Panthers Dragging Their Feet in Signing Gross

Someone needs to tell Jordan Gross that sitting and staring at his phone isn't going to make it ring.

Yes, the offensive tackle is eager to get a long-term deal from the Carolina Panthers, and by all accounts, Carolina wants to give him one, but it appears they're using that franchise tag as a crutch and focusing on other deals for the time being. One way or another, Gross will be a well-paid tackle for the Panthers in 2008, but he's clearly bothered by Marty Hurney's pace on this deal.

Of course, Hurney is juggling a lot of deals right now. His focus appears to be on bringing back Mike Rucker and Brad Hoover, though the availability of Alge Crumpler may be complicating Hoover's deal. The Panthers would seem set at tight end with youngsters Jeff King and Dante Rosario, but if the team brings in Crumpler, John Fox could move Rosario to fullback, which would mean less playing time for Hoover, who has a lot more mileage on him.

Plus, while Crumpler might be an upgrade at tight end, signing him wouldn't give Caroilna any real inside knowledge of the Falcons coaching tendencies. (Arkansas won't be on the Panthers' schedule this year.) The perfect player for that? Sammy Knight, who started at safety for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season. Former Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Smith is now the Falcons' head coach. Then again, the Panthers still don't care who their other safety is, do they?