Eli Manning Jersey from SADASD's blog

First and foremost Roquan Smith Jersey , the team is officially for sale.

The end of the season means Panthers owner Jerry Richardson will begin actively accepting offers to purchase the franchise he brought to the Carolinas as an expansion team in 1993. The Panthers began play in 1995 but never won a Super Bowl under Richardson, despite his promise in 1993 to win a championship ”within 10 years.”

The 81-year-old Richardson announced last month he was selling the team after reports of alleged sexual and racial misconduct in the workplace led to an NFL investigation. That investigation is ongoing.

”It will be an interesting offseason to see how things work out,” Panthers tight end Greg Olsen said as he cleaned out his locker on Monday.

”None of us have been through something like this, of course. It doesn’t happen often in the NFL.”

Panthers coach Ron Rivera at his final news conference of the season that ”it’s going to be different; it’s going to be weird” not having Richardson around.

While the league will surely push to keep a franchise in Charlotte, where it has successfully sold out all but two games during its history, there is no telling if the new owners would consider moving the team. Rivera hopes the Panthers stay in Charlotte.

”I think this is a great area and I think we have shown that we (are) supported by the community,” Rivera said.

Panthers interim general manager Marty Hurney got emotional Monday as he shook hands with players as they left the locker room.

He tried to hold back tears when asked about the end of the Richardson era.

”Sure, it’s more emotional,” said Hurney Joe Namath Jets Jersey , who previously worked for the Panthers from 1998-2012. ”Anytime the finality of losing a playoff game is hard to take. And then when you have these other things it’s hard.”

The impending sale of the team is just one of many uncertainties surrounding the Panthers this offseason. Here are some others:

FRONT OFFICE QUESTIONS: While Rivera received a two-year contract extension through 2020 last week, the Panthers front office remains up in the air. Hurney was re-hired by Richardson to serve on an interim basis last summer but his contract expires June 30.

Hurney said Monday he would like to stay on, saying ”I love what I’m doing right now.” Rivera and several players also threw their support behind Hurney coming on in a full-time role again.

REPLACING ANOTHER COORDINATOR: Rivera seems pretty certain he will lose a defensive coordinator for the second straight offseason with Steve Wilks scheduled to meet with the Giants, Lions and Colts for vacant head coaching positions.

Wilks is viewed as a favorite in New York, where former Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman is now calling the shots. Rivera said if Wilks leaves he’s leaning toward promoting an assistant from inside the organization.

”I feel really good about the guys that we have in place and being able to replace Steve,” Rivera said. That means linebackers coach Al Holcomb, defensive line coach Eric Washington and defensive backs coach Curtis Fuller would be the top candidates.

PEPPERS UNDECIDED ON FUTURE: The future of defensive end Julius Peppers remains uncertain, too. Peppers, who turns 38 this month Jimmy Garoppolo 49ers Jersey , said he will take some time before making a decision whether to return for a 17th season.

Peppers had a successful season with 11 sacks and two forced fumbles in a situational role and served as a valuable mentor in the locker room to players such as Mario Addison. ”He can play as long as he wants, clearly,” said defensive end Charles Johnson.

ROSTER CHANGING: While linebacker Thomas Davis said ”the window is still open” for the Panthers to win a Super Bowl, the reality is this is getting to be an old football team. Peppers is not alone in the long-in-the-tooth category.

Safety Mike Adams will be 37 next season, Davis 35, Olsen and center Ryan Kalil 33, Johnson 32, running back Jonathan Stewart 31, and safety Kurt Coleman and nickel cornerback Captain Munnerlyn will have turned 30. All but Munnerlyn are starters. Olsen thinks the core of the team will remain.

”This is a team that has been very competitive and I don’t see why anyone would come in and mess with that Myles Garrett Jersey Youth ,” Olsen said.

DEEP THREAT NEEDED: Clearly one of the biggest needs for the Panthers this offseason will be finding some help for Cam Newton, particular a deep threat at wide receiver.

While last year’s second-round pick Curtis Samuel and Damiere Byrd helped fill that role at times this season, neither could stay healthy leaving the Panthers without a player who could stretch the defense.

The Panthers let wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. walk last offseason in free agency and it bit them again Sunday as Ginn caught an 80-yard touchdown pass in the Saints’ wild-card win.

—

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank believes players should have the right to speak out on important issues even though he isn’t expecting his players to protest during the national anthem this season.

Blank says just like last season, Falcons players have been asked to stand for the national anthem.

He said the Falcons are ”very committed to the military.” He also says he believes players have ”very significant rights” and appeared to say he wouldn’t fine players for exercising those rights.

Blank said players should be allowed to make their own decisions on what he described as the ”complex issue” of standing or kneeling for the national anthem.

”So if you have players who still feel that’s the way they have to express themselves, they will,” he said, adding ”I don’t think you’ll see” protests.

”But it’s far better in my opinion to have somebody make those decisions themselves than to hit them over the head with a hammer,” he said.

Blank’s comments came as the NFL and NFLPA, the players’ union Eli Manning Jersey , held what they said in a joint statement was ”a constructive meeting” about the anthem policy. They said their talks will continue.

Last season, two Falcons defensive linemen – Grady Jarrett and Dontari Poe, now with Carolina – knelt during the anthem before the team’s game at Detroit on Sept. 24. After the game, coach Dan Quinn described the action as a ”one-off.”

The Falcons held a team meeting and decided players would stand together during the anthem for other games.

Quinn said that decision was not a written policy ”but more one that was really based on the heart of brotherhood to say, `What we do, we’ll do it together.”’

No players took a knee during the anthem the remainder of the season.

—

.