The Panthers could have a very unhappy player on their hands if CB Richard Marshall doesn't get a chance to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Marshall, frustrated that the Panthers had not signed him to the long-term deal he has been seeking, made it clear that he didn't expect to be back with the team when the 2010 season came to a close. The rules of free agency have not yet been determined, but Marshall, who has five accrued seasons, will be a restricted free agent for the second consecutive year if the league operates under the same free-agency rules it did last offseason.

Carolina extended a tender offer to him before the work stoppage, and he could find himself with few options — sign the tender and play on another one-year deal or hold out — unless an agreement is reached to allow players with four years of experience or more to become unrestricted free agents.

Marshall, a physical player and solid tackler, started every game in each of the past two seasons.

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