Panthers quarterback Matt Moore could figure into Miami's quarterback plans this coming season. Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne indicated last week that he could have competition for the job and Moore may come cheap. Carolina has drafted quarterbacks high in each of the last two season -- Cam Newton and Jimmy Clausen -- and they also have veteran Brian St. Pierre. Moore also has ties to Dolphins coach Tony Sparano and general manager Jeff Ireland as both were on staff with the Cowboys when Dallas signed Moore as an undrafted free agent in 2007.

The Panthers gathered Tuesday for their first player-organized workout since the lockout began. Players hired a police officer to shoo away reporters from the high school where they were working out on the hot, humid morning. Cones blocked another entrance to the field at Charlotte Christian High School. Guard Geoff Schwartz indicated on Twitter that more than 50 players attended. "Great morning of team activities," he wrote.

Cam Newton will join Panthers players for workouts at Charlotte Christian School next week, according to one of his agents. Newton, the No. 1 overall pick in last month's draft, has been refining his game at the IMG Institute under the direction of former Panthers quarterback Chris Weinke. "When you're a rookie, especially as a quarterback, it's good to work on timing. But (it's) mainly getting around your teammates," agent Tony Paige said. "I think Cam is excited about getting to know his teammates. Typically by now, he would know everybody."

Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton isn't concerned about wearing No. 2 with the team. Jimmy Clausen currently wears the number for Carolina. "I really don't care. It's just a number to me," Newton said. "Gossip sells, and I understand that with people hearing I wore No. 2 in college, and Jimmy has it right now, (but) it's not a big deal to me. I just want to get that out of the way and throw it out there. It's not the number. It's the person wearing it."

Cam Newton, drafted first overall by the Panthers last month, isn't concerned with being named the team's starting quarterback. Carolina drafted quarterback Jimmy Clausen last year and the two appear headed for a battle whenever training camp begins. "I'm not going to put a timeline on what success is going to be, because no one knows," Newton said. "Everyone has to take chances, and hopefully my success comes sooner rather than later. "I approach it as if I don't want to get caught up. A lot of times, many people just focus on things they can't control. I can control how hard I work, I can control how much emphasis I put on a particular subject. You can't control if you're going to be the starter or not. That's on the coaches. The only thing you can do is prove to them you're the most qualified for the job."

The Panthers aren't simply going to hand Cam Newton their starting quarterback job. Carolina is prepared to have Newton and second-year player Jimmy Clausen compete for the job in training camp. "I've heard from team officials that the Panthers will not play Newton extensively until he shows a firm grasp of the offense and they build a supporting cast that will enable him to have success as a starter," Bucky Brooks of NFL.com writes.

Panthers linebacker Jon Beason won a civil suit Thursday brought by a man who accused the three-time Pro Bowl pick of punching him in the face at a Charlotte strip club. After five hours of deliberations over two days, the jury of eight women and four men determined Beason did not strike Gregory Frye nearly two years ago. The jury also ruled Frye slandered Beason and awarded Beason $1 in damages.

Bills rookie defensive lineman Marcell Dareus hopes to get a chance to make the Panthers and Broncos pay for passing on him during last month's NFL Draft. Dareus was drafted by Buffalo with the third overall pick, but he felt he was a good fit for both Carolina (1st) and Denver (2nd). "If I ever get a chance to play Carolina I'm going to make them pay for passing up on me," Dareus told Michael Irvin during an interview on WQAM. "Denver I'll get a chance to play them in the regular season and I'm going to make it hell for them every time I play against them." Dareus didn't stop there. "My sole focus was for me not to give you a reason to not pick me and you still don't?" he said. "Okay, I understand you have needs somewhere else, but if you need somebody to control your front and be a commander across the front and not let anything happen? I work my butt off to do that, and you pass me up still? Okay, I've got something for you."

Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton has been working out with former NFL signal-callers at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL. Chris Weinke and Ken Dorsey have been working with the first overall pick in last month's NFL Draft. Dorsey played for current Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski at the University of Miami. Thus, Dorsey knows most of Carolina;s new offensive system. "It's a lot of material that I do not know, but each day I'm going in and learning something," Newton told the Associated Press. "So by the time ... the lockout is lifted and I get a chance to talk to Chudzinski and (QB coach Mike) Shula and meet back up with the team, I'll be on top of my game."

Steve Smith is unhappy in Carolina and wants to be in a competitive situation, but is New England a fit? Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes that he thinks "the Patriots are stocked at receiver, but if there is an injury and they are looking for a veteran in a trade scenario, Smith could represent a Randy Moss-type 2007 option if he's willing to reduce his salary to land in that competitive situation."