WEDNESDAY:
10:35 p.m. It appears the Panthers have backed off on Marlon McCree. It looks as though he will sign with either Buffalo or Cincinnati. Some say he and Chris Harris were too similar. I disagree. I think you acquire as many good, fiery football players as you can. And McCree is one of those.
7:44 p.m. Saw that Joey Harrington was released by the Falcons and my guess is the Panthers will at least consider talking with him. They met with Harrington before the draft in 2002 and again last year, but didn't sign him. The Panthers say they like the trio of Jake Delhomme, Matt Moore and Brett Basanez, but they could be tempted to add a veteran backup given the uncertainty of how Delhomme will respond to elbow surgery this year. I talked to Harrington's agent Joby Branion moments after Harrington was released and he said his Blackberry "just blew up" with phone calls from around the country. Most were probably reporters, but I'm sure there will be some NFL teams calling. He said he hadn't heard anything from the Panthers yet.
7:34 p.m. The Boston Globe is reporting that the Patriots are meeting with Panthers restricted free agent linebacker Adam Seward. Huh. Well, if they decide to sign him it's hard to imagine the Panthers not taking the fifth-round draft pick as compensation and running with it. Seward is a decent player, but the Panthers love draft picks.
7:25 p.m. The Panthers spoke again with the agent for offensive tackle Barry Sims on Wednesday, but there's been no deal reached. I get the impression that Sims, a nine-year vet, is looking for a little more cash in hand than the Panthers want to give out. I wouldn't rule out the team signing him at a later date, but nothing is imminent.
7 p.m. Doesn't appear the Panthers are interested in running back Julius Jones. He's meeting with Tennessee today.
4:38 p.m. By the way, someone asked me the other day about the NFL league minimum salaries for 2008 since they often see varying "minimum base salaries" on the site. Your minimum base salary varies based on your total accredited seasons.
Here they are:
Rookies/0 credited seasons: $295,000
1 credited season: $370,000
2 credited seasons: $445,000
3 credited seasons: $520,000
4-6 credited seasons: $605,000
7-9 credited seasons: $730,000
10-plus credited seasons: $830,000
Don't you wish you could play just one year in the NFL?
4:30 p.m. Another quiet day in Pantherland. Expect to hear something on contract talks between the team and nine-year veteran offensive tackle Barry Sims, an unrestricted free agent from the Oakland Raiders. I'm a little skeptical of Sims given how bad the Raiders offensive line was two years ago. Still, he's started more than 100 games so he must be doing something right.
3:50 p.m. Defensive tackle Gary gibson and safety Nate Salley have signed one-year deals for the league minimum of $370,000. There were "exclusive rights" free agents so they weren't going anywhere.
3:40 p.m. The contract for Ricardo Colclough is clearly a prove-it deal. He will make a base salary of $650,000, but that cap figure will jump to $1.65 million in 2009. If he plays as poorly as he did in Pittsburgh he won't be around long. But he certainly has the monetary incentive to do well.
TUESDAY:
7:20 p.m. It's official, the Panthers have signed unrestricted free agent cornerback/kick returner Ricardo Colclough from the Cleveland Browns and unrestricted free agent guard Keydrick Vincent from the Arizona Cardinals, the team announced Tuesday. A four-year veteran, Colclough, 25, has played in 36 career games with Pittsburgh and Cleveland and has produced 33 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one interception in addition to averaging 21.7 yards on 49 kickoff returns. Vincent, 29, spent the first four years of his career with Pittsburgh before playing the next two with Baltimore and last season with Arizona. In 2007, Colclough (5-11, 195 pounds) appeared in three games for the Steelers before being waived on October 30. After being claimed off waivers by the Browns, he was inactive for the final nine contests. Drafted in the second round (38th overall) from Tusculum College by Pittsburgh in 2004, Colclough recorded 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks and led the
7 p.m. The Panthers brain trust has went from Boise, Idaho, to Los Angeles today, although it's unclear who they are there to visit with. It's possible the team could be meeting with Sedrick Ellis, who is a top-rated defensive tackle.
12:01 p.m. Another day of free agency, but no major moves by the Panthers. Carolina's fan base is growing rapidly impatient with the team's front office. The general feeling is that the Panthers aren't going after any big-name players after owner Jerry Richardson promised this would not just be another "ho-hum off-season."
12 p.m. Well, that's over. Jeremy Bridges has dropped his motion to appeal after being found guilty of assault by pointing a gun back in November. Judge Tom Moore sentenced Bridges to a 60-day suspended sentence, one year of unsupervised probation and ordered him to perform 60 hours of community service. Bridges also had to pay a $500 fine and court costs and surrender his handgun. Bridges decided to drop the appeal after being assured by the NFL there would be no further suspension. Bridges' future with the Panthers could be in doubt with the team looking to overhaul much of its offensive line. The team signed guard Keydrick Vincent to compete at right guard with Justin Hartwig and Bridges. --Also, cornerback Dante Wesley will make the league minimum for a player with his experience -- $605,000 in 2008 and $620,000 in 2009. That is certainly not as surprising as Hoover's deal.
MONDAY
11 p.m. A check on NFL documents reveals that fullback Brad Hoover is, in NFL terms, working for minimum wage. He will make the league minimum (for a 9-year veteran) of $730,000 in 2008. Likewise, he will make the league minimum for a 10-year pro in 2009 ($850,000 ) and 2010 ($860,000). I don't know what Hoover's signing bonus was, but judging from those numbers it can't be much at all. Sounds to me like the Panthers gave him a take-it-or-leave it figure and Hoover took it. Good for the Panthers, but not particularly good for Hoover, who can't be real excited about this contract. It also makes Hoover very expendable anytime over the next three years since there won't be much of a cap hit.
--This kind of flew under the radar, but linebacker Donte Curry has re-signed with Carolina for two more years.
10:55 p.m. Well, the Panthers seem to be cornering the market on visits with players who have underachieved throughout most of their careers -- DE Tyler Baryton, CB Ricardo Colclough and now DT Ian Scott.
10:20 p.m. OK, the free agency pay scale is completely out of whack. Need more proof. Well, remember former Panthers tight end Michael Gaines? He just signed a four-year deal with the Detroit Lions worth... get this... $10 million. And $3 million of that is guaranteed money. Wow.
10:11 p.m. Boy, the other teams in the NFC South seem to beefing up. What about the Panthers? So far they've given us Keydrick Vincent and Ricardo Colclough.
9:30 p.m. Well, there goes two more defensive ends -- Tennessee's Antwan Odom and Travis Laboy are both off the market. That likely leaves as the best remaining defensive end on the free agent market... well, that would be Mike Rucker. I'm not sure what the Panthers are thinking here unless they have a trade it mind with someone. Outside of Rucker, there are Tampa Bay castoffs Greg Spires and Kevin Carter and, of course, Tyler Brayton, who met with Carolina a few days ago. Chris Canty (Dallas) and Antonio Smith (Arizona) are restricted free agents who received first-round tenders, so don't expect the Panthers to try to sign them since they won't part with a first-round pick.
8 p.m. We have a Julius Jones sighting. He's going to visit with... Detroit. Sorry folks.
6:40 p.m. Spoke with GM Marty Hurney, who is in Boise, Idaho, with members of the Panthers coaching staff meeting with Boise State product Ryan Clady. He worked out there for the team. The Panthers would have to trade up to get Clady. Carolina has an extra pick to work with and the Jets (their favorite trading partner) pick sixth overall. Maybe the Jets will reciprocate and trade down with the Panthers after trading up last year. There is almost no way Clady drops to No. 13.
9:22 a.m. Keary Colbert has a new home in Denver and another Carolina receiver Drew Carter could behead to Oakland, the land of free money. Carter reportedly visited with the Raiders over the weekend. If Colbert got more than $2 million a year from Denver, then Carter should command at least that much in free agency. The Panthers don't appear interested in re-signing Carter at this point.