The Panthers got good medical news about one linebacker this week when Thomas Davis’ thrice-torn ACL got a positive review.
Carolina is planning to give more work to Davis at next week’s minicamp, where Jon Beason will also be taking a step forward. He’s been medically cleared for a full workload at the minicamp after rehabbing the Achilles injury that cost him 15 games last season. Beason feels fine, although he concedes that he hasn’t really pushed himself yet.
Once he does and shows the Panthers he can take it, the issue will shift to where Beason plays in 2012. The plan right now is for rookie Luke Kuechly to play on the weak side while Beason remains in the middle, but the Panthers aren’t writing anything in ink with so many question marks at the position. Beason’s fine with playing any spot the Panthers find for him.
“If that happens I approach it the way I always have when asked to move from safety to fullback or fullback to linebacker, outside to inside or vice versa,” Beason said, via the Associated Press. “I’ve kind of dealt with this situation my whole life. I look at myself as a true football player. I think I can go play offense too.”
That probably won’t happen, although there would be some novelty to the rare moment when a defensive player on offense loses the size battle to the quarterback. That’s okay for the Panthers, who will settle for seeing all their linebackers on the field at the same time and figuring out the best combination for the season.