Matt Rhule on how the Panthers will divvy up quarterback reps and Jaycee Horn’s injury
The Carolina Panthers kicked off their training camp practices Wednesday and answered a key question that shows their commitment to hosting a legitimate quarterback battle.
The two quarterbacks vying for the team’s starting job, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, split snaps evenly throughout the midday practice. Darnold took his reps with the No. 1 offense while Mayfield did so with the No. 2 group.
The two will swap spots tomorrow, with head coach Matt Rhule saying they made the decision to not alternate in the middle of practices to maintain continuity between the quarterbacks and receivers.
“Baker got the install last night and this morning he’s trying to execute it,” Rhule said. “So we wanted the guys to have some consistency at receiver for the first two days and then we’ll start to mix things up a little bit more.”
Neither quarterback seems too worried about the reps, with Darnold saying that he’s just focused on making sure his plays help his cause to be the team’s Week 1 starter. Mayfield said he appreciated the transparency of the process.
“If there’s any questions, Coach Rhule, Coach (Ben) McAdoo have been very open … we’re going to understand why decisions are being made,” he said.
Darnold looked considerably sharper on the first day of practice as Mayfield struggled with accuracy and threw an interception.
The former Cleveland Brown only got the playbook two weeks ago and said he’s gotten “pretty far” in learning it.
“There was some good but just not enough,” Mayfield said about his performance Wednesday.
Panthers cornerback room thins
Second-year cornerback Jaycee Horn started training camp as a surprise addition to the team’s Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list after experiencing soreness in his right foot following Tuesday’s conditioning test.
Horn broke three bones in that same right foot last September, an injury that ended his season after just three games. Rhule said the decision on letting him practice would be made on a day-to-day basis but added that he thought the injury wouldn’t be a long-term issue.
“We made a decision to put him on PUP just to protect him,” he said. “He’s chomping at the bit to practice … just thought it was the best precaution. Not something we’re concerned about long-term, but just thought it was best to ease him into it.”
The team also lost cornerback Rashaan Melvin, who retired Wednesday, Rhule said after practice. The move opens up a roster spot for the Panthers.
The cornerback, who signed a one-year, $1.2 million deal in March, was an expected absence from the first day of training camp with what general manager Scott Fitterer called a “personal” matter Tuesday.
Rhule said Melvin called him and that he wished the 32-year-old the best.
“Absolutely first-class human, wonderful guy,” Rhule said of Melvin.
The move thins out the team’s cornerback depth. After the top three of Horn, Donte Jackson and CJ Henderson, the options seem sparse.
The 2022 fifth and seventh-round picks, Keith Taylor Jr. and Kalon Barnes, could factor into the mix. Taylor Jr., a University of Washington product, picked off Mayfield during 7-on-7 drills. The defensive back made a good play on a deep pass down the right side of the field.
His pre-draft scouting report from Bleacher Report cited “good ball skills” as a strength, saying Taylor Jr. “plays through hands with good timing.”
Rhule hinted that the team may look for outside help at the position to fill the roster spot.
“Scott will do a good job making sure we keep looking for … people and make sure we have our bodies in camp,” he said.
Coach Shaq Thompson?
The Panthers’ defense has a new coach in their meeting room, a 6-foot, 229-pound, dreadlocked linebacker who’s been sidelined for the start of training camp: Shaq Thompson.
Thompson, who’s on the PUP list after a knee clean-up procedure brought on by the wear-and-tear of an NFL season, has acted like a coach in meeting rooms for the Carolina defense.
“Shaq man, he’s one of them old cats, just helping out the young guys in any way he can,” Frankie Luvu said. “Even myself, I got a lot of questions in the meeting room (and) on the field, he does a great job.”
When the team played in the red zone, Thompson noticed what was going on with the defense and barked out instructions, Rhule said.
The coach said Tuesday that he told Thompson he’d consider him a pseudo-assistant coach during his recovery. Being in meetings and on the sideline and not having to evaluate his own performance could help his mastery of the defense improve, Rhule said.
“I think it’s a great chance for Shaq because he’s loved by his teammates,” Rhule said Tuesday. “He can say things and guys don’t take it personally. I think it’s a good chance for him to step back … reinforce standards, really elevate himself as a leader even more.”
This story was originally published July 27, 2022 at 5:04 PM.
