Panthers’ Reich says there’s a consensus at No. 1; Thielen discusses change of scenery

The Panthers had nearly perfect attendance on Tuesday during the first day of a three-day voluntary veteran minicamp at Bank of America Stadium.

While pass rusher Brian Burns — who underwent ankle surgery last week — and newly signed tight end Hayden Hurst were absent from the Day 1 workout, the rest of the Panthers’ veteran roster was in attendance at practice.

“It shows the quality of players, it shows their ‘buy-in’ — it shows that they understand the opportunity before us,” Reich said. “That’s what we have — an opportunity, as coaches and players, and as a team. It’s up to us to make the most of it.

“I also think it shows the trust between players and coaches. We’re not trying to kill the guys right now — we’re trying to get better, we’re trying to get our systems installed, we’re trying to gain a foundation for what we want to do during the season. So, it’s good to have most of the guys here.”

With 63 of their 65 players on the field, the Panthers broke up into individual and team drills as the squad worked on installing new offensive and defensive systems.

Wide receiver DJ Chark (ankle) and right guard Austin Corbett (knee) were sidelined for the workout because of recent offseason surgeries, but both were in attendance for the workout, supporting their teammates during drills.

Consensus at No. 1

After practice, Reich said he met with GM Scott Fitterer on Monday to discuss the No. 1 overall pick.

“It was kind of like a proposal of sorts,” Reich said with a laugh. “And I said ‘yes.’ . . . There’s consensus and we’re excited.”

While all signs have seemingly pointed to Alabama’s Bryce Young, the Panthers have done their due diligence on Kentucky’s Will Levis, Florida’s Anthony Richardson and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud as well.

Reich said the Panthers coaching staff started well behind the scouting department in studying the quarterbacks, but the coaches eventually — and gradually — caught up in their conviction to the soon-to-be top choice.

“I think the process was really first class,” Reich said. “Scott handled it perfectly. The scouts were amazing. They really helped us as coaches — helped us frame some things, frame some questions. . . . There are ebbs and flows to the process — I wouldn’t say there’s any drastic change of mind, but there’s ebbs and flows of how much you like a guy. And that’s why you have to resist the temptation to make your mind up too early.”

The Panthers will be on the clock at 8 p.m. on Thursday. Carolina owns six picks in the draft, including the No. 39 and No. 93 (from San Francisco) selections on Day 2.

Thielen’s ‘breath of fresh air’

For the first time in his life, wideout Adam Thielen is living and playing somewhere outside of Minnesota.

The 33-year-old receiver was cut by the Vikings this offseason after a nine-year stint with the franchise. The Minnesota State alum signed a three-year, $25 million deal with the Panthers in March during free agency.

Coming off his first practice as a Panther, Thielen said he felt energized by his new surroundings.

“It feels like a whole different world for me,” Thielen said. “Super exciting — kind of a breath of fresh air — I’ve got to go prove myself, again. . . . I’ve got to meet a lot of people and prove that I’m the player that I am to everybody in this building. So, it’s definitely a different experience for me — but like I said, it’s kind of keeping me young, keeping me fresh and excited.”

Thielen — while not well-traveled — is the most experienced player in the wideout room. Joined by young playmakers like Chark and Terrace Marshall Jr., Thielen was signed by Carolina to lead the group.

The two-time Pro Bowl pass-catcher remembers when he was a young, undrafted rookie, and then-Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway went out of his way to welcome Thielen to the team.

Thielen will look to pay that gesture forward with the rookies who are set to join him in Charlotte following the draft.

“I’ll never forget that,” Thielen said. “And it’s something that I carry with me to this day — to make sure that I’m treating every single guy, when they come into that locker room, with respect, and try to be available when they need me.”

Quick Hits

▪ The Panthers re-signed special teams ace/defensive rover Sam Franklin to a one-year deal ahead of practice. Franklin was initially given a “right of first refusal” restricted tender in March, but the two sides worked out a different one-year pact ahead of the NFL draft, according to two league sources. The terms of the new deal weren’t immediately made available.

Franklin had been working out at the Panthers’ facility before agreeing to the new deal. He was on the practice field on Tuesday.

▪ The Panthers announced uniform numbers for their new players ahead of practice.

Thielen (19), Chark (17), quarterback Andy Dalton (14), running back Miles Sanders (6), safety Vonn Bell (24), linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill (54), defensive linemen Shy Tuttle (99) and DeShawn Williams (96) and defensive back Eric Rowe (29) were among the new faces with new numbers.

With Bell taking on No. 24, cornerback CJ Henderson switched to No. 23. Second-year offensive lineman Cade Mays switched to No. 66 to allow free-agent guard Justin McCray to wear No. 64.

▪ Quarterbacks coach Josh McCown — who played nearly two decades in the NFL — took a hands-on approach during his first practice at the helm. McCown made sure to physically work with each of his quarterbacks on timing and mechanic drills.

McCown was also noticeably vocal with his quarterbacks, including Dalton, who has played in the league since 2011. At one point, McCown — who once served as an emergency tight end for the Detroit Lions — caught passes from Dalton, Matt Corral and Jacob Eason during individual drills.

▪ When discussing the transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense, Reich pointed out that pass rusher Yetur Gross-Matos has a notable learning curve. Gross-Matos has been a 4-3 defensive end since his Penn State days, and he is now converting to 3-4 outside linebacker.

Listed as 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, Gross-Matos is an unusual fit for the position. However, he worked out on the field with the team on Tuesday.

As mentioned in this week’s draft mailbag, Gross-Matos is someone to monitor during draft weekend as a potential trade candidate due to his odd fit in the new scheme.