NFC Notes: Panthers, Rams, Redskins

Panthers

Panthers QB Cam Newton said he took the team’s disappointing performance last season personally.

“I took last year personal,” Newton said, via Panthers.com. “I took it extremely personal, and I knew that something had to change.

“I feel as if with my impact to that locker room, I wanted people to see this is just not no other year. I didn’t want to speak it. I wanted to action it,” said Newton.

Rams

• Rams announced they have added three executives to their personnel department, including senior personnel executive Brian Xanders, national scout Marty Barrett, and pro scouting assistant Matt Waugh. (Alden Gonzalez)
• Los Angeles also signed five to their football operations staff: head team dietician Joey Blake, assistant strength, and conditioning coach Edward Grayer, director of player engagement Jacques McClendon, strength assistant Fernando Noriega, assistant strength and conditioning coach Blair Wagner, and nutrition assistant Anthony Zamora.

Redskins

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports “those close” to Kirk Cousins view the Redskins’ decision to publicly release of their contract offer as “bush league and unnecessary.”

Redskins senior vice president of player personnel Doug Williams says he spoke with Cousins about simply focusing on what lies ahead of him tuning out all of the exterior noise this season.

“I did talk to Kirk a little bit last night,” said Williams. “I’ve always loved talking to him, and the thing I told him was, ‘It ain’t about 2016 and it ain’t about 2018. It’s about 2017.’ And for him he just has to ease his mind. That’s what I told him. ‘Just go out and play, man. Just do what you’ve been doing and don’t worry about what the media and everybody says. Just put everything behind you and go ball.’

“He’s been through this before and that’s the good thing about him. He’s so relaxed and resolved in the decision he’s made (not accepting Washington’s six-year offer that only included about $29 million in additional guaranteed money on top of the $24 million he’s already secured for 2017). And he has the right to make that decision and he made that decision and now it’s time to go out and play football.”