Panthers add QB Webb, WR Underwood, CB Cason
The Carolina Panthers reached a two-year agreement with free-agent wide receiver Tiquan Underwood and agreed to one-year deals with cornerback Antoine Cason and quarterback Joe Webb on Friday.
The Panthers are looking to replace their top four receivers from last season. Steve Smith was released, and Brandon LaFell, Ted Ginn Jr. and Domenik Hixon were lost to free agency.
Thursday, they got started by signing former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery.
Underwood will likely compete as the third receiver and a spot on special teams as a kick returner. He caught a career-high 24 passes for 440 yards with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year. He was a seventh-round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2009.
Webb will be a quarterback for the Panthers. He completed 88 of 152 pass attempts for 853 yards for the Minnesota Vikings, who switched him to wide receiver last season.
"Joe had a strong workout for us today. He is a young player who intrigues us and has a similar skill set to Cam," said Carolina head coach Ron Rivera. "With Cam sidelined for the spring, it is an opportunity to get a good evaluation of Joe as well as Matt Blanchard, who was on our practice squad last year."
Cason reunites with coach Ron Rivera and secondary coach Steve Wilks. They were with the San Diego Chargers when the team drafted Cason in the first round in 2008. He started 45 games for the Chargers from 2010 to '12. He has 14 NFL interceptions.
Cason replaces Captain Munnerlyn, who left as a free agent and signed with the Minnesota Vikings.
