Carolina Panthers sign 3 draft picks on eve of rookie minicamp

The Carolina Panthers signed three of their five draft picks Thursday on the eve of their two-day rookie minicamp, including first-round selection, linebacker Shaq Thompson.

The Panthers also locked up fourth-round pick Daryl Williams, an offensive tackle from Oklahoma, and fifth-rounder David Mayo, an inside linebacker from Texas State.

With Thompson leaving Charlotte after minicamp to resume his coursework at the University of Washington, the two sides had a little more than a week to come to terms.

But with the implementation of the rookie wage scale in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, there is little negotiating room for draft picks in the slotted system.

All drafted players now sign four-year contracts, while clubs get a fifth-year option on their first-round picks.

As the 25th player taken overall last week, Thompson will receive a deal worth $7.97 million, according to a projection by Forbes.

Williams’ rookie deal will be worth an estimated $2.73 million, while Mayo’s should be about $2.39 million over the length of the contract.

The Panthers have two unsigned picks – second-round wide receiver Devin Funchess of Michigan and fifth-round running back Cameron Artis-Payne of Auburn.

The five draft picks will be among 54 players participating in the three-session minicamp, which begins Friday morning. They’ll be joined by the Panthers’ 10 undrafted free agents, 35 tryout players and four returning players who are eligible for the minicamp – wideout Marcus Lucas, tight end Kevin Green and defensive backs Kimario McFadden and Lou Young.

This story was originally published May 7, 2015 at 9:08 PM with the headline "Carolina Panthers sign 3 draft picks on eve of rookie minicamp."