It is tough being a Panther Fan this year. And what a passionate bunch we are. We love the players and even the owner, but it just seems that the Coaching staff is the bad guy this year. Not the rivals, not a greedy player, and not even the injury bug. This year, we are ready to get on the Fire John Fox bandwagon. I have to be honest (again), I think I am too. (more…)

“The meeting went well, from a football standpoint and a personal standpoint,” agent Ken Vierra said Tuesday. “We’re going to talk some more and see what happens.”

Vierra said he thought Sims and the Panthers were “a good fit” on many levels, saying “we’ll see if we can get something done.”

Signing Sims would provide cover for what’s still anticipated to be a high pick of a tackle by the Panthers. They took a large contingent to Boise State’s pro day Monday to watch Ryan Clady, although he’s expected to be long gone by the time they pick 13th. They’re moving Travelle Wharton inside to guard provided they find a qualified tackle, and they might (again) move Jordan Gross from right to left tackle.

What the team does with Travelle Warton an Jordan Gross should be interesting.  Gross was drafted to play tackle but is more of a natural right tackle.  While Wharton is best suited to play inside at guard.

If a signing is possible for Sims, it would make sense for the team so both players could potentially move back to their preferred positions.

That brings us to today’s Quick Hits from Around the League… (more…)

This means a few things.  First, Gross will almost definitely remain with the Panthers for one more year.  Second, his salary will be equal to the average of the top-five highest paid offensive linemen in the league.  Third, if another team wants to sign him, they’ll have to compensate the Panthers with two first-round draft picks which is extremely unlikely.

A long term deal couldn’t be reached so the team had to protect themselves from losing a quality tackle to another team.

“I’m glad the Panthers decided to make a move,” Gross said this morning by phone. “It’s nice to know I’m going to be a Panther for next season and hopefully more after that. I think we’ll still try to get a deal done, but at least now we’ve bought some time. “So I’m happy the way it’s worked out.”

Gross had hoped to get a longer deal, preferably seven years and one that he said would be “my last contract” done before now. But after his agent had some talks with the team near the end of the season, there has been little contact since. He said he understood the Panthers have a number of priorities and wasn’t upset by that, calling it just the way the business works.

Asked about tagging Gross, Carolina general manager Marty Hurney said, “Jordan obviously is a very valuable player to us. We tried for a long-term deal and it didn’t work out, so it’s no surprise that we franchised him.”

Gross could possibly move back to the left side this year, if re-signed left tackle Travelle Wharton moves inside to fill departed left guard Mike Wahle’s spot and Carolina gets another tackle through the draft or free agency.

Gross is publically saying that this is a business and that he’s okay with it.  Time will tell if he’s willing to sign an extension to remain with the team beyond the ’08 season.