The Carolina Panthers’ mandatory minicamp got louder than usual this week—not because of crowd noise or drills, but because quarterback Bryce Young and cornerback Jaycee Horn wouldn’t stop jawing at each other during 11-on-11s. What might look like typical offseason trash talk was something else entirely. The exchanges were intense yet controlled, no shoving, no penalties, but it carried a charge that drew attention on the sidelines. And, it wasn’t a one-off moment either. Coach Dave Canales confirmed the edge has been climbing throughout camp.

“Ever since we started practicing against each other… they’re all kind of going back and forth,” Canales told reporters, singling out Chuba Hubbard, Jaycee, and Bryce as the ringleaders of this internal competition. The talk, he explained, isn’t about disrespect; it’s about raising the bar. Horn is known for this kind of energy, but what stood out was Bryce Young’s response. Rather than shrink under pressure, the usually composed, press-conference-polite Young snapped back. Canales revealed a different side of his QB: “He gets really animated… he feeds off that energy.” It’s a far cry from the version of Young the public saw last season. Now, his trash talk isn’t just tolerated—it’s welcomed. It’s part of his evolution.

Enter veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen, who had a front-row seat to it all. Speaking at the minicamp presser on Tuesday, he didn’t just dismiss the exchange as competitive banter; he contextualized it. After describing the Young/Horn battle as “fuel”, he laid out the implications:

“I think it just talks about our team. We’re a bunch of guys that want it. And I think guys are finally sick of being the same old, same old Carolina Panthers. I think we want to get back to what they did here in the past, 2015 and some of those other years when they had deep playoff runs and had the crowd involved and the city hyped up.” He paused, letting the weight of the moment sink in, then drove it home:

“We haven’t had that. And I think that just shows that guys are kind of sick and tired of the same old, same old. And everything that this organization has done this offseason has pushed us towards that and excited about that.” These are more than warm-ups; they’re a statement of intent.

For context, Thielen’s words hold real weight. The franchise hasn’t felt this kind of urgency since Cam Newton’s 2015 MVP campaign, when iron sharpened iron in training camp. That year, Newton’s infamous skirmish with corner Josh Norman wasn’t just tolerated—it was remembered as the spark behind a 15-1 season. Norman would later recall: “We gon’ get at each other, but that’s gonna make us better.” Now, in 2025, that same dynamic may be taking root—only this time, it’s Bryce Young driving it.

But as the team gears up for the new season in Bryce Young’s Newton era, there’s a crucial piece missing from the roster in the minicamps. And the HC has shared an update about that.

Dave Canales’ injury update for Amaré Barno

Let’s take you back to the 2023 season for a bit. Late in the season, Amaré Barno buckled with a torn ACL injury that sidelined him. Cut to last season, and he sat on the injury reserve all the way through November end. Once he came back, there were only 5 games for him to start. Now, back in May this year, things looked very promising for Barno. HC Dave Canales had even said, “He’s on the field doing some straight-line running stuff today. He’s been here every day working with our athletic training staff just to build the strength around it, his flexibility. The reports we’re getting are great, so he’s trending in the right direction.” But now, there’s another injury update for Barno that looks a little more promising.

Talking to the press, Dave Canales informed that Amaré Barno has had yet another procedure done on the same knee he injured back in 2023. This was the reason why Barno missed the practice. As Canales put it, “Just rehabbing, he has a little clean-out procedure with his knee, and he feels so much better already… That was something we talked to him about. They looked at it, and they said, ‘hey, we can help you here with this,’ and so I’m excited to get him back out there 100 percent.” With this update, things are looking even better for the Panthers, as their linebacker is all set to join them soon.

With all pieces soon to be back in action, the Panthers are gunning for a playoff run, and the Lombardi after that. And there’s also the added spice of QBs and CBs egging lighting fire under each other on. Is Adam Thielen’s vision for the team all set to come true this season?