Jon Beason talks with Steve Smith during a break in practice Thursday. (AP Photo)

   Here's a roundup from today's training camp practice...

   HOT TOPIC: The decision, it seems, has been made.
   After more than a month to contemplate how best to go about replacing injured WLB Thomas Davis, the Carolina Panthers opened training camp with Jon Beason working at Davis’ old spot and Dan Connor in the middle.
   Although the Panthers could change plans at any time, it seems they’re committed – at least right now – to moving Beason to that position while Davis tries to make a superhuman comeback from a second torn ACL torn in his right knee.
   Beason made it clear his preference would be to remain in the middle, but that he’s willing to do what’s best for the greater good.

   “The only reason I would prefer to be in the middle is because it is something I have done -- and I have done it at a high level –- and because I do have that comfort zone,” said Beason, who has played MLB in the last two Pro Bowls for the NFC. “If it’s going to help the team I want to do it.”
   However, Beason said it would be impossible for anyone to expect him to be as effective as Davis if the move becomes permanent.
   “I think Thomas is a freak,” Beason said. “He’s special. Thomas is faster than me. Thomas can jump higher than me. Thomas is a better cover guy than me. Thomas hits really hard. He can do it all.
   “He’s a prototype Will linebacker and that is why he was so productive last year. The injury was unfortunate because he was just starting to come into his own.”
  As for whether Beason remains at the Will position, coach John Fox said, “We've got some new faces there, and we don't know what our best combination is going to be yet. That's why we're here in camp. That will be a day-by-day evaluation, and we'll try to get our best three on the field.”
   Fox said he’s confident Connor, a former third-round draft pick out of Penn State, will step up and do fine in the middle.
   “Dan is a good football player that's played a lot of roles for us,” Fox said. “This is the first chance that he's had to start and get considerable playing time. I liked what I saw this whole offseason and what I saw today.”
 
   INSIDE THE GAME: With Beason moving outside it creates a bit of a quandary on how the Panthers handle defensive calls. Normally Beason would relay the calls from the coach’s booth to the players in the huddle and then handle the pre-snap checks.
   As it’s set up now Beason will still make the calls but Connor will make the checks.
   “It’s definitely different,” Connor said. “From the things I’ve been around it’s not the norm. But Jon is a guy who has got to be in front of the huddle. He’s a leader. But it works out really well. It gets him out there making the signals and then it allows me to make the calls. It’s a good balance of power.”

   NOTABLE: Jimmy Clausen opened camp as the third-team quarterback behind Matt Moore and Hunter Cantwell, but did take some reps with the second team in the latter portions of the morning practice. It’s expected Clausen and Cantwell will continue rotating as the No. 2 quarterback throughout the preseason.
   Clausen said it’s not the first time he’s started low on the depth chart.
   “When I went to Notre Dame there were three quarterbacks ahead of me and I was fourth on the depth chart walking in,” he said. “Whenever you get your reps, you have to go out there and make plays. I think that's the biggest thing. When your name gets called, whether it's one play or five plays, it doesn't really matter. You have to produce and make plays.”
   Clausen, who said after being drafted his goal was to be the starter in Carolina “from day one,” said Thursday that remains his hope.
   “That's how you have to think,” Clausen said flatly. “When you go out to practice you want to do as much as you can to be the starting quarterback. But at the end of the day, I can control only what I can control and the coaches are going to make the decisions, who's going to play and who's not going to play.”
   Clausen said to reach that goal he has to improve in a lot of areas.
   “I wanted to work on my footwork, just throwing the ball in different spots, being a little more accurate, just all the little things,” Clausen said. “There are so many different things you can work on as a quarterback. Accuracy is one of the biggest things, just getting the ball out and to the playmakers. They make our jobs a lot easier when you get them the ball.”
  
   WHO IMPRESSED: Backup LB and special teams player Jordan Senn was Senn-sational in the morning session, delivering two big hits including one that dislodged the helmet from rookie FB Rashawn Jackson.
   Also, WR Charly Martin made a pair of nice grabs and WR Kenneth Moore, who ran with the ones, also looked sharp.

   WHO STRUGGLED: First-team WR Dwayne Jarrett had a rough day. After getting chastised by coaches for running the wrong route, Jarrett walked back to the huddle and then grabbed at his hamstring. He spent the next 10 minutes with trainers who worked on helping him stretch. Earlier in the practice, Jarrett dropped a ball he should have caught. For a guy who desperately needs to make a good impression on the team’s new receivers coach Tyke Tolbert, this wasn’t the best start.

   INJURY UPDATE: The Panthers made it out of the morning padded practice fairly healthy outside of LB Sean Ware having to leave following an allergic reaction to a bee sting. Hey, that beats losing your starting defensive tackle to a torn Achilles like they did on day one of last year.
   LB Jamar Williams and DE Charles Johnson both tweaked hamstrings and left practice early.
   Of course, the six Panthers who were placed on the PUP list on Wednesday – RB Jonathan Stewart, OT Jeff Otah, DT Louis Leonard, WR Steve Smith, OG Duke Robinson and LB Thomas Davis -- did not practice.

   DEPTH CHART WATCH: With Otah out, the Panthers moved RT Geoff Schwartz up with the first team. Schwartz was a busy man as he also worked with the second team at right guard in certain portions of practice. DT Ed Johnson ran with the first team with Leonard out.

   SIGHTS AND SOUNDS: RBs coach Jim Skipper was heard screaming at his guys after they failed to do one particular drill correctly.
   “We’re looking to win a Super Bowl here guys, not the (darn) Pop Warner Optimist Bowl!,” Skipper said.
  
   THEY SAID IT: Panthers LT Jordan Gross on the first day of training camp practice: “The first day is kind of a gut check. You can run and lift as much as you want but there’s nothing like Spartanburg in full pads. I was spreading the word out there from experience that the first day was the worst day and the first practice of camp is the worst one of the whole season because you aren’t used to it and you haven’t hit anybody in awhile. That last 20-play period of practice definitely let’s you know if you’ve been running and lifting like you’re supposed to.”

   WHAT’S NEXT: The Panthers practice tonight at 6:10 p.m. and have one practice on Friday at 3:10 p.m. All practices are free and open to the public.

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