Defensive tackle Dwan Edwards will re-sign with the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Observer beat writer Joe Person reports. The 31-year-old defensive tackle set a career high in sacks with the Panthers last season with six while recording 27 tackles.

Edwards joined the Panthers last season after being cut by the Buffalo Bills, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million. The six sacks Edwards tallied last season was the highest by any defensive tackle since Kris Jenkins had seven sacks in 2002. Edwards visited with the Miami Dolphins earlier in the week before agreeing to return to Carolina.

Breaking: DT DWAN Edwards will re-sign with #Panthers, per 2 league sources. Visited #Dolphins Thurs and Fri.—
Joe Person (@josephperson) March 23, 2013

Former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver/returner Ted Ginn Jr. will sign a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

Ginn’s visit and tryout with the Panthers this week resulted in a contract offer and excited coach Ron Rivera.

“Ted came in and did a nice job. I know our guys really spoke highly of his visit,” Rivera said Wednesday at the NFC coaches breakfast at the league meetings.

“The interesting thing about Ted is he gives us some depth at wide receiver who can challenge for playing time opportunity. But also he’s got special teams value, which is big.”

Ginn, 27, has six touchdown returns – three on punt returns and three on kickoffs — in his six NFL seasons.

“He’s an explosive guy coming off the line of scrimmage, too,” Rivera said. “So there’s some huge pluses for us as far as hoping to be able to bring a guy like that into the fold.”

Ginn, the ninth overall pick by Miami in the 2007 NFL Draft, was primarily used as a returner by the 49ers in 2012, leading to his desire to leave San Francisco for another opportunity in free agency. His career receiving stats include 161 catches for 2,048 yards and six touchdowns.

Ginn reportedly also considered an offer from the Cincinnati Bengals.

Former 49ers WR Ted Ginn is signing a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers.—
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 21, 2013

Former Panthers CB Chris Gamble is retiring, per ESPN’s Josina Anderson. Gamble was released by the Panthers on Friday to put the team under the salary cap. The cornerback missed most of the 2012 season with a torn labrum in his shoulder.

Following his release, Gamble told his agent Carl Poston that he wants to focus on “life after football.”

“A number of teams have expressed interest in Chris Gamble. However, Chris informed me last night that he wants to retire,” Gamble told Anderson. “Even though he still loves football, he told me that he’s decided to focus on life after football. Chris has been a class act. I have represented him for nine years, ever since he came out of Ohio State. He’s been an ideal client and he was one of the best corners in game. He’s doing it the right way. He has taken care of his money and his investments to retire successfully, and now I wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Gamble played in 123 career regular-season games with 117 starts, the most by a cornerback in franchise history. He is also the franchise leader in career interceptions at 27. The report of Gamble’s retirement comes on his 30th birthday.

Agent Carl Poston just told me that Chris Gamble informed him last night that he wants to retire. His full quote is coming next.—
Josina Anderson (@JosinaAnderson) March 11, 2013

The Carolina Panthers have released their all-time interception leader Chris Gamble.

The Panthers drafted the Ohio State cornerback with the 28th overall pick in 2004. He became a starter during his rookie training camp, eventually grabbing 27 interceptions and defending 84 passes as a Panther. He led or tied for the team lead in interceptions in six of his nine NFL seasons.

The Panthers reportedly save $7.9 million in cap space by releasing Gamble.

A shoulder injury sidelined Gamble in Week 4, and he was placed on injured reserve for the first time in his career.

The Panthers appear ready to move forward with young cornerbacks Josh Thomas, Josh Norman and James Dockery.

“I appreciate the contributions of Chris during my first two years as head coach and to the organization for many years,” head coach Ron Rivera said. “He always handled things the right way and we wish him the best.”

By releasing Chris Gamble, the Panthers are now $3.7 million under the cap. He saves them $7.9 million with his release—
John Clayton (@ClaytonESPN) March 08, 2013

Jerry Richardson has been vocal in demanding collective bargaining concessions from the NFLPA. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

At a time when Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson was a vocal, hardline owner favoring lockouts to “take back our league,” the franchise was actually making more than $100 million in profit according to a Deadspin report.

The report cites a leaked team audited financial statement obtained by Deadspin for the years ending March 31, 2011, and March 31, 2012.

Over the first period, as Richardson argued that the NFL’s business model was hopelessly broken and steered the owners toward a showdown to extract more money from the players, the Panthers recorded an operating profit of $78.7 million. The team had gone 2-14 on the field, but Richardson and his partners were able to pay themselves $12 million.

Over the following year, after the owners had won their lockout and reduced the players’ share of league revenue from 50 percent to 47 percent, the Panthers brought in $33.3 million in operating profit. Richardson began lobbying for public subsidies to renovate his 17-year-old stadium. The team went 6-10.

Professional sports franchises are reluctant to publicly open their books. Duringcollective bargaining in 2011, the NFL Players Association repeatedly asked team owners to reveal their financials, only to be denied. Union execs question teams’ lack of true financial transparency with details such as stadium deals that can so easily be hidden.

Deadspin’s report could put a crimp in the Panthers’ current campaign to obtain favorable public funding toward upgrading Bank of America Stadium. While the city of Charlotte appears willing to help with funds, North Carolina governor Pat McCrory is among state politicians saying there are no funds to be had.

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton helped a member of the United States Air Force propose to his girlfriend on live radio, reports WCNC.com.

Newton was on the phone when Brian, currently stationed in New Mexico, told Drex and Maney on Charlotte’s Kiss 95.1 that he couldn’t “wait any longer” to propose to his girlfriend, Kim. Newton helped develop a plan, and when the Kim got on the phone, she was surprised to hear the Panthers quarterback (via WCNC.com):

“Wait, what? No, shut up,” Kim said.  “What is this?  This is so cool!”

“You think this is cool?  I think this is even cooler,” Newton said.  “I think Brian has a question that he wants to ask you.”

Then Brian asked Kim—with Newton listening in—to marry him.

Kim’s first words?

“Oh my gosh!  I can’t believe it’s Cam Newton,” screamed Kim.

Then, seconds later, she said yes.

The Carolina Panthers have promoted quarterbacks coach Mike Shula to OC. He is replacing Rob Chudzinski, who left to become Cleveland’s head coach. Shula is expected to continue coaching Cam Newton and the other quarterbacks.

The Panthers are also promoting two assistant coaches. Assistant receivers coach Ricky Proehl will replace fired receivers coach Fred Graves. Interim special teams coordinator Richard Rodgers, who has been in charge of special teams since November when Brian Murphy was fired, is now officially running the special teams.

Shula has 21 years of NFL coaching experience. His only other experience as an OC did not fare well, when he coached Tampa Bay from 1996 to 1999. The Buccaneers never finished higher than 22nd in total offense.

Breaking: #Panthers promote Mike Shula to off coordinator. Ricky Proehl, Richard Rodgers also promoted. blogs.charlotte.com/panthers/

—
Joe Person (@josephperson) January 18, 2013

The Carolina Panthers have hired Dave Gettleman as the new General Manager for the team.

Gettleman has been in the league for 25 years, 15 of which he spent with the New York Giants. In 1998, he joined the Giants as then-director Tim Rooney’s assistant. Gettleman was promoted to Pro Personnel Director in 1999, a position he served until July of last year when he was named the Senior Pro Personnel Analyst.

The Panthers fired longtime GM Marty Hurney six games into the season. Panthers owner Jerry Richardson is optimistic about the hire.

“I was very impressed with Dave’s experience and think he will be a very good fit for our organization,” Jerry Richardson said in a statement released by the team. “He has an extensive background in personnel and comes from an organization in the New York Giants that I hold in high regard and played an instrumental role in their success.”

Tennessee Titans vice president of player personnel Lake Dawson and Giants director of college scouting Marc Ross also interviewed for the Panthers GM job.

Panthers named Dave Gettleman their new GM.

—
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 09, 2013

The Chiefs-Panthers game will go on as scheduled. (Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

The NFL announced that the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers will go on as scheduled, a day after linebacker Jovan Belcher committed suicide outside of Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday after killing his girlfriend.

The game is scheduled for 1 pm. Eastern on Sunday. The Chiefs (1-10) have lost eight games in a row.

“After discussions between the league office, Head Coach Romeo Crennel and Chiefs team captains, the Chiefs advised the NFL that it will play tomorrow’s game vs. the Carolina Panthers at its originally scheduled time,” an NFL release read.

“The entire Chiefs family is deeply saddened by today’s events, and our collective hearts are heavy with sympathy, thoughts and prayers for the families and friends affected by this unthinkable tragedy,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement.

The NFL admitted errors were made on two officiating calls on Monday, including one that allowed a touchdown to stand and another one which allowed the game clock to run for more than a minute, reports NFL.com. 

The first came in Denver’s 36-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers when Denver punt returner Trindon Holliday ran a punt back 76 yards and fumbled before he reached the end zone.

“Because the video showed that Holliday lost possession of the ball before it broke the plane of the goal line, (replay official Bob) Boylston should have stopped the game to initiate an instant replay review,” the league said in a statement.  ”Had that occurred, (referee Alberto) Riveron would have had the indisputable visual evidence necessary to overturn the on-field ruling. The result of the play should have been a touchback — not a touchdown — with Carolina gaining possession at the 20 yard-line.”

In the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the St. Louis Rams, more than a minute of game clock ran off when officials brought out measurement chains. The NFL said the clock operator was at fault, not the officials. The game ended in a 24-24 tie.

“No member of the officiating crew recognized that the clock was incorrectly started by the clock operator during the measurement,” the statement said. “Once the next snap occurs, there is no mechanism to adjust the clock. Matters of timing are not reviewable by instant replay.”

Brian Murphy was fired as the special teams coordinator of the Carolina Panthers Monday. (Getty Images)

The Carolina Panthers have fired their special teams coordinator Brian Murphy, according to a report from the Charlotte Observer. The move come one day after the panthers allowed a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown in the team’s 36-14 loss to the Denver Broncos. Murphy will be replaced with former assistant special team coordinator Richard Rogers.

The decision to fire Murphy was reportedly that of head coach Ron Rivera, though Panthers management supported the idea.

“The biggest thing, more so than anything else, I look to see us improve in some of our production numbers,” Rivera told the Observer. “I told coach Rodgers what I wanted. I wanted things simplified. I wanted to come back to fundamental basics and that’s the direction we’re going to head right now.”

The Panthers could move running back DeAngelo Williams before the trade deadline. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

At least one playoff-contending team has explored a trade with the Carolina Panthers about running back DeAngelo Williams, but head coach Ron Rivera said Monday that he does not expect any changes ahead of the trade deadline.

Via The Charlotte Observer’s Jonathan Jones:

Running back DeAngelo Williams has been the subject of a potential trade. A team source told the Observer that at least one playoff-contending team has reached out to the Panthers about possibly trading for the back.

Rivera said he has not discussed a Williams trade with anyone and referred questions to Brandon Beane, who has been handling personnel duties since Marty Hurney was fired last week. He declined to discuss the potential of a Williams trade further.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday that the Panthers were “willing to listen” to offers on Williams, who has garnered 61 carries in the Panthers’ six games so far this season for 210 yards.

But Williams’ role in the offense has declined since his last 1,000-yard season in 2009.

Schefter reported that the most significant complication to any potential Williams trade would be his contract. His $5.25 million salary this season is fully guaranteed.

The Carolina Panthers have put running back DeAngelo Williams on the trade block ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday.

With trade deadline Tuesday, teams around league have contacted Carolina to inquire about RB DeAngelo Williams. Panthers willing to listen.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 28, 2012

The report is not particularly surprising, since Williams has fallen on hard times after 2009 highs. Williams has garnered 61 carries in the Panthers’ six games so far this season for 210 yards.

Last year, the 29-year-old Williams carried the ball 155 times for 836 yards and a 5.4-yard average. His last 1,000-yard season came in 2009.

Schefter reported that the most significant complication to any potential Williams trade would be his contract. His $5.25 million salary this season is fully guaranteed.

Cam Newton’s faced criticism for his sophomore slump, but Warren Moon says it’s unfounded. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has been at the center of a lot of criticism for shaky play and the team’s 1-5 start. But Hall of Fame quarterback and Newton’s mentor, Warren Moon, thinks much of it is unfounded, according to Yahoo! Sports:

“I think a lot of this is because so many people want to say ‘I told you so’ about him, but couldn’t because he was so good last year,” Moon said. “I think people are overreacting. How can he be a bust? He just had one of the great years a rookie has ever had, and now he can’t play? Come on.”

Moon also alluded to the fact that there were racist undertones to a lot of the comparisons and blame Newton was facing:

“I don’t understand it,” Moon said. “I heard somebody compare him to Vince Young. It’s the same old crap – it’s always a comparison of one black to another black. I get tired of it. I get tired of defending it…. If you want to compare him to someone because of his demeanor, compare him to Jay Cutler. There are a lot of guys who whine and moan. Cam’s not biting anybody’s head off or pushing his linemen. He’s just disgruntled, and not handling losing well, because, think about it, he basically didn’t lose in college.”

Newton’s numbers are down slightly from his rookie season (231.2 yards per game and a 79.3 rating so far in 2012, 253.2 yards per game and a 84.5 rating in 2011), but the majority of the criticism stems from his emotional reactions.

“Cam’s an emotional player. He needs to learn to saddle that. If I was to talk to him – and I need to give him a call – I would tell him his demeanor’s got to change in the face of adversity.”

Carolina Panthers cornerback Chris Gamble was placed on IR due to a shoulder injury. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

The Carolina Panthers placed cornerback Chris Gamble on injured reserve on Monday, ending his season due to an injured shoulder that will need surgery, reports The Charlotte Observer.

Gamble, in his ninth season, was the second-most effective defensive back in 2011 according to ProFootballFocus.com. He allowed one reception for every 18.1 snaps, which was second to only Philadelphia’s Nnamdi Asomugha.

The Panthers fired general manager Marty Hurney after a 1-5 start. (Getty Images)

Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson announced Monday morning the firing of general manager Marty Hurney. The move comes less than 24 hours after the Panthers struggled in a 19-14 loss to the Cowboys, dropping their record to 1-5.

Hurney recently took the blame for the team’s poor start, saying that he hates losing. He had been the Panthers GM since 2002.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton said he has no answer for the team’s struggles. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

After the Carolina Panthers suffered another narrow defeat at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys, a frustrated Cam Newton said that “something’s going to have to change” in a postgame press conference.

“The past couple of games have been the same script, by the same director,” Newton said. “It’s kind of getting boring.”

“This taste, this vibe — I’m not buying it, man. And I don’t know what it is, but something’s going to have to change. Something’s going to have to change real fast.”

The Panthers fell to 1-5 with a 19-14 loss to the Cowboys on Sunday, as Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey kicked the go-ahead 28-yard field goal with 3:25 remaining.

It was the Panthers’ fourth loss in a row, three of which came by slim margins. Overall, the Panthers have lost four of their five games by a combined 17 points.

“We just find a way to keep the game close just to see what happens at the end,” Newton said. “I’m getting tired of it, and that’s not a formula to win. Domination is a formula to win.”

The increasingly frustrated Newton said he would implement a “suggestion box” to fix the Panthers’ issues.

“I’m going to bring in a suggestion box. And I want your suggestions in that suggestion box, because I sure don’t know. I really don’t,” Newton said.

Here’s video of Newton’s press conference highlights, via NBC Sports.

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

Jon Beason will likely return as the Panthers’ middle linebacker for Week 7. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

When Jon Beason returns to the Panthers lineup in Week 7, he’ll be back at middle linebacker, according to a report from the Charlotte Observer. The three-time Pro-Bowler missed Sunday’s game against the Seahawks with shoulder and knee injuries; he said he aimed to stay in the middle when he returns after the bye week:

“That’s what’s been communicated to me, so I’m sticking with that,” Beason said Monday. “I’ve been playing the Mike thus far, and I don’t anticipate anything different.”

Rookie Luke Kuechly started in Beason’s place and had one of his best games with 11 tackles and an interception. Kuechly, a first-round draft pick out of Boston College, set NCAA tackling records as a middle linebacker but said he doesn’t mind moving to the weakside where he played before Beason’s injury:

““Nah,” Kuechly said. “We’ll see what happens in the bye week. It doesn’t really matter too much to me.”

Beason holds the Panthers’ top three single-season records in tackles. He suffered a season-ending injury to his Achilles during Week 1 of 2011 and has had nagging injuries throughout the first few weeks of 2012.

Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart signed a five-year deal worth $36 million on Saturday. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

The Carolina Panthers will be enjoying their backfield tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart for years to come.

Stewart and the Panthers agreed to a five-year deal worth $36.5 million,  including $22.5 million guaranteed.

“We are thrilled to be able to extend Jonathan for five additional years,” Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said in a statement. “He is a perfect fit for our organization. He is a playmaker who can make the difference in games and we have seen the impact he and DeAngelo Williams have had on our team.”

Last year, Williams signed a five-year, $43 million deal with $21 million guaranteed.

Stewart is the second leading rusher in franchise history with 3,500 yards. Stewart ran for 761 yards and four touchdowns last season.

Brandon Marshall predicted “Super Bowl” to Bears fans on Friday. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall delivered a bold prediction to Bears fans Friday night at Soldier Field, Comcast SportsNet Chicago’s John Mullin reported.

“This is just between us, so keep it here,” Marshall said to the 27,352 fans before uttering two words:

“Super Bowl.”

Marshall’s remarks came during the eighth annual Comcast Family Fest at Soldier Field on Friday night, as he was completing an on-field interview.

The Bears traded for Marshall back in March from the Miami Dolphins, giving quarterback Jay Cutler a clear No. 1 target. Marshall’s acquisition soared expectations for the Bears and their offense. He has caught at least 80 passes and gained at least 1,000 yards receiving in each of the last five seasons.

Marshall’s comments put him on a collision course with the Carolina Panthers’ Ryan Kalil, who predicted his team would win the Super Bowl in a recent ad in The Charlotte Observer.

Neither team is favored by oddsmakers to advance to the Super Bowl, however. That would be the San Francisco 49ers, who in mid-July sat at 4/1 odds. The Bears have 8/1 odds, and the Panthers are relative longshots at 40/1.

Could Plaxico Burress be a fit with the Oakland Raiders? (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

The Oakland Raiders lack a No. 1 wide receiver for quarterback Carson Palmer to target.  Though not really still a No. 1 wide receiver, Plaxico Burress still a free agent. Could the Raiders and Burress be a match? Raiders head coach Dennis Allen did not rule out the possibility of the Raiders bringing Burress aboard this season.

“I’ll say this,” Allen told Comcast SportsNet Bay Area’s Paul Gutierrez. “We’re going to look at any options that are out there that we think can make us better. Whether or not we make any moves or not, that’s to be determined. But we’re not going to rule anything out.”

It’s not a glaring endorsement of the 34-year-old Burress, who caught 45 passes with the Jets last season for 612 yards and eight touchdowns. But Allen did not completely shut the door.

Gutierrez reported that Burress has “hinted” he would like to play for Oakland, but he has been hinting at his interest in a number of teams recently. Last weekend, he told a Philadelphia-area radio station that the Eagles were “high” on his list of potential destinations.

And earlier this offseason, Burress said he wanted to try out for the Miami Dolphins. Then in June, he said it would be a “great situation” if he ended up playing for the Carolina Panthers.

So far, though, there has been limited interest in signing Burress. When speaking with 97.5′s Joe Decamara last weekend, he couldn’t answer when asked why he is not already a member of the Eagles, since he said he wanted to be in Philadelphia and had talked with coach Andy Reid.

“I don’t make the decisions,” Burress said. “If I made the decisions on where I wanted to be right now, I would say the Eagles. But I don’t make the decisions in that organization. I expressed my interest and how bad I want to become a Philadelphia Eagle, but it hasn’t happened.”

Right tackle Jeff Otah will not play for the New York Jets after all, reports The New York Daily News‘ Manish Mehta on Twitter.

The Panthers agreed to send the often-injured Otah to the Jets, but the deal was conditioned on the offensive lineman passing his physical within seven days, which will not happen.

I've been told that the Jets will not be keeping OT Jeff Otah. #nyj

—
Manish Mehta (@MMehtaNYDN) July 31, 2012

Both teams have now confirmed Mehta’s report.

When the Jets acquired Otah, there was hope he could give the team help at right tackle. Otah, a former first-round pick, has played well when healthy.

But he has battled knee injuries throughout his NFL career. He missed all of 2010 after knee surgery and again finished the season on injured reserve in 2011 because of knee problems.

Panthers wideout Steve Smith announced he will donate $100,000 to the victims of last week’s shooting at an Aurora, Colo. movie theater. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith is stepping up big time to help the victims of the Aurora, Colo. shooting at a movie theater that left 12 people dead and 58 more injured last week. Smith announced Thursday that he will donate $100,000 to the victims of the shooting.

“As a father and husband I cannot imagine the pain and suffering the victims are going through,” Smith said in a statement. “My family’s hearts and prayers are extended to theirs, and I hope this contribution might assist in paying some of the medical bills that will help allow these families to move forward in this tragic circumstance. Hopefully this helps a little bit. From one NFL city to another, God bless.”

The money will help offset some of the medical costs endured by the victims.

Carolina Panthers center Ryan Kalil guaranteed his team will win this season’s Super Bowl in an ad placed in the Charlotte Observer.

Kalil’s team didn’t back away from his comments. The Panthers’ official Twitter account tweeted a copy of the ad.

#Panthers center @RyanKalil is the hero that Charlotte deserves. (h/t to @theobserver) http://t.co/lKUGWjvB

—
Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) July 25, 2012

The Panthers finished 6-10 last season, which placed them third in the NFC South. Quarterback Cam Newton won the Rookie of the Year Award and could have a breakout season this year. Although a playoff appearance is within reach, a Super Bowl title would certainly be a surprise.

It seems possible the main goal of the ad was to thank the fans and get them excited for training camp and the season — and not to seriously guarantee a title.

But Kalil’s ad encourages Carolina fans to believe in the team.

“…Now, look closer,” the ad says. “At the daunting, unpaved path ahead, lined with detours, naysayers, and walls which seem insurmountable. But not for you. You’ll ignore what you hear and break through ANYTHING that stands in your way. Because you see what’s at the end of this…

“Victory.

“One-hundred percent, sterling silver victory. The Lombardi trophy. And it reads:

“CAROLINA PANTHERS — SUPER BOWL XLVII CHAMPIONS!”

The 27-year-old Kalil is entering his sixth year with Carolina, which drafted him in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft.

The New York Jets have traded for Carolina Panthers right tackle Jeff Otah, the team announced on Twitter.

#EA The Jets have traded for T Jeff Otah from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for an undisclosed conditional draft choice.

—
New York Jets (@nyjets) July 23, 2012

Otah was a first-round pick in 2008, but he has battled knee problems throughout his career. He missed all of 2010 after having surgery on his knee during training camp. Last October, the Panthers again put Otah on injured reserve because of his knee issues.

In June, an MRI on Otah’s left knee showed no serious damage. If he can stay healthy, Otah would provide a huge boost to New York’s offensive line.

Louis Murphy is on his way to the Carolina Panthers after three seasons in Oakland (Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

The Carolina Panthers needed help at wide receiver, and it looks as if they’ve gotten it. As first reported by Yahoo! Sports’ Jason Cole in a tweet, the Oakland Raiders receiver has been dealt to the Panthers. Terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.

Murphy was the Raiders’ best receiver in the 2010-2011 season, his second as a professional after being drafted out of the University of Florida in 2008. However, he experienced a sharp drop in production last year, only appearing in 11 games as a substitute with 15 total receptions.

WR Louis Murphy traded to the Panthers—
Jason Cole (@JasonColeYahoo) July 23, 2012

Cam Newton will charge as much as $225 for his signature when he does an autograph session at a mall on Sunday in Charlotte. (David Livingtson/Getty Images)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton will be signing autographs on Sunday at a mall in Charlotte and will charge as much as $225, according to Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer:

“It’s not a cheap hobby,” said Gary Takahashi, whose Hawaii-based company has Newton under a multi-year contract for autograph shows. His company will run the “for-profit” show at SouthPark. Saturday’s event is not a charitable endeavor and no one is pretending that it is. “We are not a charity,” Takahashi said. “We are a business.”

Takahashi told Fowler that people shouldn’t be mad because “no one is being forced to come.”

Newton will be one of three athletes to sign autographs on Sunday; Bo Jackson will charge as much as $100 for autographs and Larry Johnson will charge up to $65. Newton is charging $175 to autograph a jersey and another $50 if the buyer wants it personalized with a message.

Newton’s marketing agent, Carlos Fleming, said his agent decided to do the autographing session because of all of the fake sports memorabilia on the market:

“I’ve been with Cam before and he’s seen something with his name already on it and said, ‘That’s not my signature.’ I’ve seen 10-year-old girls begging him to sign a mini-helmet, and then you look behind them and they have a bag full of 20 more mini-helmets for different teams.”

Niners QB Alex Smith says he got carried away with saying passing yards don’t equal winning and using Panthers quarterback Cam Newton as an example. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith probably knows that he was a Peyton Manning signing away from being another team’s backup.

As with many athletes who don’t think before they speak, Smith’s comments about Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton comparing passing yards to winning have come back to haunt him.

“I could absolutely care less on yards per game,” Smith said in May. “I think that is a totally overblown stat because if you’re losing games in the second half, guess what, you’re like the Carolina Panthers and you’re going no-huddle the entire second half.  Yeah, Cam Newton threw for a lot of 300-yard games.  That’s great.  You’re not winning, though.”

Newton threw for 4,051 yards in 2011.  The Panters went 6-10, while the 49ers lost in the NFC Championship Game to the New York Giants.

“Obviously I got carried away there,” Smith said to the San Jose Mercury News. “I was going after more of the passing-yards statistic and I don’t really believe there’s a great correlation to winning in the NFL. I don’t.  I don’t buy it.  If you’re looking for a statistic that has a better correlation to winning, it’s probably yards-per-attempt.”

Plaxico Burress, currently a free agent, expressed interest in signing with the Carolina Panthers. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Plaxico Burress said in an interview with WFNZ in Charlotte on Tuesday that it would be an ideal situation for him to play for the Carolina Panthers, according to CBS Charlotte:

“No doubt about it. My brother lives right there in Charlotte, my cousin lives there in Charlotte and all my family is there in Columbia, South Carolina,” Burress said. “It would just be a great situation all the way around and being close to everybody. Not just that but playing with Cam (Newton) who I think is one of the top five quarterbacks in all of football and as long as I can remember Steve Smith has been one of my favorites. I just think it’s a great situation.”

Burress is currently a free agent after signing a one-year contract for a reported $3.017 million last season with the New York Jets. When asked during the interview why he hasn’t received more interest from teams, the wide-receiver said it’s not about not garnering interest, it’s about finding the right fit for him:

“The interest has been there but it’s just getting to the right fit,” Burress said. “I’ve been around and I understand the game from a mental standpoint, I’m very knowledgeable about the guys out there that are playing. I know what they do well and what they don’t do well and I just want to put myself in a position to go out and have success and to go out and make guys around me better. [I]’m going to be better than that this year. Teams haven’t seen me, what kind of shape I’m in, haven’t seen me work out and all I keep doing is going and going, I have my legs back and everybody is going to be in for a pleasant surprise when I hit the football field this year.”

In May, Burress expressed interest in the Miami Dolphins. No word yet on comments from the Panthers or other teams.

Carolina Panther quarterback Cam Newton says he was a “bad teammate” as a rookie. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton had a statistically stellar season as a rookie in 2011, but the former Heisman Trophy winner felt he was a “bad teammate” at times, reports Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports.

“I was very immature,” Newton said in his interview with Cole. “I’ll be the first one to tell you, the pouting and the moping, I kind of overdid it. I know that. I was a bad teammate. I shut off to some people who gave unbelievable effort. … That’s where I have to mature.”

Newton talked mostly about his actions late in losses. Coming off of an undefeated, national championship season with Auburn, he was unused to the losing. Newton also struggled at times to deal with his personal failures on the field. He wants to work at moving on from bad plays and not letting his demeanor be affected.

“It’s like [quarterbacks] coach [Mike] Shula says to me, ‘Water off a duck’s back, you can’t let it bother you,’ ” Newton said. “If you let little things affect you, it’s going to stay with you the next time you have to go out on the field. So I have to do a better job of controlling my emotions during the good and the bad. Just be a better teammate. My position requires that I show leadership and people are looking at me. If I’m pouty and grumpy, that’s how they react to me.

“Half the time it wasn’t me shutting people down because I was thinking they weren’t giving the same effort as me, it was me knowing there were things I could do that could have changed the outcome of the game. … I put a lot on me to be able to respond. When things are going wrong, I wanted to have the ball in my hand, just like any warrior, any competitor who has played this game. When you don’t get the results you want, I didn’t go about it the right way.”

“I have to have the same mentality, but I have to go about it in a different way,” Newton said of his emotions. “It’s an overall maturity level that has to kick in. It’s saying, ‘OK, that was two plays ago that you threw that interception, now you have to let that go and get past that.’ I can’t be moping and crying about making a bonehead play when it was three series ago. That’s the thing that I did that has to change.”

The Carolina Panthers have re-signed free agent Jordan Senn, the team announced Thursday. Details of the deal are not yet known.

Senn got  a chance to play late in the season for Carolina, and he recorded 14 tackles in Weeks 15 and 16. He saw the field primarily due to injuries last season, when he made his first seven starts of his four-year career.

After starting his career as a special teams player with the Indianapolis Colts, Senn was waived prior to the 2009 season.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith has agreed to a contract extension, according to Pro Football Weekly.

The deal will keep Smith in Carolina through 2015 with an option for 2016. Pro Football Weekly reports that Smith is slotted to earn $7.75 million in 2012, but that amount may grow as it is believed that the new extension has front loaded money into his deal.

Smith’s original contract expired following this season.

Last season Smith hauled in 79 passes for 1,394 yards and seven touchdowns. His best season came in 2005 when he had 103 receptions for 1,563 yards and 12 touchdowns. The 32 year old has 699 career receptions and 59 career touchdowns.

The Carolina Panthers have signed safety Reggie Smith, according to team’s official website.

“Reggie has been on our radar since the beginning of free agency and is a player we think can come in and compete at safety,” Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. “We brought him in for a visit Tuesday, and it worked out. He is another player we’ve added to increase the competition.”

Smith, 25, recorded 15 tackles and one interception in 16 games off the bench for the San Francisco 49ers last year.

Smith is in his fifth year out of Oklahoma. He had previous played his entire career for the San Francisco 49ers. His best season came in 2010 when he had 42 tackles and one interception.

The Carolina Panthers have traded running back Mike Goodson to the Oakland Raiders for offensive tackle/guard Bruce Campbell, according to Adam Caplan of TheSidelineReview.com.

#Panthers announced they traded RB Mike Goodson to the Raiders for G/T Bruce Campbell.

—
Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) March 30, 2012

Goodson can help on special teams returns, should compete for #2 RB job with the Raiders. More of a change up RB.

—
Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) March 30, 2012

According to Caplan, the Panthers will play Bruce Campbell at tackle this season. The former fourth-round pick (106^th overall) in 2010 has played in 14 games in his career.

Goodson, 24, has rushed 125 times for 501 yards and three touchdowns in his career.

Former San Diego Chargers running back Mike Tolbert has signed a four-year contract with the Carolina Panthers, according to ESPN.

Joel Turner, Tolbert’s agent, told the Associated Press that his client “left over $1 million on the table from San Diego—that’s how bad he wanted to play there [in Carolina].”

Carolina’s running backs include DeAngelo Williams and Jonathon Stewart. Williams signed a contract to return to the team last offseason and Stewart is heading into the final season of his rookie contract. With Willams and Steward still on the roster this upcoming season, Tolbert’s role in the current Carolina backfield is still unclear.

Last season with the Chargers, the 26-year old Tolbert rushed for 490 yards with eight touchdowns.