The Carolina Panthers were back on the field Monday in Charlotte, trying to flush away the memory of a rough preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills. It was a sweltering day, and while losses and bad outings are part of the deal, practice offered a cleaner look at how the team answered.
Bryce Young was one of the biggest reasons the session stood out. After a rough preseason game, he responded with a strong practice, and that matters even more given the idea that his 2026 excellence may be showing up more in camp than in games.
That conversation didn’t change Monday. Young looked good again, including a beautiful deep over-the-shoulder throw to McMillaj down the left sideline.
In 11-on-11 work, Young also had what looked like two coverage sacks, though he finished each rep with a pass. Even so, the overall takeaway was that he bounced back the right way after Saturday.
The defense, though, still had issues. The Panthers had left too many Buffalo receivers uncovered in the preseason game, and the problems with coverage didn’t exactly disappear in practice.
Alex Zietlow reported there may have been two coverage sacks, but the secondary still couldn’t finish the play. They also got beat by Kyle Trask on a beautiful touchdown pass to Casey Washington, which wasn’t a great look.
There were some notable changes up front as well. Chandler Zavala took reps at center, while Nick Samac worked at guard with the second team.
Darren Waller was also on the field after officially signing, and that makes every snap from here on out important. His presence matters not just for his own shot at the final 53-man roster, but because he could be a major upgrade for this offense.
Xavier Legette had a rougher day. A pass bounced off him in team drills, and Robert Rochell nearly came up with an interception.
Legette has reportedly had a strong camp overall, and the battle with Chris Brazzell had been heating up before Brazzell’s absence. Monday wasn’t his cleanest showing, though, and it brought back one of the issues that has followed him before: finishing catches.
Tetairoa McMillan, meanwhile, kept making life hard on Carolina’s defense. He didn’t get much of a preseason chance to show what he could do, but he stood out again in practice.
He was excellent in 11-on-11 periods, and his individual work was tough to defend. His year-two leap continues to look likely, and the Panthers have had a hard time handling him all offseason, Monday included.
In Other News...
Panthers Offense Gave Fans Plenty To Worry About Saturday
Saturdays preseason game against the Bills offered the kind of early look the Panthers would rather forget on offense. The starting unit was on the field for just nine plays and never got a conversion going, with limited yardage and an overall rhythm that never really materialized. Missing Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt along the offensive line didnt help, and the group was forced to deal with pressure in the pocket and little room to work on the ground.
There were some unavoidable growing pains with new faces getting their first NFL snaps up front, but the bigger concern was how disconnected the whole operation looked. The play-calling never found a groove, and the absence of Chuba Hubbard only added to the questions about backfield depth. For a team trying to build some confidence heading into the season, it was the sort of showing that leaves more worry than reassurance. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Preseason Opener Exposed An Early Concern Behind Robert Hunt And Damien Lewis
The Panthers preseason opener against the Bills did not do much to ease concerns about the depth behind their starting guards, and the spotlight quickly shifted to the backup options trying to hold up the middle of the line. Brady Christensen was back on the field after a torn Achilles, which gives his uneven debut some context, while Chandler Zavala also had a rough night as Carolina tried to sort out what it has behind Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt.
For a team that wants to feel better about its protection and run game, the bigger issue is how fragile the guard picture could look if either starter misses time. Analysts Mike Kaye and Jared Feinberg both pointed to the same basic problem: the Panthers need more from the players tasked with backing up Lewis and Hunt, because the drop-off was hard to ignore in the preseason opener. [Read more 🡒]
Darren Waller Just Put One Panthers Offensive Question In Focus
The Panthers have added a familiar name to a position that has not been central to their passing game in recent seasons, signing veteran tight end Darren Waller as they continue reshaping the offense around new coordinator Brad Idzik. Waller brings a proven resume, including a Pro Bowl nod in 2020, and arrives as a player who has already moved through several NFL stops before landing in Carolina.
What makes the move interesting is less the name value than the fit. The Panthers have used tight ends in only a modest way lately, so Wallers presence naturally raises the question of how much of a role Idzik wants to carve out for him. If Carolina is going to get a real boost from the signing, the answer to that usage question will matter as much as anything Waller has done before. [Read more 🡒]