Big Play Bené Returns

Bené Benwikere, who missed most of OTAs with a strained hamstring, was back at his No. 1 nickel spot Tuesday as the Panthers’ opened up minicamp. It took him just one play in the first team drill to draw loud cheers from the defense.

When quarterback Cam Newton looked to his left, he saw Benwikere sliding out to the flat. Newton fired a pass to receiver Kelvin Benjamin on an out route, but that idea was interrupted by Benwikere, who leaped to snag a spectacular one-handed interception.

“He knew he was being high-lowed, so he hinged out and got his depth into the throwing lane and was there,” coach Ron Rivera said.

“Cam put a good ball out there, Bené just went up there and made a play.”

Throughout OTAs, and again on Tuesday, Josh Norman and 34-year-old Charles Tillman lined up as the starting outside corners. It’s Benwikere’s goal to change that lineup by Week 1. He wants to regain his job in the base defense, the one he filled well as a rookie during Carolina’s late-season playoff run.

At 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, he doesn’t have ideal size for an outside corner, but his 40.5 inch vertical leap was second among defensive backs at the 2014 NFL Combine. So while he’s well suited for the slot, he’s more than a one-size-fits-all option.

“Bené makes up for (his size) in his vertical. He plays long,” Rivera said. “Would I like to have him be a 6-2 guy, or 6-1 like Josh (Norman)? Yes. But, because he plays long — he’s got great leaping ability and long arms, I think he makes up for it.”

Save It for Spartanburg

Tuesday’s record-high temperature of 99 degrees spurred a lot of “it’s good prep for Spartanburg” rationalizations, but sweltering now — six weeks before training camp — probably wasn’t all that helpful. What Rivera wants is similar weather when the Panthers head to South Carolina late next month.

Last year, he worried about unseasonably cool temperatures in Spartanburg ahead of the season opener in Tampa Bay. While the Panthers ended up winning that game, Rivera is hoping camp gets back to being hot:

“My concern is we’re going to open up in Jacksonville, and we want to make sure there’s some heat and some humidity. Just kind of get used to it.”

Rookie Remains Out

For three weeks, as nearly 90 of his teammates went through OTAs, cornerback Garry Peters rehabbed on the side. His hamstring was too sore to practice.

So when the Panthers opened minicamp Tuesday, there was some hope Peters would finally be back on the field. Instead, the undrafted rookie was again on the sideline.

“Apparently (the injury is) pretty bad,” Rivera said. “We’d love to get him out cause he’s missed OTAs and minicamp. He showed very well in the rookie camp, but we’ve got to get ready for training camp. But he is missing some valuable opportunities.”

TD on LBJ

Mainly because of their connection with Stephen Curry, many of the Panthers are rooting for the Warriors to finish off the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. But not Thomas Davis. The linebacker has long been a big fan of LeBron James, who’s somehow kept Cleveland in the series.

“We’re getting ready for Game 7 already,” Davis said Tuesday before Game 6. “It’s been amazing what he’s been able to do. When you think about this series and where it is right now, if he hadn’t been doing the things that he’s been able to do, this series would have been over a long time ago.”