Matt Rhule pleased with early results of unique training camp

[Sir Purr]

Through Friday afternoon, Carolina has not had to place anyone on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Rhule credited the players, coaches, and the rest of the Panthers' staff for taking all necessary precautions to make that the case.


"They've done the things it takes to not get it," Rhule said. "I think it's key for every person who works in this building to A, make sure they're doing the best that they can to stay healthy, and then, B, they follow all the protocols. So when something does happen — and something eventually will happen — we don't get everybody sick."


Rhule is also pleased his players showed up in shape. That's allowed the team to focus more on learning and implementing the scheme. One of the Panthers' biggest challenges may be overcoming the little things they'd typically have figured out by now.


"This is a different year. You're not bringing guys in for tryouts and physicals, all those different things. There's a lot of different rules. So the people that are here, we've got to come together," Rhule said. "We're telling guys, 'Hey, if you've ever played offense before, we're going to do five minutes of offense.'


"In a year with COVID where you might have to build from within, we're approaching this like it's not even a college football team — it's more like a high school football team in terms of, the more you can do, the more you can do."


Part of that depends on veteran leadership. Like all of the players who have held media availability this week, Rhule praised quarterback Teddy Bridgewater for taking command of the offense. For example, Bridgewater asked to have the music turned off at practice because the offense needed to lock in on details.


Defensively, Rhule pointed to linebacker Shaq Thompson as an example of a veteran stepping up.


"Seeing the way he's taking care of his body, seeing the way he approaches his work every day, seeing when he comes in early in the morning, he's in the weight room talking to the O-line, talking to (other positions)," Rhule said, "he's connecting with people on the team — that's real leadership."