Darin Gantt

PALM BEACH, Fla. Chiefs coach Andy Reid wasn't necessarily expecting much when they signed an undersized lineman from Division II Missouri S&T in 2020.

What they found out in a hurry was that there was much more toTershawn Whartonthan met the eye or his resume.

Wharton became one of the Panthers' first signings in free agency, as they attempt to reshape a defense and add pass rush from multiple levels. Wharton had 8.5 sacks last year, including the playoffs. "So he came from a small school, and he's just, he's a worker," Reid said of Wharton Monday morning at the league's annual meeting at The Breakers resort. "I mean that kind of says it all. You look at the progress that he made in college and the gain of weight, the gain of strength, all those things, and then he comes to us, and you saw that same tenacity to get better at our level.

"The odds of him making the NFL were slim."

Wharton remains an undersized defensive tackle (280 pounds), but getting to that point was a feat unto itself for a former running back.

"Because of his work ethic and his athletic ability," Reid said. "He had been a running back, and he kind of outgrew that into a nose guard or defensive tackle, but very active player, great, great kid, quiet, a great kid and just tough."

Panthers executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis (formerly of the Chiefs) said last week that the initial plan was to stash Wharton on the Kansas City practice squad during the COVID-sequestered preseason of 2020. But his play on the field mandated they keep him on the 53-man roster.

"I mean, he was so clearly one of our best players that we couldn't do it to the rest of our roster and have any semblance of credibility with our team if Turk didn't make our 53," Tilis said. "And so that's just the kind of person and player he is, that he went in, did the work, performed, so that was exciting."

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters that his team was coming to Charlotte this summer for a joint practice during training camp.

Details haven't been finalized.

The Panthers hosted the Jets for a joint workout last year during their first camp back in Charlotte, after hosting them the previous year in Spartanburg.