Panther Paw Prints - No Peppers Edition

So hopefully we can stop talking about Julius Peppers this week and move on to the players that want to be on the team. Let's start with another Panther drafte pick who would love nothing more than a long-term contract from the team. The problem is LB Thomas Davis is one of the players stuck in the sudden RFA zone who due to the lack of a CBA is not a UFA, which was news to Davis until recently:

Labor unrest restricts NFL free agents - CharlotteObserver.com
"That’s when reality set in," Davis said. "We hadn’t talked about it much before, I didn’t have my agent blowing them up with phone calls. "Now I’m in a spot where I’d love to have some kind of stability that comes with that long-term deal, love to know that they want me here. But unfortunately I can’t know that right now."

The more important revalation from yesterday's press conference by Marty Hurney is that the QB position will be a wide open competition in training camp:

Hurney: Too early to decide on starting QB - CharlotteObserver.com
"It's the end of February, and I think it's way too early to answer that, obviously," Hurney said. "Everybody knows how we feel about Jake. Matt came in and played very well, at the end of the year, and we just go through the process and see what happens."

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on this one for now...

The Players Union is now stating their position on the CBA: extend the current deal another season to give more time.

NFLPA executive director Smith says 2010 season likely uncapped
"It is our view that obtaining an extension to the CBA prior to the uncapped year is in the best interest of both the players and the owners," Smith wrote. "However, the terms of any CBA extension must allow for players to get their fair share of NFL revenues while at the same time address the owner's issues in such a way as to allow them to continue to grow the game of football."

All I know if we lose even part of season because a ton of rich guys can't agree on how rich each of them are going to be I'm not going to be a happy camper...moving on the Scouting Combine here is one guy I'm anxious to see:

Fringe first-rounders have shot to assert themselves at combine
Dexter McCluster, WR/RB, Mississippi Interested in one of the most dangerous players in the draft and not worried about size? McCluster is your man. Some draft grading systems will prevent him from being a top 50 player simply because he checks in at 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds. But the college production, Senior Bowl practices and his combine testing should eliminate all fears. He is speed training with Olympian Michael Johnson and should really run and jump in Indianapolis. McCluster has to get his shoulder checked out from an old injury, which shouldn't be a problem. Some GM looking for the next Percy Harvin, Jeremy Maclin or DeSean Jackson is going to ignore the size and take this kid.

Of course we won't get an idea of his toughness from the combine. Our own James from down under previews the combine from the Panthers perspective over at his new digs and I thought he makes a few good points about our DT position:

The combine starts today. What positions should you be looking at? | Real Bits of Panthers
DT is a position with a log jam of players but not a lot of upside. Given that this is a Ron Meeks defense look at the smaller DTs in the draft. Though the Panthers need a big, bruising NT it’s been abundantly clear that Meeks’ philosophy is that you can fill the line with speed and put alot of burden on your LBs. This worked for the most part in Indianapolis and I expect it will continue to work in Carolina.