Which Carolina Panthers news stories are hitting the headlines after almost 40,000 descended on Bank of Ameria Stadium for Fan Fest?
What a sight it was to see so many Carolina Panthers coming together for the team's annual Fan Fest practice session at Bank of America Stadium. The energy in the building was astonishing and the players also got down to business in full pads, which hasn't always been the case at this particular occasion over recent years.
Obviously, this also came with plenty of headlines attached. Among the stories generating column inches recently include Bryce Young gaining respect, Frank Reich's poor decision, Jeremy Chinn's role, and Steve Smith Sr. on the most talented quarterback he ever played with.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Jeremy Chinn's new Carolina Panthers role
Much has been made about Jeremy Chinn's role within Ejiro Evero's new 3-4 base defense. The Carolina Panthers haven't designated him with one position and are unlikely to do so, which makes it all the harder to figure out leading into the 2023 campaign.
Chinn has the athletic profile to play almost anywhere aside from the defensive line. Many analysts project the former second-round selection to fill big nickel duties, although working as a third safety or closer to the line of scrimmage among the linebackers is something else Evero will consider if the situation dictates.
When asked about his deployment next season, Chinn stated via the team's website that he didn't want to class himself as a nickel/dime coverage guy. He plans to be much more than that in pursuit of helping Carolina's defense become a dominant force.
"I feel like that just kind of puts it in a box a little bit. I mean, there's so many areas that they're moving me around the field. So just saying I'll just be a nickel, you know, it doesn't really do it justice."Jeremy Chinn via Panthers.com
Chinn plans to be a difference-maker wherever he gets put in the lineup. Whether this comes with a decrease in reps entering a contract year is the most concerning element of this equation.
Steve Smith on most talented Carolina Panthers QB
Steve Smith Sr. played with some outstanding quarterbacks during his illustrious career. The wide receiver proved size doesn't matter when you have the heart of a lion, putting together the sort of production that usually ends up with a Pro Football Hall of Fame induction at some stage.
Smith is still seen plenty around the Carolina Panthers and was present once again at Fan Fest. Things might have ended on a sour note when he was allowed to depart for the Baltimore Ravens, but everyone is on good terms now and his love for the organization never wavered.
When discussing his time in Carolina with Shaq Thompson on the latest edition of his Cut To It podcast, Smith stated via USA Today Sports that although Jake Delhomme was his favorite quarterback, Cam Newton was the best he ever played with thanks to his unique athletic traits that reset expectations for dual-threat weapons under center.
"Who’s the best quarterback I’ve ever played with on the Carolina Panthers? Has to be Cam [Newton]. I’ve never seen a more athletic quarterback. With Cam, I’ve never seen a guy—6-foot-4, 6-foot-5, 230, 250 pounds—run right and throw across his body. Flick of the wrist like you’re pitchin’ quarters."Steve Smith Sr. via USA Today Sports
If only Smith had been kept around for that iconic 2015 season. Had the player and the Panthers worked something out, there might be a Super Bowl hanging at Bank of America Stadium right now.
Carolina Panthers HC Frank Reich's regret
Bryce Young might have ended another productive practice in front of almost 40,000 at Fan Fest with an interception, but this one needed some context attached. It was the final play of practice and head coach Frank Reich put his rookie signal-caller in a scenario that he's guaranteed to encounter at some stage during his time in the league.
Reich called four deep vertical routes and for Young to launch into the end zone. The defense was ready, piling on the pressure and reacting well to the ball before Kamu Grugier-Hill came down with his third interception of camp.
When discussing the play after Fan Fest, Reich took all the blame based on his comments via the team's website. However, this is all part of the learning experience for everyone as kinks get ironed out before the 2023 season opener.
"The last play, something I did to him put him in a bad spot. It was good for me. I told him it was my fault; I told him to do something I shouldn't have told him to do. He did a great job the whole practice. You get in those situations at the end, and you've got 15 seconds left. So what do you want to do? You want to take a shot into the end zone? That's what the defense is going to do. So sometimes you take your medicine, kick the field goal with 15 seconds to go, and then you have to kick off. I wanted to see what our defense was going to do. So let's just go out there and run four verts and see if the defense runs the wrong coverage, and then we can throw it away. And they got a pretty good rush, and I put him in a hard position. So we all learned from it."Frank Reich via Panthers.com
Reich will throw the dice now and again in pursuit of putting points on the board, even if this particular play was ill-advised. However, it is an example of how bold the Carolina Panthers might be on offense next season compared to previous years under defensive-minded head coaches.
Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young's command
There's been a lot to like about Bryce Young's integration both on and off the field since joining the Carolina Panthers. The enormity of this responsibility as the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft hasn't been overlooked, but there are signs that the quarterback is starting to come out of his shell after taking everything in his stride over an important early transition.
Young's thrown five interceptions throughout camp so far, but this is all part of the learning curve. Getting his teammates onside was arguably the biggest priority, which is something he's done emphatically despite not being the most charismatic quarterback compared to others.
That doesn't mean Young isn't commanding proceedings in his own way. Based on Bradley Bozeman's comments via USA Today Sports, he's got everyone's attention and is more confident than his demeanor appears between the white lines.
"I wouldn’t call him soft-spoken at all. I’d call him more confident. I mean, just even-keeled and confident. It’s everything that I get from him. When he steps in the huddle, everyone shuts up and looks. So, that tells you a lot. There’s a lot of huddles I’ve been in where people are still talking in side conversation about the play that happened before. Whenever he steps in, it’s silent."Bradley Bozeman via USA Today Sports
This is something other players have also commented on. Young says and does all the right things almost robotically, but that just lulls the opposition into a false sense of security and completely overlooks his killer instinct.