4 winners (and 2 losers) from Panthers' joint practice against the Jaguars

Head coach Dave Canales wanted to see a positive response from the Carolina Panthers during their joint practice against the Jacksonville Jaguars. A disappointing preseason dud versus the Buffalo Bills left a sour taste in the mouth, but it looked as if the same trend would continue early in the session.

The Panthers were sluggish right out of the gate, which was in keeping with how they started their game at Highmark Stadium. Thankfully, the resolve shown as practice went on was encouraging, and reports suggested Carolina had the upper hand late.

Starting slowly in the regular season will bite them, especially with a first-place schedule to contend with. Getting these mistakes out of the way now is what the offseason is for, but Canales will be expecting a high tempo from the outset when the two clubs meet again in Friday's warm-up encounter.

That's for the near future. For now, here are four winners and two losers from Carolina's joint practice in Jacksonville.

Winners and losers from Carolina Panthers' joint practice against the Jacksonville Jaguars

Winner: Feleipe Franks, TE

With new tight end Darren Waller working on the sidelines and ramping up his workload, the other options had an opportunity to shine. And even though his roster hopes are still hanging precariously, Feleipe Franks continues to flash promise in the passing game while also featuring prominently on special teams.

There is a new swagger attached to Franks, as evidenced by his touchdown grab off quarterback Kyle Trask, which was swiftly followed by a confident gesture to the fans. This is precisely what the Panthers needed to see, and he may have something more to offer a little further down the depth chart than Ja'Tavion Sanders when it comes to the crunch.

Loser: Red-zone defense

If there was one area of practice that caused concern, it was the red-zone drills. The Panthers were no match for the Jaguars in this area, with quarterback Trevor Lawrence seemingly finding his pass-catchers for touchdowns every time he threw.

This is a problem. The Panthers play a lot of soft zone all over the field, but they have to get more physical when the field shortens. Their subpar effort should be a rude awakening, and things need to tighten up quickly for the fears to subside.

Winner: Tetairoa McMillan, WR

It was a slow start, and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan thought the Panthers were trying to get a little too cute during the opening exchanges. But once they locked in over the second half of the session, they got the upper hand.

Unsurprisingly, McMillan was among the standouts.

His connection with quarterback Bryce Young continues to blossom, and McMillan tormented any cornerback who was unfortunate enough to be in his path. The AP Offensive Rookie of the Year is making all the right noises as he looks to take the next step, and this was another prime example of his eye-catching offseason growth.

Winner: Derrick Brown, DL

Everyone knows how good Derrick Brown is. The Pro Bowl defensive lineman is a key cog in the wheel as Carolina's best overall player. He put these credentials on full display during a dominant session.

Brown was a brute force throughout. He made several imposing stops against the run, taking command and steamrolling opposing offensive linemen at will. It'll take much more than the Auburn product to make the defensive improvements needed this season, but he is the man who makes everything tick.

And if this practice was a sign of things to come, the NFL is on notice.

Loser: Coverage against tight ends

The Panthers had trouble restricting passing yards over the middle last season, especially against any productive tight ends. There were hopes that enhancements in this area could be made, but red flags kept coming up against the Jaguars.

Brenton Strange and Nate Boerkircher got whatever they wanted during the team portion of practice. They were getting open consistently, and it didn't seem like the Panthers had much to counteract this threat. There is still time to turn things around, but it's hard not to be concerned about this development.

Winner: Devin Lloyd, LB

It was a more emotional occasion for linebacker Devin Lloyd than most. Just a few months after swapping Jacksonville for Carolina in free agency, the second-team All-Pro got the chance to go up against his former teammates for the first time.

And there were no half-measures given.

Lloyd was physical, flying around the field and coming up with some eye-catching plays. There was even some jawing with those he took the field with last season, which is a sign of his intensity as he firmly turns the page on the first four seasons of his professional career.

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