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On Monday, the NFL announced the reporting dates for training camp. For the Carolina Panthers, rookies will be arriving back to Charlotte on Tuesday, July 21 and veterans on Wednesday, July 22.
For most fans, the biggest story regarding these 2026 Panthers is starting quarterback Bryce Young, and whether or not he can take the next step forward entering his fourth season as a pro. But it may be the other side of the ball that draws some attention.
According to Zachary Pereles at CBS Sports, Carolina's defense and how much they can level up is actually the top storyline for the Panthers going into training camp. Pereles writes:
By now, we know that Brown, Horn and Jackson are going to do their part—no matter how underrated they might be by the national media. But the rest of the unit, including their new faces, are up for questioning.
As for the big free-agent additions, much will depend on Phillips and how well he lives up to the massive contract the Panthers signed him to. We believe Lloyd will perform at a high level as he did last season in Jacksonville, but Ben Solak at ESPN recently questioned whether that success will transition over to Carolina.
Another big x-factor will be the progress of Carolina's second- and third-round picks from last year on the edge—Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. If they both take big second-year leaps, they'll go a long way towards improving the pass rush, no matter what happens with Phillips.
At the top of it all is defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who has to figure out a way to make all the pieces fit and finally bring that pass rush up to par.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers 2026 training camp: Defensive development named top storyline
Continue reading...
For most fans, the biggest story regarding these 2026 Panthers is starting quarterback Bryce Young, and whether or not he can take the next step forward entering his fourth season as a pro. But it may be the other side of the ball that draws some attention.
According to Zachary Pereles at CBS Sports, Carolina's defense and how much they can level up is actually the top storyline for the Panthers going into training camp. Pereles writes:
By now, we know that Brown, Horn and Jackson are going to do their part—no matter how underrated they might be by the national media. But the rest of the unit, including their new faces, are up for questioning.
As for the big free-agent additions, much will depend on Phillips and how well he lives up to the massive contract the Panthers signed him to. We believe Lloyd will perform at a high level as he did last season in Jacksonville, but Ben Solak at ESPN recently questioned whether that success will transition over to Carolina.
Another big x-factor will be the progress of Carolina's second- and third-round picks from last year on the edge—Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. If they both take big second-year leaps, they'll go a long way towards improving the pass rush, no matter what happens with Phillips.
At the top of it all is defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who has to figure out a way to make all the pieces fit and finally bring that pass rush up to par.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers 2026 training camp: Defensive development named top storyline
Continue reading...
