Panthers training camp: First practice in pads features fight, highlight plays
The Carolina Panthers brought their pads to training camp practice Monday in uptown Charlotte — and a pair of starters took the mantra “keep pounding” a bit too literally as a result.
During the final session of 11-on-11 team drills, quarterback Bryce Young threw to running back Chuba Hubbard in the flat. The ball sailed a bit, so Hubbard leaped in the air to snag it. But as the well-paid playmaker left his feet, second-year inside linebacker Trevin Wallace launched at him, hitting Hubbard high in a loud collision that broke up the connection.
Hubbard fell hard to the ground, but immediately rose to his feet, swinging violently at Wallace’s facemask and making contact. Players on both sides of the ball ran to break up the skirmish, but the damage was done on both ends.
Hubbard and Wallace sat out the final couple of reps before the horns rang. Wallace walked off the field with a smile on his face, while Hubbard headed to the podium with a welt on his forehead.
Eventually, though — after he worked post-practice on the JUGS machine as he usually does — Hubbard’s smile returned.
“Just a football play,” Hubbard said of Wallace’s hit. “He was playing hard. That’s what coach preaches. So nothing to be mad about, it’s just football. Obviously, a lot of emotions in it, but he’s playing hard and that’s what we need.”
Head coach Dave Canales said the team ended practice shortly afterward as planned. He didn’t seem to mind the aggression and contact in the heat of the battle.
“It’s football — playing football,” Canales said. “Yeah, we gotta toe the line, we gotta play physical. And a lot of times it’s not personal, it’s just football. Guys will respond passionately; they don’t like getting knocked on their butt. They take it personal. But there was a lot of physical play throughout practice, so that’s going to happen.”
Both players appeared to be unscathed, outside of the bump on Hubbard’s noggin, which he didn’t even notice until it was pointed out to him by a reporter.
“Football is all about emotions,” Hubbard said. “Obviously, I got hit, reacted a certain way. But like I said, he’s playing hard, and I can’t be mad about that.”
Young, McMillan and the Panthers’ offense have a good day
Young had himself a nice day in pads. The starting quarterback sprayed the ball all over the field and connected with his host of newly improved weapons.
From first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan to second-year wideouts Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker to tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders, everyone with receiving ability on offense got some attention. McMillan and Coker were particularly productive after both got off to relatively quiet starts during the first week of camp.
McMillan battled cornerback Mike Jackson for an athletic leaping grab in individual drills. He later caught a pass from Young off a wide-open crossing route that led to what would have been around a 45-yard touchdown. Young and McMillan also connected on a couple of short throws in 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 work.
Coker was targeted pretty regularly by backup quarterback Andy Dalton. The pair connected on a crossing route that set Coker up for a big yards-after-catch gain in 11-on-11 drills. Later on, Dalton threw a jump ball to a well-covered Coker and the receiver leaped up and caught the ball without issue.
“It’s just about opportunity,” Canales said. “As a former receivers coach, I look at all the guys away from the ball. A lot of times, you kind of get focused on where the ball goes and who caught it and who didn’t. But there’s a lot of good stuff happening away from the ball.
“JT Sanders had a nice day today. The last couple of days, he didn’t get a lot of targets — but he’s winning. He looks fast. He looks explosive.
“You talk about Jalen: Jalen has had such a great camp so far. Today the ball found him, but even in the couple of days when the ball went somewhere else, he’s bursting at the top, he’s creating separation, he’s finding edges.”
The coach continued so on — with more praise for McMillan and how the coach has watched him “evolve from practice to practice.”
Young has done a nice job of throwing on the run this summer. He hit Sanders in the flat off a roll out to his left, and the tight end was set up with 15 to 20 yards of grass in front of him.
Young made sure to get the ball to Legette, too. The 2024 first-round pick looked smooth in his routes as he picked up a couple of catches in team drills. He also beat cornerback Jaycee Horn on a deep route in individual drills.
Dabo Swinney gets to enjoy Hunter Renfrow’s renassiance
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney attended practice Monday in support of wideout Hunter Renfrow, who played for the Tigers from 2014 to 2018. Renfrow and Swinney remain close and spent part of the offseason golfing together.
Renfrow, who is attempting a comeback following a year away from the NFL due to illness, has been a breakout star in the early days of camp. He continued his highlight-reel pace during a particularly strong day for the offensive passing production.
During a 7-on-7 rep, Renfrow made an acrobatic diving catch to the ground in traffic off a throw from Andy Dalton. He has gotten open with ease, and even when he hasn’t, he’s come up with big plays as he pushes for a roster spot.
“It’s very similar (in Carolina) to when I was at Clemson — everyone pushed each other,” Renfrow said. “We had Mike Williams, we had Tee Higgins, we had Justyn Ross, we had Deon Cain, Ray-Ray McCloud. We had all of these five-stars (receivers), and if you didn’t show up every day, you were getting beat out. It could be one little thing, one little route you didn’t run the right way. The next thing you know they get the opportunity and they’re going. I think that’s part of it.
“I think having an appreciation of being back out here, being able to feel like I can run again, feel like I can go out there and have fun with my teammates again, be pushing toward something special — I think it’s all kind of a part of it.”
Renfrow is battling with Coker, Jimmy Horn Jr. and David Moore for playing time this summer.
The veteran wideout said Monday that he told his agent that Carolina was where he wanted to be if he continued to play football. So far, the Panthers are taking advantage of his promising comeback trail.
Quick hits
- Injury list update: The Panthers activated defensive tackle Bobby Brown III (hamstring) and punter Sam Martin (hamstring) from the non-football injury (NFI) list on Monday. Both were seen in uniform at practice.
- Tight end Tommy Tremble (back) and wideout Dan Chisena (hamstring) remain on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. However, both Tremble and Chisena were seen on the field working with a trainer on Monday.
- Amare Barno, a 2022 sixth-round pick, was waived on Saturday. He passed through waivers unclaimed on Sunday, and he is now a free agent.
- Cornerbacks Chau Smith-Wade and Corey Thornton have been among the more active DBs in coverage this summer. Smith-Wade added to his pass-breakup pile with one against Moore in 7-on-7 drills. Thornton got beat for a catch against McMillan in 7-on-7 drills and immediately came back the next rep and shut down a throw to Moore.
- Rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald went 3 of 5 on the skinny field-goal post. Fitzgerald and fellow kicker Matthew Wright have had identical lines throughout the four practices. Wright went 3 of 5 Saturday, and both kickers are 7 of 10 overall. No one has pulled ahead through the first handful of practices.
- With Martin back as the holder for field goals, Canales praised Dalton for his fill-in work as a holder. Dalton held for Fitzgerald once and Wright twice.
- Renfrow has started fielding punts, and Canales said Monday that was part of increasing his value if he were to make the team.
This story was originally published July 28, 2025 at 2:28 PM.
