Tthere were a dozen players off to the side rehabbing Friday, more than at any point this offseason. The 12: Running backs Jonathan Stewart and Kenjon Barner; receivers Kelvin Benjamin and De’Andre Presley; offensive linemen Garry Williams and Edmund Kugbila; defensive ends Wes Horton and Craig Roh; cornerbacks Josh Norman and Josh Thomas; safeties Thomas DeCoud and Tre Boston. That list doesn’t include defensive tackle Linden Gaydosh, who is out at least a week after twisting an ankle Thursday.

There is some good news, though. Head coach Ron Rivera is hopeful DeCoud (knee) and Williams (knee) will return for Saturday’s practice. And the Panthers may even get their first-round pick back.

“Depending on how (Benjamin) is first thing in the morning, he’ll probably be on the field,” Rivera said.

This likely doesn’t come as BREAKING NEWS, but the media can be a selfish lot.

Example: Friday may have been the most pleasant Panthers training camp practice in Spartanburg ever*.

Temps in the 90s with suffocating humidity is usually a lock for the first day of August. But after a morning full of rain, the sun stayed away, and the high reached a cool 70 degrees. While it was tremendous for us, head coach Ron Rivera was irked.

“It’s a little concerning because the heat is all part of the conditioning. We know what Tampa’s going to be like, down there at 4:30 in the afternoon (for the season opener),” Rivera said. “So hopefully the weather will correct itself after a couple more cool days. Then we’ll get some hot days and really get after the guys.”

More rain is in Saturday’s forecast, and it may not hit 90 degrees until the middle of next week. Sorry coach, but — woo hoo!

(*official records were not available for confirmation)

Compared to most Americans, Kenjon Barner lives in a parallel universe. His metabolism is so high, he has a hard time gaining weight. That’s a problem for a 5-9 NFL running back.

It took Barner six months to go from 183 pounds last November to 198 this offseason. But trainers on both coasts helped him bulk up, without sacrificing his speed.

The 25-year-old also stayed committed to a couple training secrets he started doing when he starred at Oregon, taking yoga and ballet. That’s right, ballet.

“I’m a Google guy. I Google stuff, I like to find stuff out, so I’ve seen guys before me that have taken ballet and have done yoga,” Barner said.

Like who?

“Tony Dorsett and Gale Sayers,” Barner replied. “If these guys have been great at what they do, and what I’m trying to get to, why not try what they did in order to better myself?”

A couple Hall of Famers. That’s a good argument. But your teammates give you a hard time, right?

“Brandon (Williams) kind of joked with me a little bit about it,” Barner said, nodding over to the 6-4, 250 tight end on a couch about 15 feet away.

Well, he’s just jealous because he couldn’t pull it off, right?

“Yeah, he’s too stiff,” Barner said, laughing while Williams shook his head.

Plus, he wouldn’t look as good in, you know …

“No! I never went that far, I never wore a tutu or anything like that,” Barner quickly assured.

While he may not end up starring in “The Nutcracker” anytime soon, you can’t say he’s not trying everything he can do to make it in the NFL.

“At this level, I feel like every edge you can gain, you need to try and gain.”

NFL officials met with the Panthers Thursday night, breaking down the new rules and points of emphasis this season. But line judge Carl Johnson, who led the explanations, sure looked familiar.

Poor Captain Munnerlyn. Even though the defensive back is now with the Vikings, his former teammates continue to pick on him — with love — from afar.

“I look at Captain like a little brother,” linebacker Thomas Davis said. “It was something we teased him about when he was here, about him looking like Carl. And Carl came in this year, so we definitely had a good time with that one.”