Carolina Panthers Defense Makes Bold Statement on Day One of Training Camp
The Carolina Panthers kicked off their 2025 training camp with a surge of intensity and a strong message from their defense: this year will be different.
After a painful 2024 season in which the Panthers’ defense allowed more points than any other team in NFL history, the opening practice of training camp brought a welcome shift. The defense came out fast, focused, and physical—establishing its presence and setting the tone for what many inside the organization hope will be a turnaround year.
Speaking after practice, Panthers head coach Dave Canales expressed enthusiasm about how his defense performed in the first session. “Defense was hard to go against today,” Canales said. “They communicated well, lined up correctly, and attacked the ball. They really challenged us in the passing game, which is great. That’s the kind of effort and execution we expect.”
For players on the defensive unit, the disappointing 2024 season hasn’t been forgotten. It’s become a motivating factor that continues to fuel their offseason preparation and focus in camp.
Jaycee Horn, one of the Panthers’ top cornerbacks, made it clear that the group is still carrying the sting of last year’s record-setting struggles. “When you’re associated with a defense that gave up the most points in league history, it’s personal,” Horn said. “Even if we’re out here enjoying ourselves, competing, and talking a little trash, we always have that in the back of our minds. We know we have to work the right way every day to flip the script this season and put some real quality tape out there.”
That attitude showed up early and often during the first practice.
One of the standout plays came from safety Demani Richardson, a young player looking to carve out a bigger role in 2025. During 7-on-7 drills, Richardson intercepted a pass from quarterback Bryce Young, drawing loud cheers from the defense and coaches.
But the defensive highlights didn’t stop there.
Rookie edge rusher Princely Umanmielen, a player the Panthers hope will bolster their front seven, made perhaps the most eye-catching play of the day. On the final snap of a team period, Umanmielen beat the offensive tackle with a slick pass rush move, dipped around the edge, and got to Young just as he began to throw. The ball came loose—a strip sack in game terms—but the hit was an unintentional violation of a major training camp rule: you don’t touch the quarterback.
Still, head coach Canales saw the positive side of the play. “That was a fantastic rush,” Canales said. “Princely got a great bend around the corner, showed power and explosiveness. He did get Bryce on the arm and jarred the ball loose, but that’s obviously something we try to avoid in practice. Still, the talent and skill he showed—those are the traits we want to develop. Even some of our veteran guys went up to him afterward and said, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing—just be smart at the top of the rush.’ That’s what we need from him. We all have to protect each other out here, but the effort and technique were exactly what we’re looking for.”
Umanmielen’s performance was just one part of what looks like a revitalized and motivated defensive front. The Panthers’ coaching staff has been emphasizing improved fundamentals, sharper reads, and more consistent tackling—areas that were often liabilities in 2024. With new additions, returning talent, and a clear chip on their shoulder, the defense is looking to rewrite the narrative.
One area where the Panthers must show dramatic growth is against the run. Last season, opposing teams routinely gashed them on the ground, controlling the clock and wearing the defense down. Improving run defense has been a key talking point throughout OTAs and now into camp.
“We’ve talked all offseason about setting the edge, controlling gaps, and getting 11 hats to the ball,” said defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. “The run game hurt us last year more than anything else. It wasn’t just big plays—we were consistently giving up four, five, six yards on first down. That’s unsustainable. We’ve got to be much more disciplined up front, and I think we’re getting there.”
That improvement won’t rest on the shoulders of any single player. It’ll require a group effort from the entire front seven, including linebackers like Shaq Thompson, who returns from injury, and younger guys like Chandler Wooten and DJ Johnson, who are looking to step into bigger roles.
In addition to the talent upgrade, the team’s attitude is also shifting. There’s a sense of accountability among defensive players, a shared understanding that last year’s failures are unacceptable and must be corrected.
“This is a prideful group,” Horn added. “We know we’re better than what we put on film last season. That wasn’t us. That’s not how we want to be remembered. So we’ve been grinding all offseason, watching film, getting stronger, cleaning up our technique. We know we’ve got the talent to be a top-tier defense—we just have to bring it every day.”
While the first day of camp is far too early to make sweeping judgments, it offered a glimpse of what’s possible. The defense looks faster, louder, and more determined than it did a year ago. Newcomers like Richardson and Umanmielen are already making their presence felt, and returning leaders like Horn are focused on setting a new standard.
For a Panthers team still searching for stability under head coach Dave Canales, a strong, consistent defense would go a long way toward improving their fortunes. And if Day One was any indication, they might be heading in the right direction.
As Canales put it, “We’re not going to be the same team as last year. These guys are working to make sure of that.”
With many practices still ahead and preseason games on the horizon, the road to redemption is just beginning. But one thing is clear—the Panthers defense isn’t running from the past. They’re using it as fuel to build something stronger.
