With 51 days left to go until the Carolina Panthers kick off the season against the Dallas Cowboys Youth Greg Van Roten Jersey , Bradley Smith wrote a stellar tribute piece talking about the only man who will ever sport the number 51 again for the black and blue, Sam Mills. That article got me thinking again about his inspirational “Keep Pounding” speech and the incredible playoff run it inspired, and about how his legacy and message of overcoming adversity transferred perfectly into the living body of Thomas Davis.Thomas Davis has been an incredible standard bearer for the Keep Pounding mantra over his NFL career, enduring an astounding amount of knee surgeries (three to be exact) while continuing to perform at an All-Pro level, and even playing in the Super Bowl with a broken arm. Now a cagey veteran, the team is going to have to start to consider a time without TD on the field. It could be as early as next offseason, but it also could be a little longer according to TD himself. Either way, the on-field legacy is going to need a new host. Thomas Davis is perfectly healthy and will hopefully live a long life after football, and I’m sure he’ll maintain that same driven spirit, but the team needs a guy on the field that exhibits that virtue, that tenacity to overcome and prevail http://www.panthersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-david-mayo-jersey , someone who just has “the stuff” Sam Mills talked about baked into his bones.Enter Ian Thomas, a mid-round rookie tight end with an inspirational backstory that anyone can cheer for, but has yet to play a down in the NFL. Panthers.com did an amazing video outlining his story that I highly recommend you all watch:If that doesn’t move you, quite frankly, you can’t be my friend. I want all the best for this kid, and I want his NFL career to be a keynote on what is already an inspiring life.Obviously, both Sam Mills and Thomas Davis have a long list of on-field accomplishments to go with their stories and right now we have no idea about Ian Thomas the player, but we have received a great look into Ian Thomas the man. That ability to rise above and turn each hard-earned inch into a mile, that’s the stuff that inhabited Mills, still inhabits Davis, and oozes from the pores of the Keep Pounding mantra. Time still has yet to write the NFL story of Ian Thomas Christian McCaffrey Jersey , but the book is hard leather bound, the pages are crisp and resilient, and the desk is sturdy. May the spirit of Sam Mills guide the hand over the pages in a way that honors a great off-field story with a tremendous on-field legacy.KEEP POUNDING.Panthers training camp 2018: Curtis Samuel has work cut out for him On Wednesday, Curtis Samuel passed his physical and was finally cleared to participate in training camp practice after recovering from left ankle surgery. His return only makes for a more diverse and talented receiving corps. While Samuel has had positive outings since he was cleared, he still has a journey ahead of him as he pleads his case on the depth chart. The No. 40 overall pick from Ohio State only caught seven passes for 70 yards in his first nine games as a rookie. On November 13, Samuel appeared to be on the right track in the Panthers victory over Miami when he had five catches for 45 yards in the first half.But then, in the third quarter, Samuel went down with a season-ending injury after getting his ankle twisted underneath a defender. Although it was his first season in the NFL, Samuel didn’t exactly stand out. This year, he won’t have nine games to warm up if he wants a role as the No. 2 receiver (behind presumably Devin Funchess). Being a second round draft pick, the expectations are set higher for Samuel because we know he has the skill set.Even without Samuel Authentic Donte Jackson Jersey , Cam Newton has plenty of weapons to choose from in this receiving core. With the trade of Kelvin Benjamin to the Bills last year, Funchess really stepped up and had an impressive season. In the offseason, the Panthers added veteran Torrey Smith to the group, as well as Jarius Wright and rookie first round pick D.J. Moore. Not to mention, Panthers also have Damiere Byrd. Each receiver is capable of producing in this Panthers’ offense, only adding to the competition.Injuries are messy, especially after surgery. Samuel has only been back for a few days, who’s to know yet if his ankle is truly at 100%. It might’ve been a short time, but Samuel is also now nearly a week behind in practice. Considering the Panthers have a new offensive coordinator in Norv Turner, this could prove to be more important than not.