The Carolina Panthers have focused on increasing depth along the offensive line during the last two offseasons. This approach comes after a 2023 season in which the team used seven different left guards and eight different right guards due to injuries and performance issues.
During training camp, head coach Dave Canales recently announced that Austin Corbett had won the center competition over Cade Mays. However, with Damien Lewis sidelined by a shoulder injury, Mays was seen practicing at left guard. Ja’Tyre Carter started in place of Lewis during the preseason opener, but coaches are continuing to evaluate several options as part of their preparation.
Offensive coordinator Brad Idzik said, “It’s honestly, like you love having D-Lew out there, you love having your five working together, working through communication. But it’s also a blessing in that way to see, OK, who do we have waiting in the wings, like who’s working well next to Austin, next to Cade? Who’s echoing out the calls to the tackles?”
He added: “So working with those guys and just cycling them through, we’re already doing that with D-Lew, and with Robert Hunt, taking care of those guys because they take a lot of reps for us during the season. But just trying to get those guys’ experience with the first group, and going against a really good aggressive defensive line.”
Idzik highlighted Derrick Brown’s impact on practice: “Derrick Brown is back. He’s very much back, and he shows up at practice, and that makes all of our guys better,” he said. “So what better test to put a potential backup to D-Lew, and then he has to go against Derrick Brown and Bobby Brown III and Turk (Tershawn Wharton) and all those guys in the interior that are just going full tilt all practice.”
Robert Hunt returned to practice after briefly leaving Monday’s session due to an ankle issue.
At wide receiver, rookie Jimmy Horn Jr. continued making plays during training camp sessions while practicing with Andy Dalton’s group known as “The Next Guys.” During one drill Tuesday, Horn managed a diving catch despite being held by defender Michael Reid.
Brad Idzik commented on this depth: “They’re all challenging each other and pushing each other, and you don’t feel like there’s a huge drop off when you go from one group to the next.”
Cornerback Jaycee Horn praised Jimmy Horn Jr.: “He made a tough catch across the middle today. He laid out for it.
“You got to put hands on Jimmy. He too fast. It’s hard to guard him at all because of his speed. He plays tough, you know. I don’t think he get a lot of credit for how tough he plays with his size because he is a smaller receiver but you see him in camp.”
Veteran Hunter Renfrow ended Tuesday’s session by catching a touchdown pass from Bryce Young during red zone drills.
Jaycee Horn also spoke about Renfrow: “I said it earlier in camp; he real good at creating separation with route stems,” Jaycee Horn said. “He has so much trickery in his routes so he definitely a tough cover.”
Special teams coordinator Tracy Smith discussed adjustments being made under new NFL kickoff rules designed to encourage more returns rather than touchbacks placed at the 35-yard line—a change meant as an incentive not to kick into or through the end zone. The Panthers’ strategy now focuses on placing kickoffs between the goal line and 20-yard line—known as targeting “the landing zone”—to force returners into action rather than allowing automatic touchbacks.
Smith explained: “You get an advantage when the ball’s on the ground,” Smith said. “If you can get the ball to the ground while you’re covering and they’re still standing still; you have a huge advantage… It took kickers a long time… That wasn’t a good kick in past…”
He described some variety among teams’ approaches: “‘From all teams somebody’s doing something else,’ Smith said… ‘You’ll see different one in Houston Matt tried today…'”
Rookie outside linebackers Nic Scourton (second-round pick) and Princely Umanmielen (third-round pick) are getting increased attention from defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero as they adjust from college football responsibilities.
“They’re getting better,” Evero said. “…The challenge with that position especially in spring is…you can’t have contact needed…to really evaluate them…since first day we put pads up…there’s been really growth improvement…”
Evero emphasized their progress includes fundamentals such as communication skills—and credited veterans Patrick Jones II and D.J Wonnum for helping guide younger players through daily learning experiences not encountered previously at college level.
“It’s in everything,” Evero said of their improvement…”It’s in first of all their communication; it’s in stance; it’s things they’re keying…”
The Panthers continue using training camp practices both for evaluating player combinations amid injuries—and adapting strategies under new league rules ahead of preseason games.
