■ Much of Carolina's training camp has focused on who will replace behemoth defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu, who suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon in the first practice.
Teammate Damione Lewis has an answer: Nobody.
"There's only a handful of (nose tackles) in the league that can play as well as Maake did," Lewis said yesterday. "He's one of the best in the business. We're not going to have that. That's gone."
So far Nick Hayden, who has played in two NFL games, has lined up next to Lewis on the Panthers' first-team defensive line. Undrafted rookie Marlon Favorite has also worked with the first team.
Neither is close in size and bulk to the 6-5, 345-pound Kemoeatu, who clogged the middle and was the key component of Carolina's run defense.
"We just have to hustle and do the small things right to overcome what we're missing with him.," Lewis said "I mean, he's a true run-stuffer. We don't have another true run-stuffer. Nowhere on the roster do we have another. That's gone. So we have to hustle and do the extra things to be better than what we were."
■ It took only a few minutes into the first training-camp practice to understand that defensive-line coach Brian Baker was the team's loudest offseason addition.
"Why were we on the ground?" Baker screamed at his players after a blocking drill.
"No. No. No," Baker later yelled, while sprinting toward the line to get in the face of a player.
The yelling hasn't stopped. Baker, who spent the past three seasons on the St. Louis Rams' staff, has shaken up practices and meetings with his energetic, demanding style.
Baker, who played under Bobby Ross at Maryland before coaching under him, replaced Sal Sunseri in Carolina.
■ The Panthers used Gary Barnidge and Dante Rosario with the first team when they used two tight end sets yesterday. Jeff King, last year's starter, was with the backups.
Barnidge, a 2008 fifth-round pick, was elevated to first team last week. Rosario was a fifth-round choice in 2007 and is at full strength after offseason back surgery.
King, a 2006 fifth-round pick, has slid on the depth chart after catching 21 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown last season.
■ RB Jonathan Stewart (Achilles) missed his fourth straight practice.... OLB James Anderson was back after tweaking his hamstring a day earlier. He worked with the first team with starter Thomas Davis (knee) and backup Landon Johnson (groin) still out.... Reserve LB Mortty Ivy pulled up with a groin injury when returning a fumble in the morning practice. ... S Nate Salley (knee) and G C.J. Davis (ankle) remained sidelined.... Fox said they've put in about 30 percent of the playbook on offense and defense, meaning they'll show few wrinkles in Monday's exhibition opener at the New York Giants. The starters are expected to play about a quarter. "We're just trying to see how fundamentally sound we are at this point and evaluate players," Fox said.... The Panthers will practice today at 3:10 p.m.
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