Christian McCaffrey, Panthers have discussed contract extension

The Carolina Panthers are facing an uncertain future, but there is some interest in locking down their undisputed star player.

Panthers GM Marty Hurney admitted that the Panthers have had internal discussions with McCaffrey’s agent about a possible contract extension as the running back enters the final guaranteed year of his rookie contract.

Also, this from Marty Hurney conference call talking about Christian McCaffrey's contract. He said while he doesn't ever discuss contracts, he did say "obviously we've had internal discussions. Everybody knows what we think of Christian as a player."

— Steve Reed (@SteveReedAP) April 6, 2020

McCaffrey is indispensible to the Panthers. He had 2,392 total yards and 19 touchdowns in 2019 on his way to his first All-Pro selection.

The Panthers may have designs on being bad for a year, but they can’t afford to lose McCaffrey in the long term. It would be in their best interest to get this done as soon as possible.

Robby Anderson signs two-year deal with Panthers

Robby Anderson has finally signed a free agent contract, but it is probably not as hefty as the wide receiver had hoped it would be.

Anderson has agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal with the Carolina Panthers, according to multiple reports.

Former Jets’ WR Robby Anderson is signing a two-year, $20 million deal including $12 million in year one with the Carolina Panthers, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 24, 2020

Anderson will get $12 million from the Panthers in 2020, which is still slightly lower than the salary he was said to be seeking. Some predicted Anderson would get an average annual value in the $13-$15 million range, but his market appeared to come together slowly.

Anderson, 26, had 52 catches for 779 yards and five touchdowns last season. His peak came in 2017 when he posted 63 catches for 941 yards and seven TDs. The Jets were reportedly trying to re-sign him, so it’s possible he simply chose to go elsewhere. Anderson played at Temple when new Panthers head coach Matt Rhule was the head coach of the Owls.

The Panthers are rebuilding their offense after signing quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Anderson may not be a clear-cut No. 1 receiver, but he dealt with some rough quarterback play in New York and has plenty of upside.

Cam Newton to be released by Panthers

The Carolina Panthers have made it clear they are moving on from Cam Newton, and the former NFL MVP will soon be free to choose his next destination.

After presumably making an effort to trade Newton, the Panthers have decided to release the quarterback. The move could be made official on Tuesday, according to multiple reports.

The #Panthers are expected to release QB Cam Newton as soon as today, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 24, 2020

The Panthers signed Teddy Bridgewater to a hefty contract last week, which signaled the end of Newton’s time in Carolina. While there were teams that expressed interest in trading for Newton, those teams likely were not willing to give up much knowing that it was only a matter of time before the Panthers released the 30-year-old.

Newton is coming off foot surgery, and he seems determined to prove he can get back to the level he was at when he was one of the most intimidating players in football. If his foot is 100 percent healed, Newton could make for a great comeback story. While there aren’t many teams currently in need of a starting quarterback, we have heard some intriguing possibilities. It will be interesting to see how the market develops.

PJ Walker signs with Panthers after XFL stint

P.J. Walker’s XFL stint was successful enough that he’s landed an NFL job as a result.

As first reported by ESPN’s Dianna Russini, Walker has agreed to sign with the Carolina Panthers. The move will reunite him with coach Matt Rhule, who coached Walker at Temple.

Carolina’s Matt Rhule coached Walker at Temple. This past XFL season Walker shared with us that Rhule stayed in contact with him weekly and watched his games. #Panthers

— Dianna (@diannaESPN) March 23, 2020

Walker was one of the XFL’s standout players while playing quarterback for the Houston Roughnecks. He was so successful he attracted widespread NFL interest and has managed to play his way back into the NFL. It’s nice that, at least for one player, the XFL turned out to be a solid, worthwhile gamble.

Eric Reid to be released by Panthers

The Carolina Panthers are making significant changes this offseason under new head coach Matt Rhule, and parting ways with veteran safety Eric Reid is the latest.

The Panthers have informed Reid that they will release him, according to multiple reports. Reid confirmed the news on Twitter.

It’s been a pleasure Carolina! I enjoyed my time and the support I received from the fans, media, teammates, and staff there will be remembered. Looking forward to furthering my career in another city!

— Eric Reid (@E_Reid35) March 18, 2020

Reid started 29 games for the Panthers in two seasons and ended up being a nice addition to their defense. He had 130 tackles, four sacks and seven tackles for loss last season, all of which were career highs. One of the teams that could look to sign him is the Washington Redskins, as Reid likely has a good relationship with Ron Rivera.

Rivera brought Reid to Carolina after it seemed like many teams were avoiding the defensive back over his support for Colin Kaepernick. Reid has continued to stand behind Kaepernick, and the reality is that could deter some teams from signing the 28-year-old.

Report: Bears have discussed Cam Newton trade with Panthers

The Carolina Panthers made it clear this week that they are moving on from Cam Newton when they signed Teddy Bridgewater, but the Chicago Bears could be among the teams that do not want to wait until the Panthers release Newton to make a run at the quarterback.

The Bears have had recent discussions with Carolina about a potential Newton trade, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports. Although it is a virtual certainty Newton will be released if he’s not traded, Chicago may not want to risk having to compete with other teams to sign the former NFL MVP.

The Panthers have been in recent contact with the Bears regarding Cam Newton, per source. The expectation is Newton will be released in the coming days, but CHI may not want to compete in the market for him

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) March 18, 2020

The Bears publicly committed to Mitchell Trubisky as their starting quarterback for 2020 at the end of last season, but it is clear they are exploring other options. They reportedly had talks with Bridgewater before he signed with Carolina, and they are said to be targeting other players who could potentially compete with Trubisky for a starting job.

Newton will earn around $19 million in the final year of his contract next season. With the Panthers having clearly moved on from him, they will probably take a mid- or late-round pick for him rather than releasing him. We know of at least one other team that has reached out to Carolina about a potential trade, so a market has definitely developed.

Teddy Bridgewater to sign with Panthers

The Carolina Panthers are turning things over from Cam Newton to Teddy Bridgewater.

Not long after the Panthers announced that they have given Newton permission to seek a trade, reports surfaced that Carolina had a deal with Bridgewater. The deal is believed to be worth $63 million over three years.

That isn’t quite as much money as some thought Bridgewater would get, but it sounds like good pay for a player who has played sparingly over the past three seasons.

Bridgewater boosted his stock by playing well in place of an injured Drew Brees last season. The New Orleans Saints won all five of their games that Bridgewater started while Brees was out with a thumb injury, and Bridgewater helped keep them in the playoff hunt.

We know of at least one other team that was interested in signing Bridgewater, but ultimately he chose the Panthers and new offensive coordinator Joe Brady. Brady was the passing game coordinator with LSU last season, and he spent time with the Saints before that. The familiarity between Bridgewater and Brady likely gave the Panthers a big advantage over other teams.