Panthers LB Jon Beason eager to get back into the fray

• Beason has only played five games over the past two seasons due to injuries

CHARLOTTE — After completing his second consecutive practice day of the summer Monday without any apparent setbacks, Jon Beason is eager for the next test.

The Carolina Panthers' three-time Pro Bowl linebacker wants to play in Thursday's dress rehearsal exhibition at Baltimore — a clear indication of confidence with his progress from microfracture surgery on his right knee.

"Once you get cleared, you want to play — fast," Beason told reporters following a two-hour practice on a rain-slicked field adjacent to Bank of America Stadium. "You've got to get rid of that fear. A lot of guys are afraid of it. If it feels good, I'm going to go hard."

Yes, at this point, for a player who has played just five games over the past two seasons due to injuries, the mental aspects of the comeback surely coincide with the physical components. Before the knee injury last season, Beason's 2011 campaign ended because of a torn Achilles heel.

Said Beason: "I think it's important in the back of your mind to have that reassurance that, 'Hey, the knee's good and I'm ready to go. Let's go play football.' "

Panthers coach Ron Rivera has been impressed with what he's seen from the seventh-year pro in two days of practices, but is taking a wait-and-see approach in contemplating game action.

"We're going to see," said Rivera. "We've got one more day to watch and see how he is. We won't be foolish."

It's a decision that confronts coaches and players all across the NFL, weighing the value of getting repetitions under game conditions against the risk of a setback suffered in a meaningless exhibition.

Washington coach Mike Shanahan won't dare play franchise quarterback Robert Griffin III in preseason, while Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano hasn't completely ruled out that cornerback Darrelle Revis will see action in Saturday's preseason game at Miami.

Like Beason, Griffin and Revis are coming off knee surgeries.

"Obviously, it's a preseason game, so you don't want to go out and risk it all," said Beason, unsure of how much he'd want to play on Thursday. "But you want to go out there and look good. You want to get back into the flow of things. You want to show the coaches that you can contribute and be a part of what's going on this season."