Here are some quick highlights of what happened Saturday morning at the Carolina Panthers training camp practice inside Bank of America Stadium that a select group of media were able to watch:
-The team practiced in full pads inside the stadium for live 11-on-11 drills. The team did real game situations in terms of downs and distance and the drives kept going until the defense forced a punt.
-Before seeing stats from the quarterbacks, it should be noted that each quarterback went against the various teams (first, second and third) of the defense.
-It should also be noted that the offenses looked good for the most part and the defenses struggled to stop them until the last few drills. Just like with spring football games in college, you can sometimes get a sense of what is to come. Prior to today's practice, the defenses have held their own, so maybe this was a one-off, but the offenses completely controlled today, especially in the passing game.
-Quarterback Teddy Bridgewarter started out hot, but finished rather cool. After starting 8-for-8 for 153 yards and two touchdowns, he ended the day by going 1-for-5 for six yards.
Head coach Matt Rhule said the first team offense went against the second and third team defenses for the most part. He also said that the second team offense went against the first team defense until at the end of practice, when the first team went against the first team and second vs second and third vs third.
-Quarterback Will Grier started his day by going 6-for-7 for 94 yards and two touchdowns through the first three-quarters of practice, while in that same time span, PJ Walker went 4-for-8 for 76 yards, no touchdowns and had the day's only interception.
-Grier might have had the best throw of the day as he dropped a perfectly thrown ball on a crossing route that went for a 48-yard touchdown.
-Much has been made about rookie punter Joseph Charlton and a couple of his shanks in the last few practices. On Saturday, he had five good punts, four of which had to be fair caught.
-Placekicker Joey Slye made all of his field goals minus a 58-yarder that was wide left.
-Rhule got upset at some key offensive players for sitting during the live drills instead of watching their teammates from the sidelines and supporting them. From that point, no players sat on the bench.