Wesley had to take less from Lions

Here's an interesting anecdote from the Charlotte Observer, which wrote about how the lack of a salary cap has squeezed the NFL's middle class of free agents. It's about cornerback Dante Wesley, who left the Panthers for the Lions. "A decent pass defender who blossomed into a bigger role last year, his value was primarily as a special teamer," the Observer wrote. "Those guys never get rich, but from time to time, teams will open up to retain their own. "Before free agency, the Panthers made him an offer: Two years of veteran minimum salaries ($755,000 and $765,000), with a $175,000 signing bonus. Not bad, but not what he was hoping for. And there was a condition - the offer was only good until the start of free agency. "Wesley said then he thought he could do better. "Last week he signed with Detroit, for the same two years and base salaries, but only a $20,000 signing bonus. The $155,000 difference was a costly lesson in the realities ...