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Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008

Injury bug now biting wide receivers

SPARTANBURG --The good news is the Panthers were proud of their depth at wide receiver entering camp. The bad news is they've tapped into it pretty deeply.

By the time practice finished Tuesday, they were hard-pressed to run too many packages because they were running out of receivers. The first group of three-wide featured Muhsin Muhammad, former practice-squader Jason Carter, and Travis Taylor, heretofore an afterthought.

Granted, he's a former first-round pick (10th overall by Baltimore in 2000), but he's a former first-rounder who's been on five rosters the last three years.

"We put them out there in a game and see how they perform," coach John Fox said when asked of Taylor. "I thought he did some good things last week. He's done some good things this week as far as in practice. As I mentioned before, when guys get hurt it's an opportunity for somebody else, and he has an opportunity to stand out."

Taylor made several nice grabs in Tuesday's session, but what stood out most was who wasn't there.

Steve Smith was wandering around on the sidelines after his concussion last week. Second-year men Dwayne Jarrett and Ryne Robinson got a ride on a cart out to the practice field, where they did push-ups and rode bikes. Jarrett's probably going to miss this week's game in Philadelphia because of his scary looking knee bruise, while Robinson's out until the regular season (and perhaps longer) after straining the posterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments in his left knee.

Then there's D.J. Hackett, who made a rare appearance on the practice field. It was overcast, so Hackett didn't risk seeing his shadow, which would have meant another four weeks on the injury report. Hackett's been bothered lately by a toe problem, and has only finished 10 of the 23 practices at camp between that and swelling in his knee.

"It has kind of floated around as usual," Fox said of the positional concentration of injuries. "We started off early with defensive tackle, tight ends and now receivers. But you fight through this during the regular season, and we've got as many guys or more than we usually have in the regular season, and it's just an opportunity for somebody else."

• LOOKING FOR THE LIGHT: Practices have been light this week, between the injuries and short week of preparation for Thursday's game. Players wore shoulder pads for the first half of Tuesday's practice, and they haven't gone in full pads here since last Wednesday morning.

The break comes this morning, when they get to go home after a short walk-through, not to return to Spartanburg.

"It'll be nice to get back in Charlotte," a weary Brad Hoover said Tuesday. "Maybe I've been down here so many times it just makes me sick on my stomach to come down here. I'm just ready to get back to the confines of home, see my family at night, just the little things that you appreciate when you're down here. Just get back to one practice a day, no matter what.

"We've still got work to do in the preseason, but not having to deal with Wofford College is one less thing on my mind."

Fox said he was encouraged by the way his players have plowed through, since this is the time in camp when fatigue leads to sloppy work.

"These guys have been great so far," he said. "They have worked hard. I think we have had a good camp. I think they are enjoying football, and they are focused and their work ethic has been good.

"I think if we were going another week it might be a different story. But I think for where we are and getting them out here right now is about right."

• STILL WAITING: Defensive tackle Ian Scott, who went down early in camp with a knee injury, said Tuesday he had to remain patient with his rehab.

He sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee two weeks ago today, and is still limited in what he can do. He's expected to miss at least a few more weeks, though he said he hoped to play in a preseason game. He laughed when asked to put a percentage on his health, since he's not close to returning yet.

"I can't run, so that's not good, and I haven't been able to do a full revolution on a bicycle yet," he said. "Whatever percentage you want to put on that, I wouldn't venture to guess. ... I think I'm a little ahead. I was supposed to be in a straight leg brace two weeks, but I was out in a week and a half.

"I'm just trying to do everything I can to get healthy. Looking forward to playing football, to be honest. When this happened, all that got pushed aside. My focus is on being healthy so I can have a chance to play sometime soon."

• EXTRA POINTS: The only new addition to the injury report was defensive end Hilee Taylor (illness), who was taken inside at the beginning of practice.

Also out, in addition to Scott and the receivers were tight ends Dante Rosario and Gary Barnidge, cornerbacks Ken Lucas and Chris Gamble and safety Chris Harris.