Panthers Would like to re-sign Jeremy Shockey

The Panthers don't have as many of their own free agents to sign as they did last year. And this year's group might not have the big names who will be eligible for free agency in 2013.

But several of the 10 players who can become unrestricted free agents when the league year ends March 13 made lasting impressions during coach Ron Rivera's first season in Charlotte.

Tight end Jeremy Shockey was lauded by Panthers owner Jerry Richardson and others for the nasty streak he brought to a team missing that edge throughout the two-win season in 2010. He was a nice complement to Greg Olsen, but Shockey will turn 32 in August and likely will be looking for a deal worth close to the $4 million he made last season.

That could be prohibitive to a team that is tight against the salary cap after last summer's spending spree. The Panthers locked up seven core players with long-term deals, including all three starting linebackers, defensive end Charles Johnson, safety Charles Godfrey, running back DeAngelo Williams and center Ryan Kalil.

The Panthers have a cap number of about $123 million, for a 2012 cap projected to range between $121 million and $125 million.

With Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith and running back Jonathan Stewart among the Panthers who will be unrestricted in 2013, the team will have to be judicious in free agency.

"We made a lot of aggressive moves to keep our own players, our core, like we said we were," general manager Marty Hurney said recently. "And with those aggressive moves, the bulk of our salary-cap space is used with our core players right now, which is a good position to be in because when you look at our top-paid players, they're all core players. They're all very important players to us.

"Now we just have to make the right decisions as far as free agents go - our own and free agents from other teams - to complement those players and fit in both as players and into our salary-cap structure."

TE Jeremy Shockey
Age: 31
Experience: 10 seasons
Last season: Shockey caught 37 passes for 455 yards and four touchdowns, and missed only one game to injury.
Outlook: Though not the same receiver he was a decade ago, Shockey still is a dependable target, particularly in the red zone. If his asking price is too high, Panthers could turn to Gary Barnidge, who was having a great 2011 camp before breaking his ankle.


(charlotteobserver.com)