Four year veteran long snapper JJ Jansen was signed to a four year contract extension. Jansen was a bright spot for the Panthers in an otherwise dismal kicking game during the 2011. He finished the season with a perfect record, no fumbles or bad snaps. Re-signing the sure handed snapper was a no brainier really and could be the stable building block the team will need if they have to go in a new direction with the kickers going in to 2012.

Jansen played his college football at Notre Dame, and signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2008. The Panthers traded a conditional draft pick for him in 2009 and he has been with the team since.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

A 2009 fifth-round pick out of TCU by the Baltimore Ravens, Phillips spent his rookie season on injured reserve before recording five tackles in nine games in 2010. Waived by the Ravens, Phillips was claimed by the Panthers in Week 2. Phillips was credited with four tackles in four games before landing on injured reserve with a calf injury.

Phillips was scheduled to be a restricted free agent this off-season.

There still are some loyal people out there. NFL.com posted a story today about a guy named Matt Rowell, who they classify as a “yard-sale enthusiast,” which basically means either a guy that watches a lot of “Storage Wars” looking for loot to sell, or someone who is too lazy to get a job.

Anyway, seems that Rowell found at a recent house selling all their junk a prize – a playbook from the Carolina Panthers from Super Bowl XXXVIII, won by the Patriots 32-29.

The playbook, as NFL.com wrote, had not only the plays, but also “sensitive financial information about the team’s star players.”

Like what – that Jake Delhomme was overpaid?

The 26-year-old “yard-sale enthusiast” also found a pair of Kris Jenkins’ size 16 cleats. I can’t imagine how you just “find” something like that, but whatever.

Rowell, looking for 15 minutes of fame, has decided to GIVE THE PLAYBOOK BACK to the Panthers, probably in hopes that the team will give him an autographed Cam Newton ball or something like that.

“I enjoyed it for a week,” Rowell told WCNC-TV. “I was like, you know what, this really belongs more to the fans than it does to me, or for me selling it, because if I were to sell it on Craigslist or eBay or wherever, then that person may then sell it to the Falcons or to the Saints. It’s just stuff that you can’t, as a die-hard fan. you just can’t do that.”

Uh, ok.

Interesting sidenote to the ordeal, Rowell also found a pair of 2004 Pro Bowl playbooks, which he plans to keep, and will probably at some point turn up on EBay. That is unless he gets guilty about that too.

The Panthers and long-snapper J.J. Jansen have reached agreement on a four-year contract extension, Jansen’s agent, Paul Sheehy, announced on Twitter.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Originally signed by the Packers as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame, Jansen spent his rookie season on injured reserve and was traded to the Panthers in 2009. Jansen has handled the snapping duties and been credited with six tackles in 48 games with the Panthers.

Jansen played last season under a one-year, $1.2 million restricted free agent tender and was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in March.

Playing the entire second half, Newton was 9-of-27 passing with two touchdowns and three interceptions – one of which was returned for a touchdown. While Newton conceded it was difficult to gauge the intensity level of the defense, he said it shouldn’t have mattered.

“That’s my job to find and still perform at a high level. I think I failed myself, and to some degree the fans. I didn’t put on my best performance,” Newton said Thursday. “But I was still trying to get into a groove or rhythm of the game. But at the end of the day, it’s still football. And if you’re not out there giving it your all, it will show. You live and you learn. I’m not going to point any fingers or take any shots at anybody because at the end of the day football is still a physical sport,” Newton said. “So what was done to me was done to me, and I take it all with a love of the game. Hopefully, I get back there and have a better performance.”

Just wanted to drop a quick note during the Pro Bowl half time break to let you know that for the first time in their history the Panthers are changing their logo. Announced today, the changes are mostly to the eyes and shading and serve to modernize the Panthers identity. In addition the logo typeface has been updated, sporting a cleaner easier to read look. Head over to the Panthers announcement to read all the details.

The rookie QB has been added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster, taking the spot of Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who will be preparing for Super Bowl XLVI.

Selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Newton passed for a single-season rookie record 4,051 yards with 21 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, adding 706 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns, setting an NFL single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.

Newton will join Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and New Orleans’ Drew Brees as the third quarterback on the NFC roster.

What you will find below is my take on those players who have had the biggest impact for the Panthers while they were playing for the team. There are some players who were left off because while they were great players in the NFL, they did not have as great an impact as Carolina Panthers.

Each fan will have their opinions and ideas on who should and shouldn’t be on this list. Honestly, that’s what makes being a fan so much fun. I look forward to the debate.

Here are my picks.

20. Jordon Gross

Gross was a rookie during the Panthers 2003 Super Bowl season. The Panthers, coming off a 7-9 drafted Gross out of Utah in the first round with the 8th pick. He has started every game (132) since then a right tackle for the Panthers. The only exception to this streak was the end of the 2009 season which he missed due to a broken ankle. During his career he has gone to the Pro-Bowl twice as well as winning several All-Pro and All-Rookie awards.

19. Dan Morgan

Morgan is the first of several great Panthers linebacker on my list. Morgan was drafted in the first round of the 2001 draft. During his rookie season he started eleven games at linebacker collecting 75 tackles. During the 2004 season he had 109 tackles and 5 sacks leading to his selection as starting linebacker for the Pro-Bowl that year. If his career had not been cut short in 2007 by an ankle injury, I feel certain he would be higher on my list.

18. Brentson Buckner

Brentson Buckner was defensive tackle from Clemson drafted in the second round of the 1994 draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although he didn’t join the Panthers squad until the 2001 season, he played an integral role in his four seasons with the team. In particular during the team’s 2003 run to Super Bowl XXXVIII he played one on of the most dominant defensive lines in league that year. This run, and the lines dominance, qualifies Buckner for inclusion in this list. He finished his Panthers career with 168 tackles and 14.5 sacks.

17. Johnathan Stewart

Johnathan Stewart’s NFL career has really just begun having been drafted by the Panthers in 2008. During that short time he has shone as part of the tandem known as “Double Trouble” with Deangelo Williams. Stewart holds the rookie rushing record for a Panther with 836 yards. He also holds the Panthers single game rushing record for an outstanding 206 yard performance against the Giants during the 2009 season. That season Stewart rushed for 1,133 yards, and along with his partner in the backfield, became the first duo to rush for over 1,100 yards each.

16. Stephen Davis

Running back Stephen Davis only played two seasons with the Carolina Panthers. However, he had the best season of his career with the team, as well as being integral to the teams 2003 Super Bowl run. The former Auburn star was drafted by the Redskins in 1996 and played six seasons for them. Davis went to the Pro Bowl three times and in 2003 he finished in the top five during voting for league MVP. After the 2003 season he was plagued by nagging knee injuries. Davis eventually signed a one day contract with the Panthers so that he could retire as a Panther. Currently, he holds a coaching intern position with the Panthers.

15. Cam Newton

Newton’s inclusion on this list may seem premature to some. My stance is that in having the best rookie season any QB in the NFL has ever had, Newton has earned the number 15 spot. My expectation is that he will move up the list season by season. I’m sure most readers won’t need this, but let’s recap Cam Newton’s accomplishments in his rookie season. He began the season with two back to back 400 yard passing games, the first rookie to accomplish this. He finished the season by smashing Peyton Mannings rookie passing record, finishing with 4,051 yards and 21 TDs. Along the way, he also managed to rush for 706 yards and 14 touchdowns. This makes him the first QB to throw for at least four thousand yards and rush for at least five hundred yards. And his 4 rushing touchdowns broke the single season rushing TD record for quarterbacks that had been held by Steve Grogan since 1976. To top it off he was selected as a first alternate for the NFC Pro-Bowl team for 2011.

14. Ryan Kalil

Kalil is the Panthers current starting center. He was drafted by the Panthers from Southern Cal with the 59th pick in the 2007 draft. After starting three games in the 2007 season, Kalil became the Panthers full time center in the 2008 season. In five seasons with the Panthers, Kalil has been to the Pro Bowl three times, as well as being select to the All Pro team for the 2011 season. Kalil was a bright spot in the Panthers dismal 2-14 2010 season. In 2011 Kalil was a major key in making Rookie quarterback Cam Newton a success in his first year in the league. Being only 26 the hope is that Kalil will anchor the Offensive more many seasons to come.

13. Michael Bates

Bates was the best kick returner the Carolina Panthers have had, and many wish the team would find someone with his particular skills again. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 1992 in the sixth round. Bates actually had two stints with the Panthers, first from 1996 to 2000 and finally in 2002. Bates was selected to the Pro-bowl in each season during his first run with the Panthers. He was also selected for the NFL 1990s All Decade team. Something most fans don’t know is that Bates ran the 200-meter dash for the US in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, winning a bronze medal.

12. Kris Jenkins

Nose tackle Kris Jenkins was drafted out of Maryland in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Jenkins played for Panthers for six seasons. He was selected for the Pro Bowl four times, and was a three time All-Pro selection. His selection for these included the 2003 season where he anchored the defensive line during the Panthers Super Bowl run. Though he played at a very high level, he was plagued by injuries tearing his ACL twice and injuring his shoulder in the 2004 season. He was released by the Panthers after the 2007 season and played with the Jets for two seasons before retiring. He finished his NFL career with 279 tackles and 24 sacks.

11. Mike Rucker

Mike Rucker was also part of the Panthers Defensive line that dominated opponents in 2003. He was a second round draft pick of the Panthers in 1999 out of Nebraska. During his best season he was selected to the Pro Bowl at defensive end and won the award for NFL Alumni Defensive Lineman of the Year.

Rucker played his whole career with the Panthers and finished with 421 tackles and 55.5 sacks. Unfortunately, in the 2006 season he suffered a ACL tear and missed the season. Though he came back for the 2007 season, he announced his retirement after the season, ending he career short.

Well that’s the bottom ten. What do you think fans?

Next week, we’ll finish up this list with the top ten. I promise there is some good stuff in the top ten. And maybe even a few surprises.

It’s early in the off-season, and that means there isn’t much that fans can get excited about if your team isn’t one of the four still playing this weekend. Lately fans have passing time checking news sites and waiting for the other shoe to drop with the news that Panthers OC Rob Chudzinski has been hired to coach another team. 

There are a few things we can get excited about, namely off-season awards. Which is something Panthers fans aren’t used to.

The Panthers rookie sensation Cam Newton won his first rookie award this week when the Professional Football Writers of America named Newton their 2011 winner.

After posting what is possibly the best rookie year a quarterback in the NFL has ever seen with over 4,000 yards passing and 700 yards rushing, this award was not surprising. It is widely assumed that when the NFL announces its annual awards at the 1st annual NFL Honors on February 4th Cam will take home ROY honors there as well.

And don’t forget, go here to add your vote to Cam’s total for Pepsi ROY.