Surprise WR Declared 'Offensive Star' of Panthers' Training Camp

The first week of training camp is in the books and several Panthers have stood out, though perhaps no player's stock has risen more than second-year WR Jonathan Mingo.

After Carolina brought in Diontae Johnson and first-round rookie Xavier Legette, Mingo's path to playing time became murky. He's taking the challenge in stride, repeatedly making big plays during the first week of camp to prove he belongs in a stacked rotation.

Head coach Dave Canales said he plans to center the offense around Johnson while 1,000-yard wideout Adam Thielen is still in the building, but Mingo is making a strong case to be featured as well.

Panthers WR Jonathan Mingo Named 'Offensive Star' of First Week at Camp

Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer explains, "While Diontae Johnson has produced his own highlight reel, Mingo could easily be considered the offensive star of training camp thus far. 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."

Originally selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Mingo caught 43 of 85 targets for 418 yards as a rookie. The Panthers' 4.1 yards per play was the worst mark we'd seen in over a decade, though Mingo still had promising moments that showed the mold of a productive player.

The offseason additions made some media believe Mingo could lose his job but he's flipping that narrative on his head. Suddenly, Carolina could go from one of the worst receiver rooms in the NFL to one of the deepest.

There's plenty of time left before the regular season and we'll see what happens through padded practices. For now, Mingo is a huge riser heading into his sophomore campaign.

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