Carolina Talent Hunt Bags Seattle Kicker Kasay Nfl Expansion Team Also Signs Giants Defensive Lineman Mike Fox

The Carolina Panthers jumped into the unrestricted NFL free agent pool Monday, signing Seattle Seahawks placekicker John Kasay and New York Giants defensive lineman Mike Fox.

“We said we meant business. We were serious,” said elated general manager Bill Polian, noting both were at the top of the Panthers’ wish list. “We weren’t going to wait for the bus to leave.”

Both Fox and Kasay signed for five years.

Polian and the two players remained tightlipped about the financial terms, but when Panthers owner Jerry Richardson was asked if the players had considered other offers, he said, “I think we were so generous they stopped right there.”

For Kasay, 25, it means a return to the Southeast. He played his college ball at Georgia.

Kasay has converted 82 of 105 field goal attempts in his four years in Seattle, for a 78.1 percent rate. Last year, he converted 20 of 24 field goal attempts. He said he jumped at the opportunity to play for the Panthers, calling it “a first-class organization from the owner on down.”

“Around the league, players talk,” Kasay said. “If they could sign all the players who want to come here, they’d have 450 players.”

Panthers’ officials also were to talk with Pittsburgh Steelers safety Gary Jones.

“We proved we’re going to aggressively pursue talent, and we’re headed in the right direction by signing Mike and John today,” Polian said. “These are two people who can make a big difference.

“We’re not going to be this lucky all the time,” a beaming Polian said at the news conference. “This is a hard act to follow.

“Both these guys are young. They have a lot of time ahead of them in this league.”