Panthers Pick Peete to Start Over Weinke

The Carolina Panthers believe Chris Weinke is still their quarterback of the future, even though they’ve benched him.

Carolina Coach John Fox said Monday that 14-year veteran Rodney Peete will start Sunday’s opener because Weinke has yet to grasp the offense and Peete will give the Panthers a better chance to beat the Baltimore Ravens.

“Chris is still a big part of our plans,” Fox said. “We brought in Rodney to help on and off the field, and this, in my opinion, is a move to help our football team and help Chris.”

The decision did not sit well with Weinke, who started last season as a rookie when Carolina went 1-15.

He was expected to be the starter this season but struggled in the exhibition season under the new offense Fox installed when he was hired in January.

“By no means am I happy about this, the timing of it is tough,” Weinke said. “Any competitor wouldn’t be happy about it. My goal is to work hard, to go out there every day and prove that I’m capable of this.

“In my opinion, my days as a starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers are not done.”

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Defensive player of the year Michael Strahan agreed to a seven-year, $46-million deal that will allow the NFL’s single-season sack holder to end his career with the New York Giants.

The deal came three days before the Giants’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers and only six months after an angry Strahan declared that this would be his last season with the team after a proposed $56-million deal fell apart.

“I am very happy I will be in New York and that I am going to stay here,” Strahan said.

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Former Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien won’t be with the Seattle Seahawks this season after all.

Rypien, who appeared to have made the roster when the team made its final cuts on Sunday, was waived.

That means the Seahawks won’t have to pay Rypien’s $750,000 salary, of which $450,000 counted against the NFL’s salary cap.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars signed 10-year journeyman quarterback Kent Graham to give themselves some veteran experience behind Mark Brunell.... The Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms with veteran linebacker Greg Biekert, who was cut by Oakland. Biekert is expected to start at middle linebacker. The Vikings also claimed former Dallas Cowboy placekicker Tim Seder off waivers.... Tight end Desmond Clark, who caught 51 passes last season for the Denver Broncos, was claimed off waivers by the Miami Dolphins.