I had a rather lengthy interview with veteran wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad following Friday's practice. Here's some of what Muhammad had to say. You can read more about him and what he has to say in a story that will run Sunday:

   Q. How does Jake Delhomme look to you?

   Muhammad: "He was lighting it up today. I don’t think I saw a ball hit the ground today in seven-on-seven drills, man. Maybe one time, but that’s it. And that’s out of 20-something plays. He looked good today. He really looked good today. He’s like me. He has a competitive-type personality and when he comes on the field he wants to get better. If a ball ain’t perfect, he gets pissed off. That’s just Jake and you can appreciate that on Sundays.”

   Q. What do you think about this receiving corps as compared to ones you've been with in the past?

   Muhammad: Every now and again you come across some very special players in the NFL – guys like Randy Moss. You get a guy like Smitty and he’s a real special player. He’s got big-play capabilities and we have steady guys who know how to get the job done. I think D.J. Hackett is going to turn out to be a real pro for us – a big guy who can stretch the field and make big plays for us. And with myself I think it compares to back in the day when it was me, Rocket and Patrick Jeffers. We all were lighting the scoreboard up and we were all in that 1,000-yard range. The capabilities are there for all of us to have real special seasons, but we have to see how everything plays itself out. And we have a lot of young talent, too. Dwayne Jarrett is a young, talented guy and I like Ryne Robinson. The one guy that is really turning my head is Jason Carter. He just comes out here and makes plays every day. He’s a guy that hasn’t really made a splash in the NFL yet, but he’s a guy that can really play.”

   Q. Dwayne Jarrett has been a disappointment thus far. How do you think he's progressing and what can you do to help him along? 

   Muhammad: "I’m going to lead the horse to water, man. It’s up to him to drink. He has enough guys around him that have played in this league and had some success that he should be able to learn a lot from us. I think everybody forgets the fact that this guy just got his drinking license (he turned 21 last September) a couple of years after getting his driver’s license. So he’s a young guy with a lot of room to grow. But all the physical tools are there. He just has to mature and take this job real serious and get in that playbook and study.”

Q. You were in Chicago last year, so this is your first look at backup quarterback Matt Moore. What are your impressions of him?

   Muhammad: "Matt is real comfortable out there. It’s almost like he doesn’t feel a lot of pressure out there. It’s almost like basketball, it has a lot of Xs and Os in it, but you just come out and play. And he’s one of those playground guys who just comes out and plays. He’s real comfortable out there. I like his personality on the field, not to mention that he has a pretty good arm. He throws the deep ball and has a nice touch on the pass. He’s learning a lot more as he has a chance to watch Jake.”

   One of the unsettled positions heading into the 2008 season for the Carolina Panthers is right guard. So look for the team will try several different combinations there over the next few months before settling on a starter. On Thursday, Toniu Fonoti got his chance to run with the ones, one day after Keydrick Vincent worked with the first team. Fonoti, you might remember, was a starter for the San Diego Chargers a few years back before letting his weight get out of control. He found himself out of the league last year after getting cut in training camp by the Atlanta Falcons. Now he's back and looks to be in a great shape.

   I talked with Fonoti today about moving up to the first team. Check back later for more details.

   In other news, rookie right tackle Jeff Otah continues to be held out of all drills while he works to get his ankle right.

   Just walked off the practice field:

   Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme was back working with the first-team offense on Wednesday and threw about 40 passes.

   His arm continues to look strong and Delhomme said he feels great.

   "It's a start," Delhomme said. "It's a step in the right direction."

   Delhomme went on to say, "It felt great. I think mentally I felt a little rusty. But it was good to be out there in the huddle and competing again."

   Said coach John Fox: "It's always great to have your starting quarterback back out there. He's not only your starting quarterback but he's the leader of the offense and to have him back out there, with his enthusiasm and everything, it's a joy to watch."

   --Jon Beason was back to work after missing the rookie minicamp with a wrist injury.

   --Jeff Otah, the team's first-round draft pick, did not practice due to a lingering ankle problem. He did work on the side with team trainers. Jeremy Bridges continues to work with the first team at right tackle.

   --Jonathan Stewart was not able to practice because of NCAA rules that prohibit players from some colleges to participate in NFL camps until the school year is complete. Stewart isn't expected to practice until July anyway.

   The Panthers begin three weeks of OTAs (organized training activities) Wednesday at Bank of America Stadium. All practices are closed to the public.

   The team will work Wednesday through Friday of this week. The following two weeks they will practice Monday through Thursday. Although there is a fourth week on the books, coach John Fox regularly gives players that week off if they practice hard the first three weeks.

   All practices are voluntary (wink, wink), but it's pretty much a given the Panthers can expect their entire roster on hand to run through drills. The only player not expected to participate is running back Jonathan Stewart, who won't return from a turf toe injury until July.

   Hey guys, I'll be a guest again today (Friday) on Primetime with the Pacman -- that's 610 on your AM dial -- from 3-7 p.m. Please feel free to call in and ask any questions you may have about the Panthers.

  I will be a guest on Prime Time with the Pacman on WFNZ-AM 610. today from 3-7 p.m. The Panthers three-week summer school (or OTAs, as they're now called) begin next Wednesday. So bring any questions you may have about the Panthers.

   The number to the radio station is 704 570-9610.

   Could an NFL work stoppage be looming in 2011?

   The NFL owners voted unanimously Tuesday in favor of opting out on the current Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL Players Union. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement gives 59 percent of the total football revenues to the players.  The owners want more of the total revenue share.

    Only nine of the 32 owners needed to vote to opt out of an agreement, one that owner Jerry Richardson helped forge. Instead all 32 voted to get out of the deal.

     The issue will not affect this season or next. However, if no new agreement between the owners and players is reached, it will result in an uncapped year in 2010 and a potential work stoppage after that season. And nobody wants to see that happen.

   Let's hope both sides get to the negotiating table soon.

   A lot of you have e-mailed and asked me to post when I will be on with Prime Time with the Pacman on WFNZ-AM 610. I will be a guest on Mark Packer's this Friday from 3-7 p.m. We'll be talking a variety of spots, but I welcome, and encourage our readers to call in and ask questions about the Panthers.

   The number to the radio station is 704 570-9610.

   A lot of you have e-mailed and asked me to post when I will be on with Prime Time with the Pacman on WFNZ-AM 610. I will be a guest on Mark Packer's this Friday from 3-7 p.m. We'll be talking a variety of spots, but I welcome, and encourage our readers to call in and ask questions about the Panthers.

   The number to the radio station is 704 570-9610.

   Future Hall of Fame wide receiver Torry Holt is making it pretty clear he'd like to play for the Carolina Panthers at some point before his career is over.

   The Rams had a minicamp over the weekend, and Holt was asked to elaborate on his comments at a golf tournament in Raliegh last month about joining his brother Terrence and playing for the Panthers. He didn't exactly dismiss the comments, but instead backed them up.

    Holt said he plans to play out the remaining two years of his contract with the Rams, but then the North Carolina native might look to sign with Carolina in 2010.

    “The real story is that I have this year and next year and hopefully I can finish those years out,” Holt said at Rams minicamp. “Then I will see where I am at. I will see where I am at physically and emotionally and financially. Then, if they would like to do something here I will consider it. If not, then I will have the option to go and explore and give my services somewhere else. If that happens, Carolina will definitely be my first choice. There is no question about it. I have 2008 and 2009 left to play and that is what I plan on doing.”

   As for Terrence, he should make the team this year but his contract is hardly guaranteed beyond that. So he may not even be here when Holt becomes a free agent after the 2009 season.

   Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme concluded his third straight day of throwing on Sunday by stepping up the length of some of his tosses. Delhomme, who hadbeen limited to throwing no further than 15 and 20 yards the first two days of camp, stretched that out on Sunday to 30 and 40 yards during individual drills.

   His right arm looked strong and he didn't seem to favor it.

   “Things are going well," Delhomme said. "We're on a good program right now and things are on the right course. I’m extremely, extremely pleased.”

   Overall, Delhomme was pleased with how things went from a team perspective.

   "I thought we had a good camp and there are a lot of new faces and a lot of young guys that want to work," Delhomme said. "There are a lot of rookies, so there are a lot of wide eyes. But that's good. They got a taste. Now they get to go home for a couple of weeks and realize they need to get in better shape and be ready to work when we come back in June because we work fast and get a lot in."

   Delhomme hopes to begin throwing in team drills when players returns for three weeks OTAs (organized training sessions) in June. Either way, he's expected to be full go when the team reports to training camp in late July.

   DeAngelo Williams attended college at the University of Memphis, so he was rooting hard for the Tigers to beat Kansas in the NCAA men's basketball title game.

   In fact, Williams attended the game in San Antonio in person.

   He said he's still distraught the Tigers didn't foul the Jayhawks before Mario Chalmers hit a 3-point to tie the game and send it to overtime where Kansas eventually won.

   "I was in my seat trying to foul the guy from Kansas myself," Williams said. "They had the ball and I was like, 'Foul! Foul!' I would have got on the court but the security guard was right there! I wanted to commit the foul myself, but if had run out there I figure it would have meant like two technical foul shots..."

   At that point, coach John Fox, who was listening to Williams while waiting to be interviewed by reporters, interrupted and and said, "Yeah, and a set of handcuffs, too!"

   Funny stuff... Anyway, make sure to check out what Williams had to say about the team's decision to draft Jonathan Stewart in the first round.

Some notes from Friday morning's minicamp practice:

   1. Surprisingly, Jake Delhomme threw 34 passes on Friday, although he did not participate in any team drills. He only threw in individual drills. His arm looked strong. 

   2. First-round picks Jonathan Stewart (toe) and Jeff Otah (ankle) did not practice. Neither is expected to work this weekend. Otah should participate in the June camp, but Stewart probably won't practice until training camp.

   3. Middle linebacker Jon Beason did not practice on Friday after having tendon surgery on his wrist. He should be back in June. The surgery is considered minor.

   4. Muhsin Muhammad worked first team receiver and Charles Godfrey as the first team free safety.

   5. As expected, Jordan Gross moved to left tackle with Travelle Wharton going to left guard. Jeremy Bridges worked first team at right tackle with Otah out. Keydrick Vincent was the first-team right guard.

   6. Interesting note here -- the Panthers are working Juluis Peppers at right defensive end instead of left end. Nothing is set in stone but the team wants to try him there.

   7. Tight end Gary Bardnige showd impressive speed running routes.

   8. The Panthers signed defensive tackle Anthony Harris, a former Arena League player, and guard Eric Turney. The Panthers removed defensive tackle Brandon Jenkins from the roster after he failed his physical, sources said.

   9. OK, you really need a roster out here at practice. Jeff King is now No. 47. Charles Godfrey has Mike Minter's old number (30) and C Ryan Kalil is now No. 67.

   -- more to come --

Only a limited number of camp spots are available so those interested are encouraged to register early. For more information and to register, visit www.SteveSmithCamp.com.