Jimmy Clausen completed 4-of-7 passes for 69 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Clausen also scrambled once for four yards and took two sacks. Aside from the touchdown and pick, the other three series ended in punts. The touchdown pass was thrown behind newly acquired TE Greg Olsen and would have been contested if anyone other than rookie SS Tyler Sash had been in coverage. Clausen's interception was a rushed under-throw that Michael Boley took back for six. Overwhelmed and underprepared, Clausen will need to step it up in the next three weeks if he wants to avoid the bench come Week 1.

Jimmy Clausen will be the Panthers' starting quarterback in their preseason opener against the Giants Saturday night.

Quarterbacks that start the first preseason game usually start the third, and then the season opener. Reliable beat writer Darin Gantt isn't buying for a second that Clausen will get the nod over No. 1 overall pick Cam Newton, however. Perhaps Clausen can make a case by performing well on Saturday. Facing the Giants with a makeshift receiver corps, the odds remain heavily against him.

Jimmy Clausen was listed as the starting quarterback on the Panthers' first depth chart of training camp.

Coach Ron Rivera praised Clausen for his practice work Tuesday while suggesting Cam Newton needs to gain consistency. The Panthers are also tweaking Newton's mechanics. Both QBs will start games during the preseason, and the depth chart is fluid. A decision on the Week 1 starter likely won't occur until after the third preseason game.

Jimmy Clausen continues to run with the first-team offense at Panthers camp.

No. 1 overall pick Cam Newton continues to run with the backups and veteran Derek Anderson will be thrown into the fray on Thursday. This battle figures to go deep into the preseason, but Clausen isn't a real option. He had the NFL's worst passer rating in 2010.

Charlotte Observer columnist Tom Sorensen believes Jimmy Clausen will "almost certainly" be under center against the Cardinals in Week 1.

Just a day earlier, fellow Observer columnist Scott Fowler predicted that rookie Cam Newton wouldn't start until well into October. The Panthers are expected to sign a journeyman veteran to hold the clipboard, offer advice to Clausen and Newton, and be available for spot duty. This latest talk out of Charlotte reinforces the notion that it will be far more challenging for rookie QBs to start right out of the gates after missing offensive install in minicamps.

Rich Tandler of CSN Washington believes there is "zero chance" that the Redskins would trade for Jimmy Clausen.

Clausen was rumored to be under consideration for the Skins' No. 4 overall pick last year, but either those rumors were false, or the coaching staff has soured on him after a miserable rookie season. Tandler believes the Redskins "would rather go with who they have," meaning John Beck. Washington will be among the front-runners in the Suck for Luck race this season.

Darin Gantt of the Charlotte Observer is adamant that Jimmy Clausen has no chance to open the season as the Panthers' starting quarterback.

Gantt was also adamant long before anyone that the Panthers would draft Cam Newton with the No. 1 pick in the draft, so he's about as plugged-in as it gets in Carolina. Clausen is expected to be no higher than No. 2 on the depth chart this season, needing at least one injury to experience playing time.

The Panthers reportedly have no plans to trade Jimmy Clausen once the lockout is lifted.

According to ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas, some in the front office believe Clausen "still has a chance to be a good NFL quarterback and was simply put in a bad spot last season." Clausen wouldn't fetch more than a late-round pick after his poor showing as a rookie. The Panthers are better off hoping his value climbs with improved play in preseason action and spot duty.

Cam Newton told the NFL Network that he's no longer concerned with getting Jimmy Clausen's No. 2 jersey.

"I really don't care. It's just a number to me," Newton said. "Gossip sells, and I understand that with people hearing I wore No. 2 in college, and Jimmy has it right now, (but) it's not a big deal to me. I just want to get that out of the way." The media tried to create a division between Newton and Clausen over the jersey. Clearly, it's no big deal.

Based on tape study, NFL Films guru Greg Cosell is skeptical of Jimmy Clausen based on "limited arm talent" and "poor mechanics."

Cosell also says Clausen is "small in the pocket" and requires "functional space in pocket to deliver." In terms of skill set, Cosell seems to project Clausen as a long-term backup type who needs a successful run game and defense "to have any success." Cosell is much higher on Cam Newton's tools, although he questions whether the No. 1 pick can be consistently accurate in the NFL.

Jimmy Clausen says he isn't willing to give up his No. 2 to Cam Newton, who wore the number at Auburn.

Clausen did graciously welcome Newton to Carolina, but he's not giving up his jersey. "It's mine right now," he said. "We'll see what happens." Newton wants No. 2. Clausen did hint that he's willing to consider financial compensation if Newton wants it so badly. The 48th pick in last year's draft, Clausen will make a $405K salary in 2011. Newton will get a monster signing bonus.

Jimmy Clausen still thinks he has a chance to start in 2011 despite the Panthers' drafting of Cam Newton.

"I talked to some coaches and (GM Marty Hurney) and they said they want me on this team and they're going to give me the opportunity to compete," Clausen said. "That's all I can ask for is a chance to compete. It's going to be fun working with Cam and just competing each and every day." The NFL's lowest-rated passer as a rookie in 2010, Clausen has his work cut out for him. Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/05/01/1167331/clausen-isnt-ready-to-give-up.html#ixzz1L720FQhP

GM Marty Hurney was noncommittal Thursday night when asked if he would bring in a veteran QB to compete for the starting job.

"That's something we'll discuss after we get through the draft," Hurney said. Jimmy Clausen is going to "come in and compete," and RFA Matt Moore was tendered an offer earlier this offseason. Tony Pike is a candidate for the practice squad. In that landscape, a mediocre veteran stopgap would be extraneous.

Only two teams have drafted a quarterback within the top 50 picks of back-to-back drafts since the NFL merger in 1970.

The Bills followed Matt Kofler (No. 48) in 1982 with Jim Kelly (No. 14) in 1983 while the Colts followed Art Schlichter (No. 4) in 1982 with John Elway (No. 1) in 1983. Both clubs made the right choice with Hall of Famers the second time around while Kofler faded from memory and Schlichter went on to become perhaps the biggest scumbag in the sports world. History isn't smiling on Jimmy Clausen.

Panthers GM Marty Hurney admitted that he won't worry about Jimmy Clausen when making the No. 1 overall pick.

Hurney has shown faith in Clausen, but even he knows that the Notre Dame product is a poor bet to be a legit NFL starter. "If you go over the candidates and there's someone at the top who can be an impact player, you've got to consider him," Hurney said. In other words, the fact that the Panthers used their second-round pick last year on Clausen won't stop them from taking Cam Newton No. 1 overall.

Jimmy Clausen worked out and ran for the first time Tuesday since his early February foot surgery.

Clausen admits to being slightly out of shape after three months off, but he should be healthy and in football shape by training camp. Chances are, he'll be battling for the Panthers' starting job with Cam Newton or a veteran castoff.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera failed to give Jimmy Clausen a ringing endorsement at the NFL owners meetings Tuesday, and even hinted Clausen might not be part of the team's plans going forward.

Rivera did say Clausen took "too much of the blame" for Carolina's 2-14 season, but there was zero talk of keeping Clausen as a starter in 2011. "We have to - as I said before - continue to evaluate the process and see if there is somewhere that he fits for us," said Rivera. "And we'll go through and see."

GM Marty Hurney is reportedly the only member of the Panthers' front office or coaching staff still maintaining faith in Jimmy Clausen as a potential starter.

According to SI.com's Don Banks, "everyone else in Carolina, and many coaches and personnel men around the league for that matter" believe the Panthers desperately need to find a new quarterback. Hurney's head should be on the chopping block if he's forced to draft a QB at No. 1 overall. He's essentially wasted two second-round picks, having traded this year's to move up for Armanti Edwards last April.

New Panthers HC Ron Rivera reiterated on Saturday that Jimmy Clausen is not currently considered the team's starting quarterback.

"There are absolutely no promises (to Jimmy) but the opportunity to compete," Rivera said. Most mock drafts have the Panthers selecting a defensive lineman with the first pick in next month's draft, but there is still plenty of time for them to either fall in love with a quarterback prospect or completely out of love with Clausen.

Coach Ron Rivera insists that drafting a quarterback at No. 1 won't be hard to justify despite the presence of Jimmy Clausen.

"We need to identify a franchise quarterback, most certainly," Rivera said. The new coaching staff won't find any semblance of that franchise QB on Clausen's rookie-year game tape. The big question is whether Carolina wants to address the position this year or gamble that they'll have a shot at Andrew Luck in 2012.