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Panthers training camp tracker: Day No. 6

Anthony Rizzuti
·5 min read
2

Monday was the first “real practice” for the Carolina Panthers and their 2022 edition of training camp. After all, it can’t be real if it doesn’t have pads, right?

Well, besides the new equipment, the sixth day of work at Wofford College gave us the following noteworthy nuggets . . .

Jaycee Horn is back

AP Photo/Nell Redmond

2021’s eighth overall selection was placed on the active-physically unable to perform list ahead of the first training camp practice last Wednesday. Now, less than a week later, he’s off of it.

Head coach Matt Rhule told reporters that the team planned to play it safe with Horn, waiting for the soreness in his previously broken right foot to subside. Once it did, they got him up and in those pads.

“Once the soreness went down, the doctors felt like ‘Hey, we can begin to ramp him up,'” Rhule said. “Took him off PUP, let him do individual and it’ll be a day-by-day process ’til he’s full go.”

Sam Darnold runs with the 1's

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

As also promised by Rhule, Sam Darnold got back to taking snaps with the first team. He and Baker Mayfield will continue to alternate reps between the 1’s and 2’s as the team’s quarterback competition rolls along.

“Our evaluation will be in totality over a period of time,” Rhule said. “So today, Sam took the 1’s, Baker took the 2’s. There’s two parts to that. Sometimes you’re playing with players that are a little more experienced when you’re with the 1’s. You’re also playing against players that are a little more experienced. I think you take all that into account. But we’re not looking at any one day for this. It’s really over time.”

Baker Mayfield isn't concerned about Week 1 just yet

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

The Week 1 matchup between the Panthers and Browns was particularly pertinent today, as Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson was handed a six-game suspension to start the season. But Mayfield didn’t seem too worried about who he could be starting against come Sept. 11.

“That, honestly, is none of my business,” he said. “I don’t play against the other quarterback. It’s the most cliché thing to say, but that’s just the truth. When it comes down to it, I’m game-planning against their defense. And if I’m playing or not, I’m trying to help this team win. And that’s my mindset going into it. So I gotta keep getting better. But I’m not focused about Week 1 right now.”

Matt Corral reveals why he's so punctual

Griffin Zetterberg-USA TODAY Sports

Third-round pick Matt Corral has been the first player to hit the field in three of the camp’s five practices thus far. But he said the timing is more about his own process, not something he’s trying to earn brownie points for.

“I just don’t wanna be out there when everybody’s out there,” he said with a smile. “I like doin’ my own thing in the beginning. That’s just how I am. I usually just roll out my hip and go over some footwork before I actually execute it.”

The QB competition has been a friendly one

Griffin Zetterberg-USA TODAY Sports

Despite his fellow 2018 draftee coming for his job, Darnold finds himself cheering on Mayfield and his offense in the early stages of camp.

“I think it’s just kinda natural for both me and Baker to root for your teammates,” Darnold said. “Obviously, we both wanna be the starting quarterback for this team. And that’s apparent. But, at the end of the day, it’s not really me or Baker making that decision. And I think that kinda makes it easier for us to root for each other. I think when you’re out there in practice, you kinda end up rootin’ for the offense as a whole anyways. You wanna see the ball in the end zone. You wanna see us play well.”

Notable observations

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Story originally appeared on Panthers Wire