2020 Training Camp Observations: Primetime practice at Bank of America Stadium

[Sir Purr]

After practice, linebacker Tahir Whitehead gave voice to some of the emotions players felt, saying it's "extremely hard" to compartmentalize their emotions. But in the end, they can do it because the practice field is their safe haven.


"(T)hat's our outlet, at the end of the day. It's not that we go out there, we take the field, and nothing else matters — it's there in the back of our mind," Whitehead said. "But at the same time, it's our chance to go out there, take a step back, and enjoy the time and the camaraderie with one another. But then as soon as we step off, we're right back diving into it like, what are we going to do? How are we going to accomplish change?"


As the players continue to think about how they will take meaningful action, here are some observations from Wednesday's primetime practice:


— Wide receivers Darrell Stewart Jr. (No. 9) and Cam Phillips (No. 81), who were added to the roster Wednesday afternoon, were on the field early to warm up. Phillips caught passes from his former XFL teammate, quarterback P.J. Walker.


— As players continued to make their way out to the field, quarterback Will Grier and wide receiver Brandon Zylstra worked on routes to the back of the end zone.


— The Panthers again had the ambient crowd noise playing. It was going simultaneously as the music, which can certainly cause a higher level of distraction. Rhule said Wednesday's fake crowd was louder than it was during Saturday's stadium practice.


— There was a lot of energy and a lot of dancing going on before the start of practice. You could see it from multiple position groups — from linebackers with Shaq Thompson to the wide receivers and returners with Curtis Samuel.


— Players started with a ball security circuit on offense and a takeaway circuit on defense, stressing the importance of the turnover margin. Offensive skill players had to keep hold of the ball while traveling through blocking shields. On defense, players had to force a fumble or pick one up off the ground.