Corey Brown

This time last year, Panthers wide receiver Philly Brown was in the fight of his life for a spot on the Panthers' 53-man roster.

This year, he's taking the same approach – even though in reality he's fighting for a starting spot.

"That's how I always feel. You can never be complacent," Brown said. "Any given day, all of this can be taken away from you, so I come out every day with a mindset that I have to be better than I was the previous day."

Brown clearly is better, evidenced by the fact that most of his reps at training camp this summer have been taken with the first team.

"Running with the ones right now, I'm happy," Brown said. "Now I'm going to keep working and keep trying to get better so I can stay there.

"That's a goal for everybody. That room right now is real competitive from top to bottom. There are five or six receivers who can do that job."

This time last year, Brown was battling to prove he deserved a job – any job – on the 53-man roster. Despite leading or tying for the lead in receptions at Ohio State for three consecutive seasons and proving to be a dangerous punt returner, Brown went undrafted in 2014. He didn't go unnoticed, however, having had plenty of contact with Carolina before the draft. The Panthers, looking to rebuild the wide receiver position, made an impression on Brown, who signed hours after the draft. Brown could earn WR3 duties this year with the Panthers behind Kelvin Benjamin and rookie Devin Funchess.