For Monroe Freeling, rookie minicamp is about breaking the ice

Panthers head coach Dave Canales said this was mostly about introducing material and then finding out how these young players retain it, particularly Freeling and second-round defensive tackle Lee Hunter.

“Just a good head start for hearing the language, ball getting snapped, putting the ball in play,” Canales said. “I mean, simple things as that, getting your stance, alignment, assignment always starts off that way. Watching those guys kind of take to that part of it and the coaching, great energy from those guys out there today.

“In this mode, we talk about practice is everything, and this is where we make us, and got to see a little glimpse of that today. Lee, he has a real sense for getting off on the snap, feeling the cadence right now, and guys just learning how to work together. We can play full speed without the contact, you know, if we do those things right. So I was really proud of the guys the way they handled it today.”