CHARLOTTE — The Panthers suffered their first big injury blow of training camp, and it's an absence that will be felt in a number of areas.

Head coach Dave Canales said that safety and special teams star Sam Franklin Jr. suffered a broken foot during the Back Together Saturday practice inside Bank of America Stadium.

It's a significant injury, but Canales said the hope was that Franklin would be able to return at some point during the regular season.

"That's a huge hit for us," Canales said. "He's a fantastic spirited guy, really the leader of the special teams unit and as someone that we're really going to count on. So, we've got to make sure we hit this rehab the right way, and Sam will come back to us at the right time."

Beyond his multiple roles on special teams (including instigator), he has started nine games in his career and made impact plays on defense, including last year's 99-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Vikings.

Canales mentioned a number of players who could step into special teams void Franklin leaves, including the inside linebacker and safety room, along with cornerbacks D'Shawn Jamison and Dicaprio Bootle and running back Mike Boone. Outside linebacker Amaré Barno's another one who can help replace him at gunner on the punt team, but he's still on the physically unable to perform list after last year's knee injury.

"You can't replace Sam Franklin, but this is a great opportunity for guys to step up," Canales said. "There's guys that can find a role for themselves on special teams. And really, that's a great way to make the 53, is to make an impact in these practices first. And then, of course, as we hit preseason opportunities, to be able to step up in that role.

"But, Sam certainly is a special player, not just from an ability standpoint and the impact he makes, but also just his juice, his personality, he's one of my guys. It's like every day, it's just this great opportunity, and he loves being out there. He loves playing ball, so, a big loss there, but definitely looking for some guys to step up in terms of the play."

— The Panthers had another worrisome looking injury during practice, as wide receiver Daewood Davis had to be carted off after getting tangled up with a teammate during 1-on-1 drills.

Canales said he was being evaluated for a thigh injury, and he didn't have more of an update.

Right guard Damien Lewis was a bystander during the second half of practice, as he was limited with some shoulder soreness. Canales said it was about monitoring his workload. They used Chandler Zavala with the first group in his absence.

Linebacker Shaq Thompson (illness) was also held out, and tight end Tommy Tremble (hamstring) remained sidelined and came out midway through practice with the guys on the PUP list.

- Despite all the bad news on the injury front, there was still a tangible pop in practice.

It was another unseasonably cool day, and that helps, but Jaycee Horn and the defensive players have kept the volume at an impressive pitch throughout camp.

"I love it," Canales said. "And really what I'm looking for is, I'm looking for guys to show who they are, and I think that comes with the confidence that comes with knowing what they're doing and then just the natural flow of their personality. Each group kind of takes on a personality. I like that to happen organically, and that's Jaycee, and he's showing this competitive side of him, and he's very vocal with that. I don't expect all the guys to be that way if it fits them, you know, I don't want anybody to, to feel like it has to be contrived.

"I want it to be natural and I want it to come from competence, knowing what we're doing and having that attack mentality. I love that part of it."

— Jonathan Mingo said that rookie Xavier Legette had brought a little energy, along with some little mild confusion, to the receivers room.

Mingo said that position coach Rob Moore (born in Hempstead, N.Y.) often struggles to follow Legette's answers to questions, but veteran (and Detroit Lakes, Minn. native) Adam Thielen has offered to help. It apparently works better than you think it would.

Mingo, who was born in Brandon. Miss., said Legette actually gets him off the hook.

"Everybody was looking at me as the country guy on the team," Mingo laughed. "So he came in, I got bumped to second place. The biggest thing, coach Moore can't understand him. So every time they get an answer, coach Moore will just be looking at him and be confused, and we all just start laughing every time."

— Canales said that in addition to going in full pads for the first time tomorrow, they'll be in full pads for Thursday's Fan Fest practice at Clemson.

He said they'd treat the practice as an intrasquad scrimmage, and as it's the second padded session in a three-day span, will provide a good gauge for where they are physically.

"So we'll get to bang tomorrow," he said. "So we're really just looking forward to people coming out and bringing that energy for that particular practice (in Clemson) too because it's just another opportunity for us to crank it up and to really make each other better."

— Canales is upbeat every day when he comes to the microphone and he even found the silver lining in walking onto the practice field in the pouring rain.

"As soon as practice started, the sky stopped falling the way that it was as we were walking over," he said. "I love the dramatic build up."

— Quarterback Bryce Young hit a number of shots downfield Monday, and used his mobility to create a deep shot. While rolling out to his left, he found Ian Thomas with a high-arcing pass for a significant gain.

Canales liked the improvisation, since it provides work for both sides of the ball.

"Especially when the play does break down, he's keeping his eyes up," Canales said of Young. "Fantastic, aggressive eyes. So he's looking down there, top down. You'll always have your options here, you know. But we're talking about after the play, and he's being able to find some explosive plays in there. He'll know when it's OK, it's covered, tuck it down, go get us some yards, and take care of the quarterback at the end of it.

"But, I'm excited about that because it trains the whole group. It trains the defense because there's going to be scramble quarterbacks that they have to continue their coverage beyond their assignment. There are going to be plays for our offense where this is the second or third play, and that's when your conditioning really starts to play. And trust it, go get that next ball. We'll take care of you. We'll make our substitutions, but he's training the whole group; the line has to continue to block. So it, it's the whole thing."

— One of the interesting things happening during practice is the interaction between Horn and the receivers. He's getting three distinct challenges in Thielen, Legette, and Diontae Johnson, forcing him to be sharp in his technique. But after plays, he's often discussing routes with them, with Johnson standing alongside the defensive players rather than his own guys, discussing things at length.

Considering Johnson's knack for getting open, that's a good test for Horn, among the challenges he's presented with every day.

— There were dozens of team Legends in the house all weekend, but some of them are regular contributors.

Former linebacker Thomas Davis was on hand for practice Monday, something that happens often enough you stop noticing at a certain point.