Panthers measure players' mentality

By Darin Gantt - The Herald

CHARLOTTE -- Because we latch onto the tangible, folks are constantly intrigued by the 40-yard dash times and other workouts at the NFL scouting combine. But the real work in Indianapolis is often done behind the scenes, and the interviews prospects have with teams are often more important than anything they do running around in shorts.

So Jon Beason was a bit surprised when it was his allotted time to talk to the Carolina Panthers two years ago, he didn't really talk much to anyone.

Beason said his combine interview with the Panthers was spent on a laptop computer, taking a personality test, one which told the Panthers exactly what they wanted to hear.

"At the time you really don't know what it's all about," Beason said. "But I remember last year, around midseason, I was having lunch with Mr. Richardson (owner Jerry), and he started telling me what kind of person I was based on that test. He said that I had the perfect mentality for football."

The personality test the Panthers use is designed to measure things like coachability, attitudes and how players solve problems. There were no football questions involved, as they were more interested at the moment at what was in his head rather than what they could watch on tape.

"There's no real trick to it, I just knew I had to be myself," Beason said of taking the test. "There are a lot of guys who try to manipulate it, try to say what they think teams want to hear. In the end, you have to be yourself, that will come through."

Beason said Richardson told him the test indicated that he had strong leadership skills, and that the game mattered to him deeply. Backup tight end Dante Rosario had a similar score, which Beason understands now.

"It's kind of eerie now, because we do think alike," Beason said of the tight end.

� RESTRICTED AREA: Free agency begins Friday, but the Panthers have some choices to make before then. They have four pending restricted free agents, and the cost of tagging them has swollen to the point it has to make them think about what to do before Thursday's deadline to offer contracts.

The low tender for RFAs is $1.01 million, which allows teams compensation based on what round the player was drafted. The next tender level is $1.545 million, which provides second-round compensation.

They'll likely stick the second-round tender on tight end Jeff King, since there's an outside chance someone would make a run at a solid starter for the cost of a fifth-round pick. It's the same strategy they used last year giving the higher tender to offensive lineman Geoff Hangartner.

The question then becomes whether they should tender the other three RFAs at all. Safety Nate Salley, linebacker James Anderson and defensive tackle Gary Gibson are all backups and special teamers who could be retained more cheaply.

Considering the $16.683 million they're chewing on disgruntled franchise player Julius Peppers, handing out seven-figure deals to spare parts might be a luxury they can't afford.

� HOT ON HIS TRAIL: Left tackle Jordan Gross said a side benefit to signing his new contract was that quarterback Jake Delhomme might leave him alone.

Gross said Delhomme was constantly sending text messages, calling and leaving voicemails, anything he could to encourage his trusted blocker to stay. In that sense, he was a little like the reporters following the story.

"I don't know if Jake could be a writer, with his language," Gross said with a laugh. "But he could be a private investigator, because he was on the case."

� EXTRA POINTS: Some eyebrows were raised last season when the Panthers signed kicker John Kasay, 39, to a four-year extension. But the last week showed why it's likely a good investment.

The free agent market at his position essentially disappeared when Cincinnati franchised Shayne Graham and Detroit's Jason Hanson and Tennessee's Rob Bironas got new long-term deals before the market opened. So it was key that the Panthers retained Kasay, still one of the most reliable field goal men in the league.