The Facts: With only a few hours remaining before he was to become an unrestricted free agent, Hoover reached a contract agreement with the Panthers. "He's just happy to stay a Panther," said Hoover's agent, Tim Irwin.

Diehards Line:According to Observer staffer Charles Chandler, Hoover, the team's long-standing lead blocker in the running game and a fan favorite, agreed to a new three-year deal. Financial details weren't released. ... The Panthers had begun preparing themselves for the possibility of losing Hoover and having to replace him. Both sides seem to be pleased that won't be the case but some observer question whether Hoover is a capable enough blocker. Gaston Gazette reporter Steve Reed recently suggested a bigger, more aggressive blocker (in the mold of Lorenzo Neal) could do wonders for this running game.