3 Carolina Panthers who must build on promising starts at 2024 camp
By Dean Jones
It's been fascinating to see things develop across the Carolina Panthers this offseason. David Tepper realized that his woeful management as owner wasn't working. He's taking a step back and hired people capable of improving the football operation. It's so far, so good in that regard.
Things look more encouraging from a fan perspective. There's an aligned vision between those in positions of power. There's clear direction from Dave Canales and his coaching staff. They've set short and long-term objectives and have everyone working in unison to achieve them.
That doesn't sound like much, but it's a far cry from how things were run under the previous two coaching regimes. Players have responded well over early workouts. This trend must continue when preparations gather pace for the 2024 campaign.
With this in mind, here are three Panthers players who must build on promising offseason starts at Carolina's training camp in Charlotte.
Trevin Wallace - Carolina Panthers LB
One of the more surprising draft picks centered on Trevin Wallace. The linebacker had a big fan in general manager Dan Morgan, who scooped up the dynamic playmaker at No. 72 overall. Many thought the Carolina Panthers should have addressed greater needs, but there should be a level of trust attached.
Morgan knows what it takes to be a productive NFL linebacker. He was dominant at the collegiate level before taking the league by storm in Carolina. If he thinks Wallace has what it takes, that should be enough to convince fans skeptical of the decision.
Wallace made an encouraging start over early workouts. The former Kentucky star looked explosive and slotted in well. This is a strong start, but watching his progress during Carolina's training camp and preseason games will provide a broader perception of his role in 2024.
There's an opening for Wallace to be the primary backup behind Shaq Thompson and Josey Jewell. He could even raise confidence enough to be deployed as a starter alongside the aforementioned veteran duo in varied defensive alignments. We'll see what he's made of when the pads go on at camp.