5 big observations from practice Day 2 at Panthers training camp

Sam Darnold made some strides

Aside from the interception that bounced off D.J. Moore’s hands, it was a successful day at the office for Sam Darnold. The Carolina Panthers gave him a little more freedom to get the football downfield during 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills, which saw the signal-caller showcase his arm strength and leave plenty of reasons to be encouraged.

Darnold is a work in progress. Matt Rhule has told the player not to focus too much on being a leader and keep building on his fundamentals to ensure he hits the ground running in Week 1.

That’s not to say Darnold cannot become a leading figure. It’s just that others can do it while he picks things up.

One noticeable element to Darnold’s throws was the velocity. This was a stark contrast to anything the Panthers had with Teddy Bridgewater under center and will add a significant amount if the player can take this into a competitive environment.

We are still early in the training camp process. All Darnold needs to focus on is getting a little better each day and hopefully, more strides can be made when the pads officially go on for the first time next week.

There was far more good than bad from Darnold on Day 2. And long may this continue.