<p>CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Matt Rhule feels good about the way the Panthers approach practices and is “disappointed” former quarterback Teddy Bridgewater didn’t feel the same way while in Carolina.</p>
<p>“I’m not going to delve into specifics about our process, some of that is specific to us,” the Panthers coach said Wednesday night during a video call with reporters. “But I feel really good about our preparation, and the amount of work our coaches put in and the amount of work our players put in. The amount of practice work, I think we push them in a really smart way.”</p>
<p>Rhule’s comments came after Bridgewater openly criticized Panthers first-year offensive coordinator Joe Brady and the way the team practiced on the “All Things Covered” podcast.</p>
<p>“I’ll just say this, for Joe Brady’s growth, that organization, they’ll have to practice different things in different ways,” Bridgewater said. “One of the things we didn’t do much of when I was there, we didn’t practice two-minute, really. We didn’t practice red zone.”</p>
<p>Carolina was 28th in the league in red zone efficiency last year with Bridgewater throwing five interceptions inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.</p>
<p>The Panthers dealt Bridgewater to the Denver Broncos earlier this offseason after acquiring Sam Darnold from the New York Jets.</p>
<p>“I guess the game is becoming about science and trying to keep guys healthy," Bridgewater went on to say. "You didn’t practice on Fridays there, but you walk through the red-zone stuff and then Saturday you come out and practice red zone. But you’d only get like 15 live reps. Guys’ reps would be limited.”</p>
<p>The Panthers have a somewhat unusual schedule of using Fridays as light days followed by a heavy practice on Saturdays.</p>
<p>Rhule complimented Bridgewater, calling him an “ultimate professional” and a “great dude.”</p>
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