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The Carolina Panthers break training camp today – 17 days and 22 practices after they arrived at Wofford on Aug. 2.
The Panthers are nowhere close to ending their preseason – they have three more exhibitions and will work out the rest of the way next to Bank of America Stadium.
Leaving Spartanburg signals a significant milestone in the preseason grind, though. Here's some of what we saw and learned in those 21/2 weeks:
Players on the rise
WR KENNETH MOORE: In his first camp with the Panthers, Moore is competing with Jason Carter and Ryne Robinson for the No.4 receiver spot. Moore, who played at Butler High and Wake Forest, was impressive in the preseason opener against the New York Giants (two catches for 27 yards). He is the only player of those three who isn't recovering from knee surgery. Coincidence? Probably not.
TE GARY BARNIDGE: He appears to have wrested the starting job from Jeff King. Barnidge, in his second season, gives the Panthers a down-field threat and has excellent hands. He needs to keep working on his blocking skills.
LB DAN CONNOR: A starting spot doesn't appear to be in the offing for Connor yet, but he had an impressive camp and a team-high eight tackles against the Giants. In his second season, he's waiting his turn behind strongside starter Na'il Diggs, who recently turned 31.
RB MIKE GOODSON: His touchdown against the Giants confirmed what many thought after the Panthers drafted him and then saw him do his thing in Spartanburg: This rookie is a big-play guy who will shake up Carolina's offense. How he does as a kick returner (he looked fairly pedestrian against New York) is another matter.
LB JEREMY LEMAN: He plays with lots of enthusiasm and had seven tackles against the Giants. Wants to be known as “J,” rather than Jeremy, but “J” is a long-shot at making the team because of all that talent ahead of him.
Players needing to step up
TE DANTE ROSARIO: Not much has been heard from him since his game-winning touchdown catch beat San Diego in the 2008 season opener. With Barnidge's emergence and King a sure bet to make the team, Rosario might be expendable. That might be especially true since the Panthers keep a kickoff specialist (Rhys Lloyd) and might hold on to a second fullback (rookie Tony Fiammetta).
OT GEOFF SCHWARTZ: He's one of the young offensive linemen the Panthers are counting on to back up the starters. He had a rough time of it against the Giants – incurring two penalties on one drive, for instance.
WR DWAYNE JARRETT: He's entrenched as the No.3 receiver, but he had just one catch for 3 yards against the Giants and is not showing he can get open consistently.
ANYBODY ON THE INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE: There doesn't seem to be anybody on the roster suited to take the place of injured nose tackle Maake Kemoeatu, who will miss the season with a torn Achilles. There's time for guys like Nick Hayden and Marlon Favorite to do so, but it's certain general manager Marty Hurney will be scouring the waiver wires in a few weeks when teams start making cuts.
Best of the bunch
Running back DeAngelo Williams, who had a breakout season in 2008, hasn't missed a beat. He's looked sharp since he took his first snap in the first practice.
Ever cautious
Coach John Fox showed again he's not willing to take any chances with the health of players he's counting on. Linebacker Thomas Davis (sprained knee) and running back Jonathan Stewart (sore Achilles) were seldom on the field in Spartanburg and that's certain not to change in Charlotte until Fox is convinced they're OK.
Rainy days …
Weather – excessive heat, storms or otherwise – wasn't much of a factor for this camp. It did rain all day on Aug.12, forcing the Panthers to cut short their afternoon practice. They practiced through the rain in the morning, however. It was the first time in recent memory the Panthers had a wet, cool day to deal with at training camp.
… and Mondays
The camp's two Mondays – Aug.3 and Aug.10 – brought injuries to key players. One was worse than the other.
Before that first day of camp was 15 minutes old, starting nose tackle Kemoeatu had collapsed during a pursuit drill. He had torn his Achilles tendon and will miss the season.
One week later, during a night practice, Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith bruised his shoulder after getting tangled up in a drill with cornerback Chris Gamble. He's not expected to miss any of the regular season.
Best play
Rookie cornerback Captain Munnerlyn snatched a long pass out of the hands of rookie fullback Tony Fiammetta, tipped it, then returned it for a touchdown.
Munnerlyn has turned heads in camp and is in the running to be the punt returner and perhaps the nickel back. He's every bit the little brother to his teammates: Not only is he the shortest Panther (5-foot-8), but the youngest (21, born April 10, 1988).
Rookies, beware
The final day of training camp usually means practical jokes and other hilarious hijinks from veterans toward rookies.
Anticipate at least a few youngsters being taped to a goal post or two, then being doused with a sports drink.
“I'll keep my eyes open, my ears open and keep my head on a swivel,” said rookie safety Sherrod Martin.
