CHARLOTTE — After the first day in pads and the most physical practice of camp so far, the Panthers dialed it back a bit Tuesday.

And the physical work took a bit of a physical toll.

Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that Pro Bowl defensive tackle Derrick Brown was limited with "general soreness" in his oblique after working yesterday, and that backup guard Chandler Zavala would miss a few weeks with a knee injury.

Zavala was actually hurt during a one-on-one pass rush rep with Brown, and injured his patella tendon.

"It's two big, strong men against each other, and he was just kind of anchoring to get back into position and tweaked it in there," Canales said, adding that the tendon wasn't ruptured, but Zavala would likely miss a few weeks with hopes of getting him back before the end of the preseason.

"Chandler was having such a great camp, a couple of days looking strong, looking flexible, really comfortable in our system too, so just thinking about him and want to get him back out there quickly."

The 2023 fourth-rounder has nine starts in two seasons and has become a valuable reserve on a good offensive line. They brought their top nine linemen in snaps from last year back, and are working a number of players with the second group in his absence. Super-sub Brady Christensen, who can play all five positions, can play guard, and Canales also mentioned returning reserves Jarrett Kingston and Ja'Tyre Carter as players getting a chance there.

"So it's opportunities for these guys to kind of step up and show us what they can do."

Canales had a more positive tone when it came to Brown, who was cleared for the start of camp after last year's knee surgery, but has been working his way back slowly for the last week anyway, including missing a few days for the birth of his daughter.

"Trying to be smart with Derrick," Canales said. "His knee feels great, I think it's just kind of torquing his body in different ways, and he's got some oblique soreness right now. We want to be smart and get ahead of that. It's not something that we felt like we had to get an MRI or do anything like that right now, but as we're kind of working him back into his normal flow, we'll keep dosing him the right way so that we get him in shape for Week 1.

Starting cornerbacks, Adam Thielen get vet days

Cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson spent the day in athleisure, as did veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen.

Canales said those were planned days off for the group.

(It wasn't that much of a day off for Horn and Jackson, as both stayed engaged in what was going on, with Jackson carrying a practice script, and Horn standing near the offensive sideline during a few periods to get their perspective.)

With the starting corners off the field, there were opportunities for young players to shine.

Shemar Bartholomew and rookie Corey Thornton worked with the ones on the outside, with Chau Smith-Wade continuing his role as the nickel.

Bartholomew had an interception during practice, and Thornton broke up what would have been a touchdown to Ja'Tavion Sanders late, though there was enough contact it might have drawn a flag in ordinary times.

Bartholomew was claimed off waivers last summer and played in five games, breaking up two passes. But Canales said he can see the difference a year makes.

"Just understanding the scheme, spent a year with us kind of learning, and showed up in the Falcons game at the end and made a couple of plays for us there, a couple of big battles with Drake London there in the end zone towards the end of the half.

"Shemar is kind of taking this offseason. He had a really good spring, came into camp and has been steady, but today I think it was a big day for him. What we've been challenging is to just make the play on the ball. You're in the right spot, have the confidence to go make the play. He did that today and came up with one."

Andy Dalton: The more you can do

Quarterbacks typically don't have much to do during special teams drills. They fiddle around, throwing with athletic trainers to keep their arms warm, or working on handoffs. Or, if you're Andy Dalton, you find yet another trick to pick up.

Already the emergency holder in practices and games, Dalton has found ways to make himself valuable beyond just as backup quarterback. The veteran was the holder again last week while punter Sam Martin was out, even getting a shoutout from coach Dave Canales on Monday.

"I mean, first of all, let's give it up for Andy Dalton, who did a great job for the first four days," Canales bragged.

But Martin is back this week, and Dalton needed something to do during kickoff return drills. So while Bryce Young and Jack Plummer tossed a ball around for the three minutes the special team drill lasts, Dalton grabbed another football and jogged to the opposite end of the field where the skinny field goal posts were set up.

He started relatively close, about 15 yards away from the posts, and attempted a drop kick. It went through. From there he backed up another five yards or so, making it from each distance until he was 30-yards away.

After several attempts, some that were a little high and hard to judge, some that veered left but would've likely been good on a regulation size goal posts, Dalton sailed through one last drop kick, right down the middle.

He gave a little shimmy, signaled the kick was good, and jogged back for the next team drill, a reminder yet again the more you can do, the more valuable you are.

Panthers legends in the house

Former defensive tackle Brentson Buckner was on the sidelines Tuesday, and he knows something about being a part of deep and competitive defensive lines.

He was the old-head in the middle of a group that featured Hall of Famer Julius Peppers and Pro Bowlers Mike Rucker and Kris Jenkins.

Original Panthers general manager Bill Polian was also on hand, but he was working in his capacity with Sirius XM NFL Radio.

Polian, who put together the team that went to the NFC Championship Game in just its second year of existence, interviewed Canales and general manager Dan Morgan as part of their camp tour.

Tuesday was a recovery day

After the fully padded two-hour practice on Monday, the Panthers were in shorts and shells Tuesday, but are going back to pads on Wednesday. It was still hot, and they still worked, but it was less intense.

"We pad it up," Canales said of Wednesday's plan. "Tomorrow will be probably about 15 to 20 minutes longer than it was today. Really just trying to get after them and end with the move-the-ball period where we can start leaving the groups out there for a longer duration, and just try to have an aiming point for how many plays that is, so they can start to get into playing eight, 10, 12 snaps in a row, which is what they're going to be expected to do."

Thoughts with families after New York shooting

Canales opened his press conference by referencing last night's shooting in New York, which happened in the same building as the NFL offices at 345 Park Avenue. Four people were killed, in addition to the shooter.

"I wanted to mention that our prayers are with all the families that were affected by the shooting in New York," Canales said. "I just can't think of the devastation to everybody who's involved there. People are showing up to do their jobs, and have to fear for their lives and their safety. I know there was a police officer who was shot there, so I just feel really, really thankful and really grateful for the people that we have here that are watching, that are protecting us, to be able to come and do what we love. But we're praying for all those families that were affected there."