Panthers’ Joe Webb isn’t Russell Wilson, but he plays him on scout team

Joe Webb has 5 inches on Russell Wilson, but the Carolina Panthers’ third-string quarterback still had to look like Seattle’s signal caller on Thursday.

Webb, a do-everything player for the Panthers, played Wilson for the scout team on Thursday and will reprise his role on Friday.

“He’s a good quarterback,” Webb said. “He likes to stay on the run. I just tried to do everything I could to give the defense a good look.”

Webb is usually the scout team quarterback when the Panthers face an opponent with a mobile quarterback. This week, Webb was asked to elude defenders and scramble mostly to his right to simulate the kind of things Wilson does on the field.

“That’s what Joe used to do,” safety Tre Boston said. “We always get great looks from our quarterbacks. We appreciate what he does for us because it’s a great look.”

Webb is arguably the best athlete on the team – a point of contention for quarterback Cam Newton. An Alabama-Birmingham product, Webb started at quarterback for a Vikings playoff game in 2012. He’s an emergency backup running back, Carolina’s fifth receiver on game days and plays on all special teams units.

After practice Webb went to the steam room and was drenched in sweat. He had to spend all day in receiver drills, special teams drills and then run around like the elusive Wilson for the defense.

A little tired?

“I’m always tired,” Webb laughed. “I got to do all that stuff at practice.”

This story was originally published January 14, 2016 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Panthers’ Joe Webb isn’t Russell Wilson, but he plays him on scout team."