The Panthers were originally scheduled to open the preseason Thursday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but due to the coronavirus pandemic the league opted out of having the preseason all together.
Now the team is preparing to step into the next phase of training camp, while looking ahead to next month when they'll open the regular season against the Las Vegas Raiders on September 13th.
For the first time since beginning training camp, players were able to wear helmets and hold a competitive practice.
"I have a burning sense of urgency, and I want our coaches and players to have that as well. The games are coming, and we just have to keep improving. We have to improve through this week, improve through the entire season and just keep getting better and better and better. If we go out to practice and skip a day it’s going to get us,” Rhule said. “I was really proud of the team today. I thought the first competitive practice, it was spirited, it was fast. I like coaching those kinds of teams."
The Panthers are scheduled to have their first padded practice of the 2020 season on Monday, August 17th, and with no preseason Coach Rhule says the team plans to scrimmage at least once or twice depending on the health of the team throughout the remainder of camp.
“We try to do a lot of stuff versus each other so we can really see the competition and bring it out in everybody. I, as the head coach, have to have this shared version with Marty and with the staff. The staff is always going to want to make sure the football right, but we also want to say who are the guys who can do it better, who are the guys that can with a couple more reps.”
Meanwhile, the Panthers are one of the few NFL teams that haven't had a player test positive for COVID-19 and Rhule credits the mindset of his staff and players for that.
“Our guys are so diligent about the process. The mask-wearing here it’s not to follow the rules it’s to protect each other. I think there’s a big difference in why you do what you do. I think as of right now, unless something changes, we will continue to stay with what we’re doing.”