Therefor DeAngelo Williams can leave vis free-agency if he so chooses. Williams has said he wants to stay in carolina. Also Charles Johnson can leave via free agency

Nothing will happen until after the labor talks... heck it is still unsure of pro football in 2011

I don't think you have to worry about Williams or Johnson leaving. Williams has said numerous times he loves Carolina and Johnson just got the reigns as starting DE this season and was a top 5 DE in sacks in the league (more than Peppers did this year). We'll get Williams relatively cheap because he hasn't been fully healthy since 2008, he can't expect big bucks. Johnson will want to get paid, and I think a deal can be reached there. I'm more interested to see if we trade Steve Smith. If we do, that will mean we are looking to get an AJ Green type player through the draft somewhere.

The Panthers have not given me any reason to believe they like to keep or spend money on big players. I fully expect both Williams and Johnson to be gone.

Personally I think that is a misconception on many parts. The Panthers in the past have forked over heafty amounts for big name players that haven't worked out. They have though been more than happy to pay players in order to retain them. The major exception to that is Peppers who wanted more than he was worth.

The Panthers problems are more with wasted draft picks and not being able to find the diamonds in the rough per se. I think the Steelers and the Packers though proved that you can build a championship team through the draft and personally I think thats what the Panthers have transitioned to attempting. I like the move to keep Kalil because honestly its alot harder to replace him than the other two.

With that said I think they will make a resonable attempt to keep both Johnson and Williams but I don't expect them to overpay for either. That means that if some team comes offering either a premium the Panthers aren't going to fork over more than they thing either is worth to keep them. That is especially true with Williams who has been injured the past two years along with having two backs behind him that had decent years this past year.

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As already mentioned, that is a huge misconception. Here is a list of just a few off the top of my head from years past:

Dan Morgan
Julius Peppers
Deshaun Foster
Steve Smith
Chris Gamble

those are just the obvious ones. Dan Morgan was finally let go because he couldn't play a full season without a concussion. Peppers wanted a huge paycheck after a mediocre season, plus he made it clear he wanted to leave. Foster had a great 2003 and got paid, then let go after he flopped. Steve Smith and Gamble have earned it (although Gamble had a rough year this past season).

So, they will pay Williams and Johnson fairly, but as mentioned, not a penny more than they are worth to keep. Williams, outside of Jon Beason, is the face of the franchise. He is one of those guys that fans of most other teams KNOW of, even if they have never seen the Panthers play. Johnson will get paid, but we won't have to over-pay because he didn't make that much on his old contract. He can't expect a huge jump.

I fully expect to retain both players, but I could be wrong. Been wrong before.

dont forget Keyshawn Johnson

C. Johnson will stay....Williams might bolt...unless Carolina will go in their pockets...a player will not stay (for the same money or less) if he thinks they aren't gonna win...but, who really needs a RB right now...I can't think of a team that really needs a RB.

i can think of a few teams that would take Williams...

Heres who i think he could go to if he leaves:

Redskins
Cowboys
Colts
Patriots
Arizona
New Orleans (if they let Bush/thomas go)
Cleveland
Cincy



i wouldnt be shocked at all if New Orleans made a strong push to get Williams if he leaves

Out of that group....Redskins & colts are strong possibles...the rest are good with what they got because of the systems they play out of....Williams would be great in Indy, they have NO backs...he could go there & become All-pro...at the same time, in Shanahan's system, he could rush for 2000+ yards(Davis,Portis,Gary, all those old Bronco backs). Its gonna be interesting.

It won't be interesting because Williams = Panthers all-time rusher. Williams hasn't fallen off talent wise, just health things (which can't always be put on lack of conditioning/taking care of the body). Williams leaves, JR really has lost his mind. That simple. As good as Goodson is, he can't hold onto the football and he just isn't as gifted. Stewart is good, but if we're going RB tandem, I'd rather have Williams paired with him personally. Double Trouble all day.

Williams isn't going anywhere. Again, he LOVES Carolina (as much as Beason does). We'll pay him enough to keep him, but he can't ask for much considering he hasn't played a full season since 2008. You all are thinking the Panthers are cheap when, from the looks of it, they just cut a lot of salary and didn't want to bring in guys under Fox because it has been well known that after his contract, Fox would be gone (and this was known a few years ago). Plus, free agency has never been big for the Panthers. They just don't go after big time free agents, never really have. Mark my words, DeAngelo Williams isn't going anywhere.

There is no point in re-signing him if they are going to play Goodson as much as they did during the season. DeAngelo can catch the ball good enough to be a third down back with Stewart giving him breaks on different downs. I'm not knocking Goodson b/c I think he plays well, but the Panthers have A LOT of issues at different positiongs that should be addressed and there is no need to keep and play all 3 RB's.

You realize Goodson wouldn't have TOUCHED the ball out of the backfield over 30 times all season if it weren't for Williams being hurt, right? Their intent was never to play Goodson that much. He's a back-up for Williams just as Vaughn is for Stewart. Just the nature of that roster.

Your point is further flawed by the fact that the OLD staff played Goodson as much as they did. The new staff won't, I wouldn't imagine. It is clear, when it comes to ability, that Williams and Stewart lead the way and Goodson is a solid back-up. If anybody thinks we should keep Goodson over Williams, they are crazy.

I remember clearly Goodson getting a lot of touches when DeAngelo was not hurt, perhaps Stewart was hurt at the time though??

You could be right about the new staff not playing all 3 but you don't know for sure. This talk is pointless anyhow b/c DeAngelo won't be back with the Panthers even though you told us to "mark it down." Is this "mark it down" similar to pretty much guaranteeing that the Braves would win the NL East or is this different?

At the start of this past season, Stewart was not NEAR 100% (even though some reports say he said he was). He wasn't the same back the first 7 games or so. DeAngelo got around 20 carries a game while Stewart was hurt, with Goodson getting a couple touches. Mostly, in the slot. Then once Williams went down, Stewart still wasn't quite there yet, so Goodson got a LOT of carries. Stewart came on strong the last month and a half of the season, Goodson's carries were effected a little.

No reason to believe Williams wouldn't be back. What is your thought process? They can't keep all 3, so dump the best one in favor of, for all practical purposes, the "rookie" of the bunch (because he didnt really see the field on offense until this year)? For the one who can't perform as consistently as Williams can (given a healthy line and SOME semblance of a pass game).

This is different from the Braves, for a simple reason. The Braves thing was a prediction that was based on a team and their level of competition. This thing with Williams is simply business. Williams likes his job and where he is (Charlotte). The boss (JR) loves Williams and has invested in this player. Injuries have kept him sidelined for most of the past 2 seasons, but he has seen the healthy Williams and he's seen this team WITHOUT Williams. He knows which team is better. The only reason we get rid of Williams would be in a HUGE trade, after resigning.

My thought process is that the Panthers front office is full of idiots & DeAngelo will take more money somewhere else.

Williams isn't going anywhere. They've never let go of a good player without reason (Peppers pissing and moaning/lack of effort, Morgan's concussions, etc.). You saying he is definitely going to go somewhere else is as unfounded as my statement. You say that I am wrong, that he won't be backed. That is your opinion. Mine is based off of evidence, and that evidence is precedent. Rivera loves DeAngelo. He will stay. If he doesn't, we're getting a player and at least a 2nd rounder for him AFTER we resign him. He will never see the free agent market, once the CBA is reached.