Goodson working to make an impact

The Carolina Panthers may not have had a brighter star last summer than running back Mike Goodson.

But now he's hoping to be a bigger factor this fall.

The 2009 fourth-round pick dazzled in all the practices of May and June, and all but disappeared once the season started. He's still got the same kind of explosive ability, but he said last week he's better able to take advantage of it now.

"Just for me going into my second year, there's a new confidence level," Goodson said. "Just have a year under your belt, knowing your stuff, and just coming in with that confidence."

The Panthers want to see more of Goodson in the passing game. He's got good hands and open-field elusiveness, but as with most rookies, his failure to grasp pass protection cost him playing time last season. Bottom line, coaches are slow to trust young players with their quarterback's health, and if there are any questions about their ability to block, they just won't play.

Goodson needs to take advantage of passing-down opportunities this year, because he won't get many as a runner with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart in front of him.

But the other job he wants to make his own is kickoff returner. For all the flash he showed in minicamp and off-season workouts at the position, he often looked indecisive once the season started. A concussion suffered in Dallas kept him out for two weeks, and for the rest of the season, that job passed through many hands.

Goodson said he's spent extra time this offseason with new special teams coach Jeff Rodgers in hopes of cementing a job.

"I definitely want to make the kick returns all me this year," Goodson said.

School's out

Quarterback Tony Pike is scheduled to rejoin his teammates Tuesday, after finishing his exams at Cincinnati.

Pike's been held out of OTAs because of a rule that prohibits rookies from schools on the quarter system from joining their pro teams until class is out for the year.

That's a significant setback for a guy who needs all the time he can get. As a quarterback who ran a spread offense and worked out of the shotgun in college, he needs every snap he can get.

He'll come in fourth in the pecking order, and with no guarantees of a spot on the 53-man roster. Missing this time won't help, either.

Still waiting

While defensive end Julius Peppers found work quickly this offseason, the uncapped year hasn't paid off nearly as well for many other unrestricted free agents.

Receiver Muhsin Muhammad, quarterback Josh McCown, right guard Keydrick Vincent and defensive tackle Hollis Thomas are among the growing rolls of older players having a hard time finding work despite solid resumes.

According to the NFL Players Association, 117 of the 233 unrestricted free agents (50.2 percent) have not signed anywhere after the first 10 weeks of free agency this year. Compare that to 208 of 338 (61.5 percent) in 2009 and 203 of 315 in 2008 (64.4 percent), and it's clear the impact the league's labor uncertainty has had on veteran players.