Jimmy Clausen and the Panthers Agree to Deal in Time for Training Camp
The Carolina Panthers have secured their top draft pick in time for training camp. Quarterback (QB) Jimmy Clausen reached a deal with the Panthers on a four-year contract worth $6.3 million with $2.5 million guaranteed. The deal was signed just in time before training camp, ensuring the Panthers will not have any rookie holdouts throughout the camp.
Clausen was picked in the second round of this year’s draft by the Panthers. It came as a huge surprise to the team that Clausen slipped all the way that far. The former Notre Dame star was expected to be a top-10 pick, so the Panthers didn’t think they’d land a quarterback of his calibre, but fortunately they did.
The team has many questions surrounding their quarterbacking situation after releasing long-time franchise QB Jake Delhomme this offseason. Delhomme had a miserable 2009 season after signing a five-year contract extension with the team just one year before.
Going into training camp, Matt Moore is the team’s starting quarterback for now. He proved towards the end of last season that he can manage the offence and doesn’t turn the ball over often.
Moore is likely just the team’s short-term solution at quarterback, while Clausen has to be their long-term solution. With his cannon arm, deadly accuracy, and unquestioned talent, he certainly will get a look somewhere down the road to lead the team.
Clausen’s agent, Gary Wichard, and the Panthers worked long into the night to come to an agreement. A fourth year escalator was included in the deal that tops $2.85 million, which is rare for a second round draft pick.
You could argue though that Clausen’s value was not really a second round pick. Carolina was very lucky to get him that late, as were the Browns when they drafted Colt McCoy in the third round.
In the 2010 draft, there were four quarterbacks that everyone was looking at: Sam Bradford, who was drafted first overall by St. Louis, Tim Tebow, who was surprisingly drafted ahead of Clausen, McCoy in the first round by Denver, and of course Clausen himself.
Heading into training camp, Clausen will have to work his way up. Going in the second round was a loss for him. It wasn’t what he had in mind when he opted out of his senior collegiate season to enroll in the draft. The good news is he’s now on a team that appears primed for a fresh start, and he has a chance to lead them to success in the future.
Many wonder if that future is right now. Sure he’s expected to be the third string quarterback in training camp behind Matt Moore and Hunter Cantwell, but many feel he can earn the starting job by the end of camp or by some point this season. It’s certainly been done before.
Usually some teams opt to keep rookie quarterbacks on the bench in their first year to learn from an experienced starter. Some like to get the rookies in there right away, either because they’re ready for the NFL or the team is simply out of options.
It works for some and not for others. Chad Henne of the Dolphins sat out his rookie season as Chad Pennington’s backup, and he looks great right now. Matt Leinart has been learning from Kurt Warner for the last couple of years and will get a second chance to start this year. Other QB’s led their teams throughout the rookie season. Vince Young, after his Titans start in 2006, led them to an 8-8 finish; and Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers to a 15-1 record in his rookie season. So it really all depends on the quarterback and the system.
At least the Panthers have him for the start of camp and Clausen will get to learning about what life as an NFL quarterback is all about.
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