In/Out

• WR Devin Funchess had his day cut short after he landed hard on his left shoulder while trying to make a catch in the end zone. After staying on the turf for about a minute, the second-round pick walked off the field favoring his shoulder with head trainer Ryan Vermillion. The scare was a brief one, though. Moments later, Funchess lifted his arm to show a complete range of motion. He wanted to go back in, but Vermillion put ice on the shoulder and pulled the plug on his day.

• LB Shaq Thompson returned to practice after sitting out Wednesday with a tight hamstring. Carolina’s top pick was limited, spending most of the second half of practice working with trainers on the side.

• Veterans who got the day off: LT Michael Oher, DT Colin Cole and CB Charles Tillman.

• OT Nate Chandler had a maintenance day for his surgically repaired right knee.

• With Oher and Chandler both out, Amini Silatolu saw the majority of first-team reps at LT. Fourth-round rookie Daryl Williams also got his first reps on the left side.

• DT Kawann Short (back) and CB Bené Benwikere (hamstring) remained out. Benwikere seems to do more work on the side with each passing practice.

• TE Ed Dickson continues to be limited by a groin injury.

Top Plays

• It’s almost like the fifth-round pick from Coastal Carolina can play a little bit:

[gap size=”.113em”][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][gap size=”.113em”]

• If it seems like receiver Kelvin Benjamin has at least one top play every day, it’s because he does. His entry Thursday came after he slipped past safety Tre Boston to catch haul in a touchdown from Derek Anderson. After some encouraging from Newton, Benjamin attempted to toss the ball to a young fan watching behind the fence in the back of the end zone.

• The first-team offense didn’t sputter in the red zone as much as it did Wednesday, but it still wasn’t great. Newton’s biggest mistake was a throw linebacker Thomas Davis intercepted. The two often playfully jaw at each other during practice, and as Davis started to return the pick the other way, Newton eventually chased him down.

Offensive MVP

WR Jarrett Boykin: The free agent pickup had his best day of camp, snagging a number of passes, including a one-yard touchdown from Newton in the red zone. Boykin needs more practices like that as he fights for the sixth receiver spot.

Defensive MVP

As an excuse to show his leaping interception again, let’s make it CB Josh Norman.[gap size=”.113em”][vc_raw_html]JTNDYmxvY2txdW90ZSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydHdpdHRlci10d2VldCUyMiUyMGxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUzRSUzQ3AlMjBsYW5nJTNEJTIyZW4lMjIlMjBkaXIlM0QlMjJsdHIlMjIlM0VQcm9taXNlZCUyMHZpZGVvJTIwb2YlMjBhJTIwZ3JlYXQlMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZKX05vMjQlMjIlM0UlNDBKX05vMjQlM0MlMkZhJTNFJTIwSU5ULiUyMEhlcmUlMjB5YSUyMGdvJTIwJUUyJTgwJTk0JUUyJTgwJTk0JTI2Z3QlM0IlMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkZ0LmNvJTJGa1djSGxHdFdzZCUyMiUzRXBpYy50d2l0dGVyLmNvbSUyRmtXY0hsR3RXc2QlM0MlMkZhJTNFJTNDJTJGcCUzRSUyNm1kYXNoJTNCJTIwQmxhY2slMjAlMjZhbXAlM0IlMjBCbHVlJTIwUmV2aWV3JTIwJTI4JTQwQmxhY2tCbHVlUmV2aWV3JTI5JTIwJTNDYSUyMGhyZWYlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tJTJGQmxhY2tCbHVlUmV2aWV3JTJGc3RhdHVzJTJGNjI5MzIyOTEwMDQyMzU3NzYwJTIyJTNFQXVndXN0JTIwNiUyQyUyMDIwMTUlM0MlMkZhJTNFJTNDJTJGYmxvY2txdW90ZSUzRSUwQSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMGFzeW5jJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyJTJGJTJGcGxhdGZvcm0udHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZ3aWRnZXRzLmpzJTIyJTIwY2hhcnNldCUzRCUyMnV0Zi04JTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc2NyaXB0JTNF[/vc_raw_html][gap size=”.113em”]

Other Observations

• There’s apparently never a safe time if you’re carrying a football and Tillman’s nearby. As unsuspecting long snapper J.J. Jansen chatted with a couple reporters before practice, the ball he was holding was knocked out of his hands by a ‘Peanut Punch.’

• Practice ended for the second straight day with a touchdown pass from Joe Webb to a rookie receiver in the back of the end zone. Wednesday, it was Damiere Byrd. Thursday, Avius Capers caught a tipped pass while on his back.

• An executive from Panthers’ training camp sponsor Lowe’s had a unique way of showing up at practice:

[gap size=”.113em”][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][gap size=”.113em”]

Coming Up

Fan Fest at Bank of America Stadium is scheduled for 7:30 Friday night.[vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html]