Beason Still Holding Out
According to an AP report, Carolina Panthers first round draft pick Jon Beason is still holding out, with the two sides apparently very far from actually closing a deal any time soon. Beason, the 25th pick in the draft, has publicly stated that he would like to be at camp, practicing with his teammates and learning all the nuances of playing linebacker for the Carolina Panthers. However, some very intricate and exasperating contractual details seem to be holding up the process.
The crux of the problem seems to be in second year options, something the Panthers are vehemently against, for some reason I cannot surmise, being that I am not an accountant or NFL contract expert. However, from what I can gather, the Panthers seem to be muscling their rookie a bit in an effort to create a team precedent. I’m not sure how much longer they can hold out, as they’ve had a few preseason injury troubles at linebacker and may need Beason sooner rather than later, thus giving them less leverage.
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Panthers Suspend Bridges
According to reports, the Carolina Panthers have suspended offensive lineman Jeremy Bridges for the first two games of the regular season for his arrest on misdemeanor assault charges. Bridges was arrested Thursday in Charlotte, N.C., after a woman who works at a strip club accused Bridges of pointing a gun at her in the parking lot of the club. He was released on $3,000 bond. He will still be allowed to practice with the team. The suspension was leveled by the Panthers, not the NFL.
This marks the first negative off-field news story the Panthers have had to deal with in some time. In an offseason during which the Panthers were fairly quiet as an entire organization, this should come as at least a slight surprise to those who have been following the Panthers this offseason. The NFL could still impose a penalty on Bridges as well. Perhaps the NFL should simply institute a “no strip clubs” policy, as many of their players’ problems seem to stem from nights out at strip joints.
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Panthers Start Camp
ABC 11 TV is running an article on their website about the start of Carolina Panthers training camp. It details the lack of expectation that the Panthers experienced during camp last season, but also talks about the renewed focus and motivation to prove that last year was definitely a fluke. In the NFC, the Panthers certainly have a solid chance to make a big run this season, especially if the Bears can’t get an offense going and the Saints can’t keep anyone from scoring.
The fact that this is still the main story going into Panthers camp only speaks to what a quiet off-season Carolina has managed to have. Other that the Keyshawn Johnson release to open space for Dwayne Jarrett, there haven’t really been any big offseason stories for the Panthers. I believe this bodes well for them entering the 2007 season, as they should be extremely focused and without distraction. I am looking for them to do big things in 2007.
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A Vote for Jake Delhomme
The Gaston Gazette is running an article detailing all the reasons why Jake Delhomme should be the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers. Delhomme has come under fire recently, especially after the Panthers’ very disappointed 8-8 2006 season. Delhomme has one of the game’s premiere receivers, Steve Smith, as one his main targets, and there are those fans, analysts, and pundits who believe he may very well not be the man to get the job done in Carolina.
The article is very insightful and well written, and packed full of facts to support at least giving Delhomme one more year to lose his right to lead the Panthers. After leading the Panthers to a Super Bowl only a few years ago, it seems almost insane that anyone would claim he should be benched or traded in favor of another less proven quarterback. However, sports fans are known to be very fickle creatures, and whenever they get an idea in their heads, it’s hard to convince them they’re wrong. The fact remains that on this subject, the fans are wrong, and Delhomme does indeed deserve one more year to show that he’s still got it.
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Panthers Hoping to Sign all Draft Picks Before Camp
According to a report out of sportsbooks.com, the Panthers are scrambling to sign all of their draft picks before the start of training camp. Holdout prospect Kris Jenkins is now expected to be at camp, freeing the Panthers up to focus on their three remaining unsigned draft picks. Obviously, the Panthers would like to see every player report to the very first day of camp, especially their rookies, who will need the most work. Look for news of those signings to come quickly, as the Panthers don’t want any holdouts.
The Panthers would most likely be best served by signing their first pick, Jon Beason. After he signs, it is extremely likely that the Panthers’ two second round picks - wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett and center Ryan Kahlil, both out of USC - would fall in line. One need only look back to last week, when the Chargers signed their first round draft pick and then saw the rest of their picks promptly sign on the dotted line soon after. The Panthers are looking to improve greatly from last year’s disappointing season, and having rookie holdouts in training camp would be a step backwards for them. Look for them to lock these contracts up sooner rather than later.
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Clayton tells you what to watch for.
ESPN.com’s John Clayton has posted his NFC Stories to Watch for heading into training camp. He outlines a solid story line or two for each team in the National Football Conference from top to bottom, division by division, until he has made sure that every one of us NFL junkies has plenty to chew on heading into the final weeks of practice before the preseason games finally start. His story to watch for the Carolina Panthers is their running game.
According to Clayton, it will be the Panthers’ running game, not their pass attack, that will make of break them this year. That’s interesting, given their offseason moves to retain Steve Smith, jettison Keyshawn Johnson, and drafting Dwayne Jarrett. However, if Clayton says it, then it basically has to be true, so rather than putting all your focus on your loaded passing attack, Panthers fans, keep an eye on your running game as well.
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Jenkins Expected to Attend Training Camp
ESPN.com is reporting that despite his unhappiness with Carolina’s attempts to trade him in the offseason, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins is expected to attend Panthers training camp. Though Jenkins opted to skip every one of the team’s voluntary offseason workouts, he did show up for the mandatory mini-camp, and is not expected to be absent from training camp, either. However, given that Jenkins has not shown up for any of the team’s voluntary conditioning this offseason - coupled with his history of showing up at camp out of shape - the Panthers do not particularly expect him to show up at his playing weight.
So Jenkins may once again show up relatively out of shape. However, the fact remains that when Jenkins is healthy, he is a Pro Bowl-caliber player and a real difference-maker on the field. Having him at camp, even if he isn’t the happiest of professionals, is most certainly a good thing for the Carolina Panthers.
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Panthers Training Camp Breakdown
The Sports Network has posted a brief breakdown of Panthers training camp. While not exactly the in-depth look that you’d get from ESPN.com Insider, the breakdown does cover important dates, preseason games, and things to watch for during training camp. If you’re planning on attending the Panthers training camp, but you don’t want to spring for the insider account, this is a decent source of information to get you briefed before you head out.
One of the main things you’ll want to check out if you head out to Panthers camp is the new offense. The Panthers players themselves had nothing but good things to say about the new offensive schemes of new coordinator Dan Henning during mini-camps. Henning’s new offense is expected to revitalize the Panthers and return them to the form of the team that was favored to go all the way to the Super Bowl last year.
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Panthers Fans React to Vick Indictment
In another slow news day for the Carolina Panthers, I am forced to resort to the Michael Vick story for a news item. My apologies in advance. I found a Panthers blog detailing Panther fans sorrow at not being able to defeat the Falcons with Michael Vick on the roster. Where do I even start with this? I suppose since I’m about to rip this apart, I should probably start with a compliment. I think it’s quite admirable and honorable that this fan cares enough to want to beat teams at their best. That’s nice.
Having said that, first of all, Michael Vick has yet to be suspended, released, or given any sort of leave of absence by either the Falcons organization or the National Football League. So don’t count your chickens, you know? Second, in case you didn’t realize, your team isn’t getting any younger, and you’re barely cracking the top five teams in the NFC. You’re going to need all the wins you can get. So if Michael Vick is indeed out for the season, I say just accept it, enjoy it, and take those two wins. They may be the difference between a first week bye and playing in the wild card game.
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Panthers Crack Top 10
Espn.com has released its daily top 10 list and today it’s linebackers. For those who are unfamiliar, this system takes into account the opinions of a few men over at ESPN.com’s “insider” division, who when rank each team 1-32 at all the positions. The top 10 picks are then made available to the general public for free in an effort to entice readers to get an ESPN.com Insider account (which you should get, by the way, because it’s awesome, especially if you play fantasy leagues in any sport). The Carolina Panthers ranked number eight on the list.
The Panthers have a very solid group of linebackers. They certainly have the talent to compete with any team in the league in this category, but there is no guarantee this will translate onto the field. They have a rookie in Jon Beason and a player prone to injury in Dan Morgan. Now, if Morgan stays healthy and Beason catches on quickly, they could very well have a scary linebacking corps. However, with all the trouble Carolina had last year with injuries, you can’t blame their fans for being a bit skeptical. However, Beason is extremely talented, to perhaps fans should be more cautiously optimistic than skeptical.
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