/Panthers Sign CB Cason & WR Underwood

Panthers Sign CB Cason & WR Underwood

The Carolina Panthers have signed unrestricted free agent cornerback Antoine Cason to a one-year contract and unrestricted free agent wide receiver Tiquan Underwood to a two-year contract, the team announced Friday.

“These are players who have an opportunity to play a role with our football team,” says head coach Ron Rivera. “I have experience with Antoine and look forward to working with him again. Tiquan has the kind of speed that helps any team and has shown good progress as a receiver.”

Cason, 6-1 and 195 pounds, played all 16 games in 2013 for the Arizona Cardinals, totaling eight tackles, two interceptions, two passes defensed and one fumble recovery in his only season with the team. He added three tackles on special teams.

Prior to arriving in Arizona, Cason played five seasons (2008-12) with the San Diego Chargers after being selected by the team in the first round (27th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft out of Arizona. He played in 80 games with the Chargers, starting 49. After starting four games in his first two seasons with the Chargers, Cason started 45 of 48 games played in his next three seasons. As a member of the Chargers, Cason worked with Panthers head coach Ron Rivera (defensive coordinator 2008-10) and Panthers secondary/passing game coordinator Steve Wilks (secondary coach 2009-10; secondary coach/assistant head coach 2011).

Cason has played in 96 career games with 49 starts, totaling 241 tackles, 14 interceptions, 48 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. His 96 consecutive games played, are tied for the third-longest active streak among NFL cornerbacks behind William Gay (112) and Corey Graham (109).

Underwood, 6-1 and 185 pounds, comes to Carolina after spending the last two seasons (2012-13) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2013, Underwood played in 12 games with a career-high seven starts. He made 24 catches, establishing career-highs in receiving yards (440), average per catch (18.3 yards) and touchdowns (4). Underwood averaged 40.0-yards per touchdown reception, with three of the four touchdowns coming from 20 or more yards. His career-long 85-yarder at Detroit (11/24/13) was the third-longest touchdown catch in the NFL last season.

Selected out of Rutgers in the seventh round (253rd overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Underwood played two seasons (2009-10) for Jacksonville before joining the New England Patriots for one season in 2011. For his career, Underwood has played in 45 games with 10 starts and totaled 63 receptions for 1,006 yards and six touchdowns.