Training Camp Update Volume 1, Issue 4 8/23/05

Delhomme threw two interceptions on Saturday, but was efficient otherwise completing 15-of-19 passes for 146 yards in a quarter and a half of work. He threw a 2-yard TD to tight end Mike Seidman in the first quarter. Chris Weinke was horrible completing just 7-of-18 for 63 yards while Lefors was 5-of-9 for 40 yards with 4-yard TD to Taylor Stubblefield and one interception. Lefors also scrambled for 23 yards while Weinke had 9 yards on the ground. Rod Rutherford saw a little action completing his only pass attempt for 7 yards.

RB Stephen Davis probably won't return to live action until at least the third game of the preseason, but he returned to practice on Monday. John Fox was asked if Davis might be available for the 3rd or 4th preseason game, “That would be the best case scenario. So far, there has been nothing to discourage that," he said. "But we're not at that point yet and we're just taking it a day at a time. He's going through his rehab, and all of those things have been good. Now, it's just a matter of time when we get him out there and start banging him around."

A player to watch in the next couple preseason games is Aaron Boone. This kid is something else. He was a two-year starter at QB in high school where he earned all-state honors in football, basketball and baseball. He received scholarship offers from several schools, but instead chose to go to Peru and serve a two-year mission helping rebuild homes. He lost thirty pounds while there, then he returned to play ball going the JUCO route before landing at Kentucky. He led the Wildcats with 41 catches, 706 yards and 10 TDs as a senior. Boone earned all-NFL Europe honors leading the league with 43 receptions, 582 yards and 5 TDs. Now, the 6’2” 205 lb. Boone is going on his fifth camp in two years. His bid to make the roster was boosted when Boone caught a 26-yard TD from Lefors on his first reception in the NFL against the Redskins. Unfortunately, Boone didn’t catch a pass against the Giants.

The Panthers like their depth, too… "If you start watching the Redskins game from the second quarter on, you'll see we have playmakers behind the starters, too," said Al Wallace, among the most valuable non-starters himself. "Kemp Rasmussen has been having another great camp. Jordan Carstens came in as an undrafted guy last year and has done some great things. Kindal Moorehead started for us last year. Add myself on that defensive line, and that's a lot of veteran players out there. Chris Draft was a starter last year (for Atlanta) who might be a backup linebacker here. Then you have Ricky Manning, Jr. at cornerback and a couple of guys who have started in this league at safety (Idrees Bashir and Marlon McCree). When you have that depth, it's great, because you can plug guys in and out and there won't be any weak link in the defense. We take great pride in that. When we go out there, we know we play behind some great guys, but we plan on upholding the defense to a standard that's been set the past four years." The Panthers front office was busy this week inking LB Dan Morgan to a five-year, $28 million extension. The deal includes $10 million in bonus money in the first two years. Morgan was set to become a free agent after the season. His 102 tackles a year ago were tied for the team lead with Will Witherspoon and helped him earn his first Pro Bowl bid. "Dan is a guy we thought was very, very important to the organization, in particular to the defense," said Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox. "He has performed very well for us. We think he is an impact type middle linebacker, and he is a guy we wanted for the long term."

Benson’s loss continues to be Thomas Jones’s gain. Jones has a firm grip on the starting job, at least for now. “Thomas has handled the situation,” Lovie Smith said. “He’s really done a great job with it. From the start, we said that Thomas Jones was our starter, and we would like to have two running backs that we feel comfortable with. That’s all that’s changed. Cedric was coming in to compete with Thomas eventually. The competition hasn’t even started right now. We feel real good about Thomas Jones. He hasn’t missed a practice. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. He’s a good football player, and Thomas being our tailback this year, we’re going to win a lot of games if that’s the case.” On Wednesday the Chicago Bears announced RB Fred Russell’s waiver and the signing of WR/KR J.J. Moses. FB Bryan Johnson might return to practice next week and play in the last two preseason games. FB Jason McKie is also ahead of schedule and may be able to start practicing before the start of the season. In Saturday’s game, the Bears decided not to play Thomas Jones and gave Adrian Peterson the bulk of the work. Peterson ran 14 times for 60 yards including a 4-yard TD run. Antoineo Harris got some action, too. He scored from 1 yard to cap an 80-yard drive to take the lead and ultimately win the game with 13 minutes left. Harris ran for 42 yards on 12 carries with two catches for 16 yards. Zack Abron had 50 yards on 11 carries.

Both players are competing with Bobby Wade and rookie Mark Bradley for playing time, too. “Bobby Wade has had a real, real good camp, especially lately,” Turner said. “He’s so valuable to us because he can do so many things. He can play in the slot. He knows all the positions. He’s done a good job.” Meanwhile, Bradley has been excellent at times, but inconsistency and inexperience are clearly holding him back. He’s got 9 catches for 194 yards in the first two games, but also dropped a pass at the goal-line a week ago. “Mark obviously has gotten the attention of everybody,” Turner said. “He’s playing well. Mark will have a role on this team. I don’t think he’ll start, at least not right away, but I think he’ll play. He’ll play quite a bit.” In Saturday’s game Bradley produced 49 yards on three catches including the longest receptions of the game – a 24-yarder. Moose caught three balls for 38 yards while Wade had two for 14 yards (but also had a 54-yard punt return for a TD).