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HOT TOPIC
Evan Mathis appears the odds-on favorite to be the Panthers' starting right guard this season.
A four-year starter at the University of Alabama, Mathis figured the transition to the NFL wouldn't be all that tough. But the team's third-round draft pick in 2005 quickly learned last season things weren't quite the same as in college where he could dominate smaller defensive linemen with his rare combination of size and athletic ability.
"The thing I learned last year as a rookie is that you have to know your technique because you can't just come in here (to the NFL) and try to muscle somebody," Mathis said. "You have to come in and know how to position your body. That was my problem last year -- I was trying to maul people. I think I was overaggressive and trying to maul people as opposed to staying in the right position. I've learned that technique will get you much further than athletic ability."
Although he spent last season backing up starting guard Tutan Reyes, the Panthers liked what they saw on the practice field from Mathis and fellow rookie Geoff Hangartner, a fifth-round draft pick in 2005.
As a result, they didn't attempt to re-sign Reyes.
Right now, Mathis appears to be the guy, working with the first team at right guard at between newly acquired free agent center Justin Hartwig and veteran right tackle Jordan Gross.
Gross has seen Mathis improve as a player and is excited about playing next to him.
"On paper, no one is better than Evan on our team as far as what he can do physically. So if he can get it all together, he can be great," Gross said.
Gross said it's taken awhile for Mathis to realize the difference between playing at the college level and in the NFL, but said that it's now sunk in.
"When Evan first came in it was like the sky was the limit potentially, but he had a ways to go as far as understanding what it was all about here," Gross said. "That is the biggest change I've seen. He's started to realize that he will get better if he listens and learns."
Said Gross: "Evan has really matured a lot in the last year and that has made him a better football player."
Mathis is excited about this year, knowing this is his chance to win a starting job.
"I came in with high expectations for myself last year, but at the same time you try to keep a realistic mindset as far as knowing anything can happen especially on a team as good as the Panthers were," Mathis said. "We had the same offensive line for every game last year. There was never an opportunity for me to play. I wasn't needed beyond special teams and a backup."
"But I watched every play and watched my guy and said, 'What would I do if I were in there?' I should have a lot more opportunities coming up this year. I have a chance to start and that is what I'm trying to work for."
PLAYER NOTES
--Panthers wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson has played under offensive coordinator Dan Henning before with the New York Jets, so he's pretty familiar with the team's offensive scheme.
But Johnson said some of the terminology has changed since their last go-around together back in the late 90s.
That's what Johnson is hoping to pick up on as he goes through three weeks of summer school with the Panthers.
"That's the important thing for me, to be comfortable in that sense, to know that I'm in an offense that I'm familiar with," Johnson said. "I know how it goes. I know the way that the pecking order is. I (need to) know where Jake Delhomme's reads are and where he should go with the ball, all that sort of stuff. I have to get familiar with that again."
Johnson also said he's adjusting to life in Charlotte, but likes it here.
"I mean it's not Dallas and it's not New York. But I'm pretty happy here. I'm excited. I can't wait until Week One."
--Panthers defensive tackle Tony Brown has seen first hand what running back DeAngelo Williams can do on a football field.
"There's no doubt he can make guys look foolish," said Brown, who played with Williams one season at University of Memphis. "He's quick, makes quick cuts. Leaves guys in the dirt."
However, what has impressed Brown the most is how Williams, who is 5-feet-8 and 210 pounds, has been able to handle a heavy workload at Memphis.
"The thing is he's little by size, but if you look at him he doesn't look little," Brown said. "I mean he's a strong, strong guy."
--With Colin Branch recovering from knee surgery, veteran Shaun Williams is working with the first team at strong safety. Williams played under coach John Fox in New York.
"When we lost Marlon McCree in free agency, we wanted to get a veteran guy who had played, a little bit like how we picked up Marlon McCree a year ago," Fox said. "Shaun's a guy that I knew in the past (with the Giants). We evaluated him on tape. He had some injury situations last year. He's a guy that we wanted to take a shot at because he is extremely athletic. He was a first-round pick coming out of UCLA (in 1998). He's a tough, hard-nosed player. We've just got to keep him healthy and move forward."
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Defensive tackle Tony Brown is hoping earning co-Defensive MVP of NFL Europe can help him land a roster spot with the Panthers. The problem is he's competing for a job on one of the deepest teams in the NFL.
To win a job on Carolina's 53-man roster, Brown will have to beat out Kris Jenkins, Ma'ake Kemoeatu, Damione Lewis, Jordan Carstens or Kindal Moorehead since the team normally keeps four, or at the very most, five defensive tackles.
Right now the Panthers' roster is so crowded he's actually sharing a number (73) with offensive tackle Chad Beasley, another NFL Europe allocation.
The odds of him making the team are not good, not good at all.
And Brown knows that. Nonetheless, he figures his success in NFL Europe at least gives him a fighting chance.
"Hey, I was here with Carolina before (in 2003) and the odds were way worse than they are now," Brown said. "On paper, I didn't have a fighting chance."
As an undrafted rookie out of Memphis, Brown went to training camp three years ago with the Panthers and was cut. However, he was re-signed to the practice squad and spent most of the year with Carolina before joining the San Francisco 49ers 53-man roster.
In 2004, Brown actually started four games for San Francisco 49ers, but was cut early last year and did not play in the league.
Now 25, he's back with the Panthers and willing to do just about anything to earn a steady paycheck.
So while many young, cocky players might view being allocated to NFL Europe as a demotion or even an embarrassment, Brown embraced the opportunity to impress anyone that would watch him play.
And he did impress.
Playing primarily defensive tackle, he helped anchor the Amsterdam Admirals' line, registering 40 tackles, four sacks, one fumble recovery and one interception. His team eventually lost to the Frankfurt Galaxy in the World Bowl.
"I didn't look at it as if I was too good to be over there," Brown said of NFL Europe. "I knew I was over there for a reason and that was to get better. My mindset wasn't negative at all and I wanted to go make the best of my situation."
At the very least, Brown's performance overseas probably caught the eyes of some other NFL teams in need of defensive tackles, and you can bet there are a few that would be willing to scoop him up if Carolina releases him.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
--S Scott Farley (not tendered as ERFA).
--C Jeff Mitchell (not tendered June 1).
--WR Ricky Proehl (not tendered June 1).
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--P Jason Baker: UFA; $1.8M/2 yrs, $400,000 SB; 2006 cap: $800,000.
--S Colin Branch: RFA; $721,600/1 yr.
--DT Jordan Carstens: ERFA; had been tendered at $425,000.
--LB Vinny Ciurciu: RFA; $721,600/1 yr).
--FB Casey Cramer: ERFA; $425,000/1 yr.
--DT Atiyyah Ellison: ERFA; terms unknown.
--T Todd Fordham: UFA; terms unknown.
--RB DeShaun Foster: Transition FA; $14.5M/3 yrs, $4.5M SB.
--S Jermaine Hardy: ERFA; terms unknown.
--WR Efrem Hill: ERFA; $350,000/1 yr).
--DT Kindal Moorehead: RFA; $721,600/1 yr.
--TE Mike Seidman: UFA; $721,600/1 yr.
--LB Sean Tufts: ERFA; $425,000/1 yr.
--QB Chris Weinke: UFA; $4.5M/3 yrs, SB unknown.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--LB Keith Adams: UFA Eagles; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
--LB Na'il Diggs: FA Packers; terms unknown.
--C Justin Hartwig: UFA Titans; $17M/5 yrs, $7M SB.
--CB Reggie Howard: FA Dolphins; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--WR Keyshawn Johnson: FA Cowboys; $14.5M/4 yrs, $5M SB.
--DT Maake Kemoeatu: UFA Ravens; $27.5M/5 yrs, $6M SB/$2M OB '07; 2006 cap: $2.2M.
--P Micah Knorr: FA; terms unknown.
--DT Damione Lewis: UFA Rams; $3.9M/2 yrs, $1.5M SB; 2006 cap: $1.35M.
--S Kevin McCadam: UFA Falcons; $1.53M/2 yrs, $250,000 SB; 2006 cap: $720,000.
--S Shaun Williams: UFA Giants; 1 yr, terms unknown.
PLAYERS LOST
--S Idrees Bashir: UFA Lions; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--DT Brentson Buckner (released).
--RB Stephen Davis (released; failed physical/knee).
--CB Ricky Manning: RFA Bears (Panthers did not match offer and receive 3rd-round pick in 2006 draft as compensation).
--S Marlon McCree: UFA Chargers; $16M/5 yrs, SB unknown.
--DE Kemp Rasmussen: UFA Seahawks; $625,000/1 yr, $40,000.
--G Tutan Reyes: UFA Bills; terms unknown.
--LB Brandon Short (released).
--RB Rod Smart (released).
--CB Dante Wesley: UFA Bears; $2M/2 yrs, $475,000 SB.
--LB Will Witherspoon: UFA Rams; $33M/6 yrs, $9M SB/$2M, $4M base guarantee 2006-07.
MEDICAL WATCH: No updates.
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