Jeremy Igo

Not too bad at times. Just like last year. Needs consistancy

On the way to the practice field, I noticed one player had a little something extra tucked in his sock. I respect that. Old School. Kurt Coleman was out on the practice field early, catching balls from the tire machine. Coleman has looked solid over the weekend and could be a starting day 1 strong safety. KK Short was on a bike again, unfortunately. Star and Charles were working on some of the finer hand details of the position before the initial whistle blew. Younger players need to really pay attention to this. These guys are not fighting for a roster spot, yet they are out there early working on the minutia of the position. Cam had another decent day today, although the protection he was getting was not ideal. ... He was not wearing a superhero shirt today, sadly. David Mayo looks the part of a middle linebacker. He has been fairly quiet in camp, however. Fozzy Whitaker continues to get second string reps behind Jonathan Stewart. Whitaker looks like a solid option as a chance of pace back, but could get pushed by Cameron Artis-Payne and Brandon Wegher as camp continues. Corey Brown has improved since a lackluster start of camp. He is still getting more first team reps than Ginn. Thomas Davis was sure to let Jonathan Stewart know that it was him that tagged his fanny on a running play. Stewart laughed as Davis informed him. The veterans on the team spend a lot of time in between series discussing the plays and the schemes. Pictured are three guys you will not find talking about vacation activities or the night's plans while on the practice field. These guys are 100% football in the moment. Other Notes: - Nate Chandler took most if not all of the second string left tackle reps. - Overall, the defense had the upper hand today. I counted 6 "would be" sacks on Cam Newton. Many times the pass went on to be completed, but in an actual game situation it would have been a downed QB or a Cam Newton scramble. - Mike Remmers looked solid on the right side of the line. My concern over that position is starting to go away. Solid protection against Charles Johnson. - Defensive tackle Kyle Love has made plays in this camp. The Panthers could possibly opt for him over Colin Cole. - Colin Jones made another great play on a Cam Newton pass today, nearly intercepting it. Jones has amazing closing speed that will keep in him in the mix for playing time. Additional Articles From Today's Practice Oher Struggles Early Shaq Thompson Making Plays Also check out Thomas Davis' Visor View full article

"He is a punisher." - Jonathan Stewart Brought to you by the conductor of the Lee Ward hype train. As you were.....

There could be a real reason both his previous NFL teams had him on the right side.

The Carolina Panthers hope to have upgraded the left tackle position over last year's starter Byron Bell. Bell struggled greatly against faster defensive ends who could quickly divert around him. Bell's replacement, Michael Oher, appears to be having the same issue early in training camp. Oher had a tough time today containing Mario Addison and Frank Alexander in the first practice where the players were in full pads. On more than one occasion, Cam Newton would have been sacked if not for the "QB off limits" rule in training camp. The play of the day for the defensive line came from Mario Addison who was matching up against Oher. Addison was able to quickly move around Oher's left side and bat down a Cam Newton pass. While cheers came from the sidelines for the defense, the offensive coaching staff must be at least a little concerned. Options at left tackle are extremely limited for the Panthers currently. The second string left tackle for the Panthers is currently Nate Chandler, who lost the left tackle position last season to Byron Bell. Oher will need to improve, particularly against the speed rushers, if the Panthers offense plans on having an effective passing game this season. View full article

Shaq Thompson has officially arrived at Panthers training camp. While being largely absent the first two practices, he started to come into his own on today's third practice. During 7 on 7 drills, Thompson made a speedy break on a Cam Newton pass intended for Greg Olsen. Thompson batted the ball now, marking his first official play made in Panthers training camp. One of Thompson's primary responsibilities will be to cover talented tight ends like Jimmy Graham (now in Seattle). Getting camp experience against pro bowler Greg Olsen can only accelerate his learning and adjusting to the pro game. Thompson continued to impress throughout the day. Another play that sticks out in my mind is a very quick gap stop, halting Fozzy Whitaker's progress. The Carolina Panthers had issues with plugging the correct gap in run defense for a good portion of last season. Shaq Thompson is having more thrown at him than most defensive rookies. He is learning what is probably the most complicated position on the defensive side of the field. While other rookies can be thrown into the mix relatively quickly, Thompson will require more film room time in addition to playing time. If today's performance is any indication, Thompson may be a quick study. View full article

Not a great day for photos, but the day did yield some things worth seeing. First off, Kelvin Benjamin continues to impress. This long reception from Cam Newton over Carrington Byndom put an exclamation point on his day. Kelvin has been catching the ball very well, with very few drops. Shaq Thompson has been very quiet in team drills. There is no bad news, but there is no good news on that front. In drills, however, it is easy to see how athletic he is. He moves exactly like that linebacker/safety hybrid he was billed as. It remains to be seen how this will translate on game days I am really impressed with Brandon Wegher's speed. Once he hits a hole he bursts out as quickly as any running back I have ever seen. Keep an eye on this kid, he could be a sleeper to make the practice squad or more. Jordan Todman took the field again after missing some time yesterday. He is in direct competition with Wegher for a roster spot, but Todman's experience returning kicks will most likely give him the edge. Kurt Coleman has been very impressive in camp so far. He spent some time in the strong safety position today with Roman Harper sliding over to free safety. He made a really nice adjustment on a poorly thrown Cam Newton ball intended for Greg Olsen and made the interception. No comment on the socks... After being Captain America yesterday, Today Cam was Spiderman. Tomorrow.... Ironman? A funny moment occurred after practice as the linebackers practiced catching interceptions. Kelvin Benjamin strolled through their drill casually and purposefully, taking his time. Kelvin was notified by Thomas Davis that it would be the last time he did that, as Kelvin just grinned. Other thoughts not pictured- - Ted Ginn was very impressive today. His TD reception over Josh Norman was something the Panthers could have surely used early last season. Norman was a good five or six yards yards behind Ginn. - Up until now the offense has been winning the training camp battle, which is typically how it works. It will likely be a different story on Sunday when the pads are on. View full article

Last season, then rookie Kelvin Benjamin was selected to get in special reps with Cam Newton away from the other players. Typically, they would go over end zone routes or fine tune a few things here or there. Well, that trend is happening again this year, but they have added one more participant. Devin Funchess During Saturday's training camp session, Kelvin and Devin joined Cam Newton on the opposite field to work together away from the rest of the team. They caught extra passes from Cam Newton while running various routes, and then spoke to Newton about them. Small adjustments were made, and the routes run again. During one of the drills, Funchess had a chance to show off his vertical while going for an overthrown ball. I found it fairly impressive. I realize this may not seem like much, but it could be early signs of a Kelvin/Devin duo taking over the receiving corps. Stay tuned. View full article

You know when you and your buddies go to a bar, and someone is just talking your ear off about this and that and you want nothing to do with the conversation, so you look over at your guys like will you please just get me out of here? Well.... . . . . .

Each day during Carolina Panthers training camp I will be giving a few observations on how some of the Panthers rookies are shaping up according to their performance that day. Not all rookies will be discussed, as I only have a single set of eyeballs. Offensive Tackle Daryl Williams seems to have improved since OTAs. This may be because contact is allowed now, giving a guy like Williams his full arsenal to work with. Williams was able to get out of his stance quicker, kick that back foot and not letting speedy defensive ends around him as easily. Ron Rivera watched on as Williams demonstrated his improved technique. Note: Daryl Williams spent time in drills on the right AND the left side. A sign of things to come? Could be. Cameron Artis-Payne had the crowds in the stands and on the lawn pretty excited. He showed a really nice second gear once he got past the defensive line. He also covered up and protected the ball well. At this point you could not ask for much more from a rookie runningback. Devin Funchess had a relatively quiet day. Nothing negative to report, but not much positive as well. He caught the ball well in drills, but did not have many opportunities in team drills. View full article

More linemen from big schools with big lines, please.

One could easily make the argument that Carolina Panthers guard Andrew Norwell was the biggest steal in last year's rookie class. At the cost of an undrafted free agent, the Panthers landed an impressive full time starter in year one. Now, in year two, he seems to have picked up right where he left off. During 1 on 1 drills between the offensive and defensive lines, Norwell displayed exactly why he is currently the starter over former starter Amini Silotulu. Norwell is not a physical specimen. He does not have the measurables and stats that pro scouts adore. But he does have a special set of skills.... Norwell is technically sound and football strong. Even while taking hands to the face from Dwan Edwards. He recovers, plants himself, and drives the defensive opponent backwards. Later, he did much the same with KK Short, which is no easy task. Notice the quick feet, wide stance, and punishing forearm that will keep Cam Newton looking down field and not for somewhere to run. I know, I know, its another Norwell article from Igo. But really folks, this kid is a long term solution for the Panthers that did not cost a draft pick. In today's NFL of high priced QBs and other marquee players, Norwell is exactly the type of player that allows a team to contend year after year. The Carolina Panthers need unsung guys like Norwell if they expect to be playing in January. View full article

It is about to get a little sappy on the Huddle. If that bothers you, click away now.... While there is much media coverage of some of the more negative things that happen in any given year to any given team, very little attention is sometimes paid to the more understated positivity that becomes the foundation for a team's identity. Its character. After Friday night's practice, spectators got a glimpse of what is the real heart of this Panthers team and what makes a veteran player one that is respected both on and off the field. You know, I can't really relate to these guys in most areas. I am not particularly athletic or competitive. But after practice on Friday night I found myself relating to the Panthers players in a new way. A much more important way, in fact. I related to them (and I assume many onlookers did as well) as a parent, not just a player. After the whistle had blown and the helmets came off, the men in black and blue were just dads. Dads on a football field seeking autographs for their kids. Can you relate? Greg Olsen and Ryan Kalil made sure the gang got some attention from Cam Newton, who thoroughly enjoyed the exchange. I imagine Cam's Captain America shirt may have meant more to the kids at that age. None the less, lasting memories made. Thomas Davis and Luke Kuechly happily signed for the kiddos as well. Luke added a high five for good measure. Greg Olsen was sure to introduce his son to Panthers rookie Shaq Thompson. Olsen made sure to instruct him on how to make a proper and courteous introduction, as all good fathers do. A practice I have made countless times with my own twin boys. Again, commonalities and relating to the person, not just the player. After the fanfare and before signing countless more autographs (how these guys have the energy for so many fans and autographs after practice I will never know), Thomas Davis managed some one on one time with his daughter who reveled in the opportunity. And that, my friends, is an example of the underlying foundation of this entire team. View full article

Carolina Panthers training camp 2015 kicked off on Friday night to a good sized crowd, anxious to see what their 2015 squad had to offer. To help get the crowd excited, Mike Tolbert and Cam Newton had a contest of sorts. Which player could get the crowd louder. Tolbert may have won, in my opinion. Cam Newton continued to look very sharp throughout the day. I remarked in OTAs that this may be the best I have ever seen him. One can only hope this development continues when the pads are on. Newton and new left tackle Michael Oher have a special hand shake they do before each series. It is important that these two develop a trust quickly if the Panthers offense hopes to improve on last season. Colin Jones could possibly be the most improved defensive player of the offseason. He may not let go of that buffalo package roster spot as quickly as some think. Jones is the fastest defensive player on the team and a real asset against those offenses that like to spread the ball around. Stephen Hill practiced and improved on a lackluster June performance. My only concern remains his propensity to catch the ball with his body and not look it into his hands. He has a tendency to take his eye off the ball more than any other receiver I have photographed. Ted Ginn, on the other hand, nearly always is looking the ball into his hands.... observe... Fozzy Whitaker showed the explosiveness that the fans grew to love last season. He has some new competition this year in Jordan Todman and rookies Artis-Payne and Wegher, but Fozzy does not appear to be going anywhere anytime soon . Even though he is on the sideline, Cam Newton doesn't take a break. He continues to go through mental reps that helps him prepare. Cam's growth as a player has as much to do with what he does on the sidelines as what he does under center. Brenton Bersin made a few nice catches much to the delight of the Wofford crowd. "Here we go Bersin, here we go" was the chant of the day. Josh Norman had a mixed day. While he did may a couple of nice plays on the ball.... He also let Jerricho Cotchery get behind him for a long completion from Cam Newton (would have been a touchdown.). Ted Ginn was first team punt returns, and quickly impressed. As he bolted up field and to the sideline, he received from praise from new Panthers safety Kurt Coleman who exclaimed "Oh, he is fast". Speaking of Coleman, I liked what I saw out of him on Friday. He had an interception and a really nice break up on a Cam Newton to Ed Dickson connection. Note the ball coming out below.... Former Panthers safety Chris Harris is back in a Panthers uniform, this time coaching up the defensive backs as an assistant. He and Peanut Tillman spent a lot of time going over the finer points. Damiere Byrd got in a few snaps late. While he was able to get behind the defenders, he was then slowed by contact that probably would not have drawn a flag. Byrd needs to learn the finer points of playing through such contact on a pro level. He has time, and I feel the Panthers are impressed enough with him to keep him in the mix and see if he improves. Overall, it was a solid first practice. I was happy with the tempo and enthusiasm. The Panthers are looking less like a young team in search of an identity and more like a veteran team on a mission. View full article

no pads until the 3rd practice per the CBA

My concern was he bent and pushed back enough to run into Cam. Hard to tell without a QB in there.

Maybe so, but he was pushed far back enough to force Cam to move.

no, not terrible but if I had to choose a winner it would be Frank.

IMO, Oher loses this battle. He is pushed back way too far into the middle and is bent backwards by Alexander, losing all control of him. How do you see it? Are you more excited about Alexander or concerned over Oher?

I guess it did not stand out to me because thats how Cam looked all of June in the closed practices. But yes, Cam looks solid.

Over the past several weeks, Kelvin Benjamin had to live with the first bit of real negative press about him concerning his weight. Of course, we all remember in June when Ron Rivera remarked he was 10 pounds overweight, which played a role in his hamstring pull. Well, if the first training camp practice of 2015 was any indication, Kelvin Benjamin has turned that criticism into motivation and made a statement saying exactly that. View full article

He was decent. Not really a stud, but did really well for a UDFA for sure.

Seems positive to me. Should get done soon I think.

Night life?

Didn't play one single snap in OTAs due to injury.