Carolina Panthers training camp stock report: Marshall, Mingo make most of practice reps

Dave Canales’ first summer as Carolina Panthers head coach is off to a solid start.

During the first week of training camp practice in Charlotte, Canales has fielded a trio of competitive workouts, even as the team has yet to don pads in drills. Players on both sides of the ball are making plays and competing at an efficient pace.

So, with a week of workouts in the books, let’s take a look at who has boosted their stock and who needs to step it up in a hurry.

Stock up

WR Jonathan Mingo: While Diontae Johnson has produced his own highlight reel, Mingo could easily be considered the offensive star of training camp thus far. Last year’s second-round pick was facing a huge summer following the offseason additions of Johnson and first-round pick Xavier Legette, and he has responded with a strong string of workouts at the facility. On Saturday, he was difficult to lock down, as he caught a handful of passes and scored two touchdowns in red-zone 11-on-11 drills. No one has boosted their stock more than Mingo this week.

WR Terrace Marshall Jr.: Like Mingo, Marshall was facing a huge training camp. And also like Mingo, Marshall has made the most of his targets in the early days of summer workouts. He produced back-to-back offensive plays of the day to wrap up the week, as he hauled in athletic catches to the ground that received cheers from fans. Marshall asked to be traded last season and garnered little interest. But if he can keep up this performance in Carolina, he could be a keeper with the Panthers this year.

C Austin Corbett: So far, so good for the new starting center. Corbett has lived up to his smart guy billing, as Canales has been happy with the operational speed of the offense this week. Corbett has done a consistently good job with snapping the ball, and the offense has seemingly benefited from his athleticism at the position. He also showed some fire in Saturday’s press conference when he pushed back against the notion of his injury history holding him back.

Panthers cornerbacks: Jaycee Horn, Troy Hill, Dane Jackson and Dicaprio Bootle all made big plays in coverage during team drills this week. Hill and Jackson both produced interceptions, while Horn and Bootle were around the ball frequently. Jackson’s pick on a pass from QB Bryce Young served as the play of the day during “Back Together Saturday.” During that same practice, Bootle got notable reps with the first-team defense as Horn was on a reps count to preserve him throughout the summer.

S Alex Cook: The second-year safety produced the first interception of training camp on Wednesday. He has also taken consistent reps with the second-team defense. After shining in spurts as a midseason rookie pickup last year, Cook is in position to play within a crowded safety room. He appears to be ahead of Sam Franklin and last year’s fifth-round pick Jammie Robinson in the defensive pecking order. He will need to be equally impressive on special teams to stick around.

TE Ian Thomas: While he’s known for his blocking ability, Thomas has made frequent plays as a pass-catcher this summer. After a strong stint in organized team activities, Thomas has followed up those workouts with continued strides in the passing game. With Tommy Tremble sidelined, Thomas is in position to earn more playing time this summer.

Stock down

TE Tommy Tremble: The Panthers’ projected starting tight end has been shut down as he works his way through a hamstring injury. While Tremble will likely return to the top of the totem pole when he is cleared, this road bump is disappointing — through no fault of his own. Tremble is still well-positioned, but this is supposed to be a major summer for him as he enters a contract year. That said, he has continued to show off his impressive work ethic after practice while working on the JUGS machine.

K Harrison Mevis: The undrafted rookie kicker is trying to unseat Eddy Piñeiro this summer. Mevis had a strong spring, but missed field-goal attempts of 40 and 55 yards in practice on Saturday. While a rookie typically deserves a ton of grace, this is a 1-on-1 competition, and Piñeiro went 5 for 5 in practice on Wednesday. It’s going to take a near-flawless performance this summer for Mevis to one-up the incumbent starter.

Panthers outside linebackers (outside of Jadeveon Clowney): Clowney has come to town and practiced as advertised this week. While Cam Gill and K’Lavon Chaisson have had their moments, the rest of the group still leaves a lot to be desired, especially with D.J. Wonnum and Amare Barno sidelined. Kemoko Turay was worth a flier, but he will do little to calm the nerves of Panthers fans seeking an improved pass rushing rotation from last season. D.J. Johnson is still more of a projection than a cog in the system.