We’ve got our first lull in activity since free agency began so here’s a few interesting links for you to chew on.

DeAngelo Williams Interview

D-Will played question & answer with Charlotte.com’s Stan Olsen. He gets the usual softball questions but I found his answers a little disconcerting. On the very first question, he gives a questionable answer:

Q. How do you feel about your new position as the primary running back? Nervous (smiles). I guess the anticipation is the part that's really nerve-wracking. Because I don't really know if I'll be No. 1, because they can get someone in the draft. It's a competitive league; I'm going to compete, give it 110 percent and see what happens.

In this day of player over-confidence and smack-talking I was surprised by his lack of bravado. Doesn’t he think it’s his job to lose, that he has something to defend? I haven’t seen the video so maybe I’m taking it out of context. When pressed further later in the interview:

Q. Does it seem like you've earned your chance to start? It could appear that way, but if another guy comes in and produces and he's better than me, I'll be the first one to say, "Look, this guy is getting it done." Whatever it takes to win, I'm all about it. To get us to the playoffs, start, come of the bench, be the 12th man, it doesn't matter if we get to the playoffs.

So he thinks someone in the draft could displace him straight out of the gate? I guess he hasn’t kept up with Brady Quinn saga huh? Usually its nice to hear a guy talk about the team coming first but in this case I was hoping for more like: "I know I'm ready for 25 carries a week, I think we can be successful and I'm ready to beat out anybody that tries to take my job."

I'm not saying he needs to talk smack or anything but he doesn't even project 'quiet' confidence. Come on D-Will, you got the juice and two seasons under your belt. You should have a lot of confidence you will be the starting tailback for Carolina the entire 2008 season. I do.

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Is Denver Going to Draft OT?

The rumors are that the Denver Broncos are interested in drafting a left tackle in the 1st round too. Normally I wouldn’t care but it turns out they draft at #12, right in front of the Panthers!

Tackles who may be considered worthy of the Broncos' No. 12 overall selection include Boise State's Ryan Clady, Vanderbilt's Chris Williams (who three years ago was responsible for protecting Jay Cutler's blind side) and Pittburgh's Jeff Otah.

I would be curious to hear what Cutler has to say about Chris Williams. I wonder if his opinion will be considered by the Broncos staff?

Consider this as well: If Ryan Clady is still available at #11 would the Panthers throw a 4th rounder in with the #13 to move up (That’s what it would take per the draft value chart) past the Broncos? What if Clady is already gone, would you do it for Chris Williams? If Jeff Otah worthy of the #13 pick? Is this just a Denver smoke screen?

There is serious posturing going on right now as teams try not to reveal their desires while all the time attending Pro Days and entertaining free agents. I’ve said before that if the Panthers wait to get a tackle at #43 then I would hope they draft a DE or DT at #13.

Denver has their eye on DE Derrick Harvey just as the Panthers should. If both Clady and Williams are off the board at #13 then maybe the Panthers go defense. There should still be a good tackle left at #43, but then again I thought for sure last year that one of the four good safeties would be left at #25. Didn’t happen. The plot thickens.

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Let the Muhsin Muhammad Bashing Begin (In Chicago anyway)

So the Bears bring back Marty Booker and just as the Bears fans are in mid-scratch of da head they throw in "Well Moose was a malcontent and source of all our bad locker room vibes". Check it here.

True, the Bears could have kept Muhsin Muhammad for about the same money they will pay Booker. But Booker fits better in a locker room where Muhammad practically had strained his rotator cuff throwing Bears quarterbacks under the bus. Not to mention that, behind the scenes, the Bears had grown tired of Muhammad questioning offensive coordinator Ron Turner.

Ok, I’m taking a little liberty with this paragraph but come on, Moose wanted out of Chicago. So Marty Booker is better than Moose? It’s a push at worse. Who could blame him for digging on his woeful QB’s? If I were a Bears fan I wouldn’t fall for this trick. WTF is Marty Booker doing back on my roster? You let Berrian get away and you bring me Booker?

Ok, we found someone with a much worse WR & QB situation than the Panthers. I feel better, at least momentarily.