For the second day in a row, the Carolina Panthers have spent big to lock up one of their free agents.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Panthers and running back DeAngelo Williams reached an agreement on a five-year, $43 million deal that includes $21 million in guaranteed money. The deal comes a day after the Panthers gave defensive end Charles Johnson an even bigger deal.
When healthy, Williams is one of the game’s elite running backs. In 2008 he had a sensational year, with 1,515 yards, 18 touchdowns and a 5.5 yards per carry average. But his numbers slipped and he missed three games in 2009, and in 2010 he played in just six games, gaining just 361 yards and one touchdown, at 4.1 yards a carry.
So the biggest question is whether Williams can stay healthy. The Panthers obviously think he can.
