The Carolina Panthers must trim their roster to 53 players by 6 p.m. Saturday. That means 22 players will either be waived, released or placed on injured reserve. (NOTE: Check in with us shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday and we will have the complete list of cuts as soon as they are announced.)

   About 13 are pretty easy to figure out.

   I could be wrong, but I don't think any of the following stand a chance to make the 53-man roster: 1. QB Dalton Bell, 2. RB Eric Shelton, 3. FB Billy Latsko, 4. WR Kevin Youngblood, 5. WR Chris Horn, 6. TE Chad Upshaw, 7. OL Reuben Riley, 8. OL Bobby Harris, 9. OL Theodric Watson, 10. DL Gary Gibson, 11. DL Stephen Williams, 12. LB Mickey Pimental, 13. LB  Phillipe Gardent.

   That would leave nine more to be cut.

   I have a feeling the Panthers will wind up cutting OT Kenyatta Walker. The Panthers might have to think hard about whether or not to keep TE Michael Gaines.

   I think the most difficult decisions for coaches will be who to keep on the offensive line and who makes it from the secondary.

 

   The Panthers and Steelers have just taken the field for warmups for tonight's preseason game after a delay for lightning. The game will not start exactly at 8 p.m., but should start about 8:15 or 8:20.

   Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson made it pretty clear this off-season that he views offensive tackle Jordan Gross as an indispensable part of the team's future. Gross was one of five players Richardson invited to his lake house for a talk about leadership, a strong indication he figures Gross will be around awhile.

   But as of right now Gross' future remains up in the air.

   With only 10 days remaining before the regular season opener, the Panthers have not had any serious discussions about extending Gross' contract, according to his agent Ethan Lock.

   "We haven't heard from them," Lock said matter-of-factly.

   The only reason this is mildly interesting is because Gross is heading into the final year of his contract, which means he becomes an unrestricted free agent next March. That makes Gross' situation more pressing than that of Julius Peppers, who has two years left on his contract.

   Gross has said in the past he'd prefer to have a deal in place before the season so it isn't hanging over his head all year. But Gross is an easy-going guy and I doubt not getting a new contract would affect his performance. But it might be a bit of a relief to Gross to get it over with so he can focus on football.

   Now to be clear, just because a deal isn't done today doesn't mean it's time to push the panic button.

   The Panthers can still get a deal done anytime between now and March.

   The inherent danger is that sometimes when a top-notch player like Gross gets a whiff of free agency, he's less likely to re-sign with his former team and more inclined to test the market and see what's out there. If it comes to that, the Panthers could always place the franchise tag on Gross, which would pay him the average salary of the top five highest-paid players at his position for the 2008 season. The Panthers have never been a big proponent of using the franchise tag, but if talks were to stall that might be an option down the road.

   Obviously, neither side wants it to come to that -- and, let me emphasize again, we're a long way from that point right now.

   Nonetheless, I'm a little surprised talks haven't begun to heat up. But hey, like I said, there's still plenty of time.

   In the end, I think things will work out and Gross will be a Panther for a very long time.

  

 

    

   The Carolina Panthers made four more roster moves Tuesday to reach the NFL mandatory 75-player limit and none of them came as a surprise.

   The Panthers placed defensive end Rondell Biggs, an undrafted rookie, on injured reserve and placed wide receiver Josh Davis on the reserve/non-football illness list. They also waived-injured receiver Justin McCullum and waived running back Marlion Jackson.

   The Panthers must trim 22 more players from the roster by Saturday.

   The Carolina Panthers must make four more more cuts today by 4 p.m.

   No news yet on who that will be, but I wouldn't suspect it will be anyone of note.

   My guess is that defensive lineman Rondell Biggs and receiver Justin McCullum, both of whom notably absent from Tuesday morning's practice, will be on that list. The Panthers likely had to reach injury settlements of some sort with both players since they are injured.

   It wasn't a great day to be a Carolina Panthers quarterback.

   After third-stringer Brett Basanez was placed on IR, starter Jake Delhomme tweaked something in either his back or midsection while throwing the football and sat out the last portion of Sunday's practice. Delhomme was seen trying to stretch out on the sidelines while others ran plays. Delhomme basically laughed off questions about the injury afterward, assuring reporters it was no big deal and that he'll be fine. Delhomme isn't expected to play much Thursday night against Pittsburgh and has two weeks to recover in time for the regular season opener against St. Louis.

   "I have a little twitch, but other than that I'm good," Delhomme said. "They just wouldn't let me go back in. I'm good."

   We'll see if Delhomme returns to work Monday.

   Meanwhile, David Carr said he's nursing a broken toe, an injury that happened last week in practice, but was not reported to the media. Carr still played on the "pinky" toe on his right foot Friday night. He said the injury is not a huge concern, but it did force him to limp around a bit during practice.

   By the end of practice fourth-stringer Dalton Bell was getting most of the reps in practice.

   By the way, here are some of Delhomme's comments from after Friday night's loss to New England:

      --Well, it must be football season because I saw the "CatMan," of course dressed in full Panthers garb, walking into the stadium Friday night as I took a stroll to the stadium. He was walking with a young man who was also wearing a blue wig and a No. 35 Eric Shelton jersey. When two other fans walked by them, one said to the other, "Who's Shelton?" Those two words typify Shelton's career here in Carolina.

   --Yes ladies, Tom Brady is in the stadium and will play. (No sign of his new baby)

   --By the way, the Top Cats cheerleaders debuted some sharp white two-piece outfits on Friday night. (Not that I was paying attention, honey)

   --The Panthers should be at full strength Friday night with the exeption of outside linebacker Na'il Diggs. Defensive end Julius Peppers will start at right defensive end for the Panthers and Dan Morgan at middle linebacker. This will be a good test for Carolina's defense going against Daddy Brady.

   -- Nice to see the home crowd give Dan Morgan a huge ovation during pre-game warmups.

 

   While you may have read a lot about first-round draft pick Jon Beason, second rounders Dwayne Jarrett and Ryan Kalil and even fourth-round pick Ryne Robinson, there's been almost nothing written about Carolina's third-round pick Charles Johnson.

   Why is that?

   Because Johnson, a defensive end from Georgia, has done absolutely nothing to this point to stand out from the crowd except for one day in practice when he jumped off-sides a few times.

   Quite frankly, Johnson, who is listed in the media guide as 6-foot-2 and 270 pounds, looks undersized at defensive end and is getting swallowed up by larger offensive linemen. And right now he'd better not take making the 53-man roster for granted. The Panthers have been known to cut underperforming third-round draft picks before, most notably defensive tackle Atiyyah Ellison in 2005.

   For the record, here is what coach John Fox had to say about Johnson on Wednesday: "I think he's been very promising. He's still learning. He's a young player that is figuring out how to do things in the NFL, and I like what I've seen so far."

   (Incidentally, I'm wondering if there's anyone on the Panthes roster Fox has seen that he doesn't like. I know, I know. His job is not to degrade his players, but don't you think sometimes a little blow to the ego might do the player some good and actually spur him on. Remember Dick Vermeil's comment to Larry Johnson about taking off his diapers. Well, that seemed to work pretty good. Now Johnson is an NFL star... But I digress...)

   Anyway, it's unclear if the Panthers will keep four or five defensive ends this season. You have to figure Julius Peppers, Mike Rucker and Stanley McClover are locks. Fox also likes what he's seen (of course) from Dave Ball and Otis Grigsby. Johnson had better step up -- and step up soon if he wants to make this team.

    Fox believes Johnson will learn more as he spends more time with Peppers and Rucker.

   "It's a little bit like a year ago," Fox said. "Stanley McClover came in here and was a young guy that got the tutelage from both of those guys. That helps them get through and learn. You're learning from guys that have been doing it for a long time."

   There has been plenty said about Panthers rookie WR Dwayne Jarrett over the last couple of days and most of it suggests he's not living up to his potential -- at least not yet. I'm not suggesting by any means Jarrett is a bust, but these comments suggest to me that the rookie needs to start stepping up his game if he's going to be a factor this season for the Panthers.

   Here's a sample of quotes about Jarrett:

WR Steve Smith on Jarrett: "He has a little bit of a learning curve. He has to get a little better, a little quicker."

WR coach Richard Williamson on Jarrett: "He’s got to get better at route running. We have a sense of urgency around here. Everything has got to be quick. You have to move and be quick and get away from the press and things like that. He needs to work on all of that. He has a big body, so you can’t be a Tinkerbell out there. You have to be like a bull in the closet. He’s got a big body, now use it. Knock those guys around and get off the line of scrimmage and do what you have to do. But don’t try to finesse the (defensive backs) because you’re not a finesse player."

WR Drew Carter on Jarrett: "It's not going to be something where you're given the job like at USC or Ohio State or wherever you're at. You come in on scholarship, so you know you're going to be around. Guys fight for jobs here. You've got to put forth effort every day and people are coming after you."

   Keep in mind fans, from here on out this season we as reporters are only allowed to report a limited amount of information obtained from what are now "closed practice sessions," which often precludes us from discussing the type of plays that are being run, who made a nice play during practice and any position changes (unless coach John Fox or a player addresses it specifically following practice).

   Fox has made it clear through the team's PR department that a violation of this agreement could result in all practices being closed to reporters.

   Quite frankly, that's not something any of us in the media want since some information from practice is better than none. Also, it's not an unreasonable on the Panthers part considering the strategy and gamesmanship involved in the NFL and how some information might tip off another coach as to what the Panthers are doing. A perfect example of this came last year in preparations for the Atlanta Falcons. As reporters, we watched DeAngelo Williams take a lot of reps at quarterback during practice. but we weren't allowed to write about it because it would have tipped off the Falcons. As it turned out, the move surprised the Falcons and helped the Panthers win the game.

   So basically what I'm saying here is I promise to give you as much information in this blog (and as much opinion-based material as possible) without violating the agreed upon rules, but it probably won't be as elaborate as what you've read in training camp.

   That said, here are some items from Tuesday:

   1. Defensive end Julius Peppers was back on the field Tuesday after spending most of the last week recovering from an illness. The Panthers have been very vague on what Peppers' problem was, only saying "he was sick." Peppers turned down interview requests after practice.

   2. Rookie Ryan Kalil is excited about his move from center to right guard, where he could get some reps with the first team. This represents a change from earlier this week where Geoff Hangartner had been working with the first team at righ guard. (Yes, Fox and Kalil talked about this switch to guard after practice) Anyway, the game of musical chairs on the O-line continues.

   3. Na'il Diggs (hamstring) was the only player held out of practice.

  

 

 

   The Carolina Panthers wrapped up training camp on Monday and will return to practice in Charlotte on Tuesday. Here's some news from the final practice.

   1. Dan Morgan said he will play about one quarter on Friday night against the New England Patriots. Morgan said he's eager to get in some live action. He said he's not sure if the coaches want him to play in the preseason finale against Pittsburgh. Morgan has done more in team drills of late and done some hitting. He said he's not worried about getting hurt.

   2. The vets tied up the team's three rookie linebackers to a goal post with athletic tape following Monday's practice and doused them with Gatorade and water.

   3. Julius Peppers did not practice and remains day-to-day with an illness, coach John Fox.

   4. Dwayne Jarrett made two nice grabs in practice. Perhaps he's ready to step up and compete for the starting job.

   5. Deke Cooper continues to work with the first team at free safety ahead of Nate Salley.

   6. Coach John Fox said the team's No. 2 receiver spot is still up in the air. (More on that later).

   7. When the Panthers go to their nickel package, rookie linebacker Jon Beason comes out and Richard Marshall enters the game.

   That's all from Spartanburg.... Check back later for more on the No. 2 receiver battle and more from Morgan on getting a chance to play.

 

   Just walked off the practice field here in Spartanburg, S.C., for the second-to-last practice of training camp. Coach John Fox said Monday morning’s 9:10 a.m. practice is the last one at Wofford College before the team packs up and returns to Charlotte. Fox had planned to break camp on Sunday, but the Panthers played so poorly Friday night that he kept them here an extra two days.

 

Some observations:

1. As expected, the Panthers tweaked their offensive line once again Sunday with Geoff Hangartner starting at right guard and Justin Hartwig moving back to center. The Ryan Kalil experiment didn’t work all that well against Philadelphia. The kid will be a good player in this league at some point, but he didn’t demonstrate he was ready for a starting role just yet.
2. Still no Julius Peppers. He is in Charlotte resting while recovering from an illness. Coach John Fox said it’s nothing serious and fans shouldn’t ready anything into it. They just want Peppers to rest and get better. That's probably a good idea.
3. Stanley McClover worked with the starters in place of Peppers again Sunday.
4. Linebackers Na’il Diggs and Brandon Jamison sat out Sunday’s practice. Nothing serious, just dinged from the game. (That, by the way, may have been the only thing good to come out of the game -- nobody was seriously hurt).
5. Diggs’ injury meant Jon Beason was back to working with the first team at weakside linebacker, where he’s expected to stay.
6. Defensive end Dave Ball made a nice play in practice, predicting the passing route of David Carr and stepping in front of a pass to Steve Smith and taking it for a touchdown.
7. This was mildly interesting, but the Panthers went back to using Jeremy Bridges at right tackle and Evan Mathis at right guard in the second-team offense. Bridges is expected to be the Week 3 starter at right guard when he returns from a suspension.
8. Wide receiver Josh Davis from York underwent an appendectomy and will be out for some time. He wasn’t expected to make the 53-man roster, but could end up on the practice squad.
9. Dwayne Jarrett made a nice move on cornerback Richard Marshall and beat him for a touchdown during 1-on-1 drills.
10. Nate Salley split some first-team reps with Deke Cooper at free safety. Salley returned to the practice field last week following a knee injury.

   As part of a new feature on our new website, we're offering fans a chance to go "inside the locker room" to hear interviews with players from after the game. Listen in to what coach John Fox, quarterbacks Jake Delhomme and David Carr, center Ryan Kalil, defensive end Mike Rucker and offensive tackle Jordan Gross had to say about the 27-10 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles. And don't forget to check back with us after every game throughout the season for more post-game interviews.

   It's easy to access the interviews. Just place your mouse on "multimedia" above and then click on "podcasts" in the drop-down box. That will take you to an archive of all interviews from this week's game. Also, my wrapup of the game is on there as well. If you like this new feature, let us know on the message boards.

   Thanks!

   Carolina Panthers star defensive end Julius Peppers did not accompany his teammates to Philadelphia for tonight's exhibition game against the Eagles (kickoff 7 p.m.). Instead, Peppers stayed behind to rest after becoming ill at training camp on Thursday.

   Peppers did not practice Thursday morning and returned early to Charlotte for tests.

   It's unclear at this point exactly what's bothering Pep, but he missed a few days earlier in training camp because of sickness. We should know more later tonight after speaking with head coach John Fox, but at this moment it's not believed to be anything serious.

   Among the others who did not  make the trip to Philadelphia were safety Nate Salley, cornerback Curtis DeLoatch and receivers Justin McCullum and Josh Davis.

   Carolina players were gathered around coach John Fox in the middle of the field following Wednesday's morning practice when they suddenly let out a huge yell. Turns out there was some big news -- Fox informed them that he has cancelled the afternoon practice. Instead, he's taking them to the movies. Fox said it was a reward because of all of the hard work the players have put in so far.

   1. Every player on the roster practiced Wednesday except wide receiver Justin McCullum, who is still out with a hamstring injury.

   2. Don't expect MLB Dan Morgan to play in the Philadelphia game on Friday night. Morgan will probably go through warmups, but will not play -- the same routine as last week. In fact, there's a chance Morgan might not play at all this preseason. If he does at all it will likely be for a series in the final preseason game. In case you're wondering, yes, there are some within this organization who are very concerned how Morgan will react to his big first hit. Fans have to remember that when Morgan is healthy, the Panthers are a completely different defense. When healthy, he's one of the top three MLBs in the league. No disrespect to backup Adam Seward, but there's a huge dropoff when Morgan isn't in the lineup.

   2a. Speaking of Morgan, his father, Dan Sr., was on hand for practice. Great to talk with him again. Like any loving father he's concerned about his son's health. The two have talked at length about Dan's history of concussions. In the end, he left the decision about what to do up to Dan Jr. He would have supported his son 100 percent no matter what he decided to do.

   3. Rookie Dwayne Jarrett will play Friday night. Talked to him today. More on that later.

   4. The Panthers are undecided on whether Mike Rucker will play this week.

   5. Look for the starters to play nearly the entire first half of Friday night's game against the Eagles, according to Fox.

   6. Sal Sunseri got upset with two of his young defensive linemen in the morning practice and literally ran them off the field to the sidelines screaming, "Get off the field! Get off the field!"

   7. Travelle Wharton knocked Kris Jenkins on his rear end on a screen pass Wednesday morning and the offense let Jenkins know it by barking. The defense has been doing most of the barking in camp (thanks to DE Stanley McClover), but the offense has picked up on it lately.

   8. Kenyatta Walker has yet to participate in team drills.

   Just walked off the field here Tuesday afternoon in Spartanburg. Here's what happened here in training camp heaven:

   1. The Panthers got several key injured players back on the field Tuesday including running back DeAngelo Williams, wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett and safety Nate Salley, who has missed the last two weeks of practice with knee problems. Good to see Salley back out there running around. He's still working with the second team behind Deke Cooper. Running back Alex Haynes also returned to practice.

   2. Only three players remain working on the side with trainers -- cornerback Curtis DeLoatch (hamstring), defensive tackle Chad Lavalais (foot) and receiver Justin McCullum.

   3. In practice, Drew Carter beat Richard Marshall on a deep route... and then dropped a 50-yard touchdown pass. Carter kicked the pylon in the end zone in frustration after his lack of concentration.

   4. You haven't heard much about Chris Gamble in training camp, but he was highly visible on Tuesday. Gamble was beat deep during 1-on-1 drills by Taye Biddle and then a few plays later seemed to have an easy interception only to have the ball wrestled away from him by Kevin Youngblood. However, a few minutes during team drills, Gamble stepped in front of a pass and returned it for a touchdown.

   5. You have to be impressed with the competitiveness of cornerback Ken Lucas. If he gets beat on a play, he's openly angry at himself. If he makes a nice play, he isn't afraid to show it.  I still think Lucas is a very talented cornerback and could have a big year if he stays healthy.

   6. DeAngelo Williams just looks so quick in this offense. Can't wait to see him on the field -- hopefully that will come Friday night at Philadelphia.

   7. Christian Morton knocked a pass out of Nick Goings' hands on Tuesday, earning him a loud "Good job, Christian!!!" from coach John Fox.

   8. The Panthers practice Wednesday at 9:10 a.m. Also, Thursday's walk-through practice has been moved up to 9:45 a.m.

 

 

 

   New Panthers offensive tackle Kenyatta Walker said he dined with members of the Panthers defensive line and said there is no lingering bad blood between him and Kris Jenkins and Julius Peppers. Basically, he tried his best to diffuse any hard feelings in an interview Tuesday afternoon.

   "We are professionals here. We play a game of football and it's very competitive. But everyone has families and you don't take nothing off the field," Walker said.

   Although Jenkins trashed Walker in 2003 saying he was a "horrible player," Walker said that was all just a part of the rivarly. Said Walker: "This is a team that I competed against for five years. I looked at it as Florida-Florida State and there was friendly competitiveness."

   More on Walker's interview later today.

   Jenkins declined comment and Peppers was not made available to speak.

   However, defensive end Mike Rucker said this in regards to the Walker signing: "I never really have personal hatred toward anyone. I mean a guy can hit me in the back and I'm going to be mad at that situation at the time, but I'm not going to carry something off the field. I think that is probably most people's take on stuff like that. We're here to work together. You might not like each other but that doesn't still separate what you are doing. I have no personal hatred toward anybody. At the end of the day it's a working relationship."

   We also have to keep in mind that Walker is not a lock to make the team.

   He still has to beat out former third-round pick Rashad Butler and Evan Mathis for a backup job. Keep in mind, he signed a one-year deal worth the league veteran minimum for a player with his NFL experience ($595,000). Basically, that means the Panthers can cut Walker and not take any cap hit if it doesn't work out.

   Here's the entire transcript of the Julius Peppers’ interview on Monday morninig. By the way, you can now hear the Peppers' interview live by clicking on my podcast at the bottom of the page. (By the way, if you click on it and gives you a message about a Mime file, simply hit "no" and it should pop right up). Check it out:

On Richardson's comments to him about stepping up as a leader: "It wasn't a conversation we had before. I think it kind of got blown up a little bit. It is what it is, I guess."

On his reactions to the comments and if he's comfortable with a leadership role: "I'm fine with it. I don't think he meant to say you're the leader of this team. There are other leaders on the team. We have Steve (Smith) and Jake (Delhomme) and a lot of other cats on the team that can step up. I don't think it's fair for all people to place that bearing on me by myself."

On his thoughts on what Richardson meant: "Just step up and be one of those guys, not just the guy. Just one of these guys."

On if it’s a role (leadership) he’s comfortable with: "Oh yeah, I'm fine with it. I've been a leader my whole time here, you know. Going out and working hard here every day."

On viewing himself as a quiet leader: "You got those guys in the past who kind of seem like you guys were drawn to talking to those guys a lot and then I think some of those guys didn't have a lot of respect (from the guys on the team). We had guys who talked who really didn't back it up. I would rather have my actions speak for me."

On with Mike Minter gone does he see a situation where he would be more out front: "We need guys to step up and be more vocal and that doesn't mean coming out here and talk (to the media). Not that I have a problem with that, that's not what that means. Maybe pulling the young guys to the side and encouraging them to watch a little more film. I think that's being a leader."

On has he done that more the last couple of years: "Yeah, a little bit."

On the upcoming season: "I'm excited to get back out there. This time of year everybody feels good about their team and making the playoffs and all of that stuff. So I want to see how it goes. I don't want to say a lot about it, I just want to perform."

On Stanley McClover: He's doing good. He's improved a lot over the summer. We are looking fora lot for him. He's going to get a chance to play and he's ready. He's ready to go."

On your personal goals: "Not really. As you guys may know, I'm not big on personal goals. I just want to help the team. Playoffs is a definite goal. That's about the only thing I can put out there right now is making playoff."

On contract status: "I have two more years under contract so that’s not even a big deal right now."

On prospect of being the highest-paid defensive player in the league: "That’s something I haven’t thought about either. If it happens, it happens. If not, then not."

On other big contracts signed by Dwight Freeney and others: "I’m not concerned about what anybody else it getting or what I make because I don’t have it. I’m not worried about it."

On does he assume it will get worked out here in Carolina and won’t be an issue: "It’s not an issue right now and I don’t think it will be one."

 

   QUICK UPDATE: Julius Peppers spoke with the media for the first time on Monday. I hope to have that up on the podcast soon. Peppers said he isn't concerned with getting a new contract extension and believes owner Jerry Richardson's comments about him stepping up were blown out of proportion. He said he's been a leader on the team for some time. Catch all of Julius' remarks soon on the podcast.

 Here's some notes from Monday morning's practice:

   1. The Panthers began preparing for life without Jeremy Bridges on Monday and made an interesting move with the first team. Rookie center Ryan Kalil worked with the first team at center and Justin Hartwig moved out to left guard which is Bridges' spot. That could be the direction the Panthers go for the first two games of the regular season with Bridges serving a two-game suspension. Once Bridges returns, he's expected to return to the starting lineup at left guard and Hartwig is likely to move back to center.

   2. Na'il Diggs was back with the first team at outside linebacker working ahead of Jon Beason, the team's first-round draft pick.

   3. The Panthers appear to have settled on Richard Marshall and Brandon Jamison as their gunners on punt return coverage.

   4. Jeff King is not the fastest tight end in the world, but he continues to find ways to get open under the coverage and in tight spots. He made several nice catches Monday morning.

   5. After getting torched a few times early in practice by Steve Smith, cornerback Kevin Garrett made a nice play in the end zone breaking up a pass intended for Smith. Even Smith seemed to appreciate the fine play, smacking Garrett on the back of the helmet after the play.

   6. Running back DeAngelo Williams and receiver Dwayne Jarrett did not practice. Coach John Fox said Wiliams didn't hurt the ankle last week in practice. He said it was just a matter of the foot tightening up on the flight to Newark.

   7. Nate Salley has now missed almost two weeks of practice with a knee injury. Also sitting out were receiver Justin McCullum, cornerback Curtis DeLoatch and running back Alex Haynes.

   8. Veterans Jake Delhomme and Mike Rucker exchanged some friendly pushing after Delhomme met up with Rucker on a reverse. The two laughed as the pushed at each other.

   9. The Panthers worked on running out of the clock on Monday. The offense was given this scenario -- they had 1:12 left on the clock and needed to get one first down. The defense had three timeouts. Both the first-team and second-team offenses managed to pick up first downs and run out the clock.

   10. The Panthers practice again tonight.

    Have to get to the Peppers' tape now -- talk to you soon...

   Hey Carolina fans, want to go inside the locker room and hear what coach John Fox and the players had to say to reporters after the game?

   Well, we've got it. 

   For the latest interviews from Saturday night's game, click on "multimedia" near the top of the page and then click on "podcasts" on the drop-down section for a complete list of interviews. As always, the latest interview posted is at the bottom of the page. Just click the Ipod icon.

   Among those interviewed include DeShaun Foster, David Carr, Jordan Gross, Jon Beason and Mike Wahle.

 

   As required by the league, the Panthers released their first "unofficial" depth chart (generated by the PR department). Note that not all of the players on the team's current roster were listed here. For what it's worth, here's what the depth chart looks like (but don't read too much into this):

OFFENSE:

WR: 1. Steve Smith, 2. Drew Carter, 3. Taye Biddle.

LT: 1. Travelle Wharton, 2. Rashad Butler.

LG: 1. Mike Wahle, 2. D'Anthony Batiste, 3. Will Montgomery.

C: 1. Justin Hartwig, 2. Ryan Kalil, 3. Geoff Hangartner.

RG: 1. Jeremy Bridges, 2. Geoff Hangartner, 3. Evan Mathis.

RT: 1. Jordan Gross, 2. Evan Mathis.

TE: 1. Jeff King, 2. Michael Gaines, 3. Dante Rosario, 4. Dan Murray, 5. Chad Upshaw.

WR: 1. Keary Colbert, 2. Dwayne Jarrett, 3. Chris Horn, 4. Kevin Youngblood.

QB 1. Jake Delhomme, 2. David Carr, 3. Brett Basanez, 4. Dalton Bell.

FB: 1. Brad Hoover, 2. Steven Jackson, 3. Billy Latsko.

RB: 1. DeShaun Foster, 2. DeAngelo Williams, 3. Nick Goings, 4. Eric Shelton, 5. Alex Haynes.

DEFENSE:

LDE: 1. Julius Peppers, 2. Stanley McClover, 3. Otis Grigbsy.

LDT: 1. Ma'ake Kemoeatu, 2. Damione Lewis, 3. Dave Ball.

RDT: 1. Kris Jenkins, 2.  Kindal Moorehead, 3. Chad Lavalais, 4. Stephen Williams.

RDE: 1. Mike Rucker, 2. Stanley McClover, 3. Charles Johnson.

SLB: 1. Thomas Davis, 2 Brandon Jamison, 3. James Anderson.

MLB: 1. Dan Morgan, 2. Adam Seward, 3. Tim Shaw.

WLB: 1. Na'il Diggs, 2. Jon Beason, 3. James Anderson.

LCB: 1. Chris Gamble, 2. Curtis DeLoatch, 3. Derrick Strait.

RCB: 1. Ken Lucas, 2. Richard Marshall.

SS: 1. Chris Harris, 2. Cam Newton, 3. Quinton Teal.

FS: 1. Nate Salley, 2. Deke Cooper.

Hey everyone:

   All settled into the press box here at Giants Stadium high, high, high above the playing field. Not sure we could really be much higher without hitting heaven. Anyway, here's some early pre-game news:

   1. Among those who will not play for the Panthers include defensive end Mike Rucker, linebacker Na'il Diggs, receivers Dwayne Jarrett and Justin McCullum and running back Alex Haynes. The Giants will be without starting wide receivers Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer, among others.

   2. Dan Morgan is listed on the handout as being deactivated. However, Morgan is on the field for warmups. Nonetheless, we're told Morgan will not play. But the Panthers better keep an eye on him because Morgan might be apt to sneak on the field without coaches knowing. Looks like we'll have to wait at least another week for his return.

   3. You want leadership? Here's leadership -- Julius Peppers led the Panthers on to the practice field for tonight's game. He had this to say to reporters: "--------" OK, thanks Julius.

   4. Folks, I don't want to rub this in, but the temperature here is a "pleasant" 81 degrees.

   5. The Panthers enter tonight's game having won 15 of 17 preseason games.

   Check back for more blogs updates as the game progresses...

 

   The Panthers completed their final preparations for Saturday night's preseason opener against the New York Giants with a walk-through practice on Friday in Spartanburg, S.C. Shortly after practice, the team loaded up and headed on a flight to Newark.

   Here;s what we know:

   1. Carolina fans will have to wait for the debut of rookie wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett, who will not travel with the team due to a hamstring injury. Jarrett tweaked the hamstring on Wednesday and team officials said at the time it was a minor injury and that Jarrett could practice if needed. Obviously, the Panthers are being cautious just in case and that's probably a good idea. While Jarrett needs reps at the NFL level, it would do little good if he goes out and pulls the hamstring in the first preseason game, setting him back for his entire rookie season.

   2. As expected, safety Nate Salley will not make the trip either. He has been out for more than a week after landing wrong on his knee in practice. Among the others staying home will be running back Alex Haynes (thigh), tight end Chad Upshaw (knee) and wide receiver Justin McCullum (thigh). I think it would be a stretch if linebacker Na'il Diggs plays much and the same goes for cornerback Derrick Strait, both of whom have missed significant time at camp.

   3. No immediate word on if Dan Morgan will play. My hunch is he won't -- or if he does it will only be for about a series.

   4. Here's some proof that winning preseason games means nothing. The Panthers and Giants were both 4-0 in the prseason last year, and yet both went 8-8 in the regular season. The Giants slipped into the playoffs as a wild card team, but lost in the first round.

   5. Friday's practice consisted of Fox's normal routine of having players go through the motions of how to line up on the field for stretching before the game. They also worked on situational substitutions,

  

   Some quick hits from Thursday:

   1. Weakside linebacker Na'il Diggs returned to the practice field on Thursday. He has been battling a hamstring injury. Said coach John Fox: "We're bringing him back cautiously. He moved around and looks like he's doing good so far." A message to Diggs: Don't expect to get that starting job back anytime soon with Jon Beason working first team.

   2. Deke Cooper continues to work alongside Chris Harris in the secondary. That could change once Nate Salley returns to the field. "Deke's a guy that has had a past with us," Fox said. "We kind of know what he's about. He knows our defense. We kind of know what his abilities are on special teams and on defense. They're competing, and we'll see how it ends up.

   3. When asked if Salley and  Harris can be on the field at the same time even though they are both more experienced at free safety," Fox replied. "I think probably that's kind of where we're looking at heading. But until Nate gets back out there, I don't know. As far as them being together or not, they should be fine. Really, you've got be interchangeable in this League anyways, because the offense can dictate it to you one way or the other." Fox views his safeties as interchangable.

   4. The team practiced in full pads with a heat index of 115. "They did good," Fox said. "They sucked it up. We cut it back a little bit as far as time and took precautions as far as cooling them off. I thought they fought through it good."

    5. The Panthers will have a walk-through practice Friday before boarding a plane to Newark.

   Quick hits from Wednesday afternoon's practice:

   1. The temperature here in Spartanburg hit 102 degrees with a heat index on the field of 114, three shy of the all-time record, according to team officials. Still, it was the hottest practice of the season. Good thing for the players they were in shorts and this was a non-contact workout.

   2. Rookie wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett was held out of practice on Wednesday afternoon after tweaking his hamstring in the morning session. Team officials said it was just a precautionary measure and Jarrett could have practiced had he been needed. But why risk it?

   3. Jake Delhomme and DeShaun Foster were given the afternoon off.

   4. Many of the same faces, including safety Nate Salley and linebacker Na'il Diggs, worked on the side with trainers in the afternoon.

   5. Given the comments from owner Jerry Richardson on Tuesday, I'd hoped to talk with Julius Peppers today but to no avail. Peppers turned down interview requests through the team's PR staff. I'm still hoping he will talk to the media soon. The thinking here is if Peppers wants to become a leader,  like Richardons wants him to be, then he needs to make himself more available to the media, serving as a team spokesman for the defense. Maybe he'll talk tomorrow. We'll see what happens.

    6. The Panthers made one roster move on Wednesday, signing running back Marlion Jackson, a running back from Saginaw Valley. The corresponding move was the release of kicker Andrew Wellock.

   7. The Panthers practice once on Thursday at 3:10 p.m. My advice: Don't bother coming down for practice on Friday as it's a glorified walk-through and you won't see much.

   8. Mike Rucker and Travelle Wharton continue to work every other day.

 

Observations from Wednesday morning's practice:

   1.Just walked off the field following the morning practice and my shirt is completely drenched -- and all I did was stand and watch practice. The heat was bad, but the humidity was worse. This is my 13th training camp with the Panthers and I've seen hundreds of practices, but this may have been the all-time worst. Hot. Hot. Hot. Maybe I'm just getting old or I'm out of marathon shape. Regardless, I got a chuckle when SI's Tim Layden referred to Wofford College as "Training camp heaven" in a recent story. He obviously didn't stay long enough in Spartanburg, S.C., because Wednesday was much closer to training camp hell. I can't imagine what it was like with pads on. But so far no cramping issues. However, a lot of IVs have been given out.

   2. Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis was held out of practice Wednesday with back spasms. He's "practice-to-practice," Fox said.

   3. You can pretty much say Keary Colbert is working with the first team offense now ahead of Drew Carter. Over the past few days Carter has taken the vast majority of reps there. Don't be surprised if he starts Saturday night's preseason opener against the Giants. The team thinks he's playing well. Personally, I don't see it.

   4. Along with Davis, tight end Chad Upshaw, running back Alex Haynes, safety Nate Salley, linebacker Na'il Diggs and receiver Justin McCullum missed practice.

   5. Just weird knowing there will be no No. 30 on the field this year.

   6. Linebacker Jon Beason and safety Chris Harris continue to work with the first team defense. The Panthers have thrown them into the ocean and are hoping they can swim.

   7. John Kasay drew cheers when he kicked the ball into a mechanical lift behind the goal post not once, but twice on Wednesday. If Kasay can kick it and get into the lift, without the ball falling down it's considered a hole-in-one. So he had two of them on Wednesday.

   8. Kris Jenkins' son wandered on to the field toward the end of practice. Jenkins gathered him up and returned him to the side of the field but not before several of Jenkins' teamamates gave the youngster some high-fives.

   9. I meant to get this in yesterday, but Mike Craft, who works with the Panthers film crew, and AVID editor Stephen Herbster did an outstanding job putting together a short video highlight of Minter's career, one that was shown before Tuesday's press conference. Very touching. Nice work, fellas. Said Craft: "Mike Minter made the highlights. I was just blessed to be able to see them."

   10. Gotta grab some Gatorade, folks. Stay cool.

 

I have to be completely honest with you, folks. I didn't get to see much of Tuesday's practice because of the timing of the Mike Minter retirement press conference. I was in a hurry to get a story posted and the practice began just as the press conference was ending. But here's a quick synapsis of practice: 1. Steve Smith was held out of practice to rest. 2. The Panthers added tight end Dan Murray, an undrafted rookie free agent from UConn, to the roster because of an injury to Chad Upshaw. That's probably the last time you'll hear either of those names until cuts come. 3. Among those who did not practice included cornerback Derrick Strait, linebacker Na'il Diggs, and Upshaw. 4. Coach John Fox said his players are drinking plenty of water and keeping hydrated and there isn't a lot of cramping. 5. The Panthers practice twice Wednesday at 9:10 a.m. and 3:10 p.m. More tomorrow...

   Just walked out of an extremely emotional press conference at Wofford College in which Mike Minter officially announced his retirement in a tearful goodbye.

   With dozens of teammates and coaches looking on, Minter talked at length about his career in the NFL and called it the second hardest day in his life after losing his mother last year. Before Minter took the podium, both owner Jerry Richardson and coach John Fox talked about Minter and neither could hold back their tears. Richardson, in fact, at one point had to completely regroup after he was overcome at emotion. I say this not to pick on him, but to demonstrate what Minter meant to this organization.

    When Minter walked up to the podium it took about a minute for him to speak as he attempted to hold back his emotions. He thanked his teammates, his family, his coaches, the Richardson family, the fans, the media, his preacher, his agent, all of his football coaches and other members of the organization. Truly a remarkable speech.

   Much more to come on this story later...

   A pretty quiet practice on Monday night. Here's what I learned: 

   The Panthers front office personnel, coaching staff and players would not speak to the Mike Minter situation last night out of respect for him. However, all of the major players, including owner Jerry Richardson, are expected to attend Tuesday's press conference at 1:30 p.m. at Wofford College when Minter makes the official announcement.

   On the field, David Carr connected on a pair of long touchdown strikes with Drew Carter and rookie Ryne Robinson. Carr continues to show a knack for throwing the home-run ball. He's connected on several bombs throughout camp.

   According to team sources, the Panthers aren't in any hurry to sign another safety despite the retirement of Mike Minter. The team likes Harris, Cooper and Salley (Sounds like a law firm, doesn't it?) and some of their other young safeties like C.J. Wilson and Cam Newton. Of course, if a free agent who can help them comes available down the road then things might change.

   If I'm Michael Gaines I'm worried about dropping down the depth chart behind both Jeff King and rookie Dante Rosario. Both young players have looked good so far in camp.

   The team is really down about the loss of Terrence Melton, who they felt was having a great camp and would have been a key contributor on special teams. Melton tore ligaments in his knee on Saturday and was waived-injured. To clarify, the Panthers can bring him back and put him on injured reserve in 24 hours, once he clears waivers.

   More tomorrow from camp...

   At the risk of sounding too sappy, I want you all to know how much Mike Minter will be missed -- not only by fans, coaches and teammates, but by the media.

   I, personally, will miss Mike Minter.

   I've known Mike for 10 years and I can't say I've ever met a player who has been more accountable and more honest in my 14 years of covering the Carolina Panthers.

   I think this speaks to Mike's integrity: When the Panthers were mired in a 15-game losing streak in 2001, Mike was one of the few players who would remain at his locker and answer questions and not hide out in the training room. And when times were good, when the Panthers were on their way to the Super Bowl, Mike would be there too, only he'd be telling you how good his teammates were. He was unselfish. If I was writing a feature story on another player, Mike was always there for a supporting quote. If you needed a quote on something important, you didn't have to hesitate to call Mike at home. He never seemed to mind.

   Mike wasn't the most talented player or the best player ever to wear a Carolina Panthers uniform, but there was nobody classier. I know the Panthers wish they could have 53 Mike Minters on their team, and we as reporters, wish we could have 53 Mike Minters in the locker room. Simply put, Mike is a great person.

   On Tuesday, Mike will announce his retirement and it will be a sad day in Panthers history. I can't envision a locker room without him.

   So to Mike Minter, I say thank you. You made my job easier through the years -- and I appreciate that.

   Good luck in your future endeavors, my friend.

  

   Just came off the field from Monday morning's practice at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. and there are some interesting changes to report. Here goes:

   1. It didn't take long for Jon Beason to begin working with first-team defense at weakside linebacker. Beason, who signed with the Panthers over the weekend ending an eight-day holdout, started off working with the second team Monday morning but was promoted to the first team about 90 minutes into practice during the final team drill. He replaces James Anderson who replaced Nai'l Diggs, who is still hurt. Got that? Anyway, don't expect Beason to give up the starting job anytime soon. Coach John Fox said it's too early to know if Beason will play Saturday night against the New York Giants.

   2. The same can't be said about second-round pick Dwayne Jarrett, who continues to work with the second team despite his high draft status. On Monday, Drew Carter was given the morning practice off which you would think means more reps for Jarrett, right? Wrong. Instead it was Keary Colbert who worked with the starting lineup.

   3. Chris Harris, who was acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bears last week, is already working with the first team at free safety. He worked alongside Deke Cooper, who is working with the first team in place of Mike Minter. Minter, by the way, wasn't even at practice on Monday morning.

   4. The Panthers waived-injured linebacker Terrence Melton, who tore his ACL during Saturday's Fan Fest scrimmage at Bank of America Stadium. Look

   5. Diggs, cornerback Derrick Strait and safety Nate Salley were held out of practice on Monday morning.

   6. Julius Peppers returned to work, but was limited. He is trying to get over an illness.

   7. Steve Smith continues to impress in training camp, making a nice grab over the middle. If only every player on this roster played with his intensity during practice.

   8. Beason was lagging a little bit on punt coverage and special teams coach Danny Crossman lit into him saying, "C'mon Jon Beason, you've done nothing for a week."

   9. David Carr wears gloves on both hands during practice. Jake Delhomme did for one game last season after he injured his thumb to help his grip, but has gone back to throwing without any this year. Delhomme said he never liked the feel of gloves while throwing a football.

   10. One little-known player to keep an eye on is Dave Ball, who continues to impress in his first NFL stint in a 4-3 defense. Ball has always played in a 3-4 scheme, which never suited his 270-pound frame. After playing three years in a 3-4, he finally has a chance to shine in the 4-3. 

   Now that Jon Beason is signed, sealed and delivered, the talk will be about who won the contract talks.

   It was the Panthers  -- and it was Jon Beason.

   Technically Carolina officials won by refusing to budge from their stance of not giving out a second-year option bonus and by sticking to their guns they got their way. But Beason was a winner too. Getting a second bonus in the third year is not a bad deal (you have to figure he will still be a major contributor on the team two years from now) and, more than anything, getting to camp now it gives him a chance to salvage his rookie season and still make more money down the road. That's when good players make their money -- after their fourth or fifth year.

   For Beason it will be after his fifth year.

   If he is as good as the Panthers think, they he will be a very rich man down the road. But he had to get into camp.

   The basic feeling inside the organization was if Beason didn't get done by Sunday then he would be so far behind that his rookie season would be a wash. That was sort of the bottom line for the Panthers and had the deal not got done by Sunday then it might not have gotten done at all -- or at least anytime soon. As it stands now, Beason still has a chance to start at weakside linebacker this season.

   In fact, with Na'il Diggs injured don't be surprised if Beason is working with the first team by next week.

 

 

   If you couldn't make it over to Fan Fest at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday morning, no problem. Here's a recap of the team's scrimmage sessson which featured four 12-play segments pitting the offense against the defense. (NOTE: In some cases, the offense attempted field goals on first or second down because the coaches wanted to limit the segments to 12 plays).

   Bottom line here is the offense looked good and the defense looked outmanned with most of its stars on the sidelines. Among those who did not participate in the scrimmage were safety Mike Minter, defensive linemen Mike Rucker and Julius Peppers, safety Nate Salley and linebackers Na'il Diggs and Dan Morgan.

 

   Here's what happened:

 SEGMENT ONE:

   FIRST TEAM OFFENSE vs. SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE:

   DRIVE 1:

   1st-and-10 at 35: Jake Delhomme pass to Jeff King for 6 yards. PENALTY: False start -5.

   1st-and-15 at 30: Foster runs right for 11 yards. Nice block by Brad Hoover and Justin Hartwig.

   2nd-and-4 41: Delhomme to Steve Smith for 14 yards. First down.

   1st-and-10 45: Foster up the middle for 0 yards.

   2nd-and-10 at 45:  Foster up the middle for 6 yards.

   3rd-and-4 at 39: Delhomme to King over the middle for 24 yards. First down

   1st-and-10 at 15: Delhomme to DeAngelo Williams for 14 yards. First down

   1st-and-goal at 1: Williams up the middle for no gain.

   2nd-and-goal at 1: Williams to the right for no gain.

   3rd-and-goal at 1:  Delhomme to Michael Gaines for a 1 yard TOUCHDOWN. Makes a nice diving catch in the end zone.

   John Kasay extra point is good!

   DRIVE #2:

   1st-and-10 at 35: Williams to the right for 9 yards.

   2nd-and-1 at 44: Delhomme to Foster for 12 yards.

   1st-and-10 at 44: John Kasay 61-yard FG is short.

 

SEGMENT TWO:

   SECOND-TEAM OFFENSE vs. FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE

   DRIVE #1:

   1st-and-10 at 30: Foster for 5 yards

   2nd-and-5 at 30: David Carr incomplete pass deep

   3rd-and-5 at 35: Carr to Dwayne Jarrett for 3 yards, Tackle by Richard Marshall, who prevents a first down.

   DRIVE #2

   1st-and-10 at 35: Carr to Williams for 10 yards. First down.

   2nd-and-10 at 45: Williams up the middle for no gain. PENALTY:  Facemask on defense, 15 yards. First down.

   1st-and-10 at 40: Williams for 2 yards.

   2nd-and-10 at 38: Carr to Gaines for 18 yards, but penalty after the play on Gaines.

   1st-and-10 at 35: Nick Goings left for 2 yards.

   2nd-and-10 at 33: Goings left for 3 yards.

   3rd-and-6 at 29: Carr incomplete pass deep.

   4th-and-6 at 29: Kasay 47-yard field goal  is good.

DRIVE# 3:

   1st-and-10 at 35: Carr to Steven Jackson for 13 yards. First down

   1st-and-10 at 48: Carr to JAckson for 11 yards. PENALTY on defense for unnecessary roughness 15 yards.

   1st-and-10 26:  Kasay 43-yard field goall is good.

 

SEGMENT THREE:

THIRD-TEAM OFFENSE vs. THIRD-TEAM DEFENSE:

DRIVE #1:

   1st-and-10 at 35: Eric Shelton for 3 yards.

   2nd-and-7 at 38: Shelton for 3 yards. Linebacker Terrence Melton injured knee n the play (status unknown).

   3rd-and-4 at 35: Dalton Bell pass incomplete.

DRIVE#2:

   1st-and-10 at 35: Bell to Taye Biddle 10 yards.

   1st-and-10 at 45: Incomplete pass to Biddle.

   2nd-and-10 at 45: Shelton up the middle for 0 yards.

   3rd-and-10 at 45: Bell scrambles for 7 yards

DRIVE #3:

   1st-and-10 at 35: Alex Haynes for 5 yards.

   2nd-and-5 at 40: Bell to Chad Upshaw for 10 yards. First down.

   1st-and-10 at 50: Bell to Upshaw for 2 yards.

   2nd-and-8 at 48: Bell to Upshaw for 4 yards.

   3rd-and-4 at 45: Bell scramble for 3 yards.

4th-and1 at 41: Kasay 59-yard field goal no good.

 

SEGMENT FOUR

Sorry folks, had to leave here to get down to the field to talk to players and coach John Fox.  

    Some other notes:  John Kasay received a rousing ovation when Panthers play-by-play Mick Mixon introduced him as the NFL's 17th all-time leading scorer. John Beason became the first rookie to miss Fan Fest since Jason Peter (1998) because of a holdout. The highlight of the day came when the horn sounded signalling the end of the autograph session and wide receiver Steve Smith raced around the field carrying one of his cleats as fans cheered. Smith finally heaved the shoe into the crowd.

   Check out our stories later today on the website.

STEVE REED

Some quick hits from Friday morning's practice:

1. Safety Chris Harris, acquired in a trade Thursday from Chicago for a 2008 fifth-round draft pick, was on the field Friday morning working with the second team at strong safety. Don't expect that to last long. Harris is likely to start at strong safety for the Panthers this season. "He is a guy who has a lot of catching up to do but a guy we think has a lot of promise," said coach John Fox. "He's got a new notebook to learn but he has shown he has the ability to do that." Harris, by the way, said he was blindsided by the news. More on him later today.

2. C.J Wilson and Deke Cooper were working first team at the safety spots Friday morning.

3. One week into practice, several Panthers were sitting out of practice including safety Nate Salley, linebacker Na'il Diggs, cornerback Derrick Strait and linebacker Brandon Jamison. Also safety Mike Minter was given the day off to rest his aging body, while defensive end Julius Peppers was held out because he was sick. Also rookie returener Ryne Robinson was held out of action with tightness in his lower body.

4. Although offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson insists he hasn't settled on a starting five on the offensive line, the team continues to trot out the same starting five -- Travelle Wharton at left tackle, Mike Wahle at left guard, Justin Hartwig at center, Jeremy Bridges at right guard and Jordan Gross at right tackle.

5. I asked coach John Fox why Bridges, who will miss the first two games of the season while serving a suspension, is still working with the first team. Here was his response: "Well, you figure two and 14, all right, so there is 14 after those two. But we have flexibility there and we need to adjust that as we need be as we get closer." Basically what you can take from that is Bridges will be the starting right guard when he returns.

6. Dan Morgan is working more in contact drills. "The thing with him is people think he's injury prone. He plays very reckless. It's been unfortunate but I think he feels really good." Fox said

7. The Panthers seem to be stressing special teams in practice, even more so than in previous years. Carolina was last in the league in kickoff and punt return average last year.

8. The Panthers will host Fan Fest at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday at 11 a.m.

   The Panthers made one other minor roster move on Thursday, signing safety Jermaine Hardy to replace defensive end Jason Hall, who was added to the injured list.

   The Panthers can remove Hall from that list at any time, GM Marty Hurney said. Hall is an NFL Europa guy, so he does not count against the roster limit. Hardy spent some time on Carolina's practice squad last year and also played in NFL Europa.

   The Carolina Panthers participated in full contact goal-line drills on Thursday and the defense clearly got the better of the offense. The Panthers ran 10 plays in all, with the offense scoring just once, the defense holding six times and three other plays resulting in penalties, including two on the line of scrimmage, basically ending those two plays before they  ever began.

Here’s how the 10-play drill went:

1. Kris Jenkins jumped off-sides, resulting in a penalty on the defense.
2. Deshaun Foster scored on a 2-yard touchdown run, going over left guard.
3. Jake Delhomme was flushed out of the pocket by defensive end Stanley McClover and was forced to throw the ball away in the end zone.
4. With all of his receivers covered, Delhomme fired incomplete in the back of the end zone while under duress.
5. The offense was called for a false start. (The name of the guilty victim was unknown).
6. Middle linebacker Adam Seward, who filled in for Dan Morgan in this drill, absolutely blew up Eric Shelton at the line of scrimmage, knocking him back for no gain.
7. Running back Nick Goings was stuffed for a 4-yard loss by a host of defenders.
8. David Carr threw incomplete in the end zone, but there appeared that safety Deke Cooper might have been called for a pass interference penalty.
9. Running back Michael Haynes was stopped just short of the goal line.
10. Cornerback Ken Lucas stuffs Haynes for a loss with an impressive hit. The defense literally mobbed Lucas. In fact, in one of the funnier moments of camp, McClover ran over and chest-butted Lucas, sending him flying about three yards back. Lucas, who came under criticism for his tackling a year ago, didn’t seem to mind. Nobody was more excited than him.

Afterward, head coach John Fox acknowledged the defense got the better of the offense, although that isn’t unusual this early in training camp.

"It’s usually energetic when you have a scrimmage," Fox said. It’s part of the tight rope you walk when you are getting guys ready. You don’t want to get them too banged up. We had about 10 plays and we came out of there pretty healthy."

The defense did well despite being without four starters. Morgan, defensive end Mike Rucker, safety Nate Salley and linebacker Na'il Diggs were among those held out of the drills.

The Carolina Panthers may have found their starting free safety.

The Panthers struck a deal with the Chicago Bears on Thursday, acquiring safety Chris Harris in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick in 2008. Harris should start at free safety, a position previously occupied by Nate Salley, who is now injured.

Harris, a third-year pro from Louisiana-Monroe, started 20 games for the Bears and had five interceptions during his first two seasons in the league, including a pick of Peyton Manning in last year's Super Bowl.

However, the Bears entered training camp with a surplus of healthy, talented safeties recently called the Panthers to offer a trade for Harris. The trade talks escalated when Carolina starting safety Nate Salley injured his knee on Wednesday.

"After the draft we called quite a few teams and touched base with them and said, 'If you have certain guys available, then touch base with us,'" said Panthers general manager Marty Hurney. "We were fortunate the Bears have a surplus at the situation. They contacted us and we had several conversations and we reached an agreement."

Harris is known as a smart, instinctual player.

"He's a young player and does have some experience," coach John Fox said. "He's been in some big spots, playoffs and even the Super Bowl. He's a young safety that we think has promise. We'll get him here and situated as fast as possible."

In two seasons with the Bears, Harris had 112 tackles with five interceptions and one sack.

 

Some observations from the afternoon practice:

1. Starting strong safety Nate Salley did not practice in the afternoon after suffering a knee injury in the morning sessions. The injury is not believed to be serious and Salley is listed as day-to-day. The Panthers would not discuss the severity of the injury. Salley showed up at lunch with his knee wrapped, but was not on crutches and appeared to walk without a major limp.

2. With Salley out and Mike Minter taking the afternoon off, the Panthers starting safeties were Deke Cooper and rookie C.J. Wilson. Perhaps it's time to bring in a veteran face just as insurance.

3. Jeff King missed what would have been a touchdown catch from Jake Delhomme when he turned the wrong way in the end zone. The two men got together to work out the problem. Hard to say who was to blame on that one.

4. Dan Morgan seems to be getting more and more reps.

5. Taye Biddle made a nice grab coming across the middle. He has great speed and the Panthers like him. Don't be surprised if he sticks this year, possibly as the fourth receiver ahead of Keary Colbert, who has yet to show me much in camp.

 

   Just walked off the field from Wednesday morning's practice session here at Wofford College where someone upstairs obviously has turned up the heat. Temperatures today are expected to be flirting with triple digits which means Spartanburg is back in full force. Here's what happened at today's practice:

   1. Starting strong safety Nate Salley appeared to land funny on his leg during practice, but coach John Fox had no update after practice. He said he plans to know more later on today, so stay tuned. It's not believed to be too serious. However, this is exactly what Salley doesn't need as he fights for a starting job. He can't afford to miss any time.

   2. Dan Morgan participated in his first "team drills" on Wednesday, which is when the team goes to 11-on-11. It is considered a contact drill, but Morgan only played a handful of snaps and, quite frankly, didn'tmake any contact with anyone. Still, it's a step in the right direction. Morgan had a pick on Dalton Bell in the 7-on-7 drills.

   3. Still no Jon Beason. The holdout continues into Day 5.

   4. Mike Rucker and Travelle Wharton did not practice as they continue to be limited to once a day workouts while rehabbing from knee injuries.

   5. Cornerback Derrick Strait and linebacker Brandon Jamison were both held out of action Wednesday morning because of thigh injuries. Neither is believed to be serious. Jamison is pegged as a core special teams player for the Panthers this season. Strait faces tough competition for the No. 4 or No. 5 cornerback spot.

   6. Na'il Diggs did not practice again.

   7. The Panthers clearly have placed an emphasis on running the football and so far DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams have looked strong. I still think when it's all over Williams will have gained more yards from scrimmage this season than Foster.

   8. James Anderson is getting reps at the starting weakside linebacker spot with Diggs out and Beason holding out.

   9. Sometimes it looks like Steve Smith is a man among boys. It's almost as if he can get open on every play unless you put three guys on him. Smith looks outstanding so far in camp.

   10. Perhaps it was the heat, but there were a number of false starts and off-sides penalties on Wednesday morning and that can't make the coaches happy.