WR Dwayne Jarrett Starts Training Camp on the Wrong Route
Lost? That’s a word fourth-year wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett and Carolina Panthers fans are quite familiar with.
After a long offseason of what should have been preparation and soul searching, Jarrett started training camp on Thursday on the wrong route.
Darin Gantt of the Charlotte Observer pointed out a couple of things about Jarrett’s first day on the field at Panthers’ training camp.
"If WR Dwayne Jarrett’s trying to make an impression, he’s off to a poor start. He ran the wrong route on one play during the morning session, watching the ball sail helplessly 10 yards behind him. As coaches began to point out his error, he limped slightly as if he was hurt, but was back out on the field moments later. –Darin Gantt, Charlotte Observer"
I’m not going to jump on the guy’s case at this point, giving him some space; given that training camp has only begun. Everyone is prone to making mistakes on their first day back. The rookies make their share as much as the veterans do. Even Steve Smith has made mistakes in camp.
Some would say we’re making excuses for Jarrett, well…not exactly, since it’s more logic than excuse. I don’t know what the limping back to the sideline was all about. Perhaps it was his unspoken way of “hey, let me get at it again.”
In the meantime, Gantt also reported that during the night session, rookie wideout Brandon LaFell is already building a strong case to be the No. 2 receiver opposite Steve Smith (when Smitty returns).
On special teams Mike Goodson, Tyrell Sutton, Armanti Edwards, Dexter Jackson, Brian Witherspoon, and Trent Guy all shared return duties. It’s looking as though Goodson might be leading the group for now.
The team also put MLB Jon Beason at weakside to see how he looked. Beason’s not impressed with himself (when compared to Thomas Davis) at the position, but he did play at weakside both at “The U” and to start his professional career. When asked which position he’d rather play, Beason responded, “the only reason I’d prefer to be in the middle is because it’s something I have done, and I’ve done it at a high level. I do have that comfort zone. But if I can help the team out, I want to do it. If I’ve got to play running back, I’ll do it. I don’t know if that helps the team, in my opinion it would.”
Well, I hope we never need to utilize Beason as a running back. Though the team might need him at fullback, so we’ll see what happens there.
Day Two of training camp gets underway today! We’ll be back later this evening to recap the day’s events.
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