Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera sees intense competition for starting berths - NFL News
Carolina Panthers will start their Organised Team Activities (OTAs) next week and head coach, Ron Rivera can already see positions where players will compete with each other to secure the starting berths for the upcoming 2012-13 season.
Rivera speaking to Charlotte Observer’s Joseph Person, has already identified the right tackle position where he sees big competition for the starter’s berth.
Two tackles will try to impress coaches in the upcoming OTAs to secure the position for themselves heading into the new season.
These two players are, Byron Bell and Jeff Otah.
Otah was named starter for the Panthers in the 2011-12 season after joining the Panthers in the summer as an undrafted free agent, however, injuries which have dogged the player’s career throughout once again surfaced and Otah was placed on injured reserve
for the third year straight.
His position was filled by Bell who took over for the last 11 games of the season as the Panthers ended the regular season with a 6-10 record.
Bell performed well but coach, Ron Rivera is not handing him the position as Otah has once again recovered from his injury and wants both players to show their talent on the training field.
Speaking to Person on Friday, Rivera said.
"Nobody's getting anything there. Byron Bell did a h**l of a job for us last year. We know what Jeff's capable of. But the problem with Jeff is we haven't really seen him in two years. It's up to Jeff. If Jeff wants to come back and be a huge part of it,
it's on him. He's got to do the things we ask him to do. He's got to do them the right way."
This is a make or break year for Otah and he must overcome his injury problems to realise his dream of becoming a regular starter in the National Football League.
The Panthers are expected to have a winning season this year with some analysts even touting them as one of the favourites to win the National Football Conference (NFC) South title.
Rivera though is not buying into the hype.
“We have not taken the next step. We have not arrived, in any fashion or manner,”
The ball is now in the players’ court as they look to impress their coaches in training to secure starting berths in the roster.
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