2019 Training Camp Observations: Panthers-Bills Tuesday Joint Practice

[Sir Purr]

SPARTANBURG – Good tempo. Organized drills. High energy.


The first of two joint practices between the Panthers and Bills on Tuesday featured a lot of what both head coaches wanted. They also appreciated what it lacked.


“We didn’t have any fights,” cornerback James Bradberry said with a laugh. “That’s normally the headline after a joint practice. We competed hard though. It was good.”


Both defenses had the upper hand for large parts of the fully-padded practice session, especially early on. That got the competitive juices flowing in front of a lively crowd full of rowdy Panthers and Bills fans.


“You get anxious, a little overhyped, and I thought that was probably our problem early,” head coach Ron Rivera said. “Once guys settled in and got into a little routine, you felt a lot better about it. You’re practicing against somebody different, you don’t have a feel for them, you haven’t scouted them. You are going to make some mistakes, which was good.


“We’ll go back and look at it and correct. But it was fun. I thought the tempo was good. The competition was good – exactly what we needed. When you line up against people you don’t know it really tests you.”


The only downer on the day concerned rookie edge rusher Brian Burns, who limped off during a team drill midway through practice after appearing to tweak his right ankle. He spent the final periods with ice wrapped around the ankle and Rivera did not have any update after practice.


And now, the observations:


–The start of practice was like a giant reunion. Everywhere you looked former teammates or colleagues were catching up. Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei, Tre Boston and Kurt Coleman, Jake Delhomme and Dan Morgan (now Buffalo’s director of player personnel) Sean McDermott and members of the Panthers security staff… the list goes on.


–Cam Newton and newly signed Bills cornerback Captain Munnerlyn started talking trash as soon as they laid eyes on one another. Most of what was said can’t be shared, unfortunately. But Rivera did have the best bit of smack-talk for little old Captain: “You know the high school fields are over there.” Classic.


–Cornerback Donte Jackson was also happy to see Munnerlyn, who like Jackson is wearing 26 for Buffalo. “Boy, that two-six look good!” Jackson told him.