The Carolina Panthers just ended their first day of practice in Spartanburg, SC. Here are six highlights from the media and the organization.
1. Christian McCaffrey – Although there are some solid young players on the Panthers squad, the best player on the roster remains Christian McCaffrey. His talent and athleticism is an asset, but McCaffrey is putting in his own work on and off the field. McCaffrey was one of the first players to arrive at practice, which demonstrates his commitment to the team. He just celebrated his 25th birthday and when he’s right physically, he is considered an elite running back in the NFL. NFL.com recently ranked him No. 2 at running back behind Derrick Henry.
2. Panthers not showing all their cards – For the first three of four practices, the Panthers faithful should not put too much stock into what they see or read from the Carolina Panthers assembled media. The early practices are considered an “acclimation period” to get the players use to being around one another. They are practicing with no pads and hardly any contact. The Panthers are scheduled for 14 practices before camp concludes on August 19th and they will get more intense next week. There are also two joint practices planned with the Indianapolis Colts and the Baltimore Ravens before they square off in the preseason.
3. The Panthers are relatively healthy – During mini-camp and organized team activities (OTAs), there were a number of players that were in red no-contact jerseys, but luckily for the Panthers, that is not the case at this time. The Charlotte Observer reports there were no red jerseys at today’s practice. There are still a few players out due to injury and illness. Safety Lano Hill and defensive tackle Phil Hoskins are on the active/PUP list. Hill is also on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list, as is outside linebacker Frankie Luvu and tight end Stephen Sullivan.
4. Offense is rusty – It has been several months since the players have been at a live practice, so there are drops and near-picks occurring. Wide receiver Terrace Marshall did not see much action in mini-camp and OTAs, which resulted in a couple of drops during one-on-one drills. Quarterback Sam Darnold might also be a little off. He is still trying to get use to his new receivers and playmakers. Darnold was nearly intercepted by 2nd-year cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver in a seven-on-seven drill, but the interception was mishandled and dropped.
5. Brian Burns puts on good weight – After practice, third-year defensive end Burns talked to the press. He added an additional 12 pounds of muscle. This could be a major season for Burns. What will help him out even more is to have more pass rushers to distract the opposing offense. With the addition of Haason Reddick and Derrick Brown’s continued ascension, Burns production could sky rocket in 2021.
6. Matt Rhule expecting improvement from Darnold – Coach Rhule also spoke with the media for 10 minutes after practice. When asked about his expectations of his quarterbacks, his response was mostly geared toward effort instead of leadership qualities. He expects Sam Darnold to set an example for the rest of his teammates by being the first person in the facility and the last one to leave. This demonstrates his effort and commitment.
Practice begins Thursday at 8:30 am ET.
