CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Finding the 6-foot-7, 287-pound Julius Peppers on the practice field is about as tough as locating a thoroughbred in a herd of Shetland ponies.

Outside of quarterback Cam Newton, no player is more physically visible for the Carolina Panthers.

So when the 37-year-old defensive end isn’t on the field, as has been the case for much of voluntary offseason workouts, it is quite noticeable.

But it shouldn’t be alarming.

It isn’t to the Panthers.

“I kind of look at it as he’s put in his work, so you don’t really need him out here," defensive end Charles Johnson said.

Ditto, said coach Ron Rivera.

“There’s no reason to have a 16-year veteran out here," Rivera said. “He comes in, gets his workout, goes through all the meetings. We just decided we were going to slow play it.

“The big reason, too, is we’ve got a group of young guys that really need a lot of reps. We’re not going to take them from them to give to a guy we know can play."

Johnson falls in the same category as Peppers. He’s on the field participating in most of the individual drills, but he often goes to the side during team drills. After undergoing back surgery in March, there’s no need to rush him into June drills heading into his 11th season.

The recovery, by the way, is going well, judging by the way the 30-year-old Johnson is moving around.

“It feels good," Johnson said. “I don’t want to do anything to mess it up. I’ll continue working, rehabbing it. When the time comes, hopefully it’ll be right.’’

Johnson and Peppers both should be on the field Tuesday when the Panthers begin a three-day mandatory minicamp. But the focus still will be on the younger players. The top four ends -- Peppers, Johnson, Mario Addison (29) and Wes Horton (27) -- make up one of the most experienced units on the team with an average age of 30.75.

Behind them are four players -- rookie Daeshon Hall (21), Ryan Delaire (25), Zack Moore (22) and Bryan Cox (22) -- with an average age of 22.5. The other in the mix, Larry Webster (27), but he has only two years of NFL experience.

Hall, a third-round pick out of Texas A&M, in particular needs as many reps as possible. Rivera is a big believer that rookies need at least 5,000 reps between the time they are drafted and the first game to be fully prepared.

A player typically gets between 90 and 120 reps a day once training camp begins, including installation and practice. So to use reps on Peppers and Johnson now would be a waste. With a resume that includes nine Pro Bowl selections and 143.5 career sacks, which ranks fifth in NFL history, Peppers doesn’t need the reps.

Peppers, who spent his first eight seasons with Carolina, ranks sixth on the Panthers’ all-time sack list with 81. Johnson ranks second with 63.5, and he may never get a chance at No. 1 now that the future Hall of Famer is again a teammate.

But Johnson isn't concerned with that, because he knows Peppers can help him achieve his ultimate goal -- a Super bowl ring. Johnson actually helped convince Peppers to sign here during free agency.

“He’ll bring a big presence," Johnson said. “You know what you’re going to get from him."

But Johnson, like Rivera, is more interested in seeing Peppers on the field in training camp and the season than right now.

“He’s my guy," Johnson said. “I’m excited to have him back."