What were some key observations from the ninth official practice for the Carolina Panthers in training camp?
As the morning sun rose at Wofford College, an immense sense of intrigue shortly followed as the Carolina Panthers held their first scrimmage of training camp. Something that had the scope to separate some individuals from the rest in terms of depth chart standings and spots on the 53-man roster.
The Panthers have preached competition for places remains the order of the day. But with just four sessions remaining before camp officially breaks, head coach Matt Rhule and his staff must finalize their plans sooner rather than later.
This is the time of camp when business picks up. Preseason games are just a week away, so time is running out in pursuit of putting the right foundations in place for a successful campaign in 2022.
With that being said, here are some key observations from practice Day 9 in Spartanburg.
Key Observation No. 1
Carolina Panthers dealt a major injury blow
There was a significant amount of concern during Saturday’s scrimmage when Marquis Haynes went down with an apparent knee injury that resulted in the edge rusher being carted off the field. Head coach Matt Rhule had no update during his presser after practice, but things didn’t look good based on the reactions of players such as Brian Burns and Donte Jackson.
Haynes was expected to feature heavily on the pass-rushing rotation in 2022 after signing a new deal. His production on a rotational basis last time around left reasons for encouragement, so it would be a significant blow if the Ole Miss product was forced to miss a considerable period of time.
The Carolina Panthers are already short of legitimate options on the edge. Haynes’ injury was the last thing they needed and must force them into exploring additional reinforcements.