CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Carolina Panthers opened training camp on July 27 at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The Panthers finished the 2020 season 5-11, good for last place in the NFC South. They have not reached the playoffs since the 2017 season when they lost a wild-card game. The Panthers return 12 starters from last season's team as well as second-year head coach Matt Rhule and coordinators Joe Brady (offense), Phil Snow (defense) and Chase Blackburn (special teams).
Here's a 53-man roster projection:
QUARTERBACK (3): Sam Darnold, P.J. Walker, Will Grier
The Panthers got Darnold from the Jets before shipping last year's starter, Teddy Bridgewater, to Denver and picking up Darnold's fifth-year 2022 option. I'm still not convinced Darnold, the 2018 No. 3 overall pick, can turn his career around or that Grier will be on the roster as the third quarterback at the end of camp.
RUNNING BACK (4): Christian McCaffrey, Chuba Hubbard, Trenton Cannon, Mikey Daniel
The Panthers averaged 26 points a game the three games in which McCaffrey played in 2020 and 21.9 in the 13 he didn't due to injuries. He'll pull a heavy load. Hubbard provides more upside as the backup than Mike Davis did last year, and Davis played well.
WIDE RECEIVER (6): DJ Moore, Robby Anderson, Terrace Marshall Jr., David Moore, Brandon Zylstra, Shi Smith
How well second-round pick Marshall performs in the slot after being a spectator for most of offseason workouts is the key here. If he does well, the top three could be as good as almost any group in the league.
TIGHT END (3): Dan Arnold, Ian Thomas, Tommy Tremble
The Panthers are counting on more production from Arnold in the red zone than they got from any of their TEs last year. The Panthers got only 26 catches and one touchdown last season from Ian Thomas and Chris Manhertz, ranking as the worst combo at that position in the league.
OFFENSIVE LINE (10): Taylor Moton (T), Cameron Erving (T), Trent Scott (7), Greg Little (T), Brady Christensen (T), Pat Elflein (G), John Miller (G), Dennis Daley (G), Deonte Brown (G-C), Matt Paradis (C)
The Panthers could have drafted a left tackle in the first round. Instead they felt comfortable with Erving, Scott and Little. Stay tuned to who steps up in the biggest question mark on a rebuilt offensive line and the offense in general outside of Darnold. And don't rule out Daley here.
DEFENSIVE END (5): Brian Burns, Haason Reddick, Morgan Fox, Yetur Gross-Matos, Marquis Haynes
Speed, speed and more speed. Quarterbacks, beware of Burns (9 sacks in 2020) and Reddick (12.5 sacks for Arizona in 2020). Don't rest on the pressure Fox and Gross-Matos can bring, either.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE (4): Derrick Brown, DaQuan Jones, Bravvion Roy, Daviyon Nixon
Adding Jones to play beside Brown should make the 2020 first-round pick better, and he wasn't bad as a rookie. Overall depth here is decent, particularly when Fox can shift inside from end.
LINEBACKER (5): Shaq Thompson, Denzel Perryman, Jermaine Carter Jr., Frankie Luvu, Christian Miller
Who you don't see here is 2020 defensive rookie of the year candidate Jeremy Chinn, but he'll sneak up and play outside linebacker some from his new safety spot. Upgrading Perryman in the middle over Tahir Whitehead, a bust last year, should give this group more sideline to sideline flexibility.
CORNERBACK (6): Jaycee Horn, Donte Jackson, Rashaan Melvin, A.J. Bouye, Troy Pride Jr. Keith Taylor
What was a weakness is now a strength with first-round pick Horn a legitimate shutdown corner and Jackson healthy heading into a contract year. Bouye and Melvin offer more quality backup depth than Carolina had at any point last season.
SAFETY (4): Jeremy Chinn, Juston Burris, Kenny Robinson, Sam Franklin
Chinn returns to his natural position -- if there is one for a player who can play multiple spots. He and Burris should make this a strength. Depth remains a concern.
SPECIALISTS (3): Joey Slye, Joseph Charlton, Thomas Fletcher
Slye worked with a sports psychologist during the offseason. What he really needs is an offense that puts him where he's not attempting 50-plus yard field goals to win or tie games.
The only competition at punter will be from the player the Panthers bring in to give Charlton's leg a rest during camp. The Panthers will move on from J.J. Jansen at long snapper after 12 seasons for Fletcher, a rookie that will save them cap room. You don't draft a snapper unless you're convinced he can be the guy.