Early Saturday evening in the span of about an hour, Panthers officials did and said a couple of things that signaled the complacency that seemed to settle in after the 2015 Super Bowl season won’t be tolerated.
By drafting a kicker in the seventh round and confirming wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin had shown up to offseason workouts overweight, the Panthers put returning kicker Graham Gano and Benjamin on notice.
Both players are coming off disappointing seasons.
While Graham Gano’s situation is strictly production-related, Kelvin Benjamin’s involves production and pounds.
Gano missed eight field goals in 2016, including a 50-yard, tone-setter in the Super Bowl rematch at Denver in Week 1.