CHARLOTTE -- The Carolina Panthers so far have remained true to their word to have a quiet start to the NFL's free agency signing period.
Barely a whisper has been heard from the Panthers, who signed former Colts defensive tackle Ed Johnson, a street free agent, before the full-blown signing period opened March 5. Since then they've only signed Wallace Wright, a wide receiver whom his former team, the Jets, chose not to tender as a restricted free agent.
The Panthers are one of 16 teams who have not signed an unrestricted free agent. However, seven of those clubs either have traded for a likely starter or signed a potential front-liner recently cut by another team.
That makes Carolina one of the nine least active teams so far in free agency, though it must also be noted that four clubs hadn't signed any outside players yet (Dallas, Green Bay, New Orleans and Oakland) as of Saturday afternoon.
The Panthers' strategy appears to have been mainly to explore the outer edges of the free agency market, checking into younger role players whose contracts won't be costly.
Former San Francisco defensive back/special teamer Marcus Hudson, another restricted free agent who wasn't tendered, is expected to visit the Panthers soon, according to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.
Johnson, Wright and Hudson are not household names.
Coupled with the Panthers' surprisingly extensive cutting of veterans, there's a broad perception that the team's talent level and competitive capacity has dropped substantially rather than improved over the past several weeks.
One of the best players in franchise history, defensive end Julius Peppers, left via free agency and signed a six-year, $84 million contract with the Chicago Bears.
The Panthers cut five big-name players in the 30-and-over club - quarterback Jake Delhomme, fullback Brad Hoover, defensive tackles Damione Lewis and Maake Kemoeatu, and outside linebacker Na'il Diggs.
And the sad farewells may not be over.
Panthers fans at Bank of America Stadium already know they won't be able to chant "Hooooov!" anymore for Hoover, but they may also have to cease cheering "Mooooose!" since there's been no indication so far that the team intends to re-sign unrestricted free-agent receiver Muhsin Muhammad, who turns 36 in May.
Another starter whose return is in doubt is unrestricted free-agent defensive end Tyler Brayton, who recently visited the Seattle Seahawks.
The eight aforementioned players who've either left, been cut or are still unsigned have combined to start an astonishing 596 regular-season games for the Panthers and comprised a sizeable chunk of the locker room leadership.
In fairness to team officials, however, age or injuries could've been a factor in some of their decisions. Hoover was limited to four starts and 11 games played last year by a series of injuries, including early season-season back spasms. Muhammad's 13 starts were his fewest since 2001. Kemoeatu missed the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Still, the veteran cuts were so sudden, far-reaching and unexpected that Panthers fans and many analysts around the league are struggling to figure out the team's long-range plan.
After all, the entire starting defensive line is no longer on the roster - Peppers, Lewis, Brayton and Hollis Thomas.
Another sign of heightened conservatism is the fact that Fox and his assistant coaches all are in the final year of their contracts. It all adds up to almost certainly the most awkward offseason in franchise history, which team officials aren't eager to discuss.
General manager Marty Hurney has kept a lower profile since the season ended than at any time 2002, choosing not to make comments to the media except in news conferences.
Hurney made it clear in two news conferences since the season ended - Feb. 23 when the decision not to franchise Peppers was announced and March 5 when Delhomme's release was the primary topic - that the Panthers likely wouldn't be big players in free agency.
Hurney emphasized that the team always keeps all of its options open, but that in recent years has become more dependent on building through the draft and signing undrafted rookies because of the team's success in those areas.
"We're going to stick with that philosophy," Hurney said.
Hurney also said he understood the rumblings of dissatisfaction from fans who want to see big free agency moves.
"Basically, we are trying to make the best decisions for this football team," he said.
Hurney said the Panthers have young players they believe are ready to step in for the departed veterans and "sometimes you have to force yourself to give those guys that opportunity and that experience."
Perhaps more than ever, the Panthers are a mystery team. Questions, like quiet, abound, and answers - at least for now - are in short supply.
