Aug 28, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive back Charles Tillman (31) intercepts a Tom Brady pass and just gets past New England Patriots center Shaq Mason (69) during the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Photo Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Free agent cornerback Charles Tillman is hoping to return to the Carolina Panthers for a 14th NFL season.
According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Carolina is the only team Tillman wants to play for in 2016 once he is fully recovered from the torn ACL that cost him a chance to play in the Super Bowl last season.
“I just want to play for Carolina,” Tillman said Saturday as he assisted former Chicago Bears teammate Matt Forte with his annual football camp in Slidell, La.
Tillman helped the Panthers to a 15-1 regular-season record last year before the injury in Week 17 forced him out of the team’s run to the Super Bowl.
The 35-year-old Tillman told NOLA.com that he is “probably another two months before I’m able to do a few more things” and likely would not sign with a team until near the end of training camp.
Tillman played 12 seasons with the Bears after the team selected him in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft out of Louisiana-Lafayette. He joined the Panthers in 2015 after his contract with the Bears was not renewed.
Tillman, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, forced two fumbles and had two interceptions last season, giving him 44 career forced fumbles and 38 interceptions.
–The New Orleans Saints placed safety Jamarca Sanford on injured reserve.
Sanford, 30, did not practice during minicamp last week but was in attendance at practice watching from the sidelines. The nature of Sanford’s injury has not been disclosed by the team.
Sanford, who was re-signed as a free agent during the offseason, joined the Saints in 2014 after opening the year with the Washington Redskins. He played in six games for the Saints in 2014 and all 16 games last season. He recorded 15 tackles and one interception in 2015, and has played 95 games in the NFL since entering the league as a seventh-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2009.
To take Sanford’s spot on the roster, the Saints signed defensive tackle Lawrence Virgil.
–The Oakland Raiders signed third-round linebacker Shilique Calhoun to a four-year rookie contract.
With Calhoun’s signing, the Raiders have now signed all of their seven draft picks from the 2016 NFL Draft.
Calhoun, 24, played in 54 games with 42 starts over four seasons at Michigan State, totaling 131 tackles, 44 tackles for loss, 27 sacks, one interception, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and five passes defensed. His 27 sacks rank second on the school’s all-time sacks list.
