Panthers training camp takeaways: Jaycee Horn ‘ready to go’, Bryce Young praises Andy Dalton

The sun shone brightly over Wofford College on Tuesday as the Panthers’ veteran players arrived in their assortment of impressive vehicles on the Spartanburg, S.C., campus for training camp.

While the rookies arrived during the weekend, veterans were given a few extra days to relax, host youth football camps and travel. Among the veterans in early was long snapper JJ Jansen, who arrived prior to his fellow specialists, and jokingly provided a valet-like gesture for kicker Eddy Piñeiro and punter Johnny Hekker, who drove in together.

Fellow veterans like defensive tackle Derrick Brown, tight end Hayden Hurst, cornerback Jaycee Horn and running back Miles Sanders headed to the dorms before speaking to the media. Rookie quarterback Bryce Young also took to the microphone, greeting the gathering with a hearty welcome to Wofford.

Here are some major takeaways from Tuesday’s parade of press conferences:

Jaycee Horn says he’s ‘ready to go’ after ankle injury

Horn said he is ready to participate in training camp after missing a small chunk of the offseason program with an ankle injury.

While Horn claimed he was “ready to go,” the cornerback refused to answer questions about how the ailment came about. Horn missed both mandatory minicamp practices with the injury.

While sidelined, Horn said he took in a lot of mental reps. He also said that he was finding his groove in the new defense prior to being sidelined.

Horn returning to practice is huge news for the secondary, as fellow starting cornerback Donte Jackson is still recovering from Achilles surgery.

Bryce Young thankful for relationship with Andy Dalton

Young and veteran quarterback Andy Dalton both want to be NFL starting quarterbacks. While it’s clear that Young is “the guy” for Carolina, the dynamic between the rookie and the veteran hasn’t skipped a beat.

In fact, Dalton has served as a constant sounding board for the first overall pick. The pair also partnered in Dallas earlier this month, as they trained with a host of Panthers playmakers on the SMU campus for a three-day workout trip.

According to Young — who turned 22 on Tuesday — Dalton has been quick to offer advice and answer the rookie’s constant questions.

“I’m super grateful to have had Andy here,” Young said Tuesday. “He’s been amazing for me.”

Dalton has been in Young’s shoes before. He was a franchise quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals for nine seasons, and like Young, was asked to lead the first-team offense as a rookie. So, that experience has lent itself to advising the upstart Heisman trophy winner.

“Obviously, (Dalton) has had so much success in this league, that knows everything — for me, it’s just trying learn as much as I can from him,” Young said. “He can tell you, I ask him questions every day (laughs). I’m always trying to pick his brain — see how he does things. And him taking the time to do what he does, and answer every single question . . . and him going out of his way to help me and mentor me, that’s something I’m extremely grateful for and it’s helped me tremendously.”

Quick Hits

▪ As seen in the video above, Hekker arrived at training camp wearing a throwback Frank Reich Panthers jersey. Reich, the current head coach, wore No. 14 as a quarterback during his lone season with the team in 1995.

▪ Miles Sanders got the biggest long-term deal of any running back on the market this offseason. While Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley and several other running backs are waiting for big long-term deals, Sanders inked a four-year, $25.4 million contract in March.

According to ESPN, several notable running backs took part in a Zoom conference call on Saturday to discuss the league’s tendency to underpay the position. Sanders said Tuesday that he was not part of the Zoom call.

▪ Horn said that he watched undrafted rookie Rejzohn Wright while the young cornerback was a subject on Netflix’s “Last Chance U.” At the time, Horn told friends that Wright was going end up in the NFL.

Through mutual friends, namely Wright’s brother, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Nahshon Wright, the two connected as work out partners for before the draft. When Wright signed with the Panthers, Horn said he was excited to partner with him.

▪ Sanders said that while offensive coordinator Thomas Brown and assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley have differing personalities, the coaches are both no-nonsense teachers. Brown has a bit of an understated presence, while Staley is more loud and outgoing. Still, both are focused on the work, according to Sanders.

▪ Hurst said tight ends coach John Lilly is a new-age coach. He isn’t much of a screamer, but he has high expectations and wants his players to be prepared like he is. Hurst said Lilly’s approach is the way the NFL appears to be trending when it comes to teaching from the position.

▪ Horn on his Madden NFL 24 rating of 80:

“Most of the ratings, the top cornerbacks, I don’t let that stuff bother me. But anybody who knows me knows I play ‘Madden’ all day. I’m a real ‘Madden’ head. So it bothered me a little bit that I was that low. But I posted a video, and they DM’d me about it. And I told them it’s no pressure, I’ll just go out there and earn it.”

▪ Brown said that defensive line coach Todd Wash’s background as a defensive coordinator has given the position room a leg up in breaking down offenses. Brown said Wash set the tone from Day 1 when they first met during the offseason program. Brown said Wash takes care of his players.

▪ Brown said he likes the Wofford environment because it allows the players to shut out distractions and focus on football. The group also gets to build camaraderie during the nights on the camp.