Panthers developing disruptive defensive dimension

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Linebacker Shaq Thompson, who missed all but two games in 2023 due to a broken fibula, returns to a Carolina Panthers defense that was last in the NFL in takeaways with 11.

Dave Canales was energized. As usual.

The Carolina Panthers coach spoke excitedly last month about tracking how the defensive players keep developing disruptive habits.

During the offseason, starting with rookie camp and blending into offseason training activities and mandatory minicamp, the Panthers focused on accomplishing something last season’s club couldn’t: create turnovers.

“That’s the biggest mindset, right?” linebacker Shaq Thompson said, throwing out his arms for added emphasis. “It’s all about the ball. Offense or defense, it’s all about that ball.”

The mindset certainly was lacking during an otherwise forgettable 2023 campaign. The Panthers manufactured an NFL-low 11 turnovers that included eight interceptions. On the flip side, the Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants tied for the league lead with 31 takeaways.

The turnover math remains rudimentary.

According to several betting platforms, NFL teams who win the turnover battle win approximately 75% of the time.

“I think the teams that are consistent are the ones that you see consistently in the turnover margins … the Buffalo Bills, the Kansas City Chiefs …. et cetera … et cetera,” Thompson said. “And so that’s where we’ve got to start putting ourselves. We’ve got to get two, three turnovers a game. It’s a must.”

When a defense forces turnovers, it creates sudden changes for both teams. They can provide favorable field position and generate team-wide momentum.

The Panthers seldom benefited from that last season.

Canales remains committed to creating a new culture. After each offseason practice, he delivered a variation of “Another great day. We want to see the energy.”

A spark would be nice for long-suffering Panthers fans. Since owner David Tepper purchased the franchise in 2018, the team compiled a 31-68 record, the NFL’s worst mark during that span.

Potentially, the Panthers possess playmaking defenders at all three levels, highlighted by Jadeveon Clowney, Thompson and cornerback Jaycee Horn. Their athleticism could provide a jolt to the new-look roster. But each player enters training camp with question marks.

• Can Clowney continue his career resurgence?

• Will Thompson, a 10-year veteran, rebound from last season’s Week 2 fractured fibula?

• How long can injury-plagued Horn remain on the field?

If Clowney, Thompson and Horn remain healthy and the defenders continue conditioning their mindset to strip the ball away from opponents, perhaps the Panthers’ turnover ratio will spike next season.
“Another thing I was really excited about this spring is the focus of the defense on attacking the football,” Canales said.

The practice likely will continue when full-squad training camp opens at the new practice fields behind Bank of America Stadium on June 24.

“You see the mentality,” Canales said. “You see guys getting ready to punch the ball. You see guys ripping at it when the running backs are coming through the line and how that’s trained our offense because our running backs have had to wrap it up with two hands every run because the defense is striking at it.”