Carolina Panthers
Rhule: A chance other quarterbacks besides Darnold could play vs. Bucs
The Carolina Panthers head coach added Donte Jackson had groin surgery and Robby Anderson will be a game-time decision.
man, how does, how did uh you know Sam looking practice today and I guess the plan is definitely or correct? Yes Sam Sam Sam is ready to play this week. I had a good practice out there today matt something. I don't think we ever followed up with you when, when christian and Dante went on. Ir there was a possibility, I think that that either one of them might need surgery. Was that the case with either of those guys that uh christian did not have surgery? Um um Dante did have surgery. Do you know? It's kind of what the timetable was or is for that and what was involved? Um I don't know if I feel comfortable saying too much to be honest. I haven't talked to Dante about it but it's not, you know, not not real long. I think Dante was like a total of like six weeks or something. So it was um nothing that's you know should impede him in the future and christians was nonsurgical. Let's go to Skylar Callahan. Hey man, you guys brought in to your body mariner from the Steelers. Are you expecting him to get any type of a run this sunday or you just kind of get him in here to get a look at him. He's a player, we liked, we had the availability for him. Um we practiced him today to get him ready and you know, we're still sort of going through, you know, the whole covid thing. Um you know, in terms of guys potentially being down. So like just like it's your last week, we got those guys in, uh, we have them have them getting trained so, you know, we have them as needed. But um, you know, he's a good player, player like that on tape active and um, I thought it was a good opportunity to get a guy like that in here. Any more questions for coach. Yeah. Coach, you gotta Hassan off the Covid list today. Do you expect him to go? This? Sunday is gonna be good? Yeah, we, we got to sign off on a couple other guys off and Hassan should be ready to go. He practiced today. So any more questions for coach Matt, I know this is a man of notes is a always trying to win every game, but I mean, you also using this this week is a chance to see some of these younger guys, see what they can do moving forward. Yeah. You know, I just think with the cake with the, with the kind of where our roster is, you know, especially you obviously saw, um, you know, a couple receivers that didn't practice. I mean, we're, we're kind of even last week we're playing everybody. It's, it's an all hands on deck, you know, situations for the last two weeks. So, um, um, so I think I think that naturally has allowed us to get a lot more opportunities to see guys. Um, you know, we, we definitely do want to win the game. I mean, you know, have, you know, to have a chance to have, you know, played and beaten all three NFC, you know, south teams that that's something that we take very seriously, you know, we haven't, we split, you know, versus the first two. So we'd like to go get a win against Tampa Bay, obviously the great team that they are, but, but I think, I think steve, we're having a chance to see a lot of guys anyway. Um, you know, brady's, we see we got a chance to see his development at left tackle. Um, so I think the situation has allowed those, both those, both those um, initiatives to eat to align, let's go to willpower logic probably by David Newton. You touched on it briefly there matt in terms of brady at left tackle, you know, with this kind of three week stretch of him being a starter. How good of an idea are you getting now of his ability at that particular position? I think we're getting a good picture of it. Um, I think we were pleased were, I think I said after the game on monday, I think, you know, we were pleased with the growth from, from the Tampa game to the New Orleans game. It's a whole different deal being in a dome um, on the road, silent count. Um, I thought he certainly held his own. Um, and it also shows him the things he needs to work on, you know, to improve, moving forward. So, um, you know, but I've been pleased with where he's at and um, you know, this week he has a chance to now go back, you know, obviously Tampa has great rushers, has a chance to go back and play guys that he played two weeks ago and um, you know, watch that tape and try to improve and just kind of more on on terraces injury, you know, you kind of know when that happened and what's the deal with him? His is just a stress reaction from over time. Um, So it wouldn't be anything super long term, but it's probably division in the locker room and um, I think you can just sense a, you know, toxic environment or, you know, guys guys doing the bare minimum. Um, but I've been pleased with our locker mark, obviously no one's happy with, no one's happy with, you know, the results. So, I mean, that that speaks for itself, but I think guys genuinely enjoy each other. I think they have good relationships with the coaches and the staff, good relationships with the strength staff and the training staff. I think I I I hope that they feel like everyone, everyone that comes to work here is here to help the players be their best. So, um, you know, when I, we can't eat together anymore, David, but when I used to walk in the lunchroom, when you could eat together, you know, you saw all different guys have different positions and ages altogether. So, um, you know, um, I sat there, 45 minutes on the field with Christian before the game. Um, you know, kind of talk about the state of the state and um, you know, he's someone obviously that trust and he's someone that I I know is not afraid to speak his mind. And I think there's a lot of guys here that feel really good about the locker room and where we're headed and all those things. Um, but, you know, we gotta win a game. So that's, you know, at the end day, that's, that's really all, it's about winning. But I think the guys have been, the guys have, even today at practice, they've given us, um, they've given us, you know, good work every day. Thanks. Let's go joe person followed by Jonathan alexander matt. Would you consider playing any other quarterbacks this week in addiction to stamp? Yeah, absolutely. You know, you know, we just got PJ back today from Covid, but uh, you know, cam, um, we have, we have cam ready and um, um, um, you know, so what that looks like exactly. You know, we're kind of, you know, obviously we kind of keep under wraps a little bit because with the benefit of someone having to prepare for two or three guys helps us. But um, you know, um, yeah, we would have no problem playing to even, you know, 22 guys, either of those guys. I think they've all, they've all worked hard and deserve a chance to show what they can do and then wondered what happened to make you put cam on just that calf, the calf hasn't gotten better. You know, they, they prp it last week and then just, um, Um, I think Scott talked to, you know, I think Kevin talked to him on Monday and just still wasn't 100% ready to go and, you know, so obviously, um, uh, you know, season coming to an end if he's not gonna be able to play, you know, uh, Scott went ahead and talked to him and made that move. Hey man, I'm gonna do you have a general sense of whether Stefan or I know you talked a little bit about monday, um, Stefan and, and Robbie would be available on sunday. Robbie is going to do everything he can this week to be available for sunday. Um, I think it's kind of like DJ was uh, Jonathan a couple of weeks ago where it's like, hey, we'll have to wait and see. Um, uh, Stephen's trying, I probably don't, you know, don't have as much confidence in because that's just has a bigger injury. Um, but they're both trying to be ready for sunday. So, um, you know, we'll, we'll, we'll wait and see if they can get there and if not, you know, we'll play with the other guys and also, you know, in determining, you know, brady Christensen where he fits whether that's left tackle or at guard because they don't have an impact on, on how you all may draft. What are you looking at? Um you know, sunday and in terms of brady and and does that also include what you look at in the past and how you played at other positions earlier in the year? Yeah, I think we look at the tape, you know, we we finished the year, um every every coach, all the coordinators, you know, right up evaluations of the player's, you know, strengths, weaknesses, where they see them, where do they fit our personnel department does the same thing and uh I think then you begin to slot guys um that their best position. And then, and then um a lot will also depend on as you get into free agency and the draft, who else is available. Right? So um you know, when you have a guy with versatility, you know, if you get, you get a chance to hit a home run somewhere else, then you take it. Um but in terms of each specific player, you know, just go off the tape go back, watch the tape. Um, you know, as you, as you mentioned, you know, we've we've had a lot of chances to see brady at different positions throughout the year again, it is his rookie year. Um so we know that there will be growth. Um, but uh, I think we watched, watched these three games specifically and, and uh you go from the new york game, he played left tackle to Tampa to new Orleans, you certainly see growth. Um, so you know, we'll, we'll do that kind of collectively as a personnel department and coaching staff after the season. Let's go back to Skylar Callahan. But by steve reed. Yeah, man, you mentioned Kenny Robinson the other day is a guy that's been getting some more snaps with some of the injuries in the secondary. What have you seen from him and just kind of really since going back to when you guys drafted, I know he's been on and off the roster a couple of times. Yeah, it's Kenny's turned himself into a legitimate safety, a legitimate pro football player. I'm really pleased with his play. You know, you go back and look at his history, didn't play a ton in college, went to the XFL, came to the NFL, it was in the middle of Covid had a Covid offseason was on the practice squad last year. Got elevated, came to camp this year, started off having on the practice squad has been up and down, um his, his, his uh physical development, his knowledge of the position, his physicality in the game. I mean, they're all starting to really show up and um, so you know, he played really well this past week. So I think that position, you know, jeremy chin, you know, it's his first year, really playing safety. I think after last year playing kind of the nickel backer, um, you know, growing into the safety position, Kenny, growing into it, uh, Miles has played nickel and growing into safety. Um, you know, they're, they're all making a lot of progress. I think Jason Jason Simons has done a good job with a bunch of young players. But I think the biggest thing with Kenny is he flashes on tape, he is really physical. Um, and he's, uh, you know, working on the things, you know, he's working on things that he needs to work on to become a complete player. Hey matt a couple of bigger picture questions. Um, I know you're locked into this week, but if you could, um, if you can try and answer this, um, you know, in looking back how much of an impact did not have in christian the offense, I know you guys build that kind of built that offense around him and secondly, do you feel like the defense has taking a step forward this year under Phil yeah, I don't even, I wouldn't, I don't think that's a question. Um, I think they went from like 18th, 2 seconds, you know, and you know, I mean, we went to new Orleans and played in the dome and you know, played against Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill and you know, down, Jaycee horn and Dante Jackson and AJ Boy and Stephon Gilmore and Um, had a hell of the 12 points through three quarters and had a chance to win and just needed a little help. So I don't, I don't think there's any question in my mind how much progress we've made on defense. Um, you know, I think steve offensively, you know, again, I don't want to look turned back too much, but you know, I do think, you know, obviously christians one of the top players in the National Football League. I think anytime you lose a guy like that, it's really hard. It's even, it's even harder though. I think when you lose him, he comes back, you lose because you know, when you lose him early and it's for the year, you kind of adjust everything that you're doing. Um, you know, we uh, got him back and then lost him the Miami game. So, um, we've had to do a lot of adjusting, you know, uh, throughout the course of the year. Um, but you know, that's, that's the league. That's none of that's an excuse. It's just the National Football League, but I certainly, I mean, I'm, I'm, I'm excited to see Um, what the defense has done and I'll just say this because I want to keep it about right now, like when I turn on the table last week, I think Derek Brown, if you look at the second play of the game. I mean it's a screen down the left sideline and Derek Brown makes the tackle on Kamara out of balance, you know, 30, 40 yards down the field. So a guy like Derek um is really coming into his own right now, YouTube is coming into his own right now. Um, they're playing really good football. I think you saw that from Frankie and several others. So, um, some of the injuries we've had on defense, other guys have had to step up. I think they've, they, we've certainly had our moments in terms of defending the run, but I was pleased with what I saw last week. Um, and uh, um, you know, we'll just have to keep that going running tight on time. Let's go to Darren Gant followed by Ellis Williams. But how would you quantify kind of the impact Hassan Reddick made on that defense this year and what he brought to the group as a whole beyond just the pass rush? Well, I think Hassan's physical, he's tough, you know, he plays every snap plays hard and obviously he gets to the quarterback, um, make his versatility of playing background, defensive end steals you a roster spot. Um you can go into games, we were fortunate we can go into games with 70 lineman because we're gonna get a lot of nickel snaps out of Hassan, we're out of Frankie. So, um that that provides uh, you know, that provides a roster spot on game day that a lot of teams don't have. So he's a very versatile player um and has played well for us coach. You guys have had to play a lot of different guys on the outside at cornerback due to injury of course, and you mentioned uh Kenny as a guy and a young guy in the secondary who you think is playing well. Can you talk a little bit about keith and other guys um outside of the perimeter that you just, your impressions of them as they've gotten more snaps late? Yeah, I think keith um I think every every day keith gets a little bit better, you know, he he was a guy, Ellis that played all bump and run at at, at Washington, so now he's had to learn, I mean we do so many different things, he's had to learn so much and um you know, has has grown as a result, he's got great physical skills, you know, with his length and size and so um just being diversified, I think he'll he'll enter, enter this offseason having really grown as a player Stanley thomas, Oliver, you know, he was on Ir there for a little bit, has really been a special teams player, but he's helped us a ton C. J. When he's been healthy, has been excellent. I feel like I talked about miles the versatility, he gives you of, he can play safety, he can play nickel he can play corner in a pinch. So that that that's a young group, a lot of those guys we drafted last year signed last year, some guys we added this year um that's kind of grown through year two, but but keith, you know, being the one rookie that's still out there playing um I've been pleased with their development um and uh uh you know, they didn't, it's not it's not like they played all year and got all the snaps, you know, those guys, like they were just running down on kickoff while those other guys were playing and so they've had to learn in the meeting rooms, they've had to learn on the scout teams, they've had to learn just getting mental reps um and to their credit when their opportunities come, they've all they've all gotten the job done to a certain degree. Um there's lots of things that those guys have to work on as young players but um I think that you know, having played, they can get there at the end of the season and whether it's Kenny or keith or whoever and go back and say, okay, here's the 23 things that I have to improve upon to be a legitimate starter in the National Football League. Um So I think I think that that's the benefit of kind of unfortunate the unfortunate injury situation that we've had um is that a lot of guys have gotten chances to see what it's like as a starter they enter, you know, the offseason knowing where they are and what they need to do. And then do you feel comfortable with their ability to contribute next season based on, on what you've seen? Yeah, I mean, I think, uh, you know, every year we're trying to improve the roster, improve everything. So, you know, guys have to always take a step. But um, you know, I I think that those guys are, those guys are pro football players, um, you know what exactly the role will be for them here and all those different things, you know, you know, time, the offseason free agency, the draft, all those things will determine. But, um, you know, I think, uh, I think, uh, you know, when you see the way some of some of those guys, I don't want to speak on each guy, but some of these guys have played, you feel really good about their their futures here. Thank you.