Search the Community

Just wanted to put a few thoughts and observations from my view of fan fest tonight. I am no scout or expert, just been a fan since the beginning and have been lurking around here for quite a while (12 years) and I also know people crave any kind of content this time a year so here you go. I was in section 107 right near the corner of the end zone where the players entered and exited the field, I had good view of Defensive Line Drills, 1v1's and the 7 on 7's but the 11 on 11 went the opposite direction and most of the offensive line stuff was on the opposite side as well. It didn't really matter a ton because the practice wasn't in pads (as has been mentioned) and it was a really light practice. The first team offense only had a handful of plays during 11 on 11. I think that was because of what McCaffrey said about the field, and speaking of which, despite all the gripes during the offseason I had forgot about the field until I was driving home and saw his quote. It looks really good and isn't noticeable at all, what IS noticeable are the new luxury boxes in the opposite endzone from the panther eyes. I feel like several players will end up there throughout the season, I believe Trenton Cannon almost went over the wall at one point. Ok, now to practice. So again, it was a light practice so there wasn't a ton to take away but I'll start with the defense. Just based on drills it seems that the starting defensive linemen (if we are in a base 4-3 set) would be Burns, Brown, Jones, and Fox. Fox is a veteran and seemed to fit in nicely with the other players. Gross-Matos ran with the 2's along with Marquis Haynes. It was interesting to see Reddick do drills with both linebackers as well as defensive linemen, you can tell they are going to have him all over the place. In the 1v1's, Jaycee Horn was like a blanket on the receivers, just smothering them (which could be an issue with flags down the road). But considering 1v1's favor the Wide Receivers heavily, this was really impressive to see. That's kind of it for defense, again, there was no hitting and it was almost like everyone was going kind of 3/4 speed (again, the turf). I do have several thoughts about the offense, and I will start with the guy I was most impressed with. Terrace Marshall Jr. Despite all the good things I've read about him from Jeremy and other guys that have been at camp, I was still really blown away by his size, athleticism, and how he just plucks the ball out of the air so effortlessly. But that's not all, he is so smooth in his routes and so fluid in his motion its just amazing for a guy his size. Here is a quick clip of him just absolutely abusing a corner right off the ball, unfortunately I missed the first part but he juked the corner nearly out of his shoes. 20210806_194710.mp4 Another winner in my opinion at the Wide Receiver spot was Shi Smith who beat Troy Pride in 1v1's on just an absolute dime by Darnold. It happened right in front of me and it was awesome to watch (more on Sam later). Smith also has some smoothness to his game, but you can just tell he is not on the same level as Marshall. Still though, I was impressed with Smith and Omar Bayless as well, who was a favorite target throughout practice and seems to be a very polished receiver. Given how much attention he has received, I'd be extremely disappointed if Bayless didn't lead us in receiving during the preseason. Another thing I noticed is the fact that Trenton Cannon has been running with the Wide Receivers, something that has been discussed throughout camp. I think I heard it first on the PNP podcast and Rashad said it best, Cannon will probably make the team based on his versatility, he was also the first man up on kick returns when they did some special teams work (Hubbard was second). It will be interesting as to who's spot he takes, depth at WR and RB is crazy right now. Sticking with the offense, I want to talk about the tight ends for a sec. I came away very impressed with Tommy Tremble. I never saw him drop a pass and while most of his routes were very short I thought he was extremely fluid and caught the ball well. Ian Thomas on the other hand was pretty much what we've seen for the last couple seasons, he flashes and then he dashes. I saw him drop a few easy balls but he also came back in 11 on 11's and bailed out Sam. I really don't know what to make of Thomas but I do feel like Tremble will overtake him at some point during the season, easily. I also came away very happy with the Darnold to Arnold connection, it is real people, and I know its been talked about extensively over the last two weeks but I can confirm that it is an exciting combo. Here is a clip during 7 on 7's where Sam kinda holds onto the ball a little long but then delivers a strike over the middle to Arnold (very Greg Olsen like), and you can also see what that 6-6 frame can do for a QB. 20210806_195659.mp4 Being a light practice, there wasn't much to take away from the offensive line, I did make a note that Trent Scott was running left tackle with the second string, I know Little had got some reps there earlier this week. Now to the elephant in the room, what did I think of Sam Darnold? I was happy with his performance and feel much better about the upcoming season after watching him tonight. He has everything you want in a QB, size, arm talent, mobility, and its incredibly obvious when you see him out there spinning it. Grier and Walker just don't even look like they're in the same league as Sam. Another thing I liked was his energy, he just looked like a leader out there, messing around with teammates, playing it up to the crowd. I just liked everything I saw, in 1v1's his touch, velocity and deep accuracy were excellent and after some of the doom and gloom of the first week of camp I am completely happy with him as our QB right now. Obviously this could change once real bullets start flying but I'm telling you, he has all the tools, if the coaches and offensive line can help him succeed, I have no trouble believing he could have a solid season and turn into a top 15 starting QB. One final note. I feel like DJ Moore is so close to being an elite level receiver in this league and no one knows it but us (especially not the people at EA Sports). He is such a cool guy, outside of McCaffrey he seemed like the most popular player on the field, all while Smitty looked down in approval. Thanks guys, hope you enjoyed.

Historically, Fan Fest has always taken place well into the start of training camp. Not this year. The Carolina Panthers are having their annual Fan Fest at the start of training camp this year. On July 25, the Panthers will open their doors to thousands of rabid Panthers fans. The Panthers are anxious to unveil their awesome new stadium upgrades to Panthers fans. Fans will see new scoreboard/video boards, 360-degree ribbons boards and hear the new sound system. The boards, which dwarf the previous video screens, will provide a much more enjoyable visual experience during the games. The sound system, which we learned from Vinny Esposito in the Huddle Podcast Episode 2, will feature an ability to "move sound around the stadium". The Panthers will practice, but whether or not they will be in full pads is unclear. In all probability, you can expect highly entertaining drills such as 7 on 7 and WR/DB match ups. This will provide plenty of excitement for the fans and their quest to quench their football thirst. The reason for moving Fan Fest to the start of camp is simple, the Carolina Panthers wanted their own fans to be the first to witness the new stadium upgrades. On August 2, there is a Guinness International Championship soccer match scheduled between Milan and Liverpool, whose fans will also enjoy the new upgrades. So, the date has been moved up and now Panthers fans, not soccer fans, will be the first to see the new diggs. Smart move. Fan Fest will take place July 25 at 6:30pm at Bank of America Stadium. Admission is free, but there will be a charge for parking around the various lots. Historically, parking has run 5 to 10 dollars depending on the proximity to the stadium. The South side of the stadium fills up quickly as more shade is available there. North seats will be in full sun for the start of practice. Autographs are signed after practice. Make your way down to the bottom of the seating where players will be walking around the stadium and signing whatever fans bring. I have noticed in the past that those closest to the south tunnel have the highest chance of getting something signed. Click here to view the article