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 |
Panthers choose Pike over Cantwell for third QB
The Panthers have kept QB Tony Pike on the 53-man roster and have cut Hunter Cantwell.
Panthers place WR Wallace on I.R.; trim roster to 75
The Panthers placed WR Wallace Wright on I.R. Tuesday, one of five transactions made by the team.
OT Barton does not report to Panthers camp, may retire
OT Kirk Barton decided not to report to Panthers training camp one day after being claimed off waivers. Head coach John Fox believes Barton has decided to retire from football.
Panthers DE Brown restores optimism with recent play
Expectations have been high for DE Everette Brown since the Panthers traded a first-round pick to move up in the second round and draft him in 2009.
Clausen's toe injury will linger through season
Rookie QB Jimmy Clausen learned he will have to play the 2010 season through the pain in his right big toe.
Panthers OLT Gross’ rough start not a big concern
Panthers OLT Jordan Gross' start to the preseason was ugly, but we hear the team is not panicking about his future.
Panthers QB Clausen competing to become top backup
Speculation that Jimmy Clausen would challenge incumbent Matt Moore for a starting job has mostly died down since the spring, and now he'll need a strong showing just to win the backup job.
Reports: Panthers reach agreement with Clausen
The Panthers have agreed to terms with second-round pick Jimmy Clausen on a four-year deal, according to reports.
NFC South training-camp reports
In the seventh chapter of our training-camp reports, we look at the NFC South teams, including a Panthers team led defensively by LB Jon Beason.
Panthers sign third-round pick LaFell
The Panthers announced they signed third-round pick Brandon LaFell on Tuesday.
Three players competing to become Panthers’ starting right guard
Mackenzy Bernadeau, Duke Robinson and Geoff Schwartz are Carolina's top contenders at right guard, and each took reps with the first-team offense during offseason practices.
Job security not an issue for Panthers GM Hurney
There are reports that Panthers GM Marty Hurney's contract expired June 30, but we hear Hurney is in good standing with the organization and will not be looking for a new employer any time soon.
Panthers sign fourth-round pick Norwood
The Panthers announced they have signed DE-OLB Eric Norwood.
Panthers sign sixth-round pick Pike
The Panthers announced they have signed one of the two quarterbacks they drafted in April.
Panthers’ Smith could miss start of training camp with broken arm
A source close to Panthers WR Steve Smith told PFW that Smith suffered a broken arm — the same one he broke in a game in December — on Saturday and could miss the start of training camp.
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.
