4 overlooked storylines to watch at Carolina Panthers 2024 camp
NFL football is right around the corner as rookies begin reporting to training camp. The Carolina Panthers will have their first-year players report this Friday. While no games are being played for a few more weeks, this allows for fandom intrigue and optimism to reach monumental highs as the excitement for the 2024 campaign ramps up.
The Panthers are a team full of hope while also posing plenty of uncertainty at the same time. There are plenty of storylines to go around, including the development of Bryce Young and the look of Carolina's offense under head coach Dave Canales - two names that will be under an intense microscope for the foreseeable future.
Canales was brought in to bring in a new sense of youthful energy and competitiveness to a roster that sorely lacked it during their dismal 2-15 season in 2023. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator has been a key asset in resurrecting the careers of Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith. There is hope that he can do the same for Young.
Young and Canales are just two of the significant storylines with the Panthers heading into the season. However, there are some overlooked stories to consider heading into training camp.
While these topics may not be spoken about much, they may prove to be important as the season goes on. Here are four overlooked storylines to watch heading into camp in Charlotte.
Overlooked storylines to watch at Carolina Panthers 2024 camp
Terrace Marshall Jr.'s future
Drafted No. 59 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, the talented Terrace Marshall Jr. has come nowhere close to being the future star playmaker he was expected to be. The former LSU standout has totaled 767 receiving yards over his three-year career with one touchdown. That won’t cut it at the next level, leaving his prospects with the Carolina Panthers up in the air.
Marshall’s future has been a contested debate among Panthers fans. Some believe he can still be a productive wide receiver for the organization despite being in the final season of his rookie contract. Others believe that he has not proven enough to warrant a roster spot in 2024. I lean toward the latter.
There is no doubt that Marshall is talented. I was high on him coming out of Baton Rouge where he garnered a first-round grade on my big board. He is one of the six most talented wide receivers on the roster, but that doesn’t automatically qualify you. Plenty of factors suggest the athletic pass-catcher is on the roster bubble.
Dave Canales made it clear that he has no sentimental relationship with any player on the roster. That should be applied to Marshall. The wideout must show that he can provide value on special teams during training camp while having another impressive and healthy preseason to establish himself as someone worth keeping on the squad.
On top of that, Marshall must show he is capable of taking advantage of targets when they arrive. I would love to see him prove me wrong. However, his future is still in doubt.