Pushing the trade deadline back by two days to Thursday only made it more anticlimactic for the Carolina Panthers.

The 4 p.m. deadline passed without any moves from the team. Inquiries came in about running back DeAngelo Williams and wide receiver Steve Smith in the past week, but they didn’t produce a trade.

Head coach Ron Rivera had said all week he didn’t anticipate any moves, and Thursday he explained why.

“I didn’t just because that seems to be the nature of the league right now,” Rivera said. “You didn’t hear a lot about it. Were there any moves? That’s why I was surprised that so much was being made about it because typically if it’s going to happen it would have happened at the beginning of the week anyway.”

The biggest deadline move was Tampa Bay trading top cornerback Aqib Tailb to New England.

Williams declined to discuss trade talk with reporters until after the deadline, which fell after Thursday’s media availability, saying he would post his thoughts on his Twitter account, @DeAngeloRB. Ane he did

“I guess this answers the rumor questions!” he tweeted, with a picture of his white Panthers No. 34 jersey attached.

LAFELL UPDATE: Wide receiver Brandon LaFell practiced Thursday, but how he feels on Friday will help in determining whether he’ll be able to play against the Redskins.

LaFell took a big hit in the third quarter of the Chicago game and had to leave the field. Rivera said LaFell passed a concussion test that allowed him to go back into the game.

But Monday morning he complained of a stiff neck and headaches. Per NFL rules, LaFell could not practice with a helmet until Friday. Louis Murphy, Kealoha Pilares and Armanti Edwards all saw increased reps at the No. 3 receiver on Thursday.

“There are three guys who are getting opportunities because of the situation right now,” Rivera said.

Rivera added that David Gettis is likely to come off the physically unable to play list on Monday, but if LaFell is unable to go against Washington, that may expedite the Panthers’ plans for Gettis.

“We’re going to wait probably until (Friday) and see but we’ve got a ways to go because he has so much to learn,” Rivera said. “He looked good, he practiced well and practiced with the first bunch for some snaps as well but we’ll talk about it (Friday).”

ADAMS SITS: Since fumbling a kickoff and muffing a punt against the New York Giants in Week 4, Panthers returner Joe Adams has been inactive on Sundays, and this week looks to be no different.

Rivera said the rookie is progressing by staying after practices to catch balls from the machine, and that his time will come soon.

“The Pittsburgh game (in the preseason) shook him up a little bit and the Giants game got into his head even more,” Rivera said. “I think when you start talking about situations like that, sometimes the chance to take a step back and reassess – watch his technique and talk about his technique – then I think you start looking forward and saying now is the opportunity. It could be a week, two weeks, four weeks. But he’ll get an opportunity again.”

ALEXANDER KNOWS RG3: Rookie defensive end Frank Alexander knows Robert Griffin III quite well.

Alexander played at Oklahoma and faced Baylor and Griffin three times, losing the last game on a last-second touchdown throw by Griffin. On a three-man rush, Alexander came around the left side and slipped as he neared Griffin, giving him time to throw the touchdown pass.

“Just being around him and seeing the type of player he is, the type of guy he is, he’s that go-getter type of guy,” Alexander said. “He’s looking to get better every day. I just know with his work ethic, he’s going to work to one of the best.”

Alexander didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday with an injured knee, and he hopes he’ll be healthy enough for round four with Griffin.

“I’m trying, man,” he said.

INJURIES: Rivera said defensive tackle Dwan Edwards’ sprained ankle is his biggest injury concern heading into the weekend.

Edwards injured his ankle against the Bears and has sat out of practice all week. Also sitting out were defensive ends Antawn Applewhite (hamstring) and Thomas Keiser (elbow) and starting center Geoff Hangartner, who took the day off.

Linebacker Thomas Davis returned to practice after taking a day off, and Rivera said his play off rest was noticeable.

“He looked fresh,” Rivera said. “A day off does do wonders, especially when we’re talking about a knee.”