A year ago, the Carolina Panthers entered training camp with an entirely new squad on offense. Rookie QB Bryce Young led the way, with newly signed offensive weapons in WRs Adam Thielen and DJ Chark, RB Miles Sanders, and TE Hayden Hurst.
Fast forward to today, and the Panthers seem to be right back at square one.
After an abysmal 2-15 season that saw Young struggle all year, Sanders gets benched for Chuba Hubbard, and Thielen (now 33 years old) leads the team in receiving, owner Dave Tepper once again decided to tear it all down and try again. He brought in a new head coach in Dave Canales and a new GM in Dan Morgan, who have been in sync so far in their six months together.
Putting It All Together
Canales and Morgan worked hand-in-hand to put new pieces around their QB that Carolina, as we all know, gave up the farm to get. They traded CB Donte Jackson to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a new WR1 in Diontae Johnson. They traded up into the first round to draft South Carolina WR Xavier Legette, then traded up AGAIN in the second round to land Texas RB Jonathan Brooks. In addition, Texas TE Ja'Tavion Sanders was drafted in the fourth round, and guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis were signed to big-money deals in an attempt to shore up an offensive line that allowed Young to be sacked 62(!) times last year, a would-be record if it weren't for a certain Texans QB back in 2002 (here's to you, David Carr).
With all these changes in a short amount of time, it's easy to think that the Panthers will be the same-old Panthers this season. Ever since buying the team in 2018, the aforementioned (and impatient) Tepper has been quick to blow things up when they aren't going exactly the way he wants them to. Including interim coaches, Carolina has seen six different leaders be let go in the six years since Jerry Richardson sold the team.
However, with the performances we've seen in training camp thus far, the hope amongst the fanbase is that Canales can be lucky number seven.
The newly-assembled WR corps for Carolina has been putting in work so far, showcasing their talents and allowing Bryce Young to showcase his own. Diontae Johnson was told by new offensive coordinator Brad Idzik after arriving in Charlotte that he would be the team's X - their number one receiver. His crisp route-running has already given him and Young a solid connection. A hamstring issue hasn't slowed down Xavier Legette, the rookie that's already drawn comparisons to Deebo Samuel with his speed and playmaking ability. Also, Adam Thielen is still one of the more sure-handed receivers in the league and can get in and out of his breaks faster than corners often realize.
But Wait... There's More!
The guys behind the aforementioned trio of pass-catchers are all battling each other in camp for a better roster spot and more playing time, and it's been fun to watch. Second-year receiver Jonathan Mingo, a second-round pick out of Mississippi, has shown significant improvement in camp after a poor rookie season that saw him haul in a whopping zero touchdowns. Ihmir Smith-Marsette, a former Kansas City Chiefs return man, has started to make his mark as a receiver as well.
Jalen Coker, an undrafted free agent, isn't going quietly into the night either, attempting to show everyone that not drafting him was a big mistake. And Terrace Marshall Jr., a former second round pick out of LSU, is trying to secure a roster spot with his impressive catch-radius and overall improvement.
Chances are that the Panthers will only carry a maximum of six receivers on their final 53-man roster, meaning at least one of those last four guys will find themselves on the outside looking in. There's a chance Carolina could stash one on their practice squad, but each one could be a contributor to any team this season.
Regardless of how the final roster shapes up, one thing is certain: the Panthers, their fans, and Bryce Young should all feel much better about this offense than they did a year ago.
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