SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Robby Anderson returned to Panthers’ training camp with a bang.
Panthers’ practices just have a different feel without Anderson, who strolled on to the practice field Monday shirtless and listening to music after spending the weekend in Florida dealing with a personal matter. He wasted no time making an impact.
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Early during the team period, Anderson got behind safety Sean Chandler and scored on a slick, one-handed catch on a perfectly placed pass by Sam Darnold. The two, who played together for two seasons with the Jets, looked to be on the same page despite Anderson’s weekend absence.
“Sam just threw it up, and it got stuck,” Anderson said. “Simple as that.”
It stuck on Anderson’s hand like glue, despite the fact that he’s scrapped his gloves in the Spartanburg humidity and is going bare-handed.
“In high school I didn’t really wear gloves. It’s so hot with the gloves, your hands get all wet,” he said. “I feel like if I can catch without gloves, I can catch with them. So just grinding.”
The touchdown came on a play-action call the offense has run a few times previously in camp, to no avail. Panthers coach Matt Rhule said defensive coordinator Phil Snow wanted his players to see more play-action Monday.
“That’s a concept we run a lot and haven’t hit. The defense has taken it away,” Rhule said. “Phil really wanted to see some play-actions today and wanted to run some coverages versus the play-actions, which stressed them. A lot of defensive coordinators don’t like to do that. But Phil likes to put stress, so guys understand where the problems are. And we wanted to get Sam a little more comfortable with some of the play-actions.”
Anderson had a career year in Carolina in 2020 (95 catches for 1,096 yards) after signing a two-year, $20 million deal. He was not thrilled when he learned of the team’s decision to remove the grass at Bank of America Stadium and replace it with FieldTurf.
“Personally, I wish that it still was the grass. That was one thing I really enjoyed when I came to Carolina from playing up there at MetLife (Stadium) and dealing with the turf,” he said. “I really did like playing on that grass, but it is what it is. It’s what we’ve got to deal with.”
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Asked about the difference, the always succinct Anderson said: “It’s natural. Turf is fake.”
Roll call
In addition to the offensive line (see below), the Panthers also were thin at linebacker. Denzel Perryman (soft-tissue injury) remains sidelined and the former Charger “is still a ways away,” according to Rhule. “It’s not coming along as quickly as we would have hoped.” Reserve linebackers Julian Stanford and Clay Johnston (foot) also were out. Rhule said the goal was to have Stanford and Johnston ready for Indianapolis.
The Panthers activated tight end Stephen Sullivan from the Reserve/COVID-19 list and waived receiver Marken Michel. Safety Lano Hill is the Panthers’ only player still listed on COVID reserve. Hill had previously been placed on the physically unable to perform list after sustaining a foot injury during OTAs.
The Daily Darnold
Darnold’s day got off to an inauspicious start when his first pass in seven-on-sevens in the red zone was tipped by rookie cornerback Jaycee Horn and intercepted by linebacker Jermaine Carter. Darnold bounced back moments later to fire a couple of short touchdowns, including one to tight end Dan Arnold.
Darnold was 5-of-6 passing during a two-minute drill at the end of practice. The play-by-play:
• Checkdown to RB Reggie Bonnafon.
• Incompletion on a ball tipped at the line.
• Sideline throw to WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
• Sideline completion to TE Giovanni Ricci.
• Completion to WR Brandon Zylstra across the middle.
• Touchdown pass to Zylstra on a seam or skinny post in the back of the end zone.
Play of the day
See: Anderson, Robby.
He said it
“I have a bunch of golfers on the staff. But guys like Phil, once the season starts they don’t believe you can pick up a club again until it’s over. Matt Lombardi, our assistant quarterback coach, he’s a scratch golfer. I told the players, ‘Go have fun.’ They need a night away from us anyways.” — Rhule on a players-only (those who are vaccinated) Top Golf event Monday night.
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Observations/analysis
• Short-handed along the offensive line, the Panthers turned to the guy teammates call “Franchise” — Taylor Moton, who shifted from right tackle to left tackle while filling in for Cam Erving.
“I didn’t notice Taylor, which is a good thing,” Rhule said.
With Erving out with a shoulder injury that Rhule said is not considered serious “as of now,” the Panthers gave the newly-minted Moton his first reps at left tackle in a padded practice. Moton, who signed a five-year, $85 million deal in July, has made 63 consecutive starts at right tackle after starting the 2018 opener at left tackle.
Starting center Matt Paradis and the versatile Dennis Daley were both excused for personal reasons, requiring a lot of mixing and matching up front. None of the switches drew as much attention as Moton’s.
“It’s a tough deal because your footwork, it’s kind of awkward at first,” guard Pat Elflein said of a tackle changing sides. “But I think the same principles of O-line apply no matter what position you’re at. So he’s such a good player, it’s seamless for him.”
• Rhule didn’t want to say yet how much Darnold and the other starters would play in the preseason opener at Indianapolis, saying he’d wait until after the joint practices with the Colts to “see where everybody is.”
• The Panthers moved the start of practice back 90 minutes to give the dew on the field a chance to dry out. The team has had a number of groin injuries, and Rhule indicated the damp surface may have contributed to them.
(Photo of Robby Anderson: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)
