CHARLOTTE — There's nothing like a little friendly competition.
Especially when it is, in fact, a friendly competition.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales confirmed on Monday what has been apparent through camp: that linebackers Trevin Wallace and Claudin Cherelus were competing for a starting job next to Devin Lloyd.
Both have started for the Panthers previously, and while Wallace has the incumbent status, Cherelus has played well when he's been on the field. Both have struggled to stay there at times because of injuries.
"Comfortability, command, standing in front of the huddle, making the calls, communicating it to the back half, just talking," Canales said when asked what he's seen out of Cherelus. "And then just his physical style of play continues to show up. I love that about Claude.
"Trevin's doing a great job as well. I can't talk about Claude without talking about Trevin. He looks great; he just continues to be really comfortable on the defense and finding his shots, finding his ways to make plays."
Cherelus has started six games in the last three seasons, four last year before ankle and calf injuries slowed him. Wallace has 20 starts in the last two seasons, with 12 last year before a shoulder injury ended his season prematurely.
"We've needed both of them over the last few years with different injuries that have happened to both guys; both guys have had to step in there," Canales said when asked how they've handled the competition. "They enter this with a lot of mutual respect. I can honestly say those guys really enjoy being around each other, challenging each other. So in that regard, and with any other guys, we tell them, you're not competing against each other; you're competing to become your best, and then all the other decisions take care of themselves, and I see those guys approaching it that way.
"They want to help the team win, whatever way they can; that's the way they're approaching it, and they're challenging each other by how they play and finding new ways to try to find an edge and grow in what they're doing. So I love the way they're doing it."
Veteran safety Nick Scott echoed that appreciation, because any situation in which one guy wins the job and the other doesn't creates a natural tension. But defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero said you couldn't feel it, because "first of all, they're really good friends."
"I mean, all those guys are just natural leaders," Scott said. "Their presence is always felt; when they get out there on the field, they make the plays that they're supposed to. I mean, that in and of itself is just pushing guys day in and day out.
"We've got a really good group of guys that are smart, guys that are physical and know what kind of brand of football we want to play here. So as long as those guys keep doing their job, pushing guys to the fullest, the best guys are going to be on the field for sure."
Having Lloyd next door is going to make both of them better, so it's about finding the places where the defense as a whole benefits.
"This is not a knock on anybody," Evero said. "This is just how highly we feel about both guys, and both guys have, over the last couple of years, grown a lot in terms of their play, and both of them have done a good job of putting some good tape out there. And they've also found opportunities to get better from some of the things that haven't worked out their way.
"So, I just think that's the nature of the beast, and really you're always in a competition and, I think, Trevin sees it that way, and he knows that he has to play his best, and Claude sees it the same way as well."
View some of Monday's best snaps from training camp practice.
Lathan Ransom and Bam Martin-Scott are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Xavier Legette is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jalen Coker is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
C Luke Fortner and C Sam Hecht are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
OLB Jaelan Phillips and AC Carter are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
CB Jaycee Horn and CB Will Lee III are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
CB Mike Jackson is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
WR John Metchie III is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
WR Tetairoa McMillan is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Kenny Pickett, QB Bryce Young and Kyle Trask are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
TE Feleipe Franks is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
OLB Jaelan Phillips, RB Jonathon Brooks and RB Trevor Etienne are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
AJ Dillon is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Xavier Legette is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
CB Jaycee Horn is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
T Rasheed Walker, Monroe Freeling, QB Bryce Young and RB Chuba Hubbard are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
S Nick Scott is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
WR John Metchie III is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
LB Devin Lloyd and Mayur Chaudhari are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
LB Devin Lloyd is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
OLB Jaelan Phillips is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Mike Bercovici, Kenny Pickett, Will Harriger and Bryce Young are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
WR Jalen Coker and WR David Moore are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Kyle Trask and RB Miles Davis are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
CB Cam Miller is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
WR David Moore is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
RB Jonathon Brooks is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
S Tre'von Moehrig is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
LB Mapalo Mwansa, LB Bam Martin-Scott, LB Claudin Cherelus, OLB Trevis Gipson, G Robert Hunt, QB Bryce Young and RB AJ Dillon are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jalen Coker is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
