4 Carolina Panthers players losing crucial ground at 2024 training camp
By Dean Jones
The Carolina Panthers are working hard to put the foundations in place for a successful season. Changing the way this once-proud franchise is perceived around the league is Dave Canales' primary objective next season. After that, the focus turns on potentially mounting an NFC South title challenge and potentially making waves in the postseason.
That's a long way off looking at how things have unfolded throughout David Tepper's ownership. At the same time, there's a growing sense around the building that something special is in the offing if the billionaire hedge fund manager finally adopts a patient approach and stays out of football decisions.
It's an ongoing assessment right now. Players are fighting for prominent roles, roster spots, and perhaps even places on the practice squad. Some are coming to the fore and embracing the challenge superbly. Others find themselves on the back foot and are firmly in precarious situations.
With this in mind, here are four Panthers players who are losing crucial ground at the team's training camp in 2024.
Carolina Panthers players losing ground at 2024 training camp
Cade Mays - Carolina Panthers OL
The offensive line dynamic is improving. Robert Hunt, Damien Lewis, and Austin Corbett look like a formidable interior trio based on the early impressions of camp. This should also improve Ikem Ekwonu's production opposite stud right tackle Taylor Moton, who remains one of the league's most underrated edge protectors.
This is only good news for some. Cade Mays is playing catch-up in the worst way imaginable. He's working with the second and third-string units according to those in attendance, which is the clearest sign yet that his roster status is under significant threat.
The former sixth-round selection is entering his third season and hasn't capitalize on the starting opportunities presented over that span. Mays has the versatility to occupy every position along the offensive line interior. But that doesn't matter if the performances don't live up to the required standards.
Mays has his work cut out over the coming weeks. Taking advantage of every rep and performing well during Carolina's preseason slate is the only way he stands a chance of making the 53-man roster.