Panthers coach Dave Canales encouraged by Carolina’s open center competition before OTAs
The Panthers are preaching heavy competition in the second year of the Canales-Morgan era. And the biggest position battle brewing ahead of 2025 organized team activities (OTA) is easily at center.
Veteran Austin Corbett, who converted from guard to center last season, will face off against Cade Mays, a former sixth-round pick, during OTAs and probably through training camp.
“It’s really cool, because we played competitive football with Cade Mays at center,” Canales said last week at the NFL’s annual owners meeting. “I had high hopes for Corbett, coming into the (2024) season, and he showed the leadership capabilities and communication style that I’m looking for — the toughness and all that. So, all of sudden, you have this really cool competition with two guys you feel great about at the center position.”
Corbett started the first five games of last season before sustaining a campaign-ending biceps injury. While Brady Christensen filled in admirably at center for a few weeks, he was eventually replaced by Mays, who had returned to the club that originally drafted him after spending a couple of weeks on the New York Giants’ practice squad.
Mays started eight of the final nine games of the season. He missed a Week 15 battle with the Arizona Cardinals due to illness. Despite missing the week, Mays was given his job back after returning to the lineup. He earned it.
The Panthers put the $3.4 million restricted tender on Mays last month. He returned to the team, while accepting his restricted tender, a couple of weeks later. Corbett also re-signed with the team on a one-year, incentive-laden pact in March.
Mays will actually make more in base salary than Corbett ($3 million) in 2025, but this competition is more about the long-term future. Whomever wins the center battle, the victor could be snapping the ball to QB Bryce Young for the foreseeable future.
Canales seemingly isn’t playing favorites. He just wants positive results, no matter who wins the competition.
“It really is an open competition, and I think that they’ll both get their shots to play with Bryce,” Canales said. “And I’m hoping that, with a great training camp and preseason, that we’ll be able to sort that part out.”
This story was originally published April 7, 2025 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Panthers coach Dave Canales encouraged by Carolina’s open center competition before OTAs."
