The biggest early surprise in Carolina Panthers 2024 training camp

The Carolina Panthers are in the middle of one of the most important training camps in franchise history. Fresh off a nauseating 2-15 season that saw coaches get fired and Bryce Young's previously unblemished football résumé take a huge hit, Dave Canales is in the first year of a big rescue mission.

With how threadbare the roster is at the moment, Canales should have no preconceived notions about the depth chart. This makes training camp a very fertile proving ground for rising stars who can shoot their way up the proverbial rankings. Struggling players from yesteryear also have a chance to completely correct their wrongs.

Despite the addition of Diontae Johnson via trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers and the selection of local stud Xavier Legette in the 2024 NFL Draft, wide receiver Jonathan Mingo could still feature heavily in the team's plans this season. Even after facing a make-or-break camp following his rookie year, the Ole Miss product has started to flash.

Between routinely pulling off amazing catches and getting much better separation than he did last year, Mingo is making a strong case to be involved in Carolina's base offense. Perhaps an offseason meeting with Steve Smith Sr. has truly unlocked the finer points of his game.

Jonathan Mingo starring in Carolina Panthers training camp

Mingo being picked in the top 40 last year was a bit of a surprise, as many pre-draft mocks had him on the fringes of Day 2 or the early stages of Day 3. While he did get snaps early in his career, and caught 43 passes, he averaged less than 10 yards per catch and didn't grab any receiving touchdowns.

The lack of separation, which was one of the biggest issues for the 220-pound Mingo in his film with the Rebels, came back to bite him in the butt as a rookie. Now that the athletically gifted pass-catcher has taken his lumps and lucked into a better offensive scheme, he appears to be reborn.

While Carolina doesn't have an elite receiving corps, they should be productive enough for Young to thrive in his second season. Both Johnson and Mingo look solid in camp, Legette has all the potential in the world, and veteran Adam Thielen is still around after his 103-catch, 1,000-yard season following his free-agent switch from the Minnesota Vikings in 2023.

Mingo was not guaranteed much after a new regime that did not draft him came to town. But he has done everything needed so far to show the power structure that he can turn a corner and be a productive player for Carolina in 2024 and beyond.

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