4 early standouts from Carolina Panthers training camp in 2023

Who were the early standouts from one of the most anticipated Carolina Panthers’ training camps in recent memory? 

After an offseason filled with hope and expectation, the Carolina Panthers finally got together last week in the crippling humidity of Spartanburg on the campus of Wofford College for training camp. Following the painful tenure of the previous head coach, there’s a real sense of optimism that hasn’t been seen since Cam Newton was drafted No. 1 overall back in 2011. 

While it’s important to exercise caution while the players are still in shorts after the tepid football we’ve seen in recent seasons, I find it hard to believe even the most pessimistic of Panthers’ fans aren't a little excited about the direction this team is headed.

One look at the banks of grass on either side of the practice field at Wofford indicated the excitement toward this team as fans flocked to South Carolina to get a glimpse of the new-look Panthers. Our own Jared Feinberg was on the ground for Day 1 of camp and gave a fantastic breakdown of what he witnessed. 

Now the dust has settled on Week 1 of Panthers’ training camp and following Back Together Saturday, the real work starts on Monday as Frank Reich confirmed the pads would come on, much to his delight.

Without further ado, let’s break down four early standouts from Week 1 of Carolina's training camp. 

D.J. Chark - Carolina Panthers WR

In regards to D.J. Chark, the player's talent has never been in question. But an issue for the former LSU speedster has always been his health.

The 2018 second-round pick has yet to complete a full season over his five years in the NFL. His best year came in 2019 when Chark played 15 games on his way to 1,008 receiving yards and a Pro Bowl appearance. 

If Chark can stay healthy, the one-year, $5 million deal he signed with the Carolina Panthers may be seen as a steal. The early signs seem overwhelmingly positive given the positive relationship between the wideout and new quarterback Bryce Young - something that could see him become the team's No. 1 option.

Through the first three days of practice, we saw Young and Chark connect on multiple occasions. The highlight came on Saturday when the signal-caller hit the receiver on a beautiful back-shoulder deep ball which he caught beautifully - even drawing praise from legendary wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. 

The 2024 offseason will see a higher caliber of free agent wide receivers hit the open market and many expect Carolina to be aggressive in their pursuit of finding a long-term No. 1 for Young. But if Chark can perform and stay healthy this season, Scott Fitterer may be tempted to extend his stay in the Queen City. 

Vonn Bell - Carolina Panthers S 

The Carolina Panthers have quietly built one of the league’s best safety groups this offseason, spearheaded by the free agency acquisition of Vonn Bell. Pairing the new arrival with the returning Xavier Woods enables new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero to operate Jeremy Chinn in a role closer to the line of scrimmage - something he excelled at during his rookie season. 

Bell - who signed with the Panthers on a three-year, $22.5 million deal - didn’t take long to make his presence felt in Carolina. He was caught on camera chirping with new assistant head coach Duce Staley during OTA’s and those in attendance at Spartanburg noted his big impact on Saturday as he looks to turn himself into one of the leaders on defense. 

Bell plays with a certain nastiness which this team has lacked in recent years. Despite being a smaller player, he is thick set and when he hits you you stay hit - just ask former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster.

With the Panthers’ health issues at cornerback, building a strong safety room to protect against the deep ball is key. Having Bell and Woods as your starters do just that while also allowing for the more versatile Chinn to make more of an impact,

Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers QB

The most anticipated camp performance this season - arguably in the league - centers on Bryce Young and his adaptation to life as the No. 1 overall pick.

As is fully expected with a rookie, we saw some bumps in the road especially on the second and third days. Young threw back-to-back pick sixes to Shaq Thompson and C.J. Henderson, who himself has also impressed so far.

But on the whole, for Young, the positives certainly outweigh the negatives and the Carolina Panthers may have a seriously special talent on their hands. After years of Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Will Grier, and Kyle Allen to name a few, this fanbase deserves a talented quarterback they can wholeheartedly support. 

Young carries himself like a franchise quarterback, showing maturity and poise way beyond his 22 years. We saw that with some excellent throws at camp to date.

His immediate connection with D.J. Chark is something that should fill fans with extreme excitement as the pair have the capabilities to form a real dynamic pair. So it was to no one’s surprise when Young was named the official QB1 by Frank Reich. 

The worst moment for Young in the early portion of the camp was when he was left hanging by a young fan after signing an autograph.  But as always, he responded well to adversity.

Kamu Grugier-Hill - Carolina Panthers LB

From the most anticipated player to step out at Wofford College to one of the lesser-known names. That’s no disrespect to Kamu Grugier-Hill, who has forged a solid NFL career for himself since being drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round back in 2016 - even collecting a Super Bowl ring while a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Grugier-Hill has formed a reputation as an excellent special teamer who offers a lot as a rotational linebacker. But the player still has a lot of starting experience while he was with the Houston Texans.

The player's numbers according to Pro Football Focus don’t jump off the page. However, Grugier-Hill offers a lot athletically which fits the mold of the other Carolina Panthers’ inside linebackers. 

With Shaq Thompson and Frankie Luvu expected to be the starters and 2022 fourth-round pick Brandon Smith still somewhat of an unknown, Grugier-Hill will be the next man up in the rotation. If what we’ve seen early in camp translates to the regular season, he may find himself a key part of the rotation under new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

The player made an impact on back-to-back practices with two interceptions from Andy Dalton. One even drew the praise of his head coach Frank Reich among others.

Grugier-Hill - who hails from the island of O’ahu - could make a similar impact as a fellow Pacific Islander on the roster. Back in 2021, Luvu was brought in as a special teams ace before forging a role in the rotation, could we see the same from his new teammate in 2023?