Appearing on video chat with fans on Livestream on the eve of free agency, DeAngelo Williams told listeners that he’ll meet with general manager Marty Hurney on Tuesday at Bank of America Stadium to discuss his future.
The Panthers can begin talking to free agents Tuesday but can’t sign anyone until Friday under new league rules established Monday.
“I honestly and truly want to stay a Carolina Panther and they’re doing their part of keep me a Carolina Panther,” Williams said. “So I’m very excited about that. Carolina gets the first stab at me. If everything looks great, then why entertain other offers? So that’s where we stand right now.
“There are possibly a few other teams I don’t know about right now, but I’m pretty excited about where we are going as far as me and the Panthers. Wish me luck. I’m going in (to the stadium) as a Panther and I want to stay a Panther. I want to retire as Panther. But at the end of the day it’s a business.”
Williams said he’s heard the rumors about him possibly heading to Denver to rejoin former coach John Fox, but cautioned, “I had countless people hit me up on Facebook saying that I’m going to Denver. Don’t believe what you hear.”
He even went so far as to say that he's excited about Carolina's new offense.
“[OC Rob Chudzinski] said he has a big role for me and Jonathan [Stewart] to play this year and I’m pretty excited about that,” Williams said. “They even have packages where they will put me and Jonathan in at the same time, so it’s going to be pretty cool.”
Williams certainly doesn't sound like he has one foot out the door. If he re-signs with the Panthers it's going to diminish his own value as well as Jonathan Stewart's. Under John Fox, the Panthers were very run-oriented, so with a new regime in town it's doubtful that there will be enough carries to go around to keep both RBs fantasy viable on a week-to-week basis. If Williams returns, he figures to continue as the starter, while Stewart would rotate in.
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