NFL Notes: Panthers, Seahawks, Texans

Panthers

• A league source tells David Newton that Panthers LT Michael Oher plans to be in attendance for the start of the team’s June minicamp in a few weeks and he also plans to play for them in 2017 if he passes the concussion protocol.
• If Oher clears the concussion protocol and there aren’t any issues with his legal case, Newton believes he would be the “front-runner” for the right tackle spot over Daryl Williams and second-round pick Taylor Moton.
• Beyond that, he would be the most obvious replacement to Matt Kalil at left tackle should he get hurt.
• In the event that Carolina had to move Oher to left tackle because of a Kalil injury, Newton says that Moton would likely be their right tackle.

Seahawks

• With the Seahawks saying they plan to run the ball more in 2017, Sheil Kapadia of ESPN mentions that the Seattle has averaged 25.1 carries a game from 2012 to 2015 before that number dropped to 19.3 last year.
• Assuming the Seahawks get back to carrying the ball 25 times a game, Kapadia could see Eddie Lacy getting around 15 carries per game, which leaves 10 carries for Thomas Rawls and C.J. Prosise.
• Prosise should obviously factor into the team’s passing game, given that he was very effective for them last year out of the backfield.

Texans

Texans OL David Quessenberry, who has fought cancer for a few years, tells Peter King of TheMMQB.com that he hasn’t been this excited to play football in years.

“There’s 99 [J.J. Watt] and 90 [Jadeveon Clowney],” Quessenberry said. “We’re just in a jog through. But I’m thinking: I got butterflies right now! I haven’t felt this excited about a play in years. But then: ‘Okay man, this is where you’re at, you’re back. You’re not trying to maintenance chemo, you’re not just working out. You are staring across at a couple of the best players in the league. Time to play football.’”

Quessenberry said it’s “very very special” to be back and going through the process of playing football.

“It’s hard to put into words,” Quessenberry said. “If I could describe it, I’d say first, my prayers were answered. It was so spiritual the first day back. Getting taped up, my helmet hanging in my locker, the jersey there, trainers hollering at me, riding me, teammates hollering at me, they wanted to see my back, putting my cleats on . . . all of it just special, just very very special. Because I could just feel how much everybody else on this journey with me wanted me to get back out there. My teammates never forgot me, never let me just drift away. That made this week even better.

“I woke up every day this week, and my neck was sore, fingers banged up, legs are tired and achy, I was having to drink so much water and Gatorade, sweating in the Texas sun … loving every minute of it. Really, I almost forgot how much I love this feeling, the bruises on arms, the sore shins, that sting you feel when you make a block. I missed it so much.”