Panthers deny having deal with QB Stevens

Despite the New Orleans Saints' claims to the contrary, the Carolina Panthers say they didn't have a contract agreement in place with Mississippi State quarterback Tommy Stevens before he was drafted by New Orleans.

Panthers spokesman Steve Drummond told Pro Football Talk via text massage on Saturday, "We didn't have a deal in place with the player. We had conversations like every other team."

Rules allow teams to talk to players during the draft -- about potentially joining them should the player go undrafted -- but financial terms cannot be discussed. Reports every year, however, indicate the rule is regularly broken.

Saints head coach Sean Payton detailed to The Athletic earlier this week how his team and the Panthers had both been negotiating for Stevens' services, saying Carolina had offered Stevens a $15,000 signing bonus and a $30,000 guarantee of his salary.

Payton said the Saints -- who traded all of their remaining draft picks before the fourth round began -- pushed their guarantee up to $144,000, but Stevens had already made a commitment to the Panthers. Rather than trying to negotiate further, New Orleans traded a 2021 sixth-round pick to Houston for the 240th overall pick and simply drafted Stevens.

"I said, 'Honestly, I was having some fun,'" Payton said. "'You had given your word, and I respect that. But we weren't going to lose you. You were going to become a Saint.'"

Stevens, who is 6-foot-5, 235, is expected to play other positions in the mold of Saints utility man Taysom Hill.

Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady coached Stevens at Penn State, then joined the Saints' coaching staff for two years before spending last year at LSU, helping the Tigers to an undefeated season and the national title.

--Field Level Media