1:56pm: Cotchery’s two-year contract will be worth $5MM, tweets David Newton of ESPN.com.
1:43pm: The Panthers have officially announced their two-year deal with Cotchery in a press release.
12:01pm: Cotchery has agreed to terms with the Panthers, according to Everett Levy of Goal Line Football, Cotchery’s agency (Twitter link).
11:34am: After a week and a half of losing wide receivers in free agency, the Panthers finally appear poised to add one of their own. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that the team is nearing a contract agreement with free agent receiver Jerricho Cotchery.
Cotchery, 31, has spent the last three seasons with the Steelers, and had his best season for the team in 2013, recording 46 receptions and 602 receiving yards. He also blew away his previous career high with a surprising 10 touchdown grabs. A return to Pittsburgh was a possibility for the veteran receiver, who was said to be deciding between the Steelers and Panthers earlier this week.
Assuming the Panthers and Cotchery finalize a deal, the ex-Steeler may become Carolina’s No. 1 wide receiver by default. So far this offseason, the club has released Steve Smith and seen Ted Ginn Jr., Brandon LaFell, and Domenik Hixon sign with other teams, leaving Marvin McNutt and Tavarres King atop the depth chart.