Panthers Waste No Time in Free Agency

The Carolina Panthers will not be wasting any time in free agency this offseason.  According to this report out of the Charlotte Observer, the Panthers arranged a visit with Oakland Raiders defensive end Tyler Brayton.  Brayton was a first round pick in the league, and has been a solid player in the oft-overlooked Oakland defense.  While Oakland has had big problems on offense, their defense has remained fairly stout (at least comparative to the offense), and Brayton was a big cog in that machine.  With the possible retirement of veteran Mike Rucker, the Panthers will need a replacement.

Even if Rucker decides to come back for one more season, the Panthers certainly could use a capable replacement.  Rucker is certainly not the same player he was a few years ago.  The Panthers need to replenish their defensive line, and signing someone like Brayton would be a great step toward doing just that.  No matter what happens in this free agency period, the Panthers are certainly being aggressive, and their fans must be happy about that.  There are a great many teams in the NFL who need some help to get over the hump who aren’t being nearly as aggressive as the Panthers, and I believe those teams will suffer in 2008 for their apathy.

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