Free agents wide outs

I wanted him to come here a while back, but he just reupped his contract recently and will be in St. Louis for another little while.

 

Bradford re-signed.

 

At least somebody is slobbering all over us besides us fans! I'm sure VSPN didn't like it one bit since we're a div. rival to their lovely Vicklanta Ron Mexicos.

 

ditto

 

I'd give Dedric Ward a look as a return specialst, but I think I recall seeing a local article that said he was thinking of hanging em up?

 

Charles Lee

 

Yeah that's the way I was leaning after I learned Bradford had resigned.

 

Bradford would have been ideal for what we need, but I'd give Lee a look now, depending on how this minicamp looks.

 

hakim from Detroit is available I think also.

 

We could get help this week

Trying to do my best Dukey imitation: :imagestor


Panthers likely to address wide receiver position this week

By: Steve Reed
Gazette Sports Reporter

CHARLOTTE — Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the Carolina Panthers’ 2005 NFL draft this past weekend was not whom the team drafted, but whom it did not.

The Panthers added 10 players via the draft, but interestingly enough none of them were receivers. Instead, they spent three picks on offensive linemen, two on defensive linemen, two on linebackers, and a running back, quarterback and safety.

Wide receiver was considered a major position of need by most observers going into the draft after Muhsin Muhammad, the NFL’s leader in receiving yards and touchdown catches in 2004, bolted to the Chicago Bears in the off-season for more money.

The Panthers are expected to sign at least three undrafted free agent receivers today and could make a push to add some veteran help this week.

Immediately after the draft, Carolina general manager Marty Hurney downplayed the fact the team didn’t select a wide receiver.

“We would have liked to have gotten a receiver at some point in the draft but we didn’t,” Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. “But we also didn’t feel like it was a critical need. We have Steve Smith and Keary Colbert and Ricky Proehl and Drew Carter, who has got a year in the system.”

Huh?

But Proehl is 37 and Carter has never played a down in the NFL and has suffered three torn ACL injuries during his career, including one last year on the very first day of minicamp. It’s hard to imagine head coach John Fox being real comfortable entering the season with the prospect of Proehl being a starter should Smith re-injure his broken leg.

So expect the Panthers to add at least one, possibly two receivers this week with at least some NFL experience.

“That is a decision we will make in the next couple of days going into minicamp, but first we’ll see what happens after the draft,” Hurney said.

One possibility is Az-Zahir Hakim, who was released by the Detroit Lions on Monday.

A less pricey option might be unrestricted free agent Charles Lee, who spent last season with Tampa Bay. The Panthers spoke with Lee’s agent, Richard DeLuca, before the draft and indicated they might have interest in signing Lee if they didn’t upgrade at receiver in the draft.

However, DeLuca said he had not spoken with Hurney as of 6 p.m. last night.

However, that’s understandable since Hurney and head coach John Fox were in New Jersey last night to attend a funeral for linebackers coach Sam Mills.

There isn’t much available for the Panthers in free agency.

Among the other free agents who have not found gainful employment yet include Troy Brown, Jerry Rice, Tim Brown, Cedrick Wilson, Troy Walters, Bobby Shaw, Dedric Ward and Tai Streets. Rod Gardner is on the trading block in Washington. (I thought Wash. pulled him off the block after the draft?)

The Panthers are also likely to add as many as three undrafted free agent receivers today. The team has already signed some players, but would not make an official announcement until Hurney officially looked over the contracts today.

—-end—-


4/26/2005