QB Moore decided to stay with Panthers for one more season

Instead of testing his value on the free agent market, quarterback Matt Moore seems to like being the Carolina Panthers’ starting quarterback, and he has signed his one-year, $3.043 million tender with the Panthers.

The move came on Thursday, just one week after long-time starting quarterback Jake Delhomme was released by the Panthers, who have declared that Moore would be the starting quarterback by the beginning of training camp. And Moore’s agent Lynn Lashbrook also said that his client preferred to sign the tender than test the open market.

At age of 25, Moore received starting job in late last season when previous starter Delhomme was sidelined with a broken finger, and he did a considerably great job by leading to Panthers to 4-1 for the final five games with eight touchdowns and two interceptions and a passer rating of 98.5. As somewhat reward to his impressive performance, the Panthers placed the highest possible tender on Moore while released Delhomme, who had been wearing Panthers jerseys for seven years.

Panthers lost their most productive defensive player for the season

Some tests held on Monday showed that the Carolina Panthers weakside linebacker Thomas Davis had a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, a injury severe enough to keep him from playing football for the rest of the season.

Davis got the season-ending injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the New Orleans Saints. He was backpedaling when stopped to plant and his knee buckled. He crumpled to the turf and Drew Brees managed to throw a 17-yard pass to Pierre Thomas. Davis immediately feared that he may have to end his most successful season.

The Panthers’ most productive defensive player has been with the Panthers for four years since he was picked by the team in 2005 first-round draft. With 69 tackles, two sacks and an interception, he ranks second among linebackers wearing Panthers jerseys behind Jon Beason. And if not with injury, he would possible be selected to Pro Bowl.

Panthers WR Smith left camp with shoulder injured

On Monday night, another key player of the Carolina Panthers was taken out of the practice field. Wide receiver Steve Smith was carted to the locker room after his right shoulder was injured.

Smith was injured when he got tangled with cornerback Chris Gamble, and general manager Marty Hurney said he was not sure how long the injury will keep the four-time Pro Bowl receiver out of practice. Although X-rays showed that the injury was not very serious, it just caused some tense moments for the Panthers who saw one of the NFL’s top receivers injured just a week after starting defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu left camp for a torn tendon.

Smith had 78 catches for 1,421 yards and six touchdowns last season. With his leaving, the Panthers have few choices of starting WR. At the moment they have 36-year-old Muhsin Muhammad as a starter and Dwayne Jarrett as a candidate to be the No. 3 receiver this season.