NFL Fines Former Panthers Owner Jerry Richardson
The NFL has fined former Panthers owner Jerry Richardson after a lengthy investigation into his comments and workplace behavior, the league announced. Richardson has been fined $2.75MM that will go towards supporting “organizations addressing race and gender-based issues and fund league-wide workplace training.” 
After Richardson’s behavior came to light last year, he quickly put the team up for sale. The Panthers went on the block in December 2017 and Steelers minority owner David Tepper was approved as the team’s new owner in May 2018. The franchise was sold for $2.2 billion, setting a new NFL record.
“I appreciate [investigator] Mary Jo White’s careful and thorough examination of these issues, and her thoughtful recommendations to the Panthers and the entire NFL,” said commissioner Roger Goodell. “Her recommendations will help ensure that our workplaces are open, inclusive and respectful.”
According to the league, the investigation covered the publicly reported allegations as well as those that have not been written about in the press. The investigation found that the bad conduct was limited to Richardson and confirmed that the Panthers did not report the claims, or settlements stemming from the claims, to the league office before the bombshell report in December.
To combat similar problems in the future, White recommends measures including the “specific prohibition of using Non-Disclosure Agreements to limit reporting of potential violations or cooperation in League investigations under the Personal Conduct Policy.” White also recommended that the Panthers be required to report on the club’s ongoing work to address claims of racial discrimination, sexual harassment, and related workplace issues. Goodell, according to the press release, has adopted that recommendation.
The sale of the team to Tepper is expected to be finalized within the next two weeks.
Latest On Unsigned First-Round Picks
Only six percent of 2018 NFL draft picks remain unsigned, and 71% (12-of-17) of those contract-less selections are first-rounders. For a certain slice of those unsigned first-round picks, especially those selected near the back end of Day 1, Seahawks rookie running back Rashaad Penny‘s contract is playing a role in negotiations, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains.
While the three players selected at pick Nos. 23-25 (Patriots offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn, Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore, and Ravens tight end Hayden Hurst) each garnered significant fourth season base salary guarantees, Penny — who was chosen with the 27th overall pick — actually saw his fourth season salary guarantee percentage decrease when compared to 2017’s No. 27 selection, Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White, per Florio.
The NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement implemented slotted rookie contracts which make negotiations a breeze, but there’s a still a bit of wiggle room. First-rounders selected near the end of the first round won’t often get the entirety of their fourth season base salary guaranteed, but that’s an area where agents can press for a bit extra in talks. Penny’s representatives, clearly, didn’t do so, which could now lead other teams with unsigned first-round picks to withhold guarantees.
Here are the unsigned first-round picks chosen after No. 20 overall:
- Falcons, 1-26: Calvin Ridley, WR (Alabama)
- Steelers, 1-28: Terrell Edmunds, S (Virginia Tech)
- Jaguars, 1-29: Taven Bryan, DT (Florida)
- Vikings, 1-30: Mike Hughes, CB (UCF)
- Patriots, 1-31: Sony Michel, RB (Georgia)
Overall, the amount of fourth season guarantees shouldn’t stand in the way of getting deals for the above players done, as the dollar amounts in question are in the thousands, not millions. But the lack of signed contracts does speak to the small area of available negotiation still left in rookie pacts, and is something to watch as the offseason progresses.
This Date In Transactions History: Julius Peppers
After a mysteriously quiet 2007, Julius Peppers mounted a strong comeback campaign in ’08. Then, on the heels of notching a career-high 14.5 sacks and helping the Panthers return to the playoffs, Peppers wanted out. Specifically, Peppers expressed a desire to join a team with a 3-4 scheme so that he could move from defensive end to linebacker. 
Peppers insisted that he would never sign a long-term deal with Carolina and tried hard to discourage the team from using the franchise tender on him in the 2009 offseason.
“The front office has been informed of my desire to explore opportunities with other NFL teams following the expiration of my contract next month,” Peppers said in a statement (via ESPN.com). “At this point in my NFL career, I am seeking new challenges that will allow me to grow, develop and reach my personal potential on the football field.”
The Panthers held firm, however, and applied the one-year, $16.7MM placeholder on their top defender. In theory, another team could have signed Peppers as a restricted free agent, but that would have required the forfeiture of two first-round picks on top of a mammoth contract. While he was stuck between a rock and a hard place, Peppers abstained from offseason activities. The multiple-time Pro Bowler’s absence cast a serious shadow over the Panthers’ offseason and made the football world wonder whether the Panthers would cave and trade him.
Ultimately, Peppers’ agent was unable to find a suitable deal for him. And, on June 26, 2009, Peppers inked his one-year deal with the Panthers.
Peppers earned another Pro Bowl nod in 2009, and that proved to be the final season of his first Panthers run. After the season, the Panthers declined to use the franchise tag on him, allowing him to reach unrestricted free agency and to a six-year, $91.5MM deal with the Bears. When that deal was terminated in 2014, he stayed in the NFC North and signed with the Packers.
It took a while, but Peppers ultimately came full circle. In 2017, the veteran joined the Panthers on a one-year, $3.5MM deal. A few months later, the Panthers canned GM Dave Gettleman and brought back Marty Hurney as their top football executive, but there were no hard feelings between Peppers and Hurney. This past March, Peppers and Hurney shook hands on a new one-year, $5MM deal to keep the 38-year-old in Carolina.
Charles Johnson To Retire?
According to Bill Voth of Panthers.com, longtime Panther Charles Johnson is planning to retire, he just hasn’t made it official yet. However, Voth says that if the team were to make overtures to Johnson, the Georgia product would not hesitate to come back.
Not too long ago, Johnson was one of the better pass rushers in the league. Selected by the Panthers in the third round of the 2007 draft, Johnson showed flashes of promise during his first three years in the pros and finally broke out when he was given the chance to be a full-time starter in 2010. During the 2010 season, Johnson put up 11.5 sacks and landed a six-year, $72MM extension from Carolina the following offseason.
He mostly lived up to that payday over the early stages of the contract, as he posted 32.5 sacks during the 2011-13 seasons. He added 8.5 sacks in the 2014 campaign and, although he missed some of the 2015 season due to injury, he notched three sacks during the Panthers’ playoff run that year, including one in Super Bowl 50. Carolina released him following the Super Bowl to get out of the last year of his mega-extension but quickly re-signed him to a one-year pact. He then signed a new two-year deal with the Panthers last offseason.
2017, though, was a bad year for Johnson. He failed to produce a sack in 11 games, and he was hit with a PED suspension in December. Carolina cut him earlier this year, and there has been no reported interest in him since. He did indicate before his release that he would like to play in 2018, so perhaps he will get another chance if a club decides it could use a veteran pass rusher later this summer.
If Johnson’s career is, in fact, over, he will have nothing to be ashamed of. He has accumulated 72.5 sacks between the regular season and playoffs, he has earned a pile of money, and he got to play in a Super Bowl. He also spent all 11 years of his career with one team, a rare feat in sports today.
Panthers, Daryl Williams Far Apart In Talks
There’s a “monster gap” between the Panthers and Daryl Williams in contract negotiations, a source tells Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer. The source added that it would be “shocking” if a deal came together between now and the start of training camp in July. 
Williams, a fourth-round pick in 2015, is eligible for free agency after the season. Last year, he started in all 16 games for the Panthers and played on every offensive snap. He graded out as Pro Football Focus’ highest-rated right tackle in the league, good for third amongst all tackles in the NFL. Only David Bakhtiari (Packers) and Joe Staley (49ers) performed better than him, per the advanced metrics. Head coach Ron Rivera has praised Williams’ development over the years and recognizes his importance to the team.
“When he first got here, it was understanding how to practice. Then as he became a starter it was continuing to practice hard. Now it’s the consistency of how hard he practices,” Rivera said. “He’s a smart player, understands the game, has good technique. But it’s about coming to work every day and being consistent with that effort, (and) he’s done a great job with that.”
In theory, the Panthers could use 2017 second-rounder Taylor Moton at right tackle down the line, but right now the plan for him is to also see time at left guard to help replace Andrew Norwell. But, unless Moton takes a major step forward, the Panthers will want to avoid losing another key cog on the offensive line next spring.
Panthers Won't Retain Don Gregory
- The Panthers will not renew the contract of senior executive scout Don Gregory, reports Joe Person (via Twitter). Gregory had previously served as the organization’s college scouting director for more than a decade, but he served in more of a consulting role between Marty Hurney‘s two stints with the team.
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Panthers Sign First-Round WR D.J. Moore
The Panthers have signed rookie D.J. Moore, according to an announcement from the team. With the wide receiver under contract, the Panthers have now wrapped up their entire draft class. 
Early on in draft season, many believed that Alabama’s Calvin Ridley would be the first receiver to come off of the board. However, with strong performances in workouts, Moore leapfrogged him on many draft boards. Moore won out as he was selected 24th overall by the Panthers while Ridley went No. 26 overall to the Falcons.
The Maryland standout earned Big Ten Receiver of the Year honors last year after setting a single-season school record for receptions with 80. Despite playing with four different quarterbacks, Moore posted 1,033 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, becoming just the third wide receiver in school history to post a 1,000-yard receiving season.
Moore will now be tasked with a significant role in the Panthers’ offense as he catches passes from Cam Newton. Moore projects to be the one of the team’s top wide receivers, along with Devin Funchess and fellow Maryland alum Torrey Smith.
Per the terms of his slot, Moore will earn roughly $11.2MM over the course of his four-year deal. The pact will include a $6.2MM signing bonus.
Here’s the complete rundown of Carolina’s draft class:
Carolina Panthers
- 1-24: D.J. Moore, WR (Maryland): Signed
- 2-55: Donte Jackson, CB (LSU): Signed
- 3-85: Rashaan Gaulden, CB (Tennessee): Signed
- 4-101: Ian Thomas, TE (Indiana): Signed
- 4-136: Marquis Haynes, DE (Ole Miss): Signed
- 5-161: Jermaine Carter Jr., LB (Maryland): Signed
- 7-234: Andre Smith, LB (North Carolina): Signed
- 7-242: Kendrick Norton, DT (Miami): Signed
This Date In Transactions History: Jake Delhomme
Much like the way the Colts were able to land Andrew Luck thanks to one disastrous season without their previous franchise quarterback available, the Panthers used 2010 to bottom out and be in position to draft Cam Newton.
Like the 2011 Colts, the Panthers only endured one woeful season without a clear quarterback plan. However, the long-term signal-caller solution prior to Newton produced some memorable moments. And the years-long partnership came together on this date 14 years ago. The Panthers agreed to a five-year extension with Jake Delhomme on June 17, 2004, locking him in as their quarterback of the 2000s.
Illustrating where the quarterback market has gone in the past several years, Delhomme’s deal was worth only $38MM. But Carolina initially signed Delhomme, previously a Saints backup behind Aaron Brooks, for $4MM over two years in 2003. That fall signaled the beginning of a nice run for the Panthers. Delhomme started 15 games to help lift Carolina to its first Super Bowl, after the Panthers notched upset victories in St. Louis and Philadelphia. Delhomme’s explosive second half in Super Bowl XXXVIII (in a game where he threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns) had the Panthers poised for overtime, only an illegal procedure penalty gave the Patriots prime field position for a game-winning drive that ended Carolina’s championship bid.
Nevertheless, the Panthers saw enough from Delhomme to extend him the following summer, and he delivered the best statistical seasons of his career on this contract. Delhomme threw a career-high 29 touchdown passes in 2004 and followed that up with a 24-TD-pass 2005 — his only Pro Bowl campaign — for a Panthers team that stormed to the NFC title game.
Carolina’s return to the playoffs, in 2008, brought the beginning of the end for the Delhomme’s run with the franchise.
Delhomme was unable to shake the five-interception performance in a divisional-round loss to the Cardinals, but he nevertheless played out that extension — and signed another (for five years and $42.5MM) shortly after the seminal 2009 loss to the Cards — starting 11 games in the ’09 campaign. Carolina, though, cut Delhomme in March 2010 and pivoted to Matt Moore and second-round rookie Jimmy Clausen for that 2010 slate. The Panthers went 2-14 that season, securing the No. 1 pick and a path for a new regime to draft Newton.
Perhaps the Panthers retaining Delhomme for one more season would not have afforded them No. 1 overall real estate and thus shaken up a loaded 2011 draft, one that saw the Broncos, Bills, Bengals, Cardinals and Falcons select standout performers at the Nos. 2-6 spots. However, the QBs selected in the first round after Newton (Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder) did not prove to be remotely in Newton’s class, making that No. 1 slot extraordinarily valuable.
Newton eclipsed Delhomme’s franchise record for most quarterback starts (90) in 2016; he’s at 108 entering this season.
Latest on D.J. Moore, Daryl Williams
- Wide receiver D.J. Moore, the 24th overall pick by the Panthers, still hasn’t signed. He’s likely holding out for all four years of his contract to be guaranteed, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Person thinks Moore is waiting to see what Isaiah Wynn, taken one pick before Moore, gets from the Patriots before signing his deal.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/4/18
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Taj Williams
- Waived: TE Jake Roh
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: G Norman Price
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Wes Saxton
- Waived: DB Raysean Pringle
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Garrett Dickerson
- Waived: CB Mike Jones, DB Jeremiah McKinnon, WR Keeon Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: TE Ryan Malleck, OL Bryce Harris
- Placed on IR: OT Jerald Hawkins, TE Jake McGee
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: DB Trovon Reed