Offense has improved day at Panthers training camp practice, fight breaks out

On Monday, before the first day of pads, the Carolina Panthers’ offense looked discombobulated.

They committed four turnovers, had multiple offensive penalties and receivers were running incorrect routes. Nothing went right.

Two days later, they looked like a different team.

The Panthers primarily focused on red-zone plays early in practice, and Sam Darnold started the morning 4-for-4, throwing three touchdowns, including one to Robby Anderson, DJ Moore and Christian McCaffrey.

“Yesterday was just not good at all for the offense,” Coach Matt Rhule said. “They were much better today. First day in the red zone. We really kind of functioned well early and kept it going all the way late.”

Darnold’s first touchdown was 20 yards to Anderson, who got behind cornerback Donte Jackson, on a fade route.

His second was a pass to Christian McCaffrey out of the backfield. McCaffrey was one-on-one with linebacker Jermaine Carter, got separation and raced to the end zone.

The third was a seven-yard touchdown to Moore, who Darnold found in the back of the end zone.

It was a good day for Darnold, who has had some highs and lows in camp. But Wednesday’s practice was the highest of highs.

The Panthers need to be better this season in the red zone. They were 28th out of 32 teams in red zone touchdown percentage in 2020. Inside the 20-yard line, former Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was 31 of 53 for 170 yards, 9 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.

Darnold also threw a touchdown to Moore in 7-on-7 drills, putting the ball in the perfect place for the receiver in the end zone. Cornerback Troy Pride was in coverage.

DBO

A new sign was introduced to the field at Panthers practice.

Rhule had been having the players run laps whenever there was a dropped pass or a penalty was committed on the field, but now players are running to a large “DBO” sign hanging on a tent by the practice field. DBO stands for don’t beat ourselves, something that is one of the key tenants of the team’s plan to win.

“Matt Lombardi (assistant quarterbacks coach), that was actually his idea,” Rhule said. “We had been just taking a lap and then we said, ‘Hey, let’s put something on the practice field,’ so that they run to it just to remind themselves, this is how we’re gonna win games, right? By not jumping offsides, by not having penalties.”

The Panthers were tied for the 12th-most penalties accepted last year (95) with the Detroit Lions. The team was 2-9 when called for five or more penalties.

Lombardi got the idea from something similar Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores during his time on his staff in 2019. At one point during practice, all 11 players on the first-team offense ran the field after a mistake. Several players ran to the sign throughout the day, including backup quarterback Will Grier and starting center Matt Paradis after making a mistake on a snap.

“It’s not the running that’s the punishment. It’s that you’re missing reps, you’re missing an opportunity to be on the field, show what you could do,” Rhule said. “When you talk to players, especially guys trying to make the team, they (are) always like, I just want an opportunity ... if you get a rep and then jump offsides, you’re gonna lose those reps and someone else gets those reps. It’s a privilege to practice.”

Anderson-Pride fight

The first fight of training camp happened in the latter part of practice.

Anderson was going up against Pride in 11-on-11 drills when he caught a pass and ran out of bounds before pride pushed him down a little late.

Pride walked away, but when Anderson got up, he jogged over to Pride and hit him in the back of the helmet, nearly making Pride fall. Pride turned around to retaliate before teammates got in between the two players.

Anderson was asked to run to the DBO sign on the opposite end of the field as punishment.

Shortly after the fight, Rhule spoke with the team.

“Obviously, every fight is different, but obviously we want to be a disciplined team,” Rhule said when asked about the fight. “My point was if someone does something to you and you feel like you need to turn around and fight, that’s a decision you’re making. And there’s going to be repercussions. Even if you feel completely justified, we’re not going to win a lot of games if everyone does what they want to do.”

Notes from practice

▪ Several members of the offensive and defensive lines wore extra padding on the outside of their helmets in the form of Guardian Caps during Wednesday’s practice.

Other teams around the NFL have also used them as it was recommended by the NFL’s Chief Medical Officer Allen Sills as a proven way to reduce some of the frequent head trauma. The soft-shell cover is designed to reduce impact. It can reduce the level of impact by up to 33%, per Guardian.

For the Panthers, the decision of whether to wear them is up to each player.

“We presented it to the guys last year as an option, not a lot of guys took it,” Rhule said. “This year I think some of our leadership guys on the offensive and defensive lines just said, ‘Hey, let’s try this out, guys, for our sake.’ ”

Defensive tackle Derrick Brown was not one of the players wearing the extra protection, saying that he “didn’t feel like it.”

▪ After being taken to the hospital following a hit to the neck during Tuesday’s practice, wide receiver Keith Kirkwood was back on the field Wednesday. He has been diagnosed with a concussion and watched from the side in a red jersey, which indicates a player is not participating due to injury.

RB Darius Clark also left Tuesday’s practice early and has a concussion.

Linebackers Shaq Thompson and Denzel Perryman and cornerback A.J. Bouye also sat out practice. Thompson has been out since leaving practice 30 minutes early Saturday, while Bouye missed a second straight day and Perryman missed his first practice of training camp after spending time on the exercise bike towards the end of Tuesday’s practice.

▪ The battle for the backup quarterback job has been ongoing between P.J. Walker and Will Grier. Over the past couple of practices, Grier has been spending a significant amount of time with the second-team offense, although the two backups often switch between the second- and third-teams.

Throughout training camp, Walker has often looked off with his throws. While accuracy has been an issue, he typically has at least one especially nice pass a practice.

This offseason, Grier worked again with his dad, Chad, who coaches at Providence Day. The focus was on improving his mechanics to try and be more accurate and working on pocket movement and ball security. He also has improved his ability to throw on the run, something he demonstrated over a couple of plays Wednesday and a lesson he teaches high school players he has worked with over the offseason.

“When you have arm talent, it’s easy to get lazy with your fundamentals and kind of whip the ball out there,” Grier said. “It’s important to overemphasize those fundamentals, really get your left shoulder on, right shoulder off.”

Since being drafted in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft, Grier has largely been the third-string quarterback on the roster. He has had a unique perspective on watching the Panthers try and find a starting quarterback over the past couple of years.

“It’s definitely different than what you would expect,” Grier said. “In my position, you just have to focus on controlling what you can control. Stoicism. Whatever happens, I’ve got to be ready to go. ... I don’t get to go and say, ‘Hey, coach Rhule, what about this?’ ... When the team needs you, you’ve got to step up. And that’s all I can control and that’s my focus.”

▪ After practice, Rhule went over to the hill where fans watch practice and thanked them for attending. It was the biggest crowd of fans that the team has had, outside of the practice at Gibbs Stadium on Saturday night. Rhule told the crowd that it’s a good thing when the offense and defense switch off having better days of practice.

Transactions

▪ The Panthers signed safety Doug Middleton, filling the spot of safety J.T. Ibe, who was waived by the team Tuesday after a collision with Kirkwood. Middleton, a former Appalachian State defender and Carolina native, most recently played for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fullback Mason Stokke was waived. The team does not have another fullback on the roster.

Quote of the day

“I trimmed it in the spring, but I haven’t cut it in a while. ... I’m not going to let it get much longer than this, I’ll keep it trimmed up here. I don’t have any plans, I wish I could tell you something cool. I may shave it tomorrow.”

— Will Grier on his long hair that has become a character of its own.

Thursday’s schedule

The Panthers will have a fourth straight day of practice at Wofford. Practice is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. The team will head to Bank of America Stadium on Friday for Fan Fest.