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Has Keyshawn changed his ways?


kpholmes
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http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5439936

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Carolina receiver Steve Smith might have been the biggest influence in persuading Keyshawn Johnson to the sign with the Panthers.

 

"He threatened me a couple of times to make this decision," Johnson quipped Friday after signing a four-year contract to play for the Panthers.

Johnson, who negotiated the contract himself while his agent serves a one-year suspension, got a $19 million deal that includes a $5 million signing bonus.

 

"Was I unreasonable?" he asked general manager Marty Hurney.

 

"Apparently not!" Hurney fired back.

 

Johnson becomes the complement to Smith that the Panthers lacked last season during their run to the NFC championship game. Smith was their only big playmaker, and teams could clamp down on him to stop Carolina's offense.

 

Johnson called Smith "the most dominant force in the NFL at wide receiver" and said he was looking forward to lining up next to him.

 

"I didn't come here to catch 100 balls," Johnson said. "I came here because I feel Carolina is the team with the best chance to get to the Super Bowl."

 

Released last week by the Dallas Cowboys, Johnson rejected a bid from the New York Giants and also planned to meet with the Seahawks. But after coming to Charlotte on Thursday, he never made it to Seattle because the Panthers convinced him to stay.

 

"We have a wide receiver and a football player who is going to have a huge effect on this football team the next four years," Hurney said before handing Johnson his new No. 19 Panthers jersey.

 

Johnson said it doesn't bother him if quarterback Jake Delhomme considers Smith his No. 1 target.

 

"The only people who get caught up in No. 1 or No. 2 are the ones playing fantasy football," he said. "The only number that means anything is the number of (Super Bowl) rings you have on your finger.

 

"Steve is important to me and he's the reason I came here," he said. "And I'm important to him."

 

With Johnson on the field, defenses can't zero in on Smith because they'll know the Panthers have at least a second option. Carolina lacked that for most of the year because its running game took months to develop, and No. 2 receiver Keary Colbert had a big dropoff from his outstanding rookie season.

 

Now Johnson takes over that No. 2 role, where he can also be used as a blocker to open up DeShaun Foster and the running game. Colbert, who had offseason ankle surgery to correct a problem that apparently bothered him most of last year, won't have as much pressure on him.

 

But the signing of Johnson is out of character for the Panthers, who have made a public effort to run a problem-free program since John Fox became head coach in 2002. After a series of off-the-field problems, including former wide receiver Rae Carruth's conviction in a murder-for-hire plot on his pregnant girlfriend, the team has avoided signing players with bad reputations.

 

Johnson left the New York Jets and Tampa Bay on bad terms. But his last two years with the Cowboys have been trouble-free under disciplinarian Bill Parcells. Still, he couldn't avoid the questions about his character.

 

"How come everyone keeps signing me if I'm such a problem?" Johnson said. "I know I wouldn't sign Keyshawn for all this money if I'm a problem."

 

But he also said he has an image that's hard to shake.

 

"I'm Me-Shawn," he said, smiling at the nickname he inherited over the last 10 years in the league. "I'm fine with that."

 

Panthers officials talked to some of Johnson's former clubs and got positive reports.

 

"We knew we had a good player," Hurney said. "Everyone we talked to had something very good to say."

 

The quotes in the begginging sound very, very un-Keyshawn like and is a good sign for Panther fans. Is it just an act though?

Will we see Keyshawn get ugly when he isn't getting as many balls as he wants?

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"Steve is important to me and he's the reason I came here," he said. "And I'm important to him."

When did they start dating? At least that long distance relationship is over now and they can move on with their lives together. :D
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"The only people who get caught up in No. 1 or No. 2 are the ones playing fantasy football," he said. "The only number that means anything is the number of (Super Bowl) rings you have on your finger.

 

That's interesting, considering that MeShawn berated Michael Irvin last year for characterizing him as a "#2 WR." :D

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That's interesting, considering that MeShawn berated Michael Irvin last year for characterizing him as a "#2 WR."  :D

1387825[/snapback]

Oh Irvin... Let me count the ways....

 

I'm sure MeShawn thought, "what the heck, I'll show HIM who's right!" ...at that point he went straight to action. I guess Michael knows best.

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When did they start dating?  At least that long distance relationship is over now and they can move on with their lives together. :D

 

1387818[/snapback]

 

 

 

 

 

Not that there's anything wrong with that. :D

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Criticize if you choose...IMO the fit is perfect for the "O" at Carolina.....if Foster stays healthy....watch-out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Could be Super Bowl thoughts easily.... :D

 

1388427[/snapback]

 

 

 

 

 

this propels Smith into the top 3 at fantasy wideouts on any list...regardless if he has had only one spectacular year and a very good one...

 

I still won't draft him, because I'd have to sacrifice a RB...plus he's a WR...I never get a WR that early..

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this propels Smith into the top 3 at fantasy wideouts on any list...regardless if he has had only one spectacular year and a very good one...

 

I still won't draft him, because I'd have to sacrifice a RB...plus he's a WR...I never get a WR that early..

 

1388545[/snapback]

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, early 2nd round probably, and he will probably drop off some next year. It's very hard to repeat what he did and Carolina has lost some very good players.

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I think it's a good fit. Makes Carolina much better. They now have a quality, over the middle position receiver that will take the heat off Smith and improve the running game (at least until Foster gets hurt midway thru the season).

 

Has he changed? I would say yes. His Dallas years shows that.

 

He was a good, steady, dependable WR. And the Tampa Bay baggage. Looked to me like it stayed in Tampa Bay.

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