Training camp is all about standing your ground. Veteran players won't be giving up their spot without a fight. New arrivals or those coming in from the college level are looking to establish themselves. It's a power keg waiting to go off at any moment, and the Carolina Panthers' decision-makers will be watching developments closely.
Dave Canales and Dan Morgan wanted to raise the stakes for everybody. Nobody gets a free ride under their regime. Everything must be earned, regardless of previous accomplishments or depth chart standings. Those who impressed will be rewarded over those who don't.
That sounds simple, but it's been a long time since the Panthers were run with such professionalism. The best players will play. The best players will earn depth chart spots or make the team. Anyone not meeting the required standards will be shown the door.
Urgency will be immensely high at training camp, especially for those on the fringes. And for one Panthers veteran clinging to his No. 1 spot, things don't look especially promising.
Matthew Wright facing growing doubts about Carolina Panthers' kicking spot
It's all changed at the kicking position for Carolina this offseason. Eddy Pineiro wasn't brought back after an inconsistent campaign and is still searching for a training camp invite from elsewhere. Matthew Wright was signed to fill the void, but he's got an ambitious rookie breathing down his neck in the form of Ryan Fitzgerald.
The former Florida State standout was tabbed by many to be a Day 3 selection. Fitzgerald didn't hear his name called, but the Panthers moved swiftly to secure his services with $130,000 guaranteed at signing in undrafted free agency to seal the deal.
More importantly, this provided Fitzgerald with an outstanding opportunity to become a starting NFL kicker. It wasn't the best start to early workouts, but the first-year pro reportedly outperformed Wright enough at Carolina's mandatory minicamp to propel himself into the driver's seat.
This is far from a done deal just yet. The Panthers will probably take this right through the preseason before making a decision. Wright will get opportunities to turn the tide. The importance of seizing them cannot be overstated.
Fitzgerald must prove capable of handling the training camp pressure cooker. He's ticked every box so far, but this represents a different challenge entirely. It's one of the summer's most overlooked (and important) training camp battles, and it could legitimately go either way.
Wright's status as the starter is hanging by a thread. Nothing but camp excellence will do.