Panthers coach Ron Rivera is "pretty confident" WLB Thomas Davis (ACL surgery) and MLB Jon Beason (Achilles surgery) will be ready for the regular season.

"I think based on what I've seen, it's just a matter of time before they're 100 percent and on the football field doing things that we need them to do," Rivera claimed Friday. Neither player has been cleared for football activities. Beason is penciled in as Carolina's middle linebacker, while first-round pick Luke Kuechly will man the weak-side. Rehabbing from his third right ACL tear, Davis is currently slated for backup duties.

Panthers WLB Thomas Davis (ACL surgery) expects to be ready for training camp.

Davis says his knee feels better than the past two surgeries. His optimism has become a right of spring, as this is his third ACL recovery in three years. He can make history by returning at a high level of play.

Panthers WLB Thomas Davis waived an $8 million offseason roster bonus in order to stay with the team.

Davis was due over $10 million per a ridiculous contract Carolina gave him last offseason. He passed on the roster bonus and dropped his 2012 base salary from $2.25 million to $700,000. Davis is signed through 2015, but the Panthers essentially have annual options on each of the years in the deal. He's recovering from yet another right ACL surgery, the third of Davis' career.

WLB Thomas Davis (ACL surgeries) is expected to remain with the Panthers on a restructured deal.

Davis said in February he was "pretty confident" he'd remain in Carolina, and the Charlotte Observer thinks the sides may have already reached an agreement. Any agreement will include the decline of Davis' $8 million option bonus. Davis is attempting to return from the third tear of his right ACL. It's believed no player has ever come back after tearing the same ACL three times.

WLB Thomas Davis (ACL surgeries) is "pretty confident" he'll be back with the Panthers in 2012.

The Panthers are expected to release WLB Thomas Davis (ACL surgeries) before he's due an $8 million roster bonus on March 15.

Pro Football Weekly does suggest that Davis and the Panthers could work out a less pricey, shorter-term deal "later in the offseason." Davis has torn his ACL three times. He most recently blew out his right knee in September.

Panthers WLB Thomas Davis (injured reserve, knee) said he is willing to renegotiate his contract to stay in Carolina.

Davis is owed an $8 million bonus on the second day of the league year in 2012. He's obviously not getting that after sustaining the third ACL tear of his career in Week 2. "Of course I'm willing to restructure (my contract), as long as I get the opportunity to play," said Davis. Still, the Panthers will most likely end up outright releasing Davis in March and then see where he's at later in the offseason.

Panthers WLB Thomas Davis (ACL tear) said on Twitter that there is "NO way am I going to retire."

Davis tore the ACL in his right knee during Week 2 and is undergoing surgery today. The Panthers are expected to release him after the season and his value on the open market will be ice cold. Davis has blown out his right knee three times during his career.

The Panthers included an $8 million option bonus in the second season of WLB Thomas Davis' (ACL surgeries) new five-year contract.

The Panthers blew $8 million in first-year salary and bonuses on Davis, but at least protected themselves with the option. They can cut ties with Davis in 2012 by not exercising the bonus on the third day of the next league year. The alleged five-year, $36.5 million deal was actually a one-year, $8 million pact. Davis will be released next March after his third ACL tear.

Panthers WLB Thomas Davis has been diagnosed with a torn right ACL, ending his 2011 season.

This is the third straight season Davis has torn his right ACL, and it's hard to believe he'll ever play another NFL down. Sad, sad news for a player who was emerging as an IDP force before first tearing his ACL in Week 9 of the 2009 season. Thomas' injury comes just one week after MLB Jon Beason was lost for the season with an Achilles' injury. Jordan Senn will get the first crack at replacing him on the weakside.

Panthers WLB Thomas Davis will undergo an MRI after leaving Sunday's loss to the Packers with a knee injury.

HC Ron Rivera was mum on Davis' status at his Monday press conference, saying only that Davis was "sore." Losing Davis for any amount of time just one week after losing MLB Jon Beason for the season would be a big blow for a Panthers defense that has gotten shredded in both of its first two games. Considering knee injuries have limited Davis to just nine games since 2008, there's reason to believe the news will be bad.

Panthers agreed to terms with WLB Thomas Davis on a five-year contract.

Carolina also re-signed SLB James Anderson to a five-year deal, as GM Marty Hurney continues to throw owner Jerry Richardson's cash around. Coming back from ACL surgery for a second straight season, Davis would have been a better candidate for a short-term "make good" contract. If he does return to form, new coach Ron Rivera will have an impact player for his defense. Davis is expected to be eased back into form early in camp.

Panthers WLB Thomas Davis is actually not a free agent, a source tells ESPN.com.

Free agent WLB Thomas Davis (ACL surgeries) was not limited during player-organized practices in June.

"Everything that those guys did, I did," says Davis. "At that point I was a year removed from the second surgery." Davis and the Panthers have expressed a mutual interest in working out a deal this summer. He should be ready to go for the start of training camp.

Panthers WLB Thomas Davis (ACL surgeries) is participating in player-organized offseason activities in a knee brace.

Thursday marked one year to the day that Davis' June 2010 MRI revealed a torn ACL, knocking him out for the season. The Panthers are expected to allow Davis to test free agency, but both sides want to work out a deal, probably for one year. Davis turned 28 a few months back and needs to rehab his market value.

Though WLB Thomas Davis (ACL surgery) is technically bound to the Panthers for $3.268 million in 2011, GM Marty Hurney has agreed to allow him to explore free agency.

There was no loophole for players who began the season on the PUP list after all. The 2010 contract carries over to 2011. Davis is so confident that he will strike a long-term agreement with Carolina that he's spent the offseason trying to convince Steve Smith to return. In Davis' case, at least, both sides want to continue the relationship.

Free agent WLB Thomas Davis says he wants to test the market this offseason, but has also expressed a desire to remain a Panther.

Davis, who ended last season on the PUP list, also isn't worried about his 2010 contract carrying over to 2011 due to a loophole in the old CBA. "I will be allowed to test the free agent market," he said. The Panthers appear to want him back, so via loophole or not, Davis should be back in Carolina next season.

Players who began the 2010 season on Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) and were not activated are expected to have their 2010 salaries "toll" over to the 2011 season, according to the old CBA.

This rule would stand if the lockout is ruled invalid in court and the 2011 season is played without a new CBA (a definite possibility). A new CBA, though, would likely change this rule. It pertains to Panthers LB Thomas Davis and Eagles DE Victor Abiamiri, although Philadelphia has already cut ties. The Panthers are currently on the hook for $3.268 million for Davis.

Of their possible free agents, the Panthers are expected to focus on re-signing WLB Thomas Davis, RB DeAngelo Williams, DE Charles Johnson and C Ryan Kalil this offseason.

Keeping Davis is a no-brainer even though he's currently recovering from a torn ACL. Williams is among the NFL's most talented backs when healthy, but increasingly injury prone of late, it wouldn't be surprising if Carolina lets him walk after Jonathan Stewart and Mike Goodson both performed well down the stretch in 2010.

Free agent LB Thomas Davis (ACL surgeries) is rehabbing at the Panthers' facility and hopes to re-sign with the team.

Thomas has four accrued years, so he'll probably be "tendered" as a restricted free agent later this month. He'd be a great fit in new coach Ron Rivera's Tampa 2 at weak-side 'backer, but will need to reprove his health. Davis, 28 in March, has torn his right ACL twice since November of 2009.