The Panthers were one of the most active teams in the free agency market Wednesday. Just a day after inking breakout defensive end Charles Johnson to a six-year, $78 million contract, the Panthers locked up running back DeAngelo Williams for five years with a $43 million deal, $21 million of which is guaranteed. But they didn’t stop there.

Carolina continued signing current Panthers by agreeing to five-year deals with linebackers James Anderson and Thomas Davis. Anderson is coming off of a stellar 2010 season whereas Davis spent all of last season on the physically-unable-to-perform list after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament for the second time in his career.

Then, the Panthers went out and added several pieces from the free agent pool, including, most surprisingly, former Seahawk kicker Olindo Mare. The deal might signal the end of the John Kasay era in Charlotte if not the NFL. Kasay, 41, is the only original Panther still on the roster (for now).

GM Marty Hurney and company also brought in several players with smaller names but potentially equally large impacts. To replace Jeff King, who is now an Arizona Cardinal, tight end Ben Hartsock was signed. The former Jet is considered an upgrade who will play a big role blocking for Cam Newton and the rest of the backfield. Other new members of the Carolina squad include safety Kevin Payne and defensive tackle Ron Edwards.

The team has also agreed to sign several undrafted free agents of interest. Former Tar Heel Kendric Burney will compete in training camp to become the nickel cornerback, although he has the obvious disadvantage of standing in at only 5-9. Former Auburn center Ryan Pugh should help Newton transition to the pro game, as will wide receiver Darvin Adams, another former teammate of Newton's at Auburn.

Technically, none of these players will officially be Carolina Panthers until Friday when they are allowed to sign new contracts. However, it's inconceivable to imagine any of them reneging on their handshake deals at this point.

Despite the flurry of moves that went down Wednesday, there are still many personnel questions left to be answered. At QB, it's quite possible that new head coach Ron Rivera signs Matt Moore, an unrestricted free agent, to return to Charlotte in order to mentor Jimmy Clausen and Newton. On the other hand, it's unlikely that cornerback Richard Marshall will be a Panther this year. Marshall is also unrestricted and said at the end of last season that he did not expect to return to the team for the 2011 season. If he isn’t kept in Charlotte, team management will have a large hole in the defensive backfield to deal with, as well as gaps at wide receiver and along the offensive line.

More clarity is expected after teams are allowed to release players Thursday afternoon. Stay tuned to BlogBlitz for continuing Carolina Panthers coverage.

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-- JACOB FELDMAN
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