Sources: Panthers bring in 3 punters, maybe to send message to Nortman

The Panthers worked out three punters Tuesday, two days after Brad Nortman outkicked his coverage on a long punt return in a 27-22 win against New Orleans.

Carolina brought in former Jacksonville and Chicago punter Adam Podlesh, ex-Cleveland and University of South Carolina punter Spencer Lanning and former Wofford punter Kasey Redfern, according to league sources.

The Panthers didn’t sign any of the three, and might have been intending to send a message to Nortman by bringing them to Charlotte.

Nortman is ranked sixth in the league with a 48.6-yard gross punting average. But he’s 27th in net punting at 36.0 yards, an average hurt by Marcus Murphy’s 74-yard punt return for a touchdown last weekend.

Murphy’s return came after Nortman appeared to have pinned the Saints at their 9. But a penalty on Teddy Williams forced Nortman to re-kick, and Murphy caught Nortman’s second punt with room to run.

The Panthers continue to have special teams issues after ranking among the league’s worst special teams units in 2014.

Graham Gano has missed three field-goals attempts in eight tries, including two that were blocked. Coach Ron Rivera initially thought there was a protection problem on Gano’s 53-yard attempt that was blocked by Houston in Week 2, but the following day Rivera said Gano hit the ball too low.

This story was originally published September 29, 2015 at 10:32 PM with the headline "Sources: Panthers bring in 3 punters, maybe to send message to Nortman."