Veteran running back Stephen Davis, who rushed for 12 touchdowns and helped Carolina reach the playoffs last season before being knocked out by injury, has signed a one-year contract with the St. Louis Rams.
The deal is believed to be worth $850,000, the veteran's minimum for a player of his tenure (10 years), with a maximum allowable signing bonus of $40,000.
The key to the deal is that the Rams are apparently willing to guarantee half of the base salary, giving Davis a total of $465,000 even if he is cut before the first game of the season.
Davis, 32, was primarily the short-yardage back for the Panthers last year while working in tandem with DeShaun Foster. Davis rushed for 549 yards on 180 carries.
Philadelphia had also offered Davis a one-year deal, but the Eagles were not willing to guarantee enough of the money. In addition, the Dolphins, who had expressed interest in Davis earlier, dropped out this week even after learning that backup running back Sammy Morris will be suspended for the first four games of the season.