There has been a lot of controversy surrounding a CBS report in March which said that current Panthers center Jeff Mitchell and former Panthers Todd Steussie and Todd Sauerbrun filled prescriptions for banned steroids from Dr. James Shortt. Shortt told HBO's "Costas Now" in a report aired this month that he treated one-to-two dozen NFL players, providing about half steroids and most human growth hormone (HGH). Tagliabue denies any knowledge of the players? actions. "I think one thing is clear already, based on what I have been presented with, is no one within the Panthers organization was in any way, shape or form involved with any of these players who were playing outside the lines," Tagliabue said during a visit to Charlotte.

Julius Peppers sat out practice with a sore right ankle, two days after the Carolina defensive end returned a fumble 29 yards for a touchdown against the New York Giants. Peppers was wearing a heavy black boot on his foot as he watched practice from the sidelines. "It's been sore over the last couple of weeks and it got a lot sorer after the game," he said. "We're just being extra careful with it right now. It's nothing major, lets not make it a bigger deal than it is."

After tearing his MCL and anterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee against the New York Giants in Saturday night?s exhibition game, Carolina Panthers safety Colin Branch will be forced to miss the entire 2005 season. Branch, a third-year pro, had used training camp to gain the edge at starting free safety. Idrees Bashir, a free agent pickup from Indianapolis, took over for Branch after the first-quarter injury

The Carolina Panthers on Wednesday afternoon secured the long-term services of one of the key members of the team's standout linebacker corps, signing four-year veteran Dan Morgan to a five-year extension worth about $28 million in so-called "new money." A first-round choice in the 2001 draft, Morgan was entering the final year of his original NFL contract, and would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency next spring had the extension not been reached. Team officials have been negotiating the extension with agent Drew Rosenhaus for several months and talks accelerated the last few days. The extension essentially creates a six-year deal through the 2010 season. In the past three weeks, Rosenhaus also negotiated lucrative extensions for New Orleans cornerback Mike McKenzie and Arizona wide receiver Anquan Boldin.

After starting the season 1 and 7, most teams would?ve given up. Most teams could?ve probably pulled off maybe 2 or 3 more wins and went into the post season waiting for their newly acquired early draft pick. Not the Panthers. They put together one of the best endings to a football season that most teams would dream of. They rolled up an additional 6 of 8 games to finish a very respectable 7 and 9 and one game shy of the playoffs.

The Cincinnati Bengals have alluded to the possibility of cutting Peter Warrick if the wide receiver does not agree to a pay cut. Warrick is scheduled to make $2.2 million this season. Warrick has yet to practice as he is currently rehabilitating a leg injury that limited him to only four games in 2004. Coach Marvin Lewis said two weeks ago in camp that the team "has moved on" in regard to Warrick, meaning the coaches were preparing as if he would not be available. "Once we did that last season," Lewis said, "we became a better team."

The Carolina Panthers Sam Mills, a five-time Pro Bowler and coach, will have his No. 51 officially reitered during halftime of the Panthers preseason game Aug. 13. Mills? passed away on April 18 after a two-year battle with cancer. "He's somebody that is a part of all of us, everybody that was here with him from ownership on down to his teammates," coach John Fox said Sunday. "He still has a presence here. He is not here physically but spiritually he is. It is not like he is gone for most everybody that had a close relationship with him." "Sam will always have a special place in the history of the Panthers," team president Mark Richardson said. "His contributions as a player and coach are unique in our team's short history, but I expect they will be just as meaningful and significant many years in the future. He was an extraordinary man who is the model for all those who follow him with the Panthers."