How Rasul Douglas went from brand new player to playing in 81% of the Panthers snaps
Carolina Panthers cornerback Rasul Douglas chuckles when he thinks about the madness of last week.
How he was cut by the Eagles on a Saturday, picked up by the Panthers on a Sunday, joined his new teammates on a Wednesday and was on the field against the Raiders, playing in 81% of the team’s defensive snaps the following Sunday.
Douglas said he came into Sunday’s game expecting to support his teammates on the sideline in their season opener. But when cornerback Donte Jackson left in the first quarter with an ankle injury, the Panthers needed him.
“Jack went down, coach was like, ‘Go ahead. Go in,’ ” Douglas recalled Thursday.
He had no time to think. Douglas had to put everything he learned in those few days and try to apply it on the field. But he felt prepared. He was ready.
“(Coach) told me to stay closer to the sideline so they could kind of talk me through the plays, and I was like, ‘Man, I got it, I’m here,’ ” Douglas said. “I went through it last night. I know all the defense, just let it run. Don’t shy away from any plays, because you think I don’t know it.”
Douglas, who is 6-foot-2 and 209 pounds, did his part. He finished with a tackle, a pass breakup and a near game-ending interception in the fourth quarter of the Panthers’ 34-30 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The near interception was a pass from Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to wide receiver Hunter Renfrow. It was third down, and the Panthers had the lead 30-27 with five minutes remaining. Carr threw the pass to Renfrow, and Douglas cut the pass off and dove for it.
However, the play was canceled after Panthers linebacker Tahir Whitehead was called for pass interference.
Douglas was rated by advanced analytics website Pro Football Focus as being the ninth-best cornerback in the league last week, and fifth-best in coverage. He was targeted three times and allowed two completions for 24 yards total.
Being suddenly thrust into a lineup isn’t new for Douglas.
The fourth-year cornerback, who spent his first three seasons with the Eagles, saw significant playing time during his rookie season, after then-starting cornerback Ronald Darby dislocated his ankle midseason.
He started five games in 2017, and had two interceptions, including one against the Panthers.
“I’m always ready, no matter what,” Douglas said.
Douglas had five interceptions in three years with the Eagles, but they waived him on the final day of cuts earlier this month. The Panthers, who were thin at cornerback, picked him up off waivers, valuing his experience and length for the position.
On Sunday, they saw for themselves what he was capable of.
Douglas said the defense they ran in Philadelphia was somewhat similar to what they run with the Panthers. The terminology was just different. So to remember the new plays, he said he tried to remember key words. When the play would come in, he would repeat those key words and associate them with the play.
He also had help from teammates like Shaq Thompson and Brian Burns, who confirmed what he was supposed to do on most plays.
“He was a pleasure to watch on Sunday,” Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow said Thursday.
Douglas’ play has earned him more playing time, whether as a starter or at nickelback.
Snow said he thinks Jackson, rookie Troy Pride Jr. and Douglas will all rotate Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and will play about the same amount of time.
“He’s got a real good feel for football,” Snow said of Douglas. “When you watch him in zone and man, he’s just really aware.
“He’s played quite a bit in this league, so we’re not dealing with a young guy.”
Other notes
▪ Rookie defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos is in concussion protocol. He was poked in the eye in Wednesday’s practice in a one-on-one drill. He will likely miss Sunday’s game.
▪ Defensive tackle Kawann Short was limited in Thursday’s practice with a foot injury.
Snow said he wasn’t sure whether Short would be back Sunday, but added that he would be surprised if he didn’t play.
▪ Left guard Dennis Daley also missed practice with an ankle injury and will likely miss his second consecutive game.
