Panthers' tempers boil over as respected veteran is forced to step in

Things always get chippy the longer teams go into training camp. The Carolina Panthers are no exception, with quarterback Bryce Young and veteran cornerback Mike Jackson Sr. at loggerheads throughout the tenth session.

It went over the top on more than one occasion, too. Though an extra sense of aggression is always expected at this time of year, the exchange between Young and Jackson was serious enough for veteran safety Nick Scott to step in and set things straight.

Nick Scott intervened for a good reason as Carolina Panthers camp gets chippy

Scott admitted to talking the situation through with Young and Jackson. The physicality and various elements that come with a long camp are starting to rear their head. But for the defensive back, it's about harnessing this effectively while protecting the team's best interests.

"We were just talking that through. Obviously, at this point in camp, there's just a level of physicality that naturally happens. Part of that is that we haven't seen a different color (uniform) in a long time. The pads have been on. It's hot. Everything.

"That's part of the game; you want it. At the same time, there's an aspect of protecting the team and the guys that you're going to need on Sunday, for sure. If practice was all kumbaya, I’d be worried. But it’s not."

This is all part of the culture that Dave Canales has built. Players self-police the locker room, and they get the freedom to do so by their head coach. He'll step in when standards slip, but there is real trust in the veteran leadership to keep things on the straight and narrow.

Young's found his voice. He is challenging the defense, constantly making his feelings known. It's received the correct response, even though the line has been crossed on several occasions in recent days.

This is fine, just as long as the message doesn't get lost.

The Panthers are trying to get better. They are continuing to grow as a team before an NFC South title defense. They have won back respect around the league, but there is a lot of hard work ahead if Canales' squad wants to take the next step into legitimate contention.

Young and Jackson are integral pieces of the puzzle. The Panthers are counting on them heavily to set the correct tone. Tempers can flare, but they have to keep the main thing the main thing.

Fortunately, the Panthers have players like Scott who have no trouble stepping in if they believe things are getting out of hand. And as the defensive back said, he'd be more worried if things were getting pushed to the limit with Carolina's regular-season opener against the Chicago Bears getting closer.

And that just shows how far the Panthers have come.

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