CHARLOTTE — Chau Smith-Wade couldn't help the smirk that slipped on his face. It's rare to ever see the rookie defensive back without a smile and a bounce to his step, finding the positives in living his dream, but last Sunday night that grin held a smidge of cheshire-like chagrin.

"Anytime you have a penalty, I guess it's a learning lesson. I suppose I could have played it better," Smith-Wade smiled. "A good play by the receiver just to be able to just flop."

All pointed kidding aside, the Washington State product acknowledged that his defensive pass interference call last Sunday against the Washington Commanders, as well as a few other moments, are lessons for him now as the starting nickel.

"I could've played it better, got more depth and that depth would've put me in better position to not get a DPI," Smith-Wade explained. "I got my eyes back and a lot of guys were saying you got to get your eyes back."

The Panthers will take those learning curves and lumps though, not only for the course correction it provides for the future, but the energy that rookies like linebacker Trevin Wallace and Smith-Wade are bringing to a defense that's seen plenty of movement already this year. Wallace, as well as Xavier Woods, finished Sunday's game with seven tackles, while Smith-Wade had a game high eight. The latter led to Smith-Wade finishing with the Panthers highest tackling grade of the day, according to Pro Football Focus. He also finished with the lowest grade in the passing game, but the best grade in the run game.

"The discipline of his eyes, staying with his matches, those are the things that we want to continue to see him improve on," Panthers head coach Dave Canales offered, after watching the tape from Sunday's game. "(But) a lot of high energy play."

Defensive backs' games are predicated on being aggressive and tenacious. Helping Smith-Wade—who was playing alongside vested starters Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson and Dane Jackson—harness that dogged attitude within the rules.

"Yeah, that's the discipline of it, right? Eyes and feet," Canales admitted. "So, you have to make sure you're seeing what's happening, you react and then of course, just as you play to the ball, you're playing the ball instead of playing through the person. So, these are all fundamental things that he's got to continue to improve on."

Dane Jackson joined the Panthers this offseason as a free agent, coming from the Buffalo Bills. While Week 7 was his first game action after coming off of injured reserve, he's watched Smith-Wade closely in the offseason program. Now that he's seen the DB start to show it on the field as well as the starting nickel, he sees the vision for the rookie.

"Chau, he's natural. He's a baller. He plays the game hard; he plays the game the right way and, he's showing a lot, he's showing that he can do it," Jacksons said.

"So, I feel like the coaches, and players as well, we all believe in him to keep doing what he's doing and making those improvements as the season goes along."

After the Panthers released veteran Troy Hill last week and Smith-Wade got the nod, the rookie was handed a chance; a chance to make his mistakes, make his plays, and set the stage for the rest of his career.

Said Canales, "From snap one to, to his final snap of the game, he showed a lot of great energy and aggression out there. So, I was really excited about where he's headed."