Freddie Jones

Jones signed in the offseason with the Panthers, who were below average in tight-end usage last season. They ranked 25th with 12.3 percent of their total passing yards going to their tight ends (league average was 17.2 percent). Given they weren’t enthralled with Kris Mangum’s and Mike Seidman’s receiving numbers, does it mean Jones will be a big part of the Carolina offense in 2005? Not necessarily. The team basically considers its tight end a sixth offensive lineman. Although Jones might be the best pass-catching tight end on the team – he’s never caught fewer than 35 passes in a season – the Panthers are primarily a running team and Jones will have to relearn long-forgotten blocking techniques as his role has been more about catching passes than flattening linebackers.