Carolina Panthers
Drayton Florence - #29 - CB
| Status | Active |
| Height/Weight | 6' 0"/ 193 lbs. |
| Birthday | 12/19/1980 |
| Birthplace | Waycross, GA |
| College | Tuskegee |
| Years played | 11 |
| Drafted | 2003, 2nd round, 14th pick by Chargers |
Rivera running out of time to get Panthers trending upward
Ron Rivera has kept his team together during its disappointing season, but Carolina is not moving in a direction that is likely to satisfy the team owner.
NFC South Spin cycle: Falcons cross one hurdle
The NFC South-champion Falcons dealt the rival Saints a blow in Week 13, and the Panthers and Bucs both came up short out West.
Chiefs defeat Panthers on emotional day in K.C.
Brady Quinn threw for 201 yards and two touchdowns, and Jamaal Charles ran for 127 yards in the Chiefs' 27-21 victory over their Panthers
Chiefs: Sunday's game to be played as scheduled
The Chiefs will play Sunday's game vs. the Panthers as scheduled, the team announced Saturday afternoon.
Panthers DT Edwards out for season with dislocated elbow
Panthers DT Ron Edwards suffered a dislocated elbow in Monday night’s win over the Eagles and will miss the rest of the season.
Newton leads Panthers past Eagles
Cam Newton threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more to lead the Panthers to a 30-22 victory over the Eagles on Monday night.
NFC South Spin cycle: Falcons keep hanging on
It will not quiet the skeptics, but the Falcons did ensure this would be their third consecutive double-digit win season on Sunday.
Panthers sign PK Gano, waive PK Medlock
The Panthers signed PK Graham Gano on Tuesday and waived PK Justin Medlock.
NFC South Spin cycle: Stage set for Falcons-Bucs battle
The Panthers hit a new low, but the rest of the NFC South was victorious Sunday, including the Falcons and Bucs, who will meet next week.
Rivera, Mularkey, Shurmur don't come through in clutch
Embattled head coaches have something in common: They all make late-game situational mistakes that cost their teams.
Freeman, Buccaneers come back to stun Panthers
Josh Freeman threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Clark in overtime to cap the Buccaneers' 27-21 comeback win over the Panthers on Sunday.
Accorsi taking hard look at Panthers operation
League observers have speculated on who Ernie Accorsi has on the list of GM candidates he will submit to Panthers owner Jerry Richardson.
NFC South Spin cycle: Saints, Bucs keeping playoff hopes alive
The talk of an undefeated season is over for the Falcons, but the playoff hopes for the Saints and Buccaneers are still alive coming off Week 10 wins.
Panthers fire special-teams coordinator
The Panthers fired special-teams coordinator Brian Murphy and replaced him with Richard Rodgers, the team’s assistant special-teams coach.
Panthers owner Richardson responds to L.A. report
Panthers owner Jerry Richardson released a statement on Sunday about the team staying in Carolina.
PLAYER NEWS
The Detroit Lions have signed cornerback Drayton Florence.|||||||
The 31-year-old Florence has played nine seasons in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills. He was released Friday by the Denver Broncos. Florence started all 16 games the past two seasons for the Bills. Lions coach Jim Schwartz says he can bring experience to Detroit's secondary.
The Denver Broncos have agreed to terms with Florence, who was released by the Buffalo Bills last week.|||||||
Florence is a 10th-year pro whose release from the Bills was regarded as a mild surprise. He had 45 starts in 46 games during his three-year stint with Buffalo. But he was slated to make $4 million in base salary this season and the Bills took South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore and LSU cornerback Ron Brooks in the draft.
Buffalo Bills starting cornerback Drayton Florence has a sprained ankle that will keep him out of the team's preseason opener at Chicago next weekend.|||||||
Coach Chan Gailey spoke after practice Sunday, saying Florence will miss up to a week. The defensive back was hurt a day earlier when he landed awkwardly while defending a receiver in the end zone. The eight-year NFL veteran was the Bills' most consistent cornerback last season. He re-signed with the team prior to training camp.
Florence practiced on a limited basis for the second straight day Thursday, though it's unlikely he'll be ready for Sunday's opener after missing three weeks with a knee injury.|||||||
Florence is a reserve cornerback and has no fantasy value even when healthy.
The Buffalo Bills agreed to terms with Florence late Tuesday night. Terms of the deal were not immediately available.|||||||
The 28-year-old Florence will provide the secondary with some depth as he becomes the fifth cornerback on the team's roster. Buffalo will head into the 2009 season with Terrence McGee and 2008 first-round pick (11th overall) Leodis McKelvin as the starters, with Florence in the mix to occupy the nickel role. Florence was cut by Jacksonville last month after signing a lucrative six-year, $36 million deal - with about $12 million guaranteed - with the Jaguars in 2008.
