[gap size=”10px”] C harles Johnson is the Panthers’ highest-paid player, and apparently he’s taken on extra responsibilities around the office. With a post to his Instagram account Wednesday, the defensive end was first to report center/guard Fernando Velasco was signing with the Panthers. Johnson and Velasco were teammates at Georgia, and the two have remained close.Last season, the Steelers picked up Velasco after Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey injured his knee in Week 1. Velasco jumped in immediately and started every game until he ruptured his Achilles in Week 13.The 29-year-old spent his first five seasons with the Titans, splitting time between center and guard. If he’s made a quick recovery from a rough injury, he could turn out to be a solid late-July pickup.[vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html]Velasco was one of two former Tennessee offensive linemen added by the Panthers, who also signed center Kevin Matthews Wednesday. The 27-year-old appeared in 17 games the last four seasons, and he also has some of the best bloodlines in the NFL.Stick with me now:

• He’s the son of Hall of Fame guard Bruce, and the brother of Falcons first-round tackle Jake.
• Kevin’s cousin, Clay III, is a star linebacker for the Packers.
• Another cousin, Casey, plays for the Eagles.
• Their dad, Clay Jr., was a former Browns’ Pro Bowl linebacker.
• His dad, Clay Sr., played tackle for the 49ers in the 1950s.

Got it? Good.Velasco and Matthews replace center Jared Wheeler and linebacker Billy Boyko on the Panthers’ roster, which is again at 90 players.