CHARLOTTE -- Jake Delhomme didn't take a single snap Friday, but he knew exactly how many passes he threw, and it's hard to tell what came faster, the grin or the number.
"I'd say it was around 34," he said with a grin. "I threw 34, I know for a fact."
For the Carolina Panthers quarterback, every milestone has to be documented, every step in his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow carefully planned. Friday morning wasn't really new in terms of content, but you could tell from his reaction that he knew he was taking a big step.
As much as he hates standing out, he knows he now stands as Jake Delhomme -- test patient. Only two pro quarterbacks have ever had it and come back, and neither (Craig Erickson and Rob Johnson) were ever at his level of accomplishment. The comparison that scares people is to baseball pitchers who take longer to come back, but Delhomme learned at the Super Bowl how much of a difference it can make.
"I saw Ken Griffey Jr. at a function and I introduced myself to him and there were a couple of other guys there and I said, 'Hey, I couldn't be happier,'" Delhomme said. "They all busted out laughing and they all just laughed and said, 'Tommy John, what a great surgery.' They've seen so many guys who have had so much relief after and hopefully I fall into that category."
He and the team should have a small sense of relief. After all, it's only their season and their futures that hang in the balance.
If it wasn't for the limited work (Matt Moore took all the first-team snaps), you'd have a hard time knowing that doctors recreated his throwing arm just over six months ago. He didn't even wear a sleeve over the elbow, and there's no real evidence other than the half-moon-shaped scar on the inside of his right arm that he's different from the rest of the quarterbacks here.
That he looked so similar was another boost for the 33-year-old.
"It's nice to put on a helmet," Delhomme said. "Coming out here with a baseball hat on gets pretty old. It's nice to come out and certainly I did very limited work. It's good to be around the guys. It's like you just bought something new and you get to see what those toys look like. You get to see some of these young guys. ...
"I haven't thrown with the receivers like this but maybe one time. It's maybe a few throws here and there because guys run at different times with our workout schedule. But this was nice to have a big group out here and throw some routes. I was very satisfied."
There's a natural temptation for him to push forward, to keep working with those new guys. But he knows he can't, and the training staff keeps the reins pulled back just in case.
Delhomme said he hoped to do a little more in the way of individual drills once organized team activities (OTAs) start in June. He won't start taking snaps or reps in team drills until training camp, however.
Getting him back's the key, as the Panthers know all too well.
Their entire season unraveled with his ulnar collateral ligament on Sept. 23 in Atlanta. Having to use four quarterbacks, they scrambled to finish 7-9. Since that was still on the fringes of the playoff hunt, they hope keeping Delhomme on target will provide big benefits.
"Jake's a big part of our offense, no question -- I think that was evident last year," coach John Fox said. "He's out here, he's throwing, the surgery's gone fine and his rehab's gone fine. He actually looks bigger and stronger than he has in the past. He's had time to work on that.
"This isn't the first time I've seen him. I have the luxury of seeing him every day. It's something we feel good about, his rehab and him coming back full strength."
Delhomme said he was "almost past," the point of trepidation over any particular throws. Most of what he did was short stuff, though he's thrown some 15- to 20-yard routes, which have pushed him in small increments from his days of soft-tossing Nerf balls.
"Probably the toughest throw anybody will throw is the 18-yard comeback and I threw one to Steve (Smith)," Delhomme said. "That was fine. That is something you have to put a little something on. Even with the long throws, that is more trajectory because you have to put a little something on it. Even with the long throws, that is more trajectory and getting your body behind it.
"It's good. I don't know what more to say. I haven't let go on any go routes, but I have thrown some fades and I've got it up in the air and they're doing fine."
In addition to his extra work, Delhomme was clearly enthusiastic about the array of weapons he'll eventually have the lead of. The Panthers signed wide receivers Muhsin Muhammad and D.J. Hackett, a literal ton of free agent guards, and drafted running back Jonathan Stewart and tackle Jeff Otah in the first round, to go with established threats such as Smith and DeAngelo Williams.
"I think we can do some good things," Delhomme said with a nod. "For me to say we're going to be a top-five or top-10 offense, I could care less as long as we are a top-five and top-10 team. As long as we win the division and just get your foot in the door of the playoffs.
"I know we got bigger up front and we did draft a running back and he'll be a great complement to DeAngelo. And we got Moose back and I saw today he hasn't lost much. That has been evident. Hackett will help and Dwayne Jarrett has a chance. We have some speed out here, so we'll see."
