Panthers agree to terms with SS Kevin Payne

by James Dator on Jul 26, 2011 1:31 PM EDT

Kevin Payne adds veteran depth to a young Panthers secondary

While deals can't be officially consummated until Friday, what we can see occur are handshake deals between organizations and players to guarantee their signing when the free agent period officially begins. This is what happened earlier today as the Carolina Panthers reached an agreement with FA Kevin Payne on a deal that will bring much needed veteran depth to the Panthers' secondary.

It has been incorrectly quoted by several sources that Payne represents a 'Rivera signing' in regards to a player who the new Panthers' coach previously worked with. The truth is that Payne arrived in Chicago the year after Rivera had left to become the linebacker coach for the San Diego Chargers. However, the Panthers and Bears are inexorably linked in the way they seem to pool talent and share players. Like former team member Chris Harris, Payne represents another player to head South and will hopefully enjoy the same success here.

While unlikely we'll see the kind of impact from Kevin Payne that we saw when we acquired Chris Harris, we do have a player who had a great deal of success in 2008 as a full time starter in which he amassed 88 tackles and 4 interceptions. While injury has limited his playing time in the last two years he can still be an effective player. Career stats after the jump.

Season	Team			Tackles					Interceptions						Fumbles
		G	GS	Comb	Total	Ast	Sck	SFTY	PDef	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TDs	FF
2009	Chicago Bears	13	5	46	39	7	0.0	--	5	--	--	0.0	--	--	0

2008	Chicago Bears	16	16	88	73	15	1.0	--	7	4	147	36.8	50	0	0

2007	Chicago Bears	3	1	2	1	1	0.0	--	0	--	--	0.0	--	--	0

TOTAL				136	113	23	1.0	0	12	4	147	--	50	0	0

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Hopefully Payne will bring some pain.

Proud Member of Cat Scratch Reader and coiner of the (minus Bowers) meme

by Ivan459 on Jul 26, 2011 1:35 PM EDT reply actions

Good, smart pick up

Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing you will be an idiot in the future and common sense is knowing you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

by Vagus on Jul 26, 2011 1:37 PM EDT reply actions

Woo! Called it first! Check the FanShot!

Glad we made this signing!

by PanthersPaul on Jul 26, 2011 1:39 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks for the fanshot

We actually broke this the second the news came out in the open thread, just took me a few hrs to write it up.

Thanks though!

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by James Dator on Jul 26, 2011 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Ballon popped... sigh

by PanthersPaul on Jul 26, 2011 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions

We already have the Captain

Can we call him Major Payne. For those in need of a little Attitudinal Prognostication

IT AIN'T SIZE OF THE DOG IN THE FIGHT BUT THE SIZE OF THE FIGHT IN THE DOG

by BlackCatFan on Jul 26, 2011 1:40 PM EDT reply actions

LOVE IT

My Name is Major Benson Winifred Payne….

One cries because one is sad. For example: I cry because others are stupid, and it makes me sad.

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by BW Smith on Jul 26, 2011 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

(Movie Trailer Voice) Coming this Fall...

An epic struggle for survival. One Man. One Assignment.

Major Benson Winifred Payne and Captain Munnerlyn star in…

Saving Private Gamble.

This comment section has officially been Tater'd.

by Tater596 on Jul 26, 2011 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions 6 recs

Beautiful

One cries because one is sad. For example: I cry because others are stupid, and it makes me sad.

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by BW Smith on Jul 26, 2011 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Does Clausen...

get captured by opposition forces, and get left to rot in a POW camp?

sheesh, that sounds rather mean, after I typed it…oh, well…better call Gene Hackman to get his boys together and free his behind…

by toonman on Jul 26, 2011 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions

brillant now it is in my head.

I am a proud supporter of troll hunting---- me.
When I see or hear sports segments dedicated to fantasy sports I want drive a nail in my ear because it is less painful. --also me.

by bigred28655 on Jul 27, 2011 2:09 AM EDT up reply actions

Lots Of Big Free Agent SS's

Lions free agent SS John Wendling had 30 tackles in 2010, and a star special teams player, that would also be a good pickup for the Panthers. Here are the Combine numbers for Wendling and Kevin Payne, along with 2 other free agent S’s from that 2007 draft.

Kevin Payne – Bears – (6-0, 220, 4.60-40, 1.54-10, 20 bench reps, 35 inch vertical), played FS in college.

John Wendling – Lions – (6-1, 222, 4.48-40, 1.51-10, 22 bench reps, 38.5 inch vertical, 10-9 broad jump) a FS in college, a big hitter, and great on special teams.

Gerald Alexander – Panthers – (6-1, 210, 4.51-40, 1.50-10, 41 inch vertical), a FS in college.

Sabby Piscitelli (6-3, 224, 4.47-40, 1.49-10, 19 bench reps, 34.5 vertical, 3.90-20 yard shuttle), he tested great, but he can’t play.

These players could be sort of a combo SS/LB for the Panthers.

by PanthersRoar on Jul 26, 2011 5:37 PM EDT reply actions

AGAIN.......

The bears love em’ some panthers dnt they…lol

by cpanthers11 on Jul 26, 2011 6:25 PM EDT reply actions

Always nice to have solid depth.

by SlayerGhaleon on Jul 26, 2011 6:34 PM EDT reply actions

Johnson

Charles Johnson has been resigned for 6 years 74 million. according to pro football weekly

by Frank Worthington on Jul 26, 2011 6:35 PM EDT reply actions

This is the weirdest day ever.... page just suddenly comes back up for me

Well anyway I think the Payne Signing is a smart gamble, no pun intended, as Payne seems to me to be very much in the postion that Thomas Daives is in. The pair have had promiseing starts to their respective carreers and have faced injuries the last coupld of years. If Payne pans out and Hogan steps up we could have soild secondary depth for a couple of years.

I am a proud supporter of troll hunting---- me.
When I see or hear sports segments dedicated to fantasy sports I want drive a nail in my ear because it is less painful. --also me.

by bigred28655 on Jul 27, 2011 2:14 AM EDT reply actions