Q: Why in the world would the Carolina Panthers cut Keyshawn Johnson? The Panthers had a great draft, so why let Mr. Catch Every Ball go? With the new receivers drafted, why not keep Keyshawn to teach them things?
— Jeremy Schultz, Burlington, N.C.

A: Every team has to fit its roster under a salary cap, so after the Panthers drafted Dwayne Jarrett, they didn’t need Johnson. Jarrett is a younger, less-expensive version of Johnson. Although mentoring is a nice idea endorsed by Johnson, it’s really not necessary. Jarrett can learn the ropes from Steve Smith just as well, and if he has to learn to catch the ball, shame on the Panthers. It’s just not smart to keep more players at one position than necessary, especially if they cost more than they’re worth.

Q: Can the Seahawks make another run at the Super Bowl without having very much of a draft? They traded Darrell Jackson to the 49ers, and I am sure he will burn them badly twice a year for a long time. I just don’t see where they have improved themselves with Deion Branch over Jackson. The draft acquisitions — Josh Wilson, Brandon Mebane, Baraka Atkins and Will Herring, all defensive players — will have a hard time seeing playing time, let alone making an improvement on the defense. Do you think the ’Hawks will be a better team or do you see them floundering in 2007?
— Gary Rodgers, Marysville, Wash.

A: The only way they become a better team is to stay healthier than they were in 2006. No rookie class is going to make a difference if Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander can’t bounce back from sub-par seasons. As for Branch, he’s a better receiver than Jackson and will show it in time. He arrived too late last season to make the kind of difference he can make. Mike Holmgren didn’t want to see Jackson go, but he was wearing thin because of nagging injuries that limited practice and playing time. Veteran acquisitions Patrick Kerney at defensive end, Deon Grant at safety, and Marcus Pollard at tight end will help the Seahawks improve faster than the rookie class. But Holmgren knows he has to have better luck on the injury front than he did last season.

Q: What is your opinion on Alan Faneca’s situation?
— Harvey “Mr. Steeler” Aronson, Jacksonville, Fla.

A: An unfortunate exposure of an imperfect system. Faneca is the epitome of class and ability, exactly the kind of player and person the NFL likes to advertise. He has outplayed his contract and is understandably upset Pittsburgh isn't willing to offer him an extension before he hits the open market next March. But there is no reason for the Steelers to do it now except out of the goodness of their hearts, which is seldom a valid reason for doing business. If he can bring himself to lay low for one more season, he probably can cash in — maybe not in Pittsburgh, but elsewhere. The Steelers are very good at identifying younger players on the ascent and getting rid of players who hit 30 and might be beyond their prime. It’s just too bad the timing of Faneca’s last contract prevented him from joining guards such as Steve Hutchinson last year and Kris Dielman, Leonard Davis, Derrick Dockery and Eric Steinbach this year on the lucrative free-agent market. I don’t blame him for being upset, but this is hardball, not just football.

Q: What are the different duties of the free safety and the strong safety? Also what are the different physical requirements for the two positions?
— Dave Dixon, Columbia, Md.

A: Although more teams are using the two positions interchangeably, the conventional difference is that the strong safety plays on the side of the field where the tight end lines up, while the free safety plays the other side. The strong safety usually is positioned closer to the line of scrimmage and looks for the run, while the free safety is free to roam center field and looks for the pass. This is oversimplification, of course, but most traditional strong safeties are bigger and better tacklers. They play “inside the box,” which is the area between the tackles and next to the linebackers. The strong safety is often used as a fourth linebacker. The free safety is normally the better ball hawk and cover man, capable of moving over a slot receiver as a nickel back in pass coverage. Many teams are keeping their safeties on the same side of the field and ignoring the tight end, so there is little difference in the two positions. But usually the safety who is the better tackler plays closer to the line.

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