Devin Lloyd is always learning, making him the best teacher for Panthers teammates

Jul 26, 2026 at 05:44 PM

Kassidy Hill

LB Devin Lloyd is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

CHARLOTTE — Since arriving in Charlotte this spring, Devin Lloyd has been a sponge.

The middle linebacker has made an effort to soak up the storied history of the position here in the Carolinas, studying the lineage, impact, and expectations of the Panthers' middle linebacker.

"There's a lineage of great linebacker play, and that's special to be a part of," admitted Lloyd. "And I want to just continue to do everything I can to be the best player I can be, best leader, best everything I can for this team to carry on that torch."

He's even taken advantage of his proximity to one of the best to ever do it with a recent film session alongside Luke Kuechly.

But one can't create their own legacy without the day-to-day work put in, so Lloyd has also been a sponge when it comes to the 2026 Panthers' defense. As the green dot on the field, he'll be the one to relay the plays for the front-seven. That means having an innate understanding of his job and the job of those around him. And he needs to have it by September.

Mapalo Mwansa, Claudin Cherelus and Devin Lloyd are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp on Thursday, Jul. 23, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

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"This is my fourth defense going into my fifth season. So, I've had to essentially relearn a new defense every year, and then doing that you kind of find a way that works best for you," explained Lloyd on Sunday, following the Panthers' third training-camp practice.

"For me, it's really just looking at the playbook, looking at the film, looking at the playbook, looking at the film, talking it out with the coaches. I think now I'm at a point where I kind of visualize it in a way where it all makes sense.

"So for me, I need the reps on the field. That's probably the most valuable thing. But I always tell some of the guys in the room, like the best way I learned early on was drawing on the board, drawing the offensive formation, drawing the defensive formation, and then drawing the play, everybody's assignments. I think that's one of the best ways to learn, and I'll do that sometimes."

LB Devin Lloyd and RB Chuba Hubbard are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

His insistence on taking the lessons he's learned and passing them along is a huge reason Carolina wanted him in this locker room. Because as much as he's been a sponge, Devin Lloyd also has a lot to offer and teach himself.

"From the time he got here," Canales quickly answered when asked if Lloyd had found his voice as a leader in Charlotte. "First of all, the guy, his reputation precedes him, so a lot of the guys knew who he was and the type of football that he was capable of playing. Then just the way he carries himself, it's a posture where you want to respect the guy, and you know that he's here to work.

"He's here to do it together with the guys, and I know they can see that and he fits right into a lot of the guys we have here already and so, really it was an immediate impact."

The football he's capable of playing is to the tune of an average of 109 tackles over each of the last four years, and then 1.5 sacks in 2025 alone, plus a fumble recovery, seven passes defensed, and five interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.

Lloyd hit a groove last season thanks in large part to a training regimen he perfected over the first four years of his career, finally finding a sweet spot with it in 2025. Now, that's a big part of what Canales wants his other linebackers to learn from Lloyd.

"Just a pro's pro, the way that he prepares, the way he takes care of his body," bragged Canales. "He's a guy you have to pull back because he's going to want to do more. Loves to be in the gym, in the weight room, working on his body, aqua therapy, whatever it is, massage, different, he's got his whole plan figured out."

The Carolina Panthers hold Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Tuesday, Apr. 21, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility at Bank Of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

That plan, according to Lloyd, took time to figure out, but once he did, it quickly became his norm.

"That really just comes from learning what my body needs, what my mind needs, what my spirit needs in order to, really, it's a lifestyle," shared Lloyd. "It's not even just necessarily about training camp or the season; it's a lifestyle, so just finding the best way to do something sustainable for me."

The training program/lifestyle and the approach to practice are tactical things to which Canales and coaches can point, telling the rest of their linebackers to follow Lloyd's lead. But in true leader style, the linebacker is ensuring he is not the only voice his room hears.

"It starts in the linebacker room, really just trying to make sure I'm doing my part to elevate the room. But I'm not the only one in that room; everybody else is a leader in their own right," explained Lloyd. "So it's really just us learning from each other, obviously being humble enough too; it doesn't matter what year you're in, being able to learn from each other, but yeah, I definitely feel like I've found my voice."

Arguably the only thing more powerful than his voice in the room is his play on the field. It is there, where his actions speak louder than anything he could tell his teammates; the Panthers are already seeing the immediate impact of Devin Lloyd.

"There's an energy about him, there's an excitement," said Canales. "There's a focus and engagement that he brings to walkthroughs, to the practice, that's great."

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QB Bryce Young is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.