Panthers Team Report

[CanadianCat]

Rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen came to Carolina with a reputation -- warranted or not -- for being a tad arrogant and not particularly a team player.

But he's doing his best to debunk that notion.

After being drafted by the Panthers in the second round, Clausen has gone out of his way to establish relationships with his new teammates. He exchanged text messages with a number of veteran players just days after getting drafted, including Smith and left tackle Jordan Gross.

"I just wanted to introduce myself," he said simply.

Clausen also ran an errand for veteran receiver Steve Smith prior to boarding a plane in California and heading to Charlotte, picking up a 12-pack of Cactus Cooler.

And when Clausen met the media earlier this month at minicamp, he talked about being "just be one of the guys" and his desire to "get to know my teammates on a personal level."

On the field, he seemed able to make all of the necessary throws needed of an NFL quarterback.

And while the 6-foot-2 Clausen looks noticeably shorter than the other quarterbacks in camp -- fellow rookie Tony Pike is 6-foot-6 and Matt Moore and Hunter Cantwell are 6-foot-4 - he does appear to have a strong and accurate arm.

"I have a lot of learning to do but all of the quarterbacks are helping me out," Clausen said.

He clearly doesn't seem intimidated by making the step to the next level.

In fact, he downplayed it.

"It's football," Clausen said. "It's a little faster and the guys are a little bigger. But at the end of the day it's just football and you go out and there and have a good time and execute the plays."

Although Moore is expected to open the season as the starter, Clausen should be better prepared than most rookies to challenge for the No. 1 job because he played three seasons in this offense at Notre Dame. In fact, he was delighted to see a lot of similarities when he opened offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson's playbook for the first time.

"As soon as I saw the playbook it was a lot of similar terms but a little different wording," said Clausen, who lists Dan Marino and Joe Montana as his favorite quarterbacks.

"I think he's a sharp guy, picked up things really fast," coach John Fox said. "He's sharp in football and I think that's key in the quarterback position. He's swimming right now. ... I thought he handled it well."

Moore had never met Clausen before this week.

Of his interactions with him on Friday, Moore said, "Great. No complaints."

Although he said after the draft his goal was to come in and be the starter from Day 1, Clausen didn't seem to have a problem lining up as the third quarterback behind Moore and Cantwell at his first NFL practice. After all, this day was all about everyone getting their feet wet.

"I'm going to do what the coaches ask me to do," Clausen said.

In other words, just try to fit in.

thehuddle . com

[CanadianCat]

--The Panthers entered the NFL draft needing a No. 2 receiver to complement Steve Smith.

They hope they've found an answer in third-round draft pick Brandon LaFell from LSU.

LaFell will battle fellow third-round pick Armanti Edwards, a converted college quarterback, and disappointing fourth-year pro Dwayne Jarrett for the vacant No. 2 receiver spot that came available when the team opted not to re-sign 37-year-old veteran Muhsin Muhammad.

LaFell is coming off two solid seasons at LSU but will need to work on his consistency at the next level.

"I followed LSU quite a bit because I'm an alum of LSU so I know their situation over there," said Panthers receivers coach Tyke Tolbert. "Brandon can work on a lot of things, but a lot of things weren't his fault either. There are some inconsistencies as far what he was being taught at LSU as opposed to what I'm going to teach him here with the Carolina Panthers. I think he will adapt well to how we do things and I think he will be a better player because of it."

Tolbert said part of LaFell's problem was related to inconsistency at the quarterback situation.

Over the past two years the Tigers started six different quarterbacks.

"There's no question it did (affect him)," Tolbert said.

"It was a tough. One week you're working with this guy and then he was playing bad and you're working with another guy," LaFell said. "It was tough, but at the end of the day it kind of helps you out. In the NFL, you never know what can happen. The same thing that happened in college can happen in the NFL. "

The Panthers really like LaFell's ability to block downfield, something that's required given how much coach John Fox likes to run the ball with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

It was an area Muhammad excelled at.

After being drafted by Carolina, LaFell talked about it being a strength.

"It's rare to hear (wide receivers) talk about it," Tolbert said. "There's a lot of people that do it but it's rare people talk about it. On this level you have to block. We have two great backs -- actually we have more than two great backs -- but we had two backs last year that rushed for over 1,100 yards so they know running is a big part of our game. They know already that run-blocking technique is emphasized every day.

"But to hear him talk about it, it doesn't surprise me because I watched him at LSU go in and crack on safeties. That's one of the things that was a plus in our mind when we drafted him."

--WR Dwayne Jarrett's three-year career in Carolina has largely been a disappointment, but new wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert said the former second-round pick out of Southern Cal will get another chance.

"I told him when I got here, listen, your slate is clean with me," Tolbert said. "What you are going to be looked upon in my eyes is henceforth. He's done everything I asked him to do. He works out hard every day and has lost a lot of weight since last year.

"He's doing all the right things and he's not the only one who's been inconsistent. There are a lot of inconsistencies with a lot of people. He has to worry about doing all of the little things, having a sense of urgency about himself. He made a great catch (in minicamp) I got excited about. He's going to be OK, I think."

--Receivers coach Tyke Tolbert has coached two pretty good rookie receivers in the past -- Anquan Boldin in Arizona and Lee Evans in Buffalo.

He'll now be asked to do the same with Brandon LaFell and Armanti Edwards.

"I've had some good rookie receivers but those guys came in and were eager to learn," Tolbert said. "But I teach (veterans and rookies) the same way. They all kind of adapt. I think my way works and it was proven that it works so I just keep doing it that way."

--Former University of Cincinnati star quarterback and current Panther Tony Pike threw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Monday night's Major League baseball game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.

Pike and the rest of his new Panthers teammates will take the field next week for the start of OTAs here in Charlotte.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Yeah, he's a great kid. He's worked very hard rehabbing this offseason. It's unfortunate he was injured last year because I thought he was having his best season. But he's battled back real hard and we'll lean on him for leadership as well as his playing ability." -- Panthers coach John Fox on the return of WLB Thomas Davis, who tore his ACL last season.

thehuddle . com

[CanadianCat]

that site if more of a fantasy football site but they pull in some good team articles from time to time

[Chimera]

Is "at the end of the day" the biggest catch phrase in the NFL?