10 biggest winners of Panthers training camp: Bryce Young, Jonathan Mingo most improved

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The Carolina Panthers effectively closed out their 2024 training camp with a bang on Thursday.

Head coach Dave Canales oversaw an encouraging joint practice between his Panthers and the New York Jets in Uptown Charlotte on Carolina’s newly renovated practice field . While the offense had an up-and-down summer , QB Bryce Young and his teammates put together their best practice of camp against a likely playoff contender and what most consider a top-10 defense.

While that one workout isn’t worthy of hyping up a team that is coming off a brutal preseason opener and a 2-15 finish last year , the performances of Young, wideout Terrace Marshall Jr., and others served as a step in the right direction for Canales and company.

With camp over and done with, let’s take a look at the players who boosted their stock heading into the heart of the preseason:

QB Bryce Young

Young has had his share of setbacks in practice — most notably a stretch of three consecutive workouts with at least one interception — but for the most part, last year’s first overall pick has looked much more confident and effective than he was last summer.

Young has opened up his passing range considerably, targeting wideouts down the field with touch — though not putting on a regular fireworks show — and making excellent throws in tight windows .

He appears to have significantly improved his game in two very important areas — fade tosses in the end zone and intermediate-to-deep shots to the left sideline . Against the Jets, Young showed off both improvements with multiple attempts.

Young isn’t a finished product, nor is he a proven franchise QB. The jury is still very much out on the second-year signal-caller. But this summer, he has shown growth , and that’s a positive progression for a new offensive staff trying to turn around a recently moribund product.

WR Jonathan Mingo

Mingo looks like a completely different player as a route runner this summer. No matter how you feel about Steve Smith ’s Jedi apprentice, the work Smith and Mingo have done behind the scenes this offseason has clearly helped the second-year wideout.

Mingo, last year’s second-round pick, is playing to his size and speed, and winning in multiple ways as a route runner. Mingo has been able to upstage first-round pick Xavier Legette at basically every turn , and the former Ole Miss playmaker has taken advantage of the extra reps given to him with the rookie working his way back from a foot injury .

Mingo is probably the biggest winner of the summer for the Panthers’ offense, outside of Young.

WR Terrace Marshall Jr.

The much-maligned 2021 second-round pick is having himself a summer.

Sure, Marshall dropped a wide-open pass in a rainy preseason game. But he has also taken advantage of his reps throughout camp to make up for that brutal blunder. Against the Jets’ notable secondary, Marshall got the best of coverage three separate times in team drills Thursday. His back-to-back fade-ball touchdowns against New York’s secondary were key highlights of camp.

The former LSU wideout has shined in and out of pads this summer, and if he can put together a strong finish to the preseason, he might earn legitimate playing time this year in Carolina. Or, if the Panthers are so inclined, they could look to trade him to a wideout-needy team in exchange for help at cornerback or outside linebacker .

OLB Jadeveon Clowney

Clowney probably doesn’t need this pat on the back. However, the former first overall pick has been absolutely dominant throughout the summer.

It hasn’t mattered who has lined up at right tackle because Clowney has just over-matched the bunch on a regular basis. Clowney isn’t known as a sacks-in-bunches pass rusher, but if he can continue to own blocking the way he has, he will — at least partially — make up for the loss of Brian Burns this year .

Clowney is an elite run defender, so his work as an pass rusher is really a cherry on his upside cake . While he has sat out of a few practices for regular veteran maintenance, the Panthers should feel pretty good about the Rock Hill, S.C., native’s homecoming.

ILB Trevin Wallace

With the top two picks sidelined with injuries , Wallace clearly ran away with the rookie of the summer award for the Panthers. The third-round pick has a strong mix of size and speed, and his “seek and destroy” style has been effective in his rookie training camp.

Wallace picked off All-Pro QB Aaron Rodgers on Thursday, but he has been showing off his talent all summer. While he needs to improve his vision and technique as he continues to grow in the position, Wallace has seemingly earned regular defensive playing time with his training camp performance.

Shaq Thompson and Josey Jewell are the present for the position, but Wallace seems to be etched into the not-so-distant future with his upside.

CB Chau Smith-Wade

Smith-Wade has exceeded expectations during his rookie summer. The fifth-round pick has been able to stand out as an outside cornerback and a nickel defender, showing off regular versatility in coverage . With projected starting corner Dane Jackson (hamstring) sidelined for at least the next month, Smith-Wade could earn regular defensive snaps, both inside and outside at corner, to begin his initial NFL campaign.

The rest of the preseason will determine Smith-Wade’s rookie output, but the Panthers should be encouraged by his ball skills and versatility throughout the summer.

RB Mike Boone

It’s going to be very, very hard for the Panthers to cut Boone. The journeyman running back has carried the ball well out of the backfield this summer, and he’s shown off consistent hands as receiver in the flat. Adding to Boone’s overall value is his ability as a kick returner, which was put on display during the joint practice with the Jets.

While Boone isn’t a lock for the 53-man roster, his ability to do a lot of things relatively well is important . The Panthers need strong special teams play, and having a veteran in the deep part of the running back rotation is advantageous.

He’s a player to continue to monitor in the final two preseason games, as he will get plenty of reps.

CB Lamar Jackson

It’s hard to think of a defensive player who has boosted his stock in camp more than Jackson , who went from an offseason afterthought to a summer standout in a matter of weeks. Jackson has made regular plays in coverage after an up-and-down first week of training camp, and he was one of the handful of risers from the preseason opener against New England.

Like Boone, Jackson isn’t a lock to make the 53-man roster, but his performance so far this summer has set him up with a chance to accomplish that feat.

WR Diontae Johnson

Johnson has looked like a No. 1 wide receiver this summer.

While a mild groin injury sidelined Johnson this week, the former Pittsburgh Steelers playmaker has shown his value throughout training camp. He has gotten open with consistency and stretched the field for the offense. He also looks to be in sync with Young , who has used the veteran wideout as a safety net throughout the offseason. Their chemistry together is apparent, and Young has shown confidence throwing to him and others as a result.

Johnson’s injury doesn’t seem all that concerning, so expect Young and the wideout to connect with regularity in Week 1. Johnson has been one of the most encouraging aspects of this offseason for the Panthers.

S Nick Scott

The former Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams safety has had a bounce-back summer in Charlotte. As a longtime pupil of defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Scott has been able to settle in as one of the three “starters” at the safety position , along with Xavier Woods — sidelined with a groin injury — and Jordan Fuller.

Scott is an excellent special teams player, which gives him even more value in the numbers game. With Sam Franklin sidelined with a foot injury, Scott can make up for his absence on special teams and upgrade Franklin’s output on the defense.