No fans are permitted at Carolina Panthers training camp this year as work continues on the new facility in Charlotte. That comes with some detachment, but the overall objectives from head coach Dave Canales remain the same.
Canales believes the Panthers can make some noise this season. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator wants his side to be physical and competitive in pursuit of brighter fortunes. Their strong second half of 2024 was encouraging, but it counts for nothing if they cannot build on this newly acquired momentum.
The roster looks much better on paper. It's a close-knit group that is all pulling in the same direction, embracing Canales' culture shift fully. The foundations were laid over Carolina's offseason program. Things are continuing similarly over the opening exchanges of training camp.
This is typically the bedding-in period before the pads go on. The Panthers are ramping things up slowly. And some players have already begun to impose their will on proceedings in their quest to attain important roles or places on the 53-man roster.
What comes next will tell Canales more about the current roster and whether additional reinforcements are needed. But until then, here are three winners and two losers from the first week of Carolina's training camp.
Winners and losers from Week 1 of Carolina Panthers 2025 training camp
Winner No. 1
Derrick Brown - Carolina Panthers DL
Losing Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown after just one game of the 2024 season was a devastating blow that the Carolina Panthers couldn't recover from. It also exposed some glaring flaws in Dan Morgan's recruitment and the options at Ejiro Evero's disposal.
It's been a grueling few months for Brown, whose knee injury required surgery and significant rehabilitation. He's slowly coming out on the other end smiling, and the former No. 7 overall pick out of Auburn revealed at training camp that he is feeling 100 percent.
To say this is a massive boost for the Panthers would be a grave understatement. Brown is their tone-setter in the trenches — someone who leads by example and demands nothing but the best from himself and his teammates. The coaching staff is still taking things slowly with the lineman, but all signs point to full involvement when Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars rolls around.
If Brown gets back to his old self, and the new additions to the defensive front also meet their end of the bargain, the Panthers' fortunes are only going to improve.
Loser No. 1
M.J. Devonshire - Former Carolina Panthers CB
Dan Morgan invested heavily in the defense this offseason. That was the only realistic mentality after watching Ejiro Evero's unit give up more than 3,000 rushing yards and the most single-season points in NFL history during a campaign that will live in infamy for all the wrong reasons.
This was undoubtedly positive, but there were concerns about whether the Panthers had enough at the cornerback position. The group was left relatively untouched, although Carolina's decision to scoop M.J. Devonshire off the waiver wire brought some intrigue.
Devonshire was released by the Las Vegas Raiders. The former seventh-round selection has the size and length typically associated with defensive backs in Evero's 3-4 base scheme, but the player was unable to make a good enough impression.
Morgan is a ruthless roster builder. If certain players aren't pulling their weight or buying into the team's culture shift, he won't hesitate to remove them from the equation. That proved to be the case with Devonshire, who was cut loose to make room for Mello Dotson, another ex-Raiders cornerback.
What the future now holds for Devonshire is uncertain. But this was a huge opportunity to turn the tide that fell by the wayside.
Time will tell if another chance arrives elsewhere.
Winner No. 2
Jimmy Horn Jr. - Carolina Panthers WR
All the hype centered on the Panthers selecting Tetairoa McMillan at No. 8 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, there is a growing belief that the franchise picked up another steal much further down the pecking order.
And he just so happens to play the same position.
Jimmy Horn Jr. was Carolina's final pick of the draft at No. 208 overall in the sixth round. The former Colorado standout wasn't too happy about having to wait so long for his NFL opportunity, but he believes this represents the right fit for both sides.
Horn quickly emerged as an offseason standout. His explosiveness and elusiveness caught the eye consistently over OTAs. He was held out of mandatory minicamp with a slight hamstring issue, but that looks fully healed based on his ferocious early contribution at training camp.
The rookie wide receiver is being deployed as a kick/punt returner, which brings some added intrigue while he develops as a route runner. Horn is also getting involved with the first-string offense, hinting that the Panthers have plans to get him some reps and possibly even targets in the passing game from the moment he steps onto the field.
All signs are pointing up for Horn. If he continues to shine when the pads go on and when targets come his way in the preseason, confidence is only going to increase.
Loser No. 2
Josey Jewell - Former Carolina Panthers LB
The Carolina Panthers have dealt with some major injury problems over the last two seasons. This bears more significance on defense, with several top-level performers suffering long-term issues as Ejiro Evero's unit put together an embarrassing campaign in 2024.
Training camp, unfortunately, started similarly. The Panthers were rocked by veteran linebacker Josey Jewell's medical testing before the first practice. He was still experiencing concussion symptoms seven months after suffering the complication against the Arizona Cardinals. After much deliberation, both sides mutually agreed to part ways.
This is a hammer blow. Jewell was expected to play a key role on defense this season as Carolina's leader in the linebacker room. He still wants to continue his career, but focusing on his health needs to take priority right now.
That doesn't help the Panthers, who look dangerously short of dependable options at the defensive second level. Christian Rozeboom and Trevin Wallace look set to start, but depth behind them is razor-thin unless someone like undrafted free agent Bam Martin-Scott can rise into a key rotational role.
Dan Morgan will be watching events unfold closely. If he's not entirely satisfied, he'll strengthen the group. Those plans won't include Jewell, whose NFL future is firmly under a cloud after this development.
Winner No. 3
Princely Umanmielen - Carolina Panthers OLB
Princely Umanmielen hasn't come into the Panthers to settle for a second-string role. The third-round selection wants to silence his doubters and prove people wrong. He can accomplish this by surging into a prominent spot in the pass-rushing rotation at training camp.
Umanmielen caused a stir on the first day of camp. After beating left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, the former Ole Miss standout knocked the football out of quarterback Bryce Young's hands. That drew the ire of head coach Dave Canales, who wants to protect Carolina's franchise player at all costs.
This was a teaching moment for Umanmielen. Generating pressure is desirable, but the quarterback cannot be touched. It's a mistake the rookie won't be making again, and he's left an immensely positive impression overall.
There is a lot to like about Umanmielen's explosiveness off the snap. His first step is exceptional, and there is enough bend in his repertoire to make things difficult for any edge protector in his path.
The Panthers didn't think Umanmielen would be available in the third round. Dan Morgan traded up, sacrificing a later pick, to secure his services. This chip on his shoulder, coupled with the obvious physical gifts at the player's disposal, could see the first-year pro become an important piece of the puzzle sooner than expected.