Filed under: Panthers, NFC South
Is DeAngelo Williams done in Charlotte? Next question. Could he be playing for the Saints next season?The Panthers have not yet put a franchise tag on Williams, so perhaps they feel they can come to a reasonable long-term deal with him. They have until Thursday before Williams gets out on the open market, provided the terms of any new collective bargaining agreement on franchised players remain in place.
The Carolina coaching staff has just been finalized, so that could be holding up the process. It's that or the club feels the $9 million they would have to pay Williams for 2011 is too much and they think Jonathan Stewart and Mike Goodson looked effective enough running the ball that they have the 1-2 punch for their running game.
The Panthers could also be exploring the franchise tag on center Ryan Kalil, but that would have meant paying him in the neighborhood of $10 million, according to numbers posted by NFL.com.
The other candidates for franchise tag are linebacker Thomas Davis and defensive end Charles Johnson. Johnson had a breakout season and there is a need across the league for pass rushers.
But back to Williams. He injured his foot in 2010 and played in just six games.
Meanwhile, Goodson, a two-year pro out of Texas A&M, rushed for 452 yards and averaged 4.4 yards per carry. He showed a nice burst once past the line and ran like he was hunting a paycheck. He looked like a keeper.
Stewart started the season slow, but came on and had some nice games and looked like a No. 1 back. He ran for 770 yards.
If Williams gets out on the open market, the Saints might just be interested. They are probably going to re-sign Reggie Bush at a discount, but he is a receiver out of the backfield. It appears the club has no interest in bringing back running back Pierre Thomas.
New Orleans has Chris Ivory, who had impressive rookie season and he could be the remedy for a run game that was not very good in 2010 because of injuries and Sean Payton's unwillingness to throw the ball.
Now, back to Carolina. General manager Marty Hurney told Carolina Growl the team's three biggest needs this offseason are quarterback, defensive tackle and cornerback. The team, according to the Growl, is not likely to re-sign cornerback Richard Marshall.
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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/21/deangelo-williams-health-creates-tough-decision-for-ron-rivera/
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