Carolina Panthers centre Ryan Kalil has admitted that he is looking forward to the competition from the several new faces that the team have brought in over the off-season.

Kalil said that both the new players and the existing ones now have an extra incentive to impress the coaching staff, which he believes will create a stronger team for 2014.

"There's this sense of competition that I think is going to be really healthy for this team," Kalil told the club's official website. "Everybody's trying to make a good impression with coaches and with some of the established guys, and that's something that I haven't felt around here in a while that I think is real exciting for this team.

"You can tell guys are coming in and sizing themselves up with other guys and established guys. It's kind of cool."

The Panthers finished top of the NFC South last season with a 12–4 record.