Carolina Panthers: Punter Andy Lee Acquired in Trade
The Carolina Panthers addressed their punting situation again by trading for Cleveland Browns punter Andy Lee.
For the Carolina Panthers, finding a punter to replace Brad Nortman has been one of the stories of the off season. Nortman took the money from Jacksonville and ran while the Panthers have looked at a succession of people to replace him.
Then the issue seemed settled when the Panthers brought in Mike Scifres in on a free agent deal. Scifres was a couple years removed from being the best statistical punter in the league. San Diego had decided it was not to going to bet on the aging punter any longer and so he ended up in Charlotte.
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Other people were also brought in alongside Scifres for competition’s sake. Swayze Waters did not stick and it was Kasey Redfern that was taking the preseason snaps. That was until game 3 of the preseason when Scifres came on against the Patriots. The Patriots punt rush hit his knee and took him out.
All of the sudden the Panthers were looking at Redfern and the unknown at punter. Nobody seemed to be too thrilled about that plan. So the Panthers made a move and traded for Cleveland Browns punter Andy Lee. Lee and a seventh rounder came to Carolina in return for a fourth rounder and Redfern.
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Lee was a Pro Bowler in years past. It that way he is much like Scifres. He is making almost three million dollars this upcoming season. So he represents the solid veteran leg that the team was looking for.
Redfern gets the opportunity to grow into the Cleveland job. He showed promise, but the Panthers do not have the patience that the Browns do for potential miscues.
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If you are wondering how Lee was suddenly available, then you may have ignored Browns preseason football. In their last game, it appeared that Lee did not make much of an effort to prevent a punt return from scoring. This may have got him on the wrong side of new Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson.