CHARLOTTE — As the dulcet tones of Sir Charles Jones crooned over the speakers, declaring it Friday, and time to get our groove on, it really started to sink in; it's game week in Charlotte, and the countdown to kickoff can now be counted in double digit hours.

Dave Canales said after practice he felt "the guys were locked in." And as the Carolina Panthers worked through their nearly two-hour session, wrapping up preparations for the New Orleans Saints, Canales saw a team ready for their debut.

"This is a focused and serious group, so it just fit that and just reminded them at the end, we're ready, we're ready to play ball. So fired up to see these guys work."

With a new offensive scheme, a new offensive coaching staff and a lot of new faces on defense, heading into the Superdome will be no easy feat. But with promising youth and expanded schemes, there are multiple intriguing areas to keep an eye on Sunday.

With that being said, here are five things to watch in the Panthers versus the Saints.

Bryce 2.0

If there is one question that has dominated this offseason, it has been, what will Bryce Young look like in this Dave Canales offense? While it's still very early on and more can come down the road, Sunday is the first chance to see Young in this system for more than a drive.

Throughout the offseason, training camp and Young's one possession versus the Bills, the biggest takeaway was how much the coaching staff not only allowed Young to use his legs but encouraged the idea. Whether feeling more comfortable escaping the pocket when pressured, taking on designed runs or throwing the ball on boots, Young's mobility has been implemented heavily into the offense.

Don't expect that to be the entire identity though, Young said this week.

"It's my job to execute whatever the defense gives us. We want to make sure that we're getting through all our progressions, going through reads, not skipping anything," Young said.

"That's something we talk about and then we talk about the time clock as well. So making sure that when we get past that point, knowing that we're kind of playing on borrowed time, going to have to move, escape, do whatever it may be.

"So again, it's a play-by-play type of thing. I never go into a game like, 'hey, I want to get quick through, I don't want to read through my concepts. I always want to do my best to execute the play as it's called and then, you know, you react to the second play."

Introducing J.T. Sanders

The Panthers will be thin at tight end on Sunday, with both Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas ruled out. That means rookie Ja'Tavion Sanders will be starting in his first action in the NFL. The Texas product has impressed all training camp, earning a new jersey number (No. 0) and trust from the coaches to handle the duties against the Saints. But he's not intimidated.

"I wouldn't say pressure at all," Sanders shared this week. "At the end of the day, we just going out there playing football, something I've been doing since a little kid.

"I think first NFL game, might have a little jitters, but once I feel that first kickoff, it all goes away, it's time to lock in."

With his 6-4, 252-pound frame, Sanders has the size to be a big blocker. He has the hands to be a dynamic pass catcher though. The Panthers are fine with him being both.

"He plays grounded, he plays with great feet, and that can translate into the blocking game as well," offensive coordinator Brad Idzik said of Sanders this week. "We knew he's going to bring in the pass and he's continued to develop as a blocker, and we love it.

"I would say he's one of the ones who benefited most from extended reps in training camp. He's bought into every asset of what we're trying to do, big props to him."

Sanders had three receptions for 35 yards during the preseason games and became a highlight reel as camp waned on. He'll be joined by veteran Jordan Matthews. The club also signed Messiah Swinson off the Packers practice squad this week and have Feleipe Franks available on the practice squad.

Pass rush still open

The Panthers listed DJ Johnson as the starter opposite Jadeveon Clowney on the depth chart. The position is still up for grabs though, with Eku Leota and Jamie Sheriff also vying for snaps. The latter was a waiver pickup from the Seattle Seahawks last week. Sheriff has quickly impressed coaches and teammates, but he has only been in Charlotte for a little over a week. If it is Johnson starting opposite Clowney on Sunday, the Pro-Bowler is just as excited as anyone to see how the second-year Johnson performs.

"I tell DJ all week, since training camp, work on your pass rush, getting under people, bending," Clowney said this week. "You see he got a lot better with his long arm throughout training camp. I'm just ready to see what he do Week 1, transitioning over to when we play the Saints. I'm like y'all, I'm ready to see myself."

No matter who lines up on the other side though, Clowney—who had 9.5 sacks last year with the Baltimore Ravens—feels his role won't change.

"My job is the same; play hard, rush the passer, make tackles and set the edge. It's going to be the same week in and week out," Clowney promised.

"I believe in my group of guys that we have; I think they can go out there and get the job done. So, I'm not too worried about what's going on. I watch these guys come in and practice and work every day. So, I'm pretty confident in them. Just looking forward to seeing them go out here on Sunday and put the work in."

Football or Fútbol?

When the NFL updated the rules for kickoffs this year, it was in hopes of creating not only more dynamic returns, but just more returns in general. The updates, and incentive to put the ball in the landing zone (0-20 yards) as opposed to a touchback (which brings the ball to the 30-yard line) mean special teams units will have to be more crafty in exactly where they place the ball.

"It's decreased the necessary, pure power necessity in the kicker," special teams coordinator Tracy Smith said. "So, some of the guys that have better placement, better accuracy, some of the better field goal kickers can kind of do some things that other guys can't on the kickoffs. So, we, week by week, learn what we can do and what we can cover."

For the Panthers, having Eddy Piñeiro allows an advantage.

"He gives us a lot of options with his soccer background and the way he can move the ball around," Smith said this week of Piñeiro. "So, he kind of opens up the field in this particular way."

Even with Piñeiro's repertoire, Smith wants to remain realistic about what should and shouldn't be done on kickoffs, especially so early into the change. Luckily, it's something 31 other teams are juggling as well. Everyone will be learning together, and until there is a better grasp, Smith sees a more conservative approach.

"I think in the first year of this rule, it's challenging to ask a kicker to do something he hasn't done on TV before," Smith said. "I think we'll see what teams have practiced and then also what they did in the preseason games as part of their strategy. Because if you're really hiding something, you better be sure before you get out there.

"So, you saw us do a lot of things in the preseason. We tried short, we tried deep, we tried whatever we had, because it's the first time for everybody. There's not a kicker in the world that stood back there by himself to kick the ball, and all these different things we're asking him to do. So, it's challenging to know what's game ready and what's not."

"Stop the run"

When it comes to the Panthers defensive plan, Clowney knows there are parts that are simple to remember.

"It really starts with the quarterback, Derek (Carr)," Clowney explained. "We've got to frustrate him, try to get going and stop the run."

The latter part means slowing down Alvin Kamara.

Kamara might have had more productive years early on in his career, he proved in 2023 he's still more than capable of carrying the load for the Saints. The longtime dual threat back carried the ball 180 times for 694 yards (average 3.9) and five touchdowns on the ground. He added 75 catches for 466 yards and another touchdown through the air.

Stopping him will allow Clowney and others to tee off more against Carr.

"Every game you come to the National Football League, I'm sure everybody in the whole National Football League on defense writes 'stop the run' is the number one thing on your board," Clowney said. "So, for us it's going to stopping the run and try to get pressure on him throughout the game. I think that's going to be the biggest takeaway for the game. Get pressure, get him rattled in the pocket so it's going to come down to that."