Even before NFL owners ratified their end of the labor agreement last week, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson called his shot. He stood in a hotel near the Atlanta airport and, in a rare interview, told the media his team would be aggressive in free agency, especially when it came to keeping its own players. That was music to the ears of Carolina fans, who hadn’t seen much spending out of the team in recent years. The music just got a lot louder. The Panthers have agreed to terms to keep running back DeAngelo Williams. The deal is for five years and is worth $43 million with about $21 million in guaranteed money. That comes fewer than 24 hours after the Panthers announced they had an agreement with defensive end Charles Johnson, who reportedly can earn up to $72 million. Oh, and don’t forget the fact the Panthers also have agreed to terms with former Kansas City defensive tackle Ron Edwards on a deal that’s worth $8.25 million. Read more: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/22757/the-flip-side-of-jerry-richardsons-plan
