It's May, which means OTA's (Organized Team Activities) is officially underway for the Carolina Panthers. Over the next three weeks, the team will hold 10 days of practices with no live contact, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.
Carolina began their OTAs on Monday, but media was allowed to observe for the first time on Tuesday. Media will attend three of the 10 sessions. There are limitations to what can be reported during the practices.
A few notable observations from the Panthers second session on Tuesday:
-Tight end Ian Thomas and guard Landon Turner did not practice. Both worked out on the sideline on a bike. Head coach Ron Rivera said after practice that Thomas is working through a sore leg.
-Cam Newton, as expected, did not throw. He warmed up with the team and made a few throwing motions, but rookie Will Grier, Kyle Allen and Taylor Heinicke took all the quarterback snaps.
-Cornerback Ross Cockrell, who missed last season with a broken leg he suffered at Training Camp, looked solid. Cockrell had an interception and made key plays in the limited 11-on-11 drills.
Hear what Olsen and Rivera had to say after practice:
-Safety Rashaan Gaulden played safety and nickel. Gaulden is expected to continue working at both spots.
-Quarterback Kyle Allen threw an interception and had a few plays that he probably wished he could have had back.
-Rivera said that Cam Newton's shoulder is a "Big not that big of a deal."
-The practice bubble is beginning to make a lot of progress. The first field is near complete and the second field went from all dirt to halfway full of turf by the end of the two-hour practice.
Tight end Greg Olsen was a fan of it.
-PGA golfer and Gastonia native Harold Varner III attended practice. Rivera wore a shirt afterward of Varner dabbing.