Panthers 2025 training camp tracker: Top takeaways and observations from Day 5
Here are the top takeaways and observations from Monday's (partially heated) outing of training camp . . .
Activated
Before the start of practice, the Panthers officially activated defensive lineman Bobby Brown III and punter Sam Martin from the active/non-football injury list.
Both Brown and Martin were dealing with minor hamstring injuries. They are now cleared to return to the field.
T-Mac hits back
Rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan was bested by starting cornerback Mike Jackson during one-on-one drills at Saturday's session. But the eighth overall pick got his lick back on the veteran this morning . . .
Head coach Dave Canales talked about McMillan's breakaway speed.
"He plays fast," Canales told reporters. "That was kinda going back to his film from Arizona. His play speed is what you look at. And yes, we take into consideration what the 40 time looks like. He ran a 4.5. He's fast. But he's a tall guy. And a lot of times, those guys, their stride builds up as they get going—in particular when he's running across the field. He can pretty much separate and run away from anybody, regardless of what the 40 time says."
Quarterback Bryce Young then talked about McMillan's spectacular catch.
"Yeah, that was a great job of him going and tracking the ball," Young stated. "It was great coverage, and that's the league. It's gonna be a lot of great corners out there, a lot of contested catches. It was a great job by T-Mac understanding leverage, fighting pressure with pressure, fading out at the last moment."
McMillan also notched a few more impressive grabs, putting a stamp on what was his best showing of the summer.
Still hunting
McMillan wasn't the only receiver who shined on Monday. Veteran Hunter Renfrow also turned heads, continuing his standout offseason with another strong day.
Renfrow, however, knows his journey to the initial 53-man roster is far from over. The former Pro Bowler praised his fellow wideouts.
"We have a bunch of different personalities, bunch of different ages. But amazing," he said. "I think we have a really good group, I think we have a really talented group. It's the deepest I've ever been around. We have seven or eight guys that can comfortably go out there and play and a lot of young guys that are proving they can.
"And so, it just pushes you. It pushes you every day. I think the Bible talks about iron sharpening iron—and that's what it is. And hopefully, we can do that every day and then the other people we have out there can see that and be inspired from that and make every day the best we can."
Canales, who lauded Renfrow for his work again on Monday, did not rule out using the 29-year-old as a returner moving forward.
Top observationsThis article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers 2025 training camp tracker: Top takeaways from Day 5
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Byron on securing win No. 2 of 2025: 'We needed just one to go our way'
William Byron describes the emotion of winning a hectic fuel-conserving race at Iowa Speedway and what the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet did to make the Cup Series victory possible.
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ace a trump card for Aussie as Young bags first PGA win
Australian rookie Karl Vilips has scored his first hole-in-one on the US PGA Tour to cap off a consistent tournament as American Cameron Young broke through for his first title at the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina. Vilips scored his ace with a 179-yard shot on the third hole using an eight iron. His final-day 67 followed earlier rounds of 67, 67 and 69 for a four-round total of 270, 10 under for the tournament, leaving him in a tie for 19th place. 🚨 First career ACE! 🚨Rookie Karl Vilips drops it in from 179 yards @WyndhamChamp! — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 3, 2025 Vilips was the leading Australian at Greensboro, but finished a distant 12 shots behind first-time PGA winner Young. The American shot a two-under-par 68 in the final round and wasn't challenged on his way to his first PGA Tour victory on Sunday (local time). "It's the end of my fourth season and I've had my chances -never quite like this," Young said. "I wasn't going to let it get away from me." Young strung together five consecutive early birdies and cruised to a six-stroke triumph at 22-under 258 at Sedgefield Country Club, where he matched the tournament scoring record. The American, who began the day with a five-stroke advantage, became the 1000th different winner in the history of the PGA Tour. He had previously been a seven-time runner-up. After tapping in the final putt, Young hugged his caddie and began to walk off the green. "Where do I go?" he said. "I've never done this before." Mac Meissner posted 66 to finish runner-up at 16 under. Mark Hubbard (63) and Sweden's Alex Noren (64) tied for third place at 15 under. Amateur Jackson Koivun (67), a junior golfer at Auburn University, Chris Kirk (68) and defending champion Aaron Rai (68) of England shared fifth place at 14 under. Playing not far from the Wake Forest campus where he went to college, Young was in control for most of the tournament. After a bogey on the first hole on Sunday, Young put together his string of birdies for what became a nine-stroke advantage. He then had pars on nine consecutive holes before bogeys on the par-3 16th and par-4 17th. He barely missed a birdie attempt on the last hole. The final margin marked the third-largest winning spread on the tour this year. He became the tour's 12th first-time winner of the season. "I've been waiting for this for a while," he said. Denny McCarthy matched Hubbard's 63 for the best score on Sunday and ended up at 12 under, tied for 11th place. Of the other Australians in the field, Cam Davis finished in a tie for 44th place at four under, a shot ahead of Adam Scott (tied for 55th), with Aaron Baddeley tied for 72nd spot at two over. The tournament marks the final regular-season event on the tour, with golfers needing to finish in the top 70 of the season standings to advance to the FedEx Cup playoffs beginning on Thursday.
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Raiders safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. reportedly suffers broken leg during scrimmage
Las Vegas Raiders safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. suffered a broken leg during a practice on Saturday after a collision with defensive end Maxx Crosby, according to ESPN's Ryan McFadden. Johnson went down while trying to tackle running back Raheem Mostert during the team's open game at Allegiant Stadium when he collided with Crosby. He immediately reached for his right leg, clearly in a lot of pain, as the team's medical staff came out to help him. He was eventually carted off the field. 'It's a lower leg injury, I don't know all of the details right now, but it's significant,' Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said, via KTNV's Nick Walters. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] The Raiders have not yet confirmed the injury. According to The Associated Press, more information is needed to determine how long Johnson will be sidelined. He has reportedly fractured his fibula, though he is set to undergo an MRI. Johnson is entering his seventh season in the league this fall. The 29-year-old was first selected by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2019 draft out of Kentucky. He signed a one-year, $1.685 million deal with the Raiders this past offseason, which marked his fifth team in as many seasons. He had seven total tackles in a reserve role last season with the Carolina Panthers. Johnson, according to ESPN, has been receiving first-team reps during training camp when the defense has three safeties on the field at the same time. He's been competing for a rotational role in the team's secondary this fall. The Raiders went just 4-13 last season and missed the playoffs for a third straight year before hiring Carroll as their next head coach. They'll open this season on Sept. 7 against the New England Patriots.
