SPARTANBURG, S.C. – As a coach's son, tight end Greg Olsen has always had a very measured approach to training camp and the entire process that takes place before, during and after a season.
"(Camp) kicks off the season," said Olsen, who is entering his ninth training camp. "The offseason stuff back at the stadium, not that it's not serious, not that it's not important, there's just something different. When you get back to camp, it's kind of like the signal to put your head down and get to work. The season will be here before we know it. This is the final stage before the real show starts.
"We have a long ways to go, but we are in a position to have success," Olsen added. "Every year you start from scratch. You've got to stay healthy, you got to have young guys step up, new faces come in and establish their roles."
Olsen doesn't allow himself to look too far ahead. Other players are different. Defensive end Mario Addison, for instance, offered a bold prediction when he was asked what the limit is for the 2015 Panthers.
"There aren't any limits," Addison said. "We are going all the way. We have all the tools – all we have to do is put it together. I see a Super Bowl. This is one of the best teams I've played on."
When told of Addison's remarks, Olsen took a different approach. But the two players' goals are one in the same.
"I'm not a big bold predictor or a quote machine – that's not really my thing. We have a long ways to go," Olsen said. "For us to sit here today and say as we are just moving our bags in we are going to make it … would I be surprised if we did? No. But do we have a ton of work that needs to go in and have things fall into place before we put ourselves in position to accomplish those things? Yes. That's what we start this afternoon."
