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The Carolina Panthers will use their franchise tag on center Ryan Kalil, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
NFC South blog
Yasinkas ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas writes about all things NFC South in his division blog.
• Blog network: NFL Nation
The Panthers' decision will allow running back DeAngelo Williams and defensive end Charles Johnson to become unrestricted free agents and potentially leave Carolina.
The 25-year-old Kalil is coming off his second straight Pro Bowl season.
Drafted 27th overall in the 2006 draft, the 27-year-old Williams holds the Panthers' franchise mark for career rushing yards (4,211) and rushing touchdowns (31). In 2008, he led the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns and 20 total scores. He made his only Pro Bowl appearance in 2009.
Johnson, 24, led the Panthers with 11½ sacks.
After rushing for 1,515 yards in 2008 and 1,117 in 2009, Williams' numbers declined dramatically last season as the Panthers became the NFL's lowest-scoring team.
He managed only 361 yards and was averaging 4.1 yards a carry -- a yard worse than his career average going into the season -- when he injured his foot late in a victory Oct. 24 against San Francisco.
When the Panthers suffered numerous other injuries and needed to sign an offensive lineman, the Panthers placed Williams on injured reserve Nov. 17.
In 2009, Williams and Jonathan Stewart, 23, became the first first teammates in NFL history to each rush for more than 1,000 yards. Stewart is signed through the 2012 season.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
NFC South blog
Yasinkas ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas writes about all things NFC South in his division blog.
• Blog network: NFL Nation
The Panthers' decision will allow running back DeAngelo Williams and defensive end Charles Johnson to become unrestricted free agents and potentially leave Carolina.
The 25-year-old Kalil is coming off his second straight Pro Bowl season.
Drafted 27th overall in the 2006 draft, the 27-year-old Williams holds the Panthers' franchise mark for career rushing yards (4,211) and rushing touchdowns (31). In 2008, he led the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns and 20 total scores. He made his only Pro Bowl appearance in 2009.
Johnson, 24, led the Panthers with 11½ sacks.
After rushing for 1,515 yards in 2008 and 1,117 in 2009, Williams' numbers declined dramatically last season as the Panthers became the NFL's lowest-scoring team.
He managed only 361 yards and was averaging 4.1 yards a carry -- a yard worse than his career average going into the season -- when he injured his foot late in a victory Oct. 24 against San Francisco.
When the Panthers suffered numerous other injuries and needed to sign an offensive lineman, the Panthers placed Williams on injured reserve Nov. 17.
In 2009, Williams and Jonathan Stewart, 23, became the first first teammates in NFL history to each rush for more than 1,000 yards. Stewart is signed through the 2012 season.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.