CHARLOTTE — When it was time for the linebackers to get their pictures taken during production day, veteran Josey Jewell brought them all with him at once.

It was part solidarity and part looking after his guys.

In the same way, Jewell's been helping newcomer Christian Rozeboom get accustomed to his new spot — on the field and in greater Charlotte.

The two Iowa natives have a lot in common beyond their job descriptions and backgrounds, and now they're practically neighbors, as Rozeboom found a house in Jewell's neighborhood in the suburbs.

For a guy who spent last year with the Los Angeles Rams, it's a lot of new to take in at once.

"I think what's nice is, wherever you are at, you find your way around," Rozeboom said. "We were blessed to find good people in LA, and you hang out, and you kind of make it what you want. And I'm excited to do the same thing here. But out there there's just so much going on, so I'm excited to be here where fans are really engaged and really want to see us succeed.

"But I'm excited to be in a smaller city, just feel more connected to the city and everything like that."

While Charlotte's no longer Mayberry, the second-largest city in the United States can be a little much for a guy born in Sioux Center, Iowa (in the northwest corner of Iowa, population 8,229), but Rozeboom was able to adjust. Having a tour guide from Decorah (in the northeast corner, population 7,587) can only help.

Rozeboom joked that he "didn't do myself any favors" by spending his first months here in a center city hotel, where he could walk back and forth from his place of residence to work. So he's still getting to know his surroundings, and now that his wife has joined him and they found a house, that's going better.

Similarly, he's stepping into a unique situation with the Panthers.

With longtime captain Shaq Thompson gone after two injury-plagued years, the Panthers have a new look at inside linebacker, with Jewell, Rozeboom, and second-year man Trevin Wallace creating a younger and deeper group.

All three have starting experience, which should benefit a defense that saw a lot of turnover from front to back this offseason. After filling certain spots late in the year with guys who were getting signed earlier in the week, the Panthers needed to add to all three levels of the defense, and Rozeboom was part of their early wave in free agency that also saw linemen Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III, and safety Tre'von Moehrig join the team.

Rozeboom started 11 games for the Rams last year and had a career-high 135 tackles, five tackles for loss, four passes defensed, an interception, and a sack. Those numbers indicate the former undrafted rookie from South Dakota State could become more than the special teams player he was cast as in his early years with the Rams.

And if nothing else, he's found a comfort zone here, from finding a new neighbor to fitting in on a team determined to improve on last year's results.

"I don't know if it's like this everywhere, but getting new guys in, especially like veterans, I've been very welcomed in, which is good," Rozeboom said. "The guys all seem like they're on board with what it takes to win, and whoever can help out and whatever role that would be, that's what they're doing. So yeah, it's been good. I've really enjoyed it so far.

"I think it's good to have all three of us. The whole room is great, they're very welcoming to me. And having another guy in there, I think everybody brings their own little piece to the puzzle. Maybe not even football-wise, but just personally and what everybody's into; we come from so many different places, but we're a lot alike at the end of the day.

"I think each guy, that's kind of the beauty of football is each guy comes from wherever it may be, and they come together in that locker room forms, and it's just kind of cool to see those bonds."