Jeremy Igo

Kelvin Benjamin's injury has forced the roster projection to change, but not in a way you might expect. Offense - 25 Quarterback - 3 Cam Newton Derek Anderson Joe Webb Note: Remember, Webb can also play that large possession receiver spot if needed. Running Back - 3 Jonathan Stewart Cameron Artis-Payne Jordan Todman Note: These three backs plus Mike Tolbert is enough running power to win any game on the schedule, period. Fullback - 1 Mike Tolbert Tight End - 4 Greg Olsen Ed Dickson Marcus Lucas Richie Brockel Note: With the Panthers utilizing the two tight end set more frequently, they are going to need more than two pass catching tight ends. Marcus Lucas impressed both in camp and preseason game 1, more so than Simonson. Wide Receiver - 5 Devin Funchess Corey Brown Ted Ginn Brenton Bersin Jerricho Cotchery Note: Well, I have taken Kelvin Benjamin off the list and have not replaced him. I feel the Panthers will now keep 5 wide outs, a pretty typical number across the league. Instead they will opt for a third pass catching tight end who can also contribute on special teams. Why add another receiver that is exactly like two guys already on the roster and not activate him on game days? Offensive Line - 9 Michael Oher Andrew Norwell Ryan Kalil Trai Turner Mike Remmers Daryl Williams Chris Scott Amini Silatolu Nate Chandler Note: Panthers could opt to waive Brian Folkerts and use Mike Remmers as the backup center. This frees up roster space and makes room for the day that Daryl Williams is starting (it will happen this season). Williams has been the most impressive rookie overall in camp. Defense: 25 Defensive Line - 9 Charles Johnson Star Lotulelei Kawaan Short Frank Alexander Kony Ealy Colin Cole Dwan Edwards Mario Addison Kyle Love Note: Panthers still hang on to Kyle Love due to injury concerns with Star. Love was the player that was brought up when Lotulelei was first injured in January. Linebacker - 6 Thomas Davis Luke Kuechly Shaq Thompson AJ Klein David Mayo Jason Trusnik Note: I have added Trusnik here due to how poor punt coverage teams looked in preseason game 1. Clearly the Panthers need all the special teams help they can get. Safety - 4 Roman Harper Tre Boston Kurt Coleman Colin Jones Corners - 6 Josh Norman Bene Benwikere Charles Tillman Teddy Williams Melvin White TJ Heath Note: Like Trusnik, I have added special teams ace Williams here. Carrington Byndom back on practice squad. Special Teams - 3 Kicker - Graham Gano Punter - Brad Nortman Long Snapper - JJ Jansen Practice Squad - 10 Carrington Byndom Lee Ward Damiere Byrd Brandon Wegher David Foucault Adarius Glanton Dean Marlowe Martin Wallace (unkown player) (unkown player) View full article

Well, I think DA put the ball on the receivers a bit quicker. But they weren't running the ball all that much, so I can't really say which unit performed better.

Not sure about the defense. They were on an entirely other field all day. Could not watch both. Was more interested in the offense with out KB and Funchess.

Was talking to a Panthers staffer about that. The Hangman comparison was made. I think it is a valid one.

There really is no reason why they should not. They have plenty of talent on the line and running the ball now. Add in Cam scrambling and a top 10 rushing attack should be a no brainer.

Admit it, you love seeing 70 and 60 next to eachother up there don't you. Man, that is a right side to run behind.

With Kelvin Benjamin out for the year and Devin Funchess out for the day with a sprained hamstring, the Panthers showcased for the first time what they can do without their tall pass catching duo. The result? A mixed bag. The entire Panthers offense started off very sluggish, similar to the preseason game. Fozzy Whitaker tried to find running room, but was snuffed out quickly. In fact, the first completed pass of the day in the team drills came from the third string, a screen pass from Joe Webb to Brandon Wegher. When your first two units fail to complete a pass in team drills.... it isn't a good sign. Once the Panthers settled in, they featured more two tight end sets in their offense. The tight ends performed very well. Greg Olsen caught a really nice touchdown in tight coverage, one handing it in. Ed Dickson caught a few passes over the middle in team drills. and even newly converted tight end Marcus Lucas got in the action with a nice touchdown grab from Derek Anderson. Lucas has put on about 15 pounds of muscle from last season. I am really tempted to now put him on my roster projection. A big body that can play both WR and TE spots could be a real asset when trying to compensate for Kelvin Benjamin's loss. The Panthers seem to realize the deficit of talent they have at the wide receiver position currently. Featuring the talented tight ends more will be the main stay of the offense now. Rookie Daryl Williams spent some time as the starting right tackle and performed well. It is only a matter of time until the Panthers figure out a way to get this kid out there full time. He may be the best draft pick of 2015. As far as the wide receivers go, it was a rough outing mostly. Ted Ginn provided the best play of the day. On first and 10 in the 2 minute drill, the Panthers surprised the Dolphins with a long bomb from Cam Newton to Ginn. As you can see, Ginn was no where near being covered, a blown assignment by the Dolphins. As far as the other receivers, in general it was a lackluster day. Most of the plays ended in failure to gain separation and as a result a defensive play on the ball. Jerricho Cotchery's play was the most costly for the Panthers and ended in an interception. I am not sure why passes are being thrown to him far downfield. It seems shorter routes where more route precision and hands are required would be a better fit for him. Mike Tolbert and Jordan Todman looked solid today and both made nice plays running the ball. Todman is a really slippery guy. I am excited to see him in action this season. He has a knack for hiding behind his linemen until just the right moment, then punching the ball out in a hurry. Todman may be the most significant offensive pickup the Panthers had in free agency this season. So, in summary.... - The Panthers are increasing their looks in the two tight end sets. All three tight ends for the Panthers looked good. - None of the receivers (not named Ginn) did anything to really help their cause today and prove they can be a number one or two receiver. Some plays were made occasionally here and there, but the consistency is just not there. Receivers are failing to gain seperation from their defenders. The result was multiple dropped balls and interceptions. - The running game looked promising with Tolbert and Todman especially. I do not feel the Panthers will be signing a receiver anytime soon from free agency. However, I do not feel a future signing or trade is out of the question as teams are forced to release players. Gettleman does have a history of signing free agents up until the start of the season. Could it happen at the receiver position this year? Maybe. View full article

I woke up this morning to find the bulk of Panthers Nation on football suicide watch in the wake of the Kelvin Benjamin ACL news. While the situation does look dire for the Panthers receiving corps, it isn't the end of the 2015 Panthers playoff hopes. The Panthers simply need to look at the offensive talent they have on their roster (and there is plenty of it), and embrace an identity that matches it. What should that identity be? Answer: A hard nosed running attack with play action passing. The Panthers do not have the roster currently to attack by the air. It just will not happen this year folks. However, the Panthers do have a very strong roster for running the ball. Embrace it. The pendulum started to swing last year. Teams have smaller, faster defenses with sub packages to combat the passing game of today's NFL. The time is now to run the ball in a power running game and turn their defensive strength into a weakness. Oher, Norwell, Kalil, Turner, Remmers, and even rookie Daryl Williams are all suited to dominate in a run game provided an adequate scheme and play calling. Stewart, Tolbert, Todman, Artis-Payne, Brockel and even the rookie Lee Ward are perfect weapons in the offensive backfield for this approach. So they want to put 8 or 9 in the box? Good, let them. Pretend it is 1978, line up your biggest meanest guys and pound out a few yards at a time. Throw a quick out to Greg Olsen, or a long bomb to Ted Ginn out of play action. Bootleg Cam Newton for a big gain once the defense is tired and gasping for air. Forget running out of the shotgun. Forget the finesse two tight end sets. Forget the bubble screen to a 4th receiver. Forget single back sets. And for the love of all that is holy, please do not pretend last year's offensive scheme will work with the current Panthers personnel. Because... View full article

Oher won the matchup easily. Vernon got no where near the QB.

As the the temperatures increased today at the Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins joint practice today, so did the players' tempers. During one on one drills, Panthers left tackle Michael Oher took Dolphins DE Olivier Vernon out wide and eventually to the ground at the feet of the spectating players. After the play, Vernon stood above Oher a move that is probably less than courteous. Oher initiated helmet to helmet contact while getting back on his feet. This escalated into punches being thrown. Panthers right tackle Mike Remmers then runs in and grabs Vernon in defense of his fellow Panthers tackle. View full article

Well, this is the way the offense has looked every year since Shula took over. What do you think?

The first two days of camp are like the first two days of school. Everyone settling in. Once the pads went on, the defense dominated every day.

Ah, yes, the pre pad stuff for the first 2 days. Notice how i said it would not be the case when the pads were on, and it wasnt. Since then it was all defense.

The only people that thought that dont know how to watch a practice.

uh, no. Was never the case.

What does a drill sergeant have to do with troops being sloppy? (stirs pot)

Nah, it was damp out but it didn't rain at all.

Yes, all three had bad days. It just seemed like a really bad vibe all day. Low energy, low enthusiasm. I think they just hit a wall, happens at most camps. I just hope they don't get embarrassed by the dolphins tomorrow and come out energized.

The weather was dismal, and the Panthers passing game wasn't far behind. Today, the Carolina Panthers just could not put it together offensively. The day started like any other, Cam Newton gave Offensive Line Coach John Matsko a fist bump to start off the day. But from the very first drills, you could tell how this day was going to go. Simple connections from Cam Newton to Kelvin Benjamin in passing drills misfired. When those misfire.... you are in for a long day. Things did not get easier for the offense once the defense took the stage. Josh Norman has a solid day today, breaking up multiple passes and performing very well against Kelvin Benjamin. This is good news for the Panthers, as they will face taller receivers from time to time this season. This is how the entire day went. Passes were more often off than not. And when the passes were on target, often times they were broken up by a hungry defender. Melvin White made a very nice break on a ball intended for Brenton Bersin and received much praise from the defensive coaching staff for his efforts. Sometimes the ball never made it into the picture frame, probably not a good thing. Corey Brown was able to get behind Josh Norman for what could have been a touchdown, but could only watch as the ball landed well in front of him. Colin Jones, not wanting to be left out, also got in on the act. Of course, not all of the passes were miscues. Devin Funchess did show signs of life over the middle with a nice grab from Cam Newton. Funchess took a shot from safety Kurt Coleman, but administered more of a blow than he received. Funchess continued on with the play as Coleman lay on the ground. While an interesting play to watch, I doubt the same result would have occurred if pads were on and contact allowed. Overall, the Panthers offense today seemed like it was either jumping ahead to practice against the Miami Dolphins tomorrow, or ready to head back to Charlotte. The intensity wasn't there. The focus wasn't there. If they play this was tomorrow, they may get embarrassed on their own practice field against Miami. I don't think that will happen. Look for the Panthers offense to rebound and use today's performance as motivation. Until then.... View full article

Today Carolina Panthers held their shortest practice of camp this year. Coach Ron Rivera after practice credited the upbeat pace as the reason. He seemed well pleased with what he saw from his players. Here are the important bits you need to know. Gil Brandt was at practice today. You should probably expect a write up from him later in the week. Defensive Coordinator Sean McDermott is one of the more hands on defensive coordinators in the league. In addition to stretching and warming up with the team, he plays the occasional QB. Panthers GM Dave Gettleman spent an extra amount of time today looking over the offensive line in their drills. What would you give to know what he was thinking? The starting offensive lineup did not change much today. However, the first team did feature Mike Remmers as the center and rookie Daryl Williams at right tackle again. With the amount of time Remmers is spending at center, one has to wonder if backup center Brian Folkerts' job is secure. Despite his winning touchdown on Friday night, running back Brandon Wegher did not move up the depth chart today. His amount of snaps was still limited and with the third string. Last week I told you how Ricky Proehl was coaching up rookie Devin Funchess on a forearm shove that will gain separation from a cornerback but not draw a flag. Today, Funchess demonstrated the technique on Peanut Tillmn, just how Proehl taught him. Rakim Cox and Arthur Miley received first string reps today at defensive end, their first in camp. Ron Rivera after practice said it was out of curiosity, wanting to see how they did with the first string after their strong performances on Friday night. There didn't appear to be any drop off from Frank Alexander or Kony Ealy, although without full pads on at practice it is difficult to judge. It will be very interesting to see how they do against the Miami Dolphins later this week. Wide receiver Paul Browning caught a pass for a two point conversion Friday night, but did not do as well today. TJ Heath smothered him in coverage and made a nice play on the ball. After the play Browning received encouragement from Ricky Proehl. Browning is a long shot to make the roster but could be looking at a practice squad spot if he can improve a bit more. Cam received some attention to his neck in between plays. It did not appear to be anything serious. Corey Brown made the nicest receptions of the day. One against Dean Marlowe and the other Bene Benwikere. Brown has been relatively quiet this camp but plays like these make us remember why he will be contributing on Sundays this season. Jarrett Boykin did well against the Bills on Friday night, but took a step backwards today. Heath (yes Heath once again) was able to make another play on the ball. Boykin is battling Brenton Bersin for that 6th roster position, and in my opinion has not grabbed it yet. Mike Tolbert's game of interrupting the defense's huddles continues on, despite Thomas Davis giving him "the business". Fozzy Whitaker is on the bubble this year, and his fumble did not help his cause today. Fozzy fell victim to the "Peanut Punch" and fumbled in the backfield. This is never a good thing, especially in non padded practices. On the other hand, Jordan Todman continues to look sharp and impress. I have a feeling you will be seeing him earlier in the game on Saturday. He has the type of fast twitch shiftiness that is not found elsewhere on the roster. After practice, Cam Newton in his Spiderman shirt worked on his footwork under the watchful eye of Mike Shula. After practice, Damiere Byrd carried Corey Brown's pad for him as part of his rookie duties. Other things worth mentioning not pictured: Charles Johnson sat out for most of the practice today. Rivera mentioned he was sore, didn't seem like anything major. Kelvin Benjamin also was very limited but did participate in installs. He appeared to be fine as well. Shaq Thompson is getting more and more reps with the first string. I have a feeling you will be seeing him this Saturday next to Luke. View full article

huh?

Kony is not the most popular guy in the locker room, far from it, but he isn't going anywhere during his rookie contract. Too much upside.

This years robert lester. solid PS player they could bring up later.

Not all Panthers players ranked highly on PFF this week. Here are their lowest ranked performances... Again, this is not the bottom line on how the players performed, but just one person's opinion. Bottom 10 Performances on Offense Offensive summary Play CountsRatings Pos.#NameTotalRunPassRun BlockPass BlockOverallPassRushPass BlockScreen BlockRun BlockPenalty# of PenQB SkQB HtQB Hu -4.50.0-1.42.10.0-2.3-2.96-11212 QB14 Joe Webb30020100-3.2-2.70.40.00.00.0-0.91-0 FB85 Jamie Childers50050-2.00.00.00.00.0-2.00.00-0 LG65O Ricky Henry47001730-1.5 -1.30.00.7-0.91-01 2 LT78 Nate Chandler31001219-1.1 0.20.0-1.40.10-0 1 RWR12 Mike A. Brown26016100-1.1-1.10.00.00.00.00.00-0 LWR18 Damiere Byrd1801350-1.0-1.00.00.00.00.00.00-0 FB46 Lee Ward30120-1.00.00.00.00.0-1.00.00-0 HB43 Fozzy Whittaker *105401-1.0-0.1-1.00.10.00.00.00-0 TE-R80 Scott Simonson33013155-0.7-0.40.0-0.20.0-0.20.10-0 SLWR16 Philly Brown1501320-0.5-0.50.00.00.00.00.00-0 Bottom 10 Performances on Defense Defensive summary Play CountsRatings Pos.#NameTotalRunRushCov.OverallRun DefensePass RushPass Cov.Penalty# of PenQB SkQB HtQB HuBPTksAssMTStops SLB56 A.J. Klein *3417017-3.9-2.20.0-0.7-1.01-0 5123 DLE94 Kony Ealy *3520150-3.0-2.4-0.70.00.10-0 2 WLB57 Adarius Glanton4423120-2.2-1.1-0.1-0.1-0.91-0 71 3 SS42 Colin Jones3714221-2.2-0.8-0.2-1.20.00-0 1 4 12 DRE90 Frank Alexander *3317160-1.5-0.8-0.80.00.10-0 1 WLB58 Thomas Davis *7214-1.5-0.5-0.1-0.90.00-0 1 DLE96 Wes Horton2211110-1.5-1.70.10.00.10-0 2 1 DRT91 Colin Cole *241590-1.4-1.0-0.50.00.10-0 LCB24 Josh Norman *2010010-1.2-0.40.0-0.80.00-0 2 11 DRT65 Chas Alecxih3017130-1.1-0.5-0.70.00.10-0 1 1 View full article