CB Bené Benwikere returned from the PUP list to practice for the first time since he broke his leg in December. Not surprisingly, Benwikere was eased back in slowly. He was limited in team drills, but when he was in there, he lined up almost exclusively at nickel.
WR Tobais Palmer also returned from the PUP list after tweaking an Achilles during last week's conditioning drills. "He made some noise during OTAs and minicamp," coach Ron Rivera said, "and he's a guy we want to keep an eye on."
WR Stephen Hill spent a few minutes under the tent while a trainer looked at his surgically repaired knee. Hill eventually walked back onto the field, but this is the second time his knee has acted up this week. The sense inside the team is he's not close to the same player he was before the injury, which included three torn knee ligaments and a hamstring.
DE Rakim Cox went under the tent about midway through practice and stayed there, seemingly struggling with a sore back.
DE Kony Ealy remains in the concussion protocol.
FB Devon Johnson came out to the practice fields for the first time since Thursday, but he still wasn't in pads. According to Rivera, the Panthers hope Johnson can return from a lingering lower back injury sometime next week.
Play of the Day
Photo: Carolina Huddle
A play after QB Cam Newton and WR Ted Ginn Jr. beat CB James Bradberry with a stutter and go, Newton fired deep for Damiere Byrd.
The ball went over CB Daryl Worley and S Kurt Coleman before falling into Byrd's stomach. After securing the catch, he turned around and headed into the end zone.
Player Notes
QB Cam Newton led the offense 65 yards in just over a minute, completing a 2-minute drill with a touchdown toss in the middle of the field to WR Philly Brown, who slipped past CB Zack Sanchez.
OT Jordan Rigsbee and DE Arthur Miley got into the first notable scuffle of this training camp. Scuffle may not be the right word for it, and they pretty much just shoved each other a couple extra times after the whistle.
DE Wes Horton continues to see a good amount of first-team snaps while Ealy remains sidelined. DE Mario Addison also worked in with the starters.
DE Larry Webster knocked down a pass at the line from QB Derek Anderson.
CB Lou Young intercepted Anderson during a 2-minute drill.
CB Colin Jones ended the third-team 2-minute drill with an interception of QB Joe Webb.
Random Nuggets
Newton, who's usually vocal in practice, was especially so. The chatter eventually spread to WR Devin Funchess, who appeared to exchange some not-so-friendly pleasantries with the defense after making a catch in team drills.
"It was very competitive," Rivera said, "Maybe a little too competitive."
The day also featured plenty of cloud cover and some sprinkles, a respite from the heat of the first five practice days.