The Carolina Panthers have been one of the nine least active teams during the NFL's nine-day-old free agency signing period.

As of Saturday night, Carolina was one of 16 teams that hadn't signed an unrestricted free agent - a veteran of six years or more whose contract with his previous team expired. However, seven of those clubs either had traded for a likely starter or signed a potential front-liner recently cut by another team.

Barely a whisper has been heard from the Panthers, who signed former Colts defensive tackle Ed Johnson, a street free agent, before the full-blown signing period opened March5. Since then they've only signed Wallace Wright, a wide receiver and special teamer whom his former team, the New York Jets, chose not to tender as a restricted free agent.

The Panthers' strategy appears to have been mainly to explore the outer edges of the free agency market, checking into younger role players whose contracts won't be costly, including former San Francisco cornerback and special teamer Marcus Hudson, another untendered restricted free agent.

The Panthers, who are raising ticket prices next season, so far have majored in depletions. Nine 2009 starters no longer are on the roster. Defensive end Julius Peppers left via free agency, four starters were cut and four more are unrestricted free agents who may not be re-signed.

Elsewhere in the NFC South, Atlanta has signed the highest-rated free agent cornerback, former Houston Texans star Dunta Robinson; and Tampa Bay has made a pair of mildly impactful moves, acquiring wide receiver Reggie Brown via trade from Philadelphia and signing Oakland unrestricted free agent linebacker Jon Alston.

The New Orleans Saints, reigning division and Super Bowl champions, are one of four teams (along with Dallas, Green Bay and Oakland) who haven't yet made a roster addition.

Of all the teams in the division, however, Carolina carries the strongest perception of being the one whose talent level and competitive capacity has dropped substantially over the past several weeks.

Peppers, one of the best players in franchise history, signed a six-year, $84 million contract with the Chicago Bears.

The Panthers cut five big-name players over 30 - quarterback Jake Delhomme, fullback Brad Hoover, defensive tackles Damione Lewis and Maake Kemoeatu, and outside linebacker Na'il Diggs.

All except Kemoeatu started last season. He was scheduled to start before suffering a season-ending injury in training camp.

And the sad farewells may not be over.

Panthers fans at Bank of America Stadium already know they won't be able to chant "Hooooov!" anymore for Hoover, but they may also have to cease cheering "Mooooose!" since there's been no indication the team intends to re-sign unrestricted free agent receiver Muhsin Muhammad, who turns 36 in May.

Three other starters whose returns are in doubt as unrestricted free agents are defensive end Tyler Brayton, who recently visited the Seattle Seahawks, guard Keydrick Vincent and nose tackle Hollis Thomas.

The 10 players who've either left, been cut or are still unsigned have combined to start an astonishing 639 regular-season games for the Panthers and comprised a sizeable chunk of the locker room leadership.

In fairness to team officials, however, age or injuries could've been a factor in some of their decisions. Hoover was limited to four starts and 11 games played last year by injuries, including early season back spasms. Muhammad's 13 starts were his fewest since 2001. Kemoeatu missed the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Still, the veteran cuts were so sudden, far-reaching and unexpected that Panthers' fans and many analysts around the league are struggling to figure out the team's long-range plan.

After all, the entire starting defensive line is no longer on the roster - Peppers, Lewis, Brayton and Thomas, a 36-year-old.

According to sources, the Panthers knew months ago that they wouldn't be big spenders in free agency this year. It's no longer the team's preferred way to build a team, plus owner Jerry Richardson is said to be preparing for a possible owners' lockout of players in March 2011 unless a new collective bargaining agreement can be reached with the players' association.

Another sign of heightened conservatism: Head coach John Fox and his assistant coaches are in the final year of their contracts.

It all adds up to almost certainly the most awkward offseason in franchise history, which team officials aren't eager to discuss.

Fox and general manager Marty Hurney have kept a lower profile since the season ended than at any time since they began running the team together in 2002, choosing not to make comments to the media except in news conferences.

Hurney made it clear in two news conferences since the season ended - Feb.23 when the decision not to franchise Peppers was announced and March 5 when Delhomme's release was the primary topic - that the Panthers likely wouldn't be big players in free agency.

Hurney emphasized that the team always keeps all of its options open, but that in recent years has become more dependent on building through the draft and signing undrafted rookies because of the team's success in those areas.

"We're going to stick with that philosophy," said Hurney.

Hurney also said he understood the rumblings of dissatisfaction coming from fans who want to see the team make big free agency moves.

"We've had offseasons here - and a lot before John got here - (when) we were really active in free agency and everybody was ecstatic, then if you don't do good during the season, then it changes," said Hurney.

Hurney said the Panthers have young players they believe are ready to step in for the departed veterans and "sometimes you have to force yourself to give those guys that opportunity and that experience."

On the defensive line, that means a possible switch to 2009 second-round pick Everette Brown and 2007 third-rounder Charles Johnson at the end positions, and turning to a pair of tackles who were acquired via trade last year, Louis Leonard and Tank Tyler.

At linebacker, it might mean giving former Penn State All-American Dan Connor a chance to start in Diggs' spot. And at fullback, Hoover's heir apparent is Tony Fiammetta, a 2009 fourth-round selection who was regarded as the top player at the position in his draft class.

There's still plenty of time - and more than enough roster vacancies - for the Panthers to make some sort of free agency splash before heading to a draft this year (April 22-24) in which they don't have a first-round pick and aren't scheduled to make a selection until the middle of the second round.

The lack of a full stock of draft choices could limit the Panthers' ability to fill all of their needs, which include a quarterback to compete with new starter Matt Moore, wide receivers to complement Steve Smith, more talent and depth on the defensive line, and the seemingly annual search for a game-breaking kick returner.

Perhaps more than ever, the Panthers are a mystery team. Questions abound, and answers - at least for now - are in short supply.