Panthers training camp: Bryce Young owns the air, Derrick Brown rules the ground
Dave Canales was concerned about a potential slow start to the Carolina Panthers’ first practice following the team’s preseason-opening loss to the Cleveland Browns. It turns out the head coach’s worries were unfounded.
Carolina staged one of its most competitive workouts of the Canales era on Monday, as the offense owned the air and the defense ruled the ground. With defensive end Derrick Brown, a 2024 Pro Bowl selection, returning to team drills, the padded workout featured a back-and-forth competition of highlight plays.
While Canales didn’t like the penalties that came toward the end of practice, he did appreciate the intensity of the workout with the offense and defense trading wins from start to finish.
Bryce Young lights up the sky
A mid-practice rainstorm did little to put out the fire that third-year quarterback Bryce Young played with on Monday. He was excellent throughout the session, which was arguably his strongest workout of the summer.
The former first overall draft pick spread the ball around and put together a highlight reel to be proud of. Young had an early highlight on a perfect downfield strike to practice squad holdover tight end Dominique Dafney down the seam in team drills. That play essentially indicated that Young was ready to attack the defense just days before a joint workout with the Houston Texans.
Young’s ability to dish the ball on the run was put on clear display throughout the practice. He launched a deep ball across his body — roughly 45 to 50 yards, while on the run to his left — to wideout Jalen Coker for a massive touchdown completion in 11 on 11 drills. He later hit wideout Xavier Legette while moving to his right against a muddled pocket.
Young was also accurate when stationary as well. He threaded a needle through a crowded tackle box on a dart to Legette over the middle. Young hit Legette in stride with roughly 35 yards of clean space in front of the wideout. Young also made an excellent rainbow-arched toss over a leaping defender to wideout Tetairoa McMillan to the right sideline.
Young was slinging the ball all over the field, and he somehow was able to protect it as well, even in wet conditions. His starting right guard Robert Hunt and right tackle Taylor Moton both limped to the sideline during the final stage of team drills, but the QB mostly kept his cool during the final stretch with Brandon Walton and Yosh Nijman filling in for the starters
Canales clarified after practice that Hunt had right ankle wrapped after leaving the field temporarily. He didn’t have an update on Moton, who limped through a few drills before walking to the sideline.
Back to the highlight reel: the depth groups also had some success through the air.
Backup QB Andy Dalton fired a deep ball to Coker on a heavily contested target in 11-on-11 drills that led to a jump ball and a win for Coker in the end zone. Dalton also launched a deep ball to the end zone for 6-foot-4, 212-pound wideout Bryce Tremayne, who beat backup cornerback Akayleb Evans for a touchdown in 11-on-11 drills.
Derrick Brown, defense own the ground
Save for a couple of nice runs by Rico Dowdle and Emani Bailey, the trenches were owned by the defense on Monday.
While the front seven had some success against the pass — Patrick Jones had a clear “sack” in 11 on 11 drills, and Canales glowed about rookie Nic Scourton’s work as a pass rusher during the session — the run defense was mostly a concrete wall at the line of scrimmage.
Inside linebacker Trevin Wallace made a couple of big tackles in the backfield, while Derrick Brown, Bobby Brown and A’Shawn Robinson hunted down carries for little-to-no gain. Jaden Crumedy and Tershawn Wharton also got into the big stop game as well.
The Panthers’ secondary contributed some sizzle, too. Cornerback Mike Jackson broke up a pass from Young to McMillan toward the right sideline and safety Lathan Ransom closed out the workout with a “sack” of third-string QB Jack Plummer.
The Panthers name a starting center
With another joint practice and preseason game in the near future, the Panthers decided to declare a winner to their center battle between Austin Corbett and Cade Mays.
The staff told both Corbett and Mays that the veteran, Corbett, would be the first-team center moving forward, according to Canales.
The head coach said the competition was tight but that Corbett’s leadership with the line was among the deciding factors.
The Panthers re-signed both players in March. Corbett signed an incentive-laden $3 million deal for 2025, while the Panthers placed a second-round tender on Mays, which is worth $3.4 million for one year. Mays’ deal doesn’t come with any guarantees.
While Canales said Mays will continue to be the backup center, he could also get time at guard with starter Damien Lewis sidelined with a shoulder injury. The Panthers started Ja’Tyre Carter at left guard in the preseason loss to the Browns.
The Panthers, in theory, could look to shop Mays now that Corbett has won the competition. But given Corbett’s history of injuries — three surgeries over the past two years — it would make more sense to keep Mays as well-paid insurance.
Injury updates: Renfrow returns to practice
Wideout Hunter Renfrow (hamstring) and Evans (undisclosed) returned to practice. Renfrow had been out for roughly two weeks, while Evans was sidelined for Friday’s game against the Browns. Renfrow participated in individual drills, while Evans was a full participant.
Defensive end LaBryan Ray recently sustained a minor high ankle sprain. Canales said they hope he will return to action by the Pittsburgh Steelers preseason finale next week.
Guard Chandler Zavala (knee), cornerback Jaycee Horn (hand) and linebacker Claudin Cherelus (groin) were all working with trainers during the workout. Canales said Zavala is ramping up for a return, while also acknowledging that the team is being cautious with Horn’s stitches to avoid infection.
Canales said Horn’s injury was the result of an airbag deployment during his car accident this past Wednesday. The Panthers plan to have him back for the regular season.
Quick hits
- While the center battle has been decided, Canales said the kicking competition between NFL nomad Matthew Wright and rookie Ryan Fitzgerald is ongoing. Fitzgerald went 2 of 5 on the skinny post during Monday’s workout. Wright went 5 of 5 in his last open practice. Canales praised both for their kickoffs against the Browns.
- During individual drills with running backs and tight ends against linebackers and safeties, Wallace made an excellent downfield coverage play against running back Raheem Blackshear to force an incompletion. Wallace, the second-year starting linebacker, had a terrific practice overall.
- Also during those individual drills, tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders broke free from safety Demani Richardson for a touchdown. Sanders has continued to be one of the more dominant players in camp.
- At one point during team drills, linebacker Christian Rozeboom tackled rookie tight end Mitchell Evans by ripping his facemask to the ground. Running back Chuba Hubbard didn’t take too kindly to the play and walked onto the field to protest the handling of the rep.
- The Panthers will practice at their facility again on Tuesday before traveling to Houston on Wednesday. Carolina will then practice against the Texans at their facility on Thursday for a joint workout. The Panthers will face the Texans again at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday at NRG Stadium. The game will be broadcast locally on FOX.
This story was originally published August 11, 2025 at 2:24 PM.
