 3, No. 74: Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas Morgan executed a Texas two-step in his first year as GM by taking Longhorn teammates Jonathon Brooks and Ja’Tavion Sanders in the first four rounds. Could Morgan double down with a Texas defensive tandem this year? Hard to say, but there’s a lot to like about Mukuba, who was born in Zimbabwe, moved to Austin when he was 9 and spent his first three seasons at Clemson. Mukuba does not shy from contact, as evidenced by his 11 tackles in the SEC Championship Game, including the one he laid on QB Gunner Stockton. But he also can be a ball hawk: His game-sealing interception in the quarterfinals against Arizona State was his fifth of the season, which tied for the SEC lead. Round 4, No. 110: Cobee Bryant, CB, Kansas Corner isn’t viewed as a pressing need for the Panthers. But that could change in a hurry if Dane Jackson becomes a cap casualty and unrestricted free agent Mike Jackson isn’t re-signed. The 5-11, 171-pound Bryant is a little smaller than what the Panthers usually look for in corners, owing to the years Morgan and Dave Canales were in Seattle. But Bryant showed at the East-West Shrine Bowl practices that he doesn’t mind playing physical man coverage, which brought a couple of penalty flags. But it’s hard to argue with Bryant’s confidence and his ball-hawking resume at Kansas, where he intercepted 13 passes — including two he returned for touchdowns. Round 4, No. 113: Charles Grant, OT, William & Mary Finally, the first offensive player shows up in the mock. Picking Grant would represent another first for the Panthers, who have never drafted a player from William & Mary (or Clemson, famously). Thomas Jefferson’s alma mater has turned out a couple of fair NFL coaches in Mike Tomlin and Sean McDermott. But NFL scouts made their way to Williamsburg, Va., in the fall to check out Grant, a 6-4, 300-pounder who spurned potential transfer opportunities to stay with the Tribe. W&M coach Mike London called Grant “a freak of nature,” and CBS reported he’s posted a 32-inch vertical jump while being clocked at more than 21 mph on a GPS. The Panthers overhauled their guard position last year. But it’s probably time to start thinking about an eventual successor for Taylor Moton, who turns 31 in August and dealt with a couple of injuries in 2024. Round 5, No. 141: Brashard Smith, RB, SMU Running back is another sneaky position of need for the Panthers, given that Miles Sanders is another expected cut and Brooks likely will miss most if not all of 2025 after his second ACL surgery. Morgan took a second-round gamble last year on Brooks. But there are intriguing backs to be found in later rounds — like Smith, a former Miami receiver who racked up nearly 1,700 scrimmage yards and 18 touchdowns after converting to RB with the Mustangs. Smith would complement Chuba Hubbard as a change-of-pace back who can catch and motor: His 22.1 mph clocking on a 71-yard run versus Pittsburgh Round 5, No. 147: Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse Young’s Year 2 turnaround was the most important development in the Panthers’ 2024 season. But they could be in the market for a backup if they let Andy Dalton walk and choose not to sign a quarterback. Even if Dalton or another veteran is the No. 2 behind Young, former Green Bay Packers GM Ron Wolf believed in drafting a quarterback every year, even if they didn’t necessarily need one. Why? Because someone else invariably wi Round 5, No. 161: Terrell Tonka Hemingway, DT, South Carolina Much like Collins, Hemingway is an interior athlete who played a lot of college football. Hemingway’s 61 games were tied for the most in school history. Hemingway left Columbia with 9 1/2 career sacks, 19 hurries, 11 pass breakups and six fumble recoveries. He also scored on a 2-yard TD run against Jacksonville State in 2023. Hemingway would be the eighth Gamecocks player drafted by the Panthers — or eight more than their Clemson draftees. Round 7, No. 229: Jamon Dumas-Johnson, LB, Kentucky Dumas-Johnson (6-1, 245) is a little bigger than Trevin Wallace, the Kentucky linebacker the Panthers took in the third round last year. The Georgia transfer led the Wildcats with 67 tackles last fall and returned a fumble for a touchdown. He followed that with a strong showing at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

The Athletic asked three veteran personnel officials to rank the Panthers’ top 10 free agents and their responses were kind of all over the board, perhaps reflective of the group’s lack of star power. We combined their responses and took the averages to come up with these rankings, which reflect the level of interest the personnel vets anticipate the Panthers’ free agents would get on the open market. 1. (tie) S Xavier Woods Woods has been a mainstay on the back end of the Panthers’ defense since signing a three-year, $15.75 million contract in 2022. Despite starting 46 games over the past three seasons, Woods could be part of a mass exodus as Dave Canales and defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero look to remake the safety room. Woods is the most accomplished of the five free-agent safeties (Jordan Fuller, Nick Scott, Sam Franklin and Lonnie Johnson are the others). The 29-year-old finished among the top four safeties in 2024 when he played every defensive snap and led Carolina in total tackles (119), solo tackles (72) and interceptions (three) 1. (tie) S Sam Franklin Franklin’s teammates voted him the special teams captain before the season when he was out with a broken foot. When Franklin returned in Week 8, he quickly resumed his place as a gunner and trusted special teams player. Franklin finished third on the team with eight special teams tackles despite missing seven games. He also was among the league leaders in a more dubious category. The emotional Franklin’s three unnecessary roughness penalties were tied for second in a group that also included Woods. One of the personnel executives called Franklin “a top-5 gunner” across the league. 3. TE Tommy Tremble Tremble, veteran Ian Thomas and special teams ace Feleipe Franks are all free agents. Thomas has seemingly had nine lives in the organization, but Tremble is four years younger than Thomas and the easy choice if the Panthers plan to retain one of the TEs. Tremble battled back issues for much of 2024 but still put up receiving numbers (23 catches on 32 targets for 234 yards and two TDs) nearly identical to those from his previous two seasons. Tremble may not be a Pro Bowler, but he can block and catch, works hard (and is Chuba Hubbard’s partner on the JUGS machine) and is worth bringing back to pair with Ja’Tavion Sanders.

1.Will there be changes to the defensive staff? This also could potentially be worded: How pervasive will the changes to the defensive staff be? David Tepper notably retained Frank Reich’s entire defensive staff for Canales — led by Ejiro Evero, who was blocked by Tepper from interviewing for other coordinator positions. Tepper has stayed behind the scenes during the seventh consecutive losing season since he bought the team. But it’s hard to envision Tepper running it back with the same defensive staff, which didn’t have ties to Canales in the first place. The Panthers already have established franchise highs for rushing yards (2,830) and points (496) allowed, and will finish among the worst teams in NFL history in both categories. Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn said early-season injuries — to Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Brown and linebacker Shaq Thompson — hurt the defense’s chemistry

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5892177/2024/11/02/nfl-trade-deadline-teams-players/?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=twhq&source=twitterhq

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5873722/2024/10/26/trade-deadline-news-cooper-kupp-rams-49ers/

1. Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers Play style: Advanced processor inside and outside of the pocket Scheme: Adjustable scheme Head coach Frank Reich is one of the best at adjusting his scheme to his quarterback’s strengths. The Panthers’ strength on offense is their offensive line and run game. They’ll lean into a multiple-run game and quick-hitting play-action plays like drift concepts in the middle of the field and movement concepts that will get Young outside of the pocket. As far as the regular drop-back concepts (no play action), the offense will likely look closer to Reich’s 2020 offense with a 39-year-old Philip Rivers under center — a lot of shotgun quick game with some RPOs, as well as drop-back concepts that attack the middle of the field. Though shorter quarterbacks tend to avoid the middle of the field, Young has shown he throws with enough anticipation to not only avoid that trope but excel in that area. The Panthers have some big targets in DJ Chark, Terrace Marshall Jr. and rookie Jonathan Mingo on the outside, along with Adam Thielen in the slot. Young doesn’t have the biggest arm so he’s not going to be launching deep shots too often, but the group’s lack of speed and ability to separate is a bit concerning. Young’s height and stature make having a dependable offensive line even more important, and the Panthers have a strong pass-blocking guard duo in Brady Christensen and Austin Corbett. They’ll give Young space to operate in front of him and keep his sight lines clean. Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, who was picked sixth overall in 2022, had a promising rookie season, and right tackle Taylor Moton is a plus starter. Though pressure is mostly controlled by how long a quarterback holds onto the ball, the line will do its part in limiting pressure. Young’s ability to handle a lot of information, Reich’s ability to shape an offense around his quarterback and the Panthers’ strong offensive line should lead to success early for Young.

Panthers mailbag: On Malik Willis, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cam Newton and … German beer https://theathletic.com/3222516/2022/04/01/panthers-mailbag-on-malik-willis-jimmy-garoppolo-cam-newton-and-german-beer/