The Carolina Panthers may have a bit of an occasional opening right in the middle of their defense, one a newcomer is already making a hard push for.
For the second straight practice, linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill picked off veteran quarterback Andy Dalton during team drills in Spartanburg. Fellow backer Shaq Thompson took some time after the session to speak about the defense’s early star of training camp.
“Kamu’s one of those guys that’s just like a silent killer,” Thompson said. “They brought him in for special teams, but I definitely think he’s gonna be one of those guys—they gotta put him on the field somehow, some way. He’s been making plays, he’s fast, he’s smart, he’s a veteran. I feel like you gotta find a way to get everybody on the field, and you definitely gotta find a way to get him on the field.”
Grugier-Hill, who signed a one-year deal with the Panthers this spring, has been primarily used as a special teams player for much of his NFL career. He did, however, pick up each of his 363 snaps from the 2022 campaign on defense for the Arizona Cardinals.
While Thompson and Frankie Luvu will likely command the vast majority of looks at the two inside linebacker spots, the unit’s realignment to a 3-4 base under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero should allow for some creativity. And if Grugier-Hill continues to make plays this summer, Evero may have to get creative this fall.
