4 Carolina Panthers players that must turn heads at training camp in 2023

Marquis Haynes Sr. - Carolina Panthers OLB

One of the most impressive Carolina Panthers players throughout early workouts by general consensus was Marquis Haynes Sr. The veteran edge presence is looking to solidify his starting 3-4 outside linebacker spot opposite Brian Burns and made a tremendous impression on the new coaching regime - albeit in shorts and a helmet rather than pads.

Others will also fancy their chances of staking a claim in the coming weeks before a final decision is made. The prospect of further additions to Carolina's pass-rushing options thanks to an abundance of salary-cap space cannot be dismissed, either.

Those things are unfortunately out of Haynes' control. Focusing on himself and maintaining his current trajectory throughout camp represents the only viable course of action in pursuit of more involvement.

Haynes has reportedly bulked up in readiness for additional responsibilities. He was a constant menace getting into the backfield during OTAs and Carolina's mandatory minicamp, which got the attention of Bryce Young and is unlikely to have gone unnoticed by defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

Keeping up this level of consistency when pads begin clapping and especially when the New York Jets come to town for joint practices could be the deciding factor behind Haynes' role. He's already proven his worth as a rotational piece capable of putting up numbers when given reps, but as Yetur Gross-Matos found out last season, keeping this up on an every-down basis can be challenging.