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Player News - Panthers

Date: Team: Pos:
Jon Beason - LB - Panthers

Panthers LB Jon Beason's roster spot is safe.

Beat writer Joe Person thinks there's too much money left on Beason's deal for him to be cut, even if the Panthers wanted to pull the plug. Beason is scheduled to count $9.5 million against the salary cap this season, and the Panthers would be charged $12 million if they cut him. The 28-year-old expects to play weak-side linebacker, but Person opines that his future is on the strong side.
Source: Charlotte Observer
May 21 - 9:55 AM
Robert Lester - DB - Panthers

Panthers.com considers undrafted rookie S Robert Lester an option to start.

Lester started 40 games at strong safety under Nick Saban at Alabama, so he has plenty of experience. He also has great size at 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, but his cover skills aren't NFL caliber. Carolina didn't address its secondary at all in the draft, so Lester will be competing with fellow special teams type safeties D.J. Campbell and Mike Mitchell for the gig next to Charles Godfrey.
Source: panthers.com
May 18 - 10:54 AM
Jon Beason - LB - Panthers

The Panthers have not approached WLB Jon Beason about a contract restructure.

Beason is in the third season of a six-year, $51.338M contract. Through the first two years of the deal, he's appeared in just five games and lost his middle linebacker job to Luke Kuechly. The Panthers have redone the deals of Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, but Beason appears safe for now. He's on the books for $5.25M this year.
Source: Joe Person on Twitter
May 16 - 10:43 AM
DeAngelo Williams - RB - Panthers

A source tells Yahoo that DeAngelo Williams and the Panthers have agreed to a contract restructure that lowers his cap numbers in 2013-2015.

At age 30 with a declining role behind Jonathan Stewart, Williams didn't have much of a choice. He could either accept this restructure or be designated a post-June 1 cut. This deal ensures Williams will be on the team in 2013 as the latter half of a timeshare. The agreement saves Carolina $3.2 million off this year's cap without reducing Williams' total compensation, and also slashes his salary drastically in 2014 and 2015. In return, the Panthers will accept $2.267 million in "dead money" on their 2016 and 2017 salary caps, when Williams won't be on the roster because he'll be in his mid-30s and those two seasons will void based on the reworked contract terms. Williams has averaged just 10.2 carries per game over the last two years, a number we wouldn't expect to rise this season. He's no longer overpaid.
Source: Yahoo Sports
May 15 - 8:57 AM
Jon Beason - LB - Panthers

Panthers WLB Jon Beason (knee, shoulder) is not expected to participate in June minicamps.

Beason has appeared in just five games over the last two seasons thanks to devastating injuries. He'll begin the transition to outside linebacker in earnest once training camp comes around. Luke Kuechly has seized Beason's old middle 'backer job.
Source: Charlotte Observer
May 14 - 10:05 AM
Ryan Kalil - C - Panthers

Panthers C Ryan Kalil (Lisfranc surgery) says he is "on track" in his recovery.

Kalil says the rehab is "testing his patience." Early word in December was that Kalil was expected to be ready for OTAs, but that seems uncertain at this point. The 28-year-old suffered the injury in Week 5 last season and even if he isn't ready for OTAs, he should be all systems go for training camp.
Source: Alex Marvez on Twitter
May 13 - 9:36 PM
Ben Jacobs - LB - Panthers

Panthers signed LB Ben Jacobs.

A 2011 undrafted free agent, Jacobs appeared in five games for the Browns as a rookie before a concussion ended his season. He was out of the league in 2012. He's just a camp body for the Panthers.
Source: Aaron Wilson on Twitter
May 13 - 12:34 PM
Kenjon Barner - RB - Panthers

Panthers coach Ron Rivera believes RB Kenjon Barner was a "value pick" at No. 182.

Rivera thinks the same is true of fifth-round LB A.J. Klein. "They had good college careers that did things consistently over a period of time," Rivera said. "Guys like that, they may not become superstars, but they’re definitely going to be contributors." Rivera's comments come after GM Dave Gettleman called Barner a "little scatback." Value pick or not, it's clear the Panthers aren't counting on Barner to be a major contributor on offense as a rookie.
Source: Charlotte Observer
May 13 - 8:30 AM
Cam Newton - QB - Panthers

New Panthers OC Mike Shula believes emotional "balance" is critical to Cam Newton taking a significant step forward in his third NFL season.

Newton has been oft-criticized for pouting on the sidelines after things go wrong, including by teammate Steve Smith. "The more you can continue to stay on an even plane and lead the group of guys around you," said Shula, "the more effective you are going to be as a quarterback." Shula also stressed he wants better ball control on offense. "The number one thing is make first downs and keep the ball," said the rookie playcaller. "We want him to make quick decisions -- and the right decisions -- and get the ball out."
Source: SI.com
May 12 - 5:46 PM
Cam Newton - QB - Panthers

Cam Newton said he's challenging himself to lose weight this offseason.

Newton is always going to be one of the bigger quarterbacks in the league. He's listed at 6'5/245, a major reason he's never missed a game despite rushing 253 times over the last two years. Newton said he wants "to become not a stronger player, but a smarter player" this season. The 2011 No. 1 overall pick struggled through an ugly sophomore slump for the first half of last year, but still finished as fantasy's No. 4 quarterback.
Source: ESPN.com
May 8 - 9:42 AM
DeAngelo Williams - RB - Panthers

According to the Charlotte Observer, the "one or two teams" that called the Panthers about DeAngelo Williams prior to last year's NFL trade deadline "weren't offering much."

Williams has a big salary and declining ability, and he turned 30 in April. It's not surprising the Panthers were unable to get anything for him. Rookie GM Dave Gettleman was recently noncommittal on Williams' 2013 roster spot. The Panthers would take a cap hit to release Williams, and probably wouldn't even consider it until they see rookie Kenjon Barner perform well in padded practices.
Source: Charlotte Observer
May 5 - 12:26 PM
Kenjon Barner - RB - Panthers

The Panthers like No. 182 overall pick RB Kenjon Barner's big-play ability and believe that initially it will translate well to third-down situations.

Carolina also likes Barner on special teams as a return man and gunner. It's hard to see Barner getting much playing time on offense, especially if DeAngelo Williams remains on the roster. The Panthers also have a stable of return men, so Barner could easily be a weekly inactive throughout the year.
Source: panthers.com
May 3 - 11:45 AM
DeAngelo Williams - RB - Panthers

Panthers GM Dave Gettleman was noncommittal when asked if DeAngelo Williams was guaranteed to be on the roster this season.

"Anything's possible; the roster is fluid," said Gettleman. "It's never bad to have too many good players at one position. Right now, he's on the roster." The Panthers could designate Williams as a post-June 1 cut, but it seems unlikely that they would have waited this long to do it. Carolina would be all ears if a team picked up the phone and wanted to swing a deal for Williams.
Source: NFL.com
May 2 - 2:07 PM
Michael Mitchell - DB - Panthers

Panthers coach Ron Rivera expects Mike Mitchell and D.J. Campbell to compete at strong safety.

Haruki Nakamura isn't in the mix after his disastrous 2012. Charles Godfrey will start at free safety. Mitchell is a run-stopping specialist. He started just eight games in four years with the Raiders. A 2012 seventh-rounder, Campbell played 252 snaps on defense as a rookie. On paper — and likely in practice — the Panthers have one of the league's worst secondaries.
Related: Charles Godfrey, D.J. Campbell
Source: Charlotte Observer
May 1 - 7:09 PM
Drayton Florence - DB - Panthers

The Charlotte Observer considers CB Drayton Florence a "favorite" for a starting job.

This is the same Drayton Florence who was released twice in 2012. He wasn't re-signed by the Lions after missing time with a concussion and forearm injury, and struggling in the 310 snaps he managed to take the field for. Beat writer Joseph Person projects Florence to start opposite Josh Norman, with D.J. Moore and Captain Munnerlyn fighting for snaps in the slot. With only five picks, the Panthers didn't draft a corner. It's not a good situation.
Source: Charlotte Observer
May 1 - 7:00 PM

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