[CBFF] I'd take a flyer on him...

[Jerry Madsen]

Updated: May 1, 2007, 7:03 PM ET
Johnson cut a month after being paid $3M bonus
ESPN.com news services

Keyshawn Johnson
Johnson

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Carolina Panthers released receiver Keyshawn
Johnson on Tuesday, three days after they selected another former
Southern California receiver in the second round of the draft.

"They said they wanted to get younger," Johnson told the St.
Petersburg Times. "That's fine with me. I'd like to go somewhere and
help someone win another Super Bowl."

It was thought Johnson would help groom Dwayne Jarrett, taken in the
second round with the 45th pick. But apparently Johnson was deemed
expendable -- he and Jarrett are both 6-foot-4 possession receivers.

The Panthers also selected receiver Ryne Robinson in the fourth round
of the draft. While he will likely be primarily used as a punt
returner, he did catch 91 passes at Miami of Ohio last season. The
Panthers also have receivers Drew Carter and Keary Colbert on the
roster.

"We appreciated the contribution of Keyshawn in his season with the
Panthers," coach John Fox said. "He brought us high production, but at
this time, we are in a situation in which we have a number of young
receivers and thought this was the right time to make the decision."

Johnson, who will turn 35 in July, had 70 catches for 815 yards and
four touchdowns last season, his first with Carolina, and became the
16th player in NFL history with 800 career catches. The Panthers
signed the former No. 1 overall pick last year after he was released
by Dallas in a salary cap move so the Cowboys could sign Terrell
Owens.

Calls placed to Johnson by The Associated Press on Tuesday were not
immediately returned. Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said he
had a couple phone conversations with him.

"I don't think he agreed with the decision. I think he feels like he
could have come in and helped us in our goal of trying to get to the
playoffs and win the championship, but I think he understood our
thought process," Hurney said. "I would just say he didn't agree with
it."

Johnson worked as an analyst for ESPN during the network's draft
coverage last weekend. When Carolina selected Jarrett, Johnson
remarked he was "much like me" for his size and good hands and said he
was looking forward to taking him under his wing.

Johnson has said in the past he would like to work in television after
his career his over. He remarked recently he would also be interested
in becoming a general manager of a team.

However, Johnson said late last season he wanted to play at least two
more years and get to 1,000 career receptions. Johnson didn't appear
to be slowing down last season.

Johnson was taken by the New York Jets with the No. 1 overall pick in
the 1996 draft. He's always been productive but has also clashed with
coaches and teammates while earning the nickname "Me-Shawn." He wrote
the famous tell-all book "Just Give Me the Damn Ball" after his rookie
season that ruffled feathers.

Johnson later helped Tampa Bay win the Super Bowl in the 2002 season.
But a year later, Johnson was deactivated for the final six games
after a feud with coach Jon Gruden.

Still, Bill Parcells, who coached him in both New York and Dallas,
called Johnson one of the best players he's ever coached, and there
was no apparent rift between Johnson and Fox in Carolina. When Johnson
signed with Carolina, he said he was content being the No. 2 receiver
behind star Steve Smith.

"I think all you have to do is look at the timing of this decision to
figure out that there was nothing more to this than the fact we made
the commitment to develop our younger wide receivers," Hurney said.
"The decision was made that we had a big enough group of young wide
receivers that we were going to commit in that direction."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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