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There’s a big question now that the Carolina Panthers have used their first-round pick on linebacker Luke Kuechly.

Where does he play?

General manager Marty Hurney and coach Ron Rivera aren’t giving any hints if Kuechly will play inside, where he spent most of his college career, or if he’ll move to the outside. If you thought Kuechly would tip his hand right away, think again.

Kuechly just finished meeting with the Charlotte media and wouldn’t provide anything real strong about how he’ll fit in with an existing corps of linebackers that includes Jon Beason, Thomas Davis and James Anderson.

“Right now, we’re just trying to see and go in with an open mind-set,’’ Kuechly said. “We’ve got to figure out what’s going to happen. All three positions are going to be a challenge moving forward. I’ve got to pick up on some new things, but I’m excited to see what happens.’’

Here’s the deal -- this thing will sort itself out naturally. You can bet the Panthers won’t put Kuechly with the first team when they run their first minicamp plays. They just don’t work that way.

The real test will come as training camp progresses and that will depend on some things beyond Kuechly. Beason, who has spent most of his career inside, and Davis, who has spent most of his career on the outside, both are coming off major injuries and the Panthers will be watching them as closely as they’re watching Kuechly. Davis is coming off his third ACL surgery and he comes with no guarantees.

Beason has played a little on the outside in the past and there’s no doubt he can swing back there. Kuechly also has the speed to move outside.

The Panthers will go to camp and let this thing play out. But I think it’s pretty safe to say Kuechly will be in the starting lineup -- at one spot or another -- on opening day.

You don’t use a top-10 pick on a guy to sit him on the bench.

So much for a defensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers in the first round. As I’ve said all along, I didn’t think the Panthers necessarily wanted to go in that direction.

That turned out to be true Thursday night as the Panthers had their choice of any defensive tackle in the draft and they passed. Instead, they took Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly.

I see a couple of reasons for this. The Panthers know they have Ron Edwards returning from injury and several young defensive tackles they like. They also have major needs at linebacker, where Jon Beason and Thomas Davis are coming back from major injuries.

Kuechly is a run-stuffer in his own right. The guy was a tackling machine in college. Put him behind Edwards and alongside Beason, Davis and James Anderson and Carolina suddenly has a much better run defense.

It remains to be seen if the Panthers will go with Beason or Kuechly in the middle. But the upside is both of them have the ability to be very good there. One of them will move outside and that provides insurance if Davis isn’t the player he once was.

Defense wasn’t a strength in the NFC South in the 2011 season. In fact, it was a big problem for the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers and only an occasional strength for the Atlanta Falcons.

But there were some solid individual performances. With that in mind, let’s roll out the All-NFC South defense.

Defensive end: Charles Johnson, Panthers. He got his huge contract in the summer, but didn’t take the money and disappear. Johnson came through with nine sacks and also played the run fairly well.

Defensive end: Adrian Clayborn, Buccaneers. Yes, I’m taking the rookie over Atlanta veteran John Abraham. I know Abraham ended up with 9.5 sacks, but 3.5 of them came against Jacksonville and rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert. Abraham was ordinary most of the season and was on the field for only 13 percent of Atlanta’s defensive snaps. Clayborn finished with 7.5 sacks. He also was on the field for about 80 percent of Tampa Bay’s defensive snaps, showed he can rush the passer and played the run well. Not much went right for the Bucs in the 2011 season. But they hit on their first-round draft pick.

Defensive tackle: Corey Peters, Falcons. He started in 2010, but was only a run-stuffer then. Peters emerged into a complete defensive tackle in his second season and showed signs he can generate a pass rush in the middle.

Defensive tackle: Brian Price, Buccaneers. Off the top of my head, I was preparing to go with Atlanta’s Jonathan Babineaux or New Orleans’ Sedrick Ellis. Then I looked at their statistics and I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I’m going with Price, who quietly put together a nice season. He finished with three sacks and was one of the few Bucs who played the run well. More importantly, Price made a nice comeback from surgery on his pelvis and played through the pain of an ankle injury for most of the second half of the season.

Linebacker: Curtis Lofton, Falcons. In a year in which Carolina’s Jon Beason was hurt and New Orleans’ Jonathan Vilma slowed down, Lofton emerged as the NFC South’s best middle linebacker.

Linebacker: Sean Weatherspoon, Falcons. The second-year pro might now be the division’s best all-around linebacker. Weatherspoon is a playmaker and plays with an attitude that the rest of Atlanta’s defense needs to copy.

Linebacker: James Anderson, Panthers. With Beason and Thomas Davis going down early, Anderson was the bright spot in Carolina’s linebacker corps.

Cornerback: Jabari Greer, Saints. He often gets overlooked, but this guy is the best cover corner in the division.

Cornerback: Chris Gamble, Panthers. Gamble got benched by coach John Fox at the end of the 2010 season and his career appeared to be on the downside. But Gamble got a fresh start with coach Ron Rivera and bounced back with a strong season.

Safety: Malcolm Jenkins, Saints. He didn’t make as many big plays as I think he’s capable of, but Jenkins is an enormous talent. If the Saints can add a pass rush, the big plays will flow for Jenkins.

Safety: Thomas DeCoud, Falcons. He was benched briefly early in the season, but DeCoud seemed to get the message that he needed to play better. He finished the season with four interceptions and 86 tackles.

The woes at linebacker for the Carolina Panthers just continue to grow. Starting middle linebacker Dan Connor (shoulder) will not play in Sunday’s game in Detroit.

That means it is likely Jordan Senn will start in Connor’s place. This will make Senn the eighth linebacker to start for Carolina this season.

The problems started early on as starters Jon Beason and Thomas Davis suffered season-ending injuries. That’s left James Anderson as the only one of the three linebackers Carolina planned to start throughout the season to still be playing.

The injuries at linebacker have been a huge part of the reason Carolina's defense has struggled, particularly against the running game.

Let’s check in on the most significant injuries around the NFC South.

Looks like Atlanta has some potentially major issues heading into Sunday’s game with Tennessee. Receiver Julio Jones (hamstring) missed another day of practice, meaning it’s becoming more likely he’ll sit out. Harry Douglas stepped up when Jones was hurt in Sunday’s loss to the Saints, but it might be nice if Roddy White could do the same. Middle linebacker Curtis Lofton was added to Thursday’s report with an ankle injury. If he can’t go, the Falcons might have to shuffle their linebackers, and that could involve some movement of the outside linebackers, which could mean more playing time for Akeem Dent and Mike Peterson. Safety William Moore (quadriceps) missed another practice. Moore missed last Sunday’s game, and veteran James Sanders could end up starting in his place again.

Tampa Bay safety Tanard Jackson (hamstring) missed his second straight day of practice. But defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth returned and practiced fully after getting what the team said was a day of rest Wednesday. Haynesworth is listed on the report with a knee injury.

Carolina tight end Jeremy Shockey (ribs) missed his second straight day of practice. Linebacker James Anderson (ankle) practiced fully after sitting out Wednesday. Middle linebacker Dan Connor (shoulder) practiced on a limited basis for the second straight day.

The New Orleans Saints have a bye and don't have to issue an injury report.

Thoughts on Carolina’s 16-10 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Bank of America Stadium.

What it means: This was the first victory of the Ron Rivera/Cam Newton era. Newton already had energized the fan base with dynamic performances in the first two games. This game wasn’t as impressive statistically, but it showed that Newton can win in this league. He led a late touchdown drive and finished it with a scoring pass to Greg Olsen to seal the victory.

What I liked: The Panthers at least attempted to run the ball. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart didn’t put up huge numbers, but they got a fair amount of carries. Part of it might have been because there was heavy rain for much of the game and that made it difficult to throw the ball. The mere fact that the Panthers were at least attempting to run kept the Jacksonville defense honest.

What else I liked: The play of linebacker James Anderson. With linebackers Jon Beason and Thomas Davis out for the season with injuries, Anderson needs to become the leader of this defense. He stepped up to the challenge and led the Panthers in tackles.

Unsung hero: Due to the injuries at linebacker, Thomas Williams got some playing time. He made a great play, batting down a Blaine Gabbert pass on the final play of the game.

What’s next: The Panthers travel to Soldier Field to play the Chicago Bears next Sunday.

When Carolina coach Ron Rivera met with the media Monday, he didn’t have results of medical tests on linebacker Jon Beason.

But Rivera didn’t sound optimistic and used the word “dire’’ after Beason was carted off the field in Sunday’s loss at Arizona. Beason had been dealing with Achilles tendinitis during the preseason and had surgery on the same foot for a bone bruise late in the preseason. Team officials told the media Sunday they feared Beason had torn his Achilles tendon and will miss the year.

As the Panthers wait for official word on Beason, they have to prepare to go on without him. Dan Connor has started in the middle before, and the fact he’s from Penn State probably means the Panthers now are headed to the Super Bowl. I’m just adding a little humor to a difficult situation and I’m a Penn State fan (even after the loss to Alabama).

But the reality is Connor is a good linebacker, but he’s not Beason. Connor plays the run just fine, but isn’t a guy you want dropping in coverage. The Panthers can rely on outside linebackers Thomas Davis and James Anderson in pass coverage.

Once Connor steps into the starting lineup, though, the Panthers have little linebacker depth beyond the starters. Omar Gaither is the only backup with much experience.

There were a couple of significant developments on the injury front out of Carolina’s practice Wednesday morning.

Coach Ron Rivera said linebacker Jon Beason had a minor procedure performed on his Achilles tendon on Tuesday. Rivera said the team still hopes Beason, who never has missed a regular-season game, will be ready for the regular-season opener. But this sounds like a close time frame. On the bright side, the Panthers have depth at linebacker. Dan Connor has started before and can step right into the middle with James Anderson and Thomas Davis on the outside.

Rivera also said quarterback Jimmy Clausen is questionable because of soreness in his throwing (right) elbow. The Panthers already were planning to start rookie Cam Newton and play him for about three quarters in Thursday’s preseason game at Cincinnati. Clausen already appeared to be trailing Newton in the competition to be the opening-day starter.

Clausen’s only shot at jumping past Newton appears to be if the rookie has a bad outing against the Bengals and Clausen comes in and plays well. But, if Clausen’s elbow isn’t ready, that’s not going to happen.

On the same night they’re deciding who will be their starting quarterback (Cam Newton or Jimmy Clausen) on opening day, the Carolina Panthers just made another huge move.

Center Ryan Kalil, who had been tagged as the team’s franchise player and signed a tender for $10.116 million, has just agreed to a long-term contract that will make him the highest-paid center in history, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

The deal is for six years and, although we don’t have full details yet, we know it averages more than the $7.75 million per year that Nick Mangold got last year when he became the highest-paid center in NFL history.

The move comes after the Panthers, who went 2-14 with one of the league’s lowest payrolls last year, went on a spending spree coming out of the lockout. Owner Jerry Richardson, one of the lead negotiators in the new labor deal, pledged that his team would be aggressive once there was labor peace.

He has followed through on that promise. The Panthers have paid out well over $100 million just in signing bonuses while re-signing some of their own players, such as defensive end Charles Johnson, linebackers Jon Beason, James Anderson and Thomas Davis and running back DeAngelo Williams. The Panthers also traded for tight end Greg Olsen and turned around and signed him to a new contract.

Throw in Kalil’s deal and the Panthers have been one of the most active teams in the league this preseason. Although Kalil’s contract may seem like a massive long-term commitment, it’s going to help the Panthers in the short term.

They had only about $2.5 million remaining in salary-cap space, but that was with Kalil counting for $10.116 million. Again, we don’t know the structure of his deal, but it’s fair to say no matter what it is, his new cap figure will be at least several million dollars less.

That will give the Panthers flexibility to make even more moves. They would like to add a starting-caliber cornerback and also could be in the market for one more experienced wide receiver. Now, they’ve got the cap space to do whatever they want.

Three things to watch for in Carolina’s preseason game against the Miami Dolphins on Friday. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET:

1. Cam Newton and Jimmy Clausen. The Panthers will use this game as the final stage of the competition between Newton, the rookie, and Clausen, the second-year pro. Clausen got the start in the preseason opener and the Panthers want to give Newton his chance to show what he can with the starters. Bottom line here is, if Newton doesn’t make any major mistakes, the Panthers probably will go ahead and name him the starter for the regular season.

2. The return of Thomas Davis. The outside linebacker hasn’t played in 21 months. He’s gone through two major knee injuries and missed some of camp with a foot injury. He appears healthy, but this will be his first real test. If Davis can get back to be anything close to the player he was before the injuries, he can join with Jon Beason, James Anderson and Dan Connor to give Carolina what potentially could be one of the league’s top linebacker corps.

3. Steve Smith’s preseason debut. He sat out last week with a finger injury and it should be interesting to see what kind of chemistry surfaces between him and Newton. Smith and Clausen had some problems last year, although Smith has said that’s been patched over. Smith’s a competitor who wants the ball and he’s been aching for a quarterback who can consistently deliver it to him for a long time.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- You’ve heard plenty about the lockout over the past few months, but it actually was in effect in Charlotte since 2008.

The moment owners opted out of the previous labor agreement, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson realized there were tough financial times ahead. He immediately decided he wasn’t going to spend big money on long-term deals for players or coaches (the Panthers didn’t add a single unrestricted free agent in 2009 or 2010) because Richardson wanted to protect everyone else who worked for his franchise during the tough times.

That’s why defensive end Julius Peppers was allowed to walk in free agency last year. That’s why John Fox was allowed to be a lame-duck coach entering a 2010 season that turned into a nightmare. Despite having a roster filled with a reasonable amount of individual talent, the Panthers went 2-14 and fan apathy reached an all-time high.

But Richardson’s entire philosophy changed the moment the labor situation was resolved. He took the lock off his checkbook and began paying huge money to keep players such as defensive end Charles Johnson, running back DeAngelo Williams, linebackers Jon Beason, James Anderson and Thomas Davis, add free agents such as kicker Olindo Mare and trade for tight end Greg Olsen. Including rookies, Richardson already has written checks for more than $100 million in signing bonuses.

Throw in the fact that Ron Rivera has replaced Fox and the Panthers chose quarterback Cam Newton with the first pick of the draft and there suddenly is optimism the Panthers can quickly escape the label of being one of the league’s worst teams.

“That’s the one thing I’ve learned from being a Carolina Panther for going on nine years is that you never know what kind of a team we’re going to field from year to year,’’ veteran left tackle Jordan Gross said. “Things can change dramatically, and I think they are going to here. I love Coach Rivera’s philosophy and the staff he’s put together. They’re committed to winning, and the organization has shown that as well with what it has done with getting new guys and re-signing our own guys. I think we can be as good as we want to be.’’

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Will Newton be savior of this franchise? It’s way too early to even have a clue if the guy who only played one full season at Auburn will succeed in the NFL. But the most important thing to keep in mind is that the Panthers aren’t asking Newton to be their savior -- at least not right away.

The hope in Carolina is that Newton will get a reasonable grasp of the offense in training camp and show it in the preseason games. If he does, he’ll be the opening-day starter. The Panthers don’t want to prolong the inevitable and start the season with Jimmy Clausen because Newton clearly is their future.

The playbook can expand as time goes on, but the organization believes that Newton can step right in behind an offensive line that should be good and can take advantage of a strong running game, very good tight ends and wide receiver Steve Smith.

2. What will the new offense look like? The popular thing to do in Carolina is assume that the departure of Fox and offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson means the Panthers are suddenly going to start throwing the ball all over the field.

They will throw more, but the Panthers won't pass as often as people think. That would be foolish with a rookie quarterback and it would border on insanity to keep the ball out of the hands of running backs Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Under new offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, there will be significant differences from the Fox/Davidson era.

Chudzinski came from San Diego and plans to use an offensive scheme that’s based on what the Chargers do. You’ll see more passes to the tight ends, a big reason the Panthers brought in Olsen and Jeremy Shockey. You’ll see plays designed to get Smith away from double coverage. But don’t expect Newton to step right in and immediately be Philip Rivers.

3. What will the defense look like? Rivera has a defensive background. His coordinator is Sean McDermott, who spent time in Philadelphia. Some personnel changes in the middle of the defensive line will allow Beason, Anderson and Davis to again become play-making linebackers. That’s going to make this defense look a little like Fox’s defense of a few years back. But the real change will be a new philosophy that involves taking risks and being aggressive. The Panthers didn’t blitz much last year and didn’t have much success when they did. That’s going to change. McDermott’s going to use those athletic linebackers as blitzers and, with Johnson and Greg Hardy already up front, Carolina suddenly could have a dynamic and disruptive pass rush. The secondary is not loaded with big-time talent, but it could look a lot better if quarterbacks are forced into mistakes.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Granted, it’s early, but the Panthers are hopeful receiver/return man Armanti Edwards will make an impact. A second-round pick last year, Edwards was a non-factor as a rookie. That was largely because Fox believed the former college quarterback did not belong in the NFL. He barely let Edwards on the field as he made a statement to an owner and front office that wanted the lame-duck coach to embrace a youth movement. But Fox is gone and there’s sudden optimism about Edwards. The team didn’t know it until after the lockout ended, but it was delighted to find out that Edwards reached out to veteran punter Jason Baker during the offseason. The two worked out together frequently and Edwards made dramatic improvement in his ability to catch punts. There’s a good chance he could be the main punt and kickoff returner this season. He also could be involved in certain packages as a wide receiver.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

The perception is the Panthers have done just about everything they’ve wanted to in free agency. But that’s not quite reality. According to a league source, the team made a strong play for free-agent receiver Santana Moss, offering him a three-year deal worth $15 million. Moss took the deal back to the Redskins, who matched it, so he elected to stay in Washington. That one shook the Panthers a bit. Although they have high hopes for young receivers Brandon LaFell and David Gettis, they want to pair a proven veteran with Smith to start the season. Look for them to bring in another veteran at some point before the start of the regular season.

OBSERVATION DECK

• Keep your eye on the cornerbacks who remain on the market or come available over the next few weeks. The Panthers let Richard Marshall leave via free agency. They still have Chris Gamble and Captain Munnerlyn, but a team that has been so aggressive this offseason isn’t going to sit still at this position. The Panthers will sign a cornerback with starting experience at some point. They’re just waiting for the right guy at the right price.
• The Panthers pushed veteran kicker John Kasay out the door and handed Mare a $4 million signing bonus. Kasay, 41, remained accurate on field goals, but the feeling was that he no longer had the leg strength to make long kicks. Mare’s 38 and still can make long field goals. But the biggest reason the change was made wasn’t about field goals. It was about kickoffs. The Panthers carried a kickoff specialist the past few years and didn’t want to waste a roster spot by doing that again. With the league moving kickoffs up 5 yards this year, the team believes Mare can produce a lot of touchbacks.
• Don’t overlook running back Mike Goodson. As long as Williams and Stewart are healthy, he’s not going to get a bunch of carries. But Goodson was one of the few bright spots from last season and the new coaching staff noticed him on film. He can do a lot out of different things out of the backfield, and the coaching staff believes there's a role for Goodson. Think of a scaled-down version of what New Orleans did with Reggie Bush and plans to do with Darren Sproles.
• Perhaps the most unsung move the Panthers made all offseason was hiring Mike Shula, the son of legendary coach Don Shula, as quarterbacks coach. He's had ups and downs as an NFL coordinator and college head coach at Alabama. But Shula has grown from it all and is a very good quarterbacks coach and teacher. If Shula can develop Newton or Clausen into a big-time quarterback, the world finally might give this guy his due.
• The return of right tackle Jeff Otah is more significant than many realize. Otah missed all last season with a knee injury but is fully healthy now. That’s going to have a huge impact on the running game.
• Ryan Kalil signed his $10 million franchise tender and the team hasn’t talked to him about a long-term deal. But that’s simply because the front office has been so tied up making other moves. This team realizes Kalil is still young and already considered one of the best centers in the game. As soon as things settle down a bit, expect Kalil to be offered a big long-term deal.

BUFORD, Ga. -- I just arrived here to be in position to visit the Atlanta Falcons when they return to training camp Thursday. For those who don’t recognize the dateline, Buford is the town next to Flowery Branch, which isn’t exactly filled with a slew of hotel options.

I’ve got a couple of things I want to share with you. Through the wildest free-agency period in NFL history, we in the media have done a great job of quickly reporting signings and throwing out only the quick basics on contracts (years, total value and guaranteed money).

But sometimes when you see the actual breakdown of a contract, there’s much more (or sometimes less) to it than initially meets the eye. I’ve got the breakdown of the new contract Charles Johnson signed with the Panthers and also on the extension linebacker Jon Beason signed with Carolina.

Let’s start with Johnson’s deal because it’s massive and somewhat complex. It’s for six years and could be worth up to $76 million. It includes a $30 million signing bonus and a guaranteed $4 million base salary for this season. In short, Johnson’s hauling in $34 million this year.

In 2012, Johnson’s base salary will increase to $4.75 million and $2 million of that becomes guaranteed if he’s on the roster on Feb. 15, 2012, which seems a certainty. Johnson also is scheduled to earn a $250,000 bonus for taking part in offseason workouts in 2012 and for each of the remaining years on his deal.

In 2013, Johnson’s base salary jumps to $6.75 million. In 2014, it goes to $8.75 million. In 2015, Johnson is scheduled to earn $9.75 million. The final year of the deal is 2016 and Johnson is scheduled to earn $10.75 million.

There are a lot of people around the league who are suggesting the Panthers overpaid for a defensive end who has had precisely one good year. The Panthers won’t even dispute that they at least understand that perception.

But the real thinking in making this offer to Johnson was motivated by the division-rival Atlanta Falcons. The Panthers firmly believed the Falcons were going to make a very strong run at Johnson, who is a Georgia native. After letting Julius Peppers walk in free agency last year, the Panthers realized there was no way they could afford to lose Johnson, especially to a team that they face twice every year.

The Panthers knew they had to blow Atlanta’s offer out of the water and they did.

Now, let’s examine Beason’s contract. It’s a five-year extension for a player who already was under contract for this season. Beason’s deal now runs through 2016 and could be worth up to $51.6 million. Beason’s base salary for this season is $1.04 million, but he got a $20 million signing bonus.

In 2012, his base salary will be $1.25 million and he has a $250,000 workout bonus for every year on his contract after this one. In 2013, Beason’s base will jump to $5.25 million. In 2014, he’s scheduled to make $6.5 million.

Beason is scheduled to earn $7.5 million in 2015 and $8.5 million in 2016. The Panthers weren’t required to do this deal right away, but they made a smart move. Beason is the unquestioned leader of this defense and it made total sense to make sure he never got close to becoming a free agent next year.

Owner Jerry Richardson’s been accused of being cheap the last couple of years and there’s truth in that. But you can’t call Richardson cheap after what he’s already done this year.

Heck, let’s even throw in one kicker to all this. The Panthers added kicker Olindo Mare to a deal that’s pretty large. Mare’s four-year deal is worth up to $12 million. He got a $4 million signing bonus and will make $1 million in base salary this season. He’s scheduled to make $2.1 million in base salary in 2012 and a $100,000 workout bonus in each of the last three seasons on his contract.

In 2013, Mare’s scheduled to make $2.2 million and that figure jumps to $2.4 million in 2014. By the way, I don't have full contract numbers on the deals given to linebackers James Anderson and Thomas Davis just yet, but I hope to get them and share them with you in a few days. However, I'm told the Davis deal has some built-in protection for the team in case Davis isn't able to come back and be the same player he was before twice tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in less than a year.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Right after the lockout ended, the Carolina Panthers gave linebacker Jon Beason two bits of good news.

Although he had a year left on his contract, they handed him a five-year extension worth a reported $50 million. That was very nice, but the second bit of news made Beason even happier.

As soon as coaches were allowed to talk to players again, Ron Rivera informed Beason he would be returning to his spot at middle linebacker. Beason was forced to move to weakside linebacker last year because Thomas Davis suffered a season-ending injury in a June minicamp. The Panthers put Dan Connor in the middle and James Anderson was on the strong side. The linebackers weren’t a major problem as everything else was going wrong during a 2-14 season. But Beason was almost giddy as he talked about moving back to the middle.

“When I talked to the coaches before the lockout, there were different scenarios because we didn’t know if James and Thomas [both re-signed as free agents] would be back or if Dan would be healthy,’’ Beason said. “That had me worried during the lockout, but all those things are answered now.

“I’m thrilled I can go back to what’s become my natural position. I like to grind a bit. I like having everything on my shoulders. When it’s bad, it’s on me. When it’s good, it’s on me. Being a Mike backer is definitely something I love.’’

Davis is still recovering from the knee injury, but is expected to be ready for the start of the season. The apparent plan is to play Beason in the middle with Anderson and Davis on the outside and Connor getting lots of playing time as the top backup.

“If guys are healthy, I think our linebackers can be as good as anybody in the league,’’ Beason said. “We’ve helped ourselves up front and I think we can be scary good.’’

The Carolina Panthers agreed to contract terms with middle linebacker Jon Beason late Thursday night and he wasn’t even a free agent.

Beason had a year remaining on his contract, but he’s the leader of a Carolina defense that should be much improved this season. Beason’s extension is for five years and worth $50 million. Beason claims that makes him the league’s highest-paid middle linebacker.

Presumably, he’ll get to focus on playing middle linebacker this season. The Panthers had to switch Beason to the outside last season after Thomas Davis got hurt. They inserted Dan Connor in the middle.

The Panthers also have agreed to terms on deals with outside linebackers Davis and James Anderson. If Davis is healthy, he likely will start on the outside with Anderson, Beason will play the middle and Connor will be the top backup in what could be one of the league’s best groups of linebackers.

Another bit of news on what has been a wild day in Carolina.

The Panthers, who already have made a bunch of moves, reportedly have agreed to terms with linebacker Thomas Davis on a new five-year contract.

That’s a nice gesture by the Panthers because they technically did not have to do anything with Davis at the moment. Since he spent all of last season on the physically-unable-to-perform list, Davis’ 2010 contract tolled over to this season and prevented him from becoming an unrestricted free agent.

But the Panthers promised Davis they would take care of him and they followed through on that. It’s also nice that they’re rewarding a player who has spent his entire career with the organization, but there are no guarantees with this one.

Davis is coming back from his second torn anterior cruciate ligament and it remains to be seen if he can be the player he was before. If he is, the Panthers could have one of the league’s top groups of linebackers. Before the first injury, Davis was considered a rising star at outside linebacker.

He’ll join Jon Beason, James Anderson and Dan Connor as Carolina’s top linebackers. Anderson already agreed to a new contract, and the Panthers might be working on an extension for Beason, who still has a year remaining on his deal.