CHARLOTTE—Will Lee III started training camp by jumping right into the fire. With Jaycee Horn sidelined to start (toe) and having since returned but primarily working in the slot, it was the rookie Lee who set up camp outside as the boundary corner.
His directive from coaches was clear: master the outside corner position, and we'll grow from there.
He has lined up against the first-team offense for almost two weeks now, facing Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette, and others who have put him through the wringer as he adjusts to the NFL.
With each day, coach Dave Canales has seen the Texas A&M product take a step forward. As long as that trajectory continues, each day is a success.
"He's given up some plays," Canales admitted, before continuing, "he's made a lot of great plays, had a chance at an interception on one of them and just couldn't come away with it, but he's putting himself in the right position, and that's where it all starts: assignment, technique, be in phase so you can make a play, and that's where he continues to grow daily."
Those matchups have meant Lee is going toe-to-toe with the reigning rookie of the year, McMillan, more than any other receiver. And those battles have quickly become must-see during one-on-one and team drills. That was the case again on Monday, when the two battled it out throw after throw.
"That's where we make us," said Canales. "That's how we get better as we go against the best guys that we have to put out there, and (Lee's) responded really well."
In the final period, a two-minute move-the-ball period where the offense needed a touchdown, Bryce Young sent one deep to McMillan. The two connected on a lot of those passes last season, but Monday, Lee came in for the pass break-up with perfect timing. Two plays later, Lee did it again on McMillan, keeping the receiver away from the ball.
The next-to-last play, having to get in the end zone, Young sent a deep pass to the back corner for McMillan. It was a great pass; it would've been an amazing catch. But Lee timed it perfectly to get his hand in there for the break-up.
On the final play of the day, as they did so many times last season and have done so again this training camp, Young and McMillan took one more shot at a winning play. This time, it hit.
"Those are game-changing plays in a drive when we can take an explosive on the outside in a one-on-one matchup. So it's something we have to take advantage of. I love that they're taking those opportunities," bragged Canales.
It was much the same route as the previous play, with McMillan going deep to a spot in the end zone, Lee guarding him well, and Young sending one high for his tall receiver. This time, though, McMillan was ready for Lee's moves and boxed him out, pulling in the catch that "won" the day for the offense.
"We try to oscillate between having the ones finish the practice, having the twos or threes finish the practice, and I just like having that finish moment. Everybody knows, here's the last drill — minutes, some odd seconds, no timeouts, got to have a touchdown to win it."
And they did.
View some of Monday's best snaps from Panthers training camp practice.
Tyrek Funderburk is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Lee Hunter is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
DeCarlos Nicholson is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Cam Jackson is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Maz Mwansa is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Trevor Etienne is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Tetairoa McMillan is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Cam Miller is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Sam Hecht and Isaia Glass are seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Tetairoa McMillan is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
RB Jonathon Brooks and Cam Jackson are seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
QB Bryce Young and Kenny Pickett are seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
AC Carter and OLB Jaelan Phillips are seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
AC Carter and OLB Patrick Jones II are seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
AC Carter and OLB Patrick Jones II are seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Trevis Gipson is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
OLB Princely Umanmielen is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
OLB Patrick Jones II is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
OLB Princely Umanmielen and DeCarlos Nicholson are seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Sam Martin, JJ Jansen and K Ryan Fitzgerald are seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Ja'seem Reed is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
DE Jared Harrison-Hunte, Stone Forsythe and Kenny Pickett are seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Isaiah Smith is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
LB Maema Njongmeta is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Zakee Wheatley and TE Ja'Tavion Sanders are seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
OLB Patrick Jones II is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
OLB Patrick Jones II is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
TE Ja'Tavion Sanders is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Feleipe Franks is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Feleipe Franks is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
CB Will Lee III and WR Brycen Tremayne are seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Dan Morgan is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Tre'von Moehrig is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jaycee Horn, JD Rast, Tetairoa McMillan and Bryce Young are seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
John Metchie III is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Ja'seem Reed is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Casey Washington is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Brycen Tremayne is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Rendrick Taylor is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
David Moore and QB Bryce Young are seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
OLB Thomas Incoom is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Lathan Ransom is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Maema Njongmeta is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jimmy Horn Jr., Jalen Coker, Casey Washington and WR Tetairoa McMillan are seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
WR Tetairoa McMillan is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
QB Bryce Young is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young is seen during during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
