Panthers Shopping Foster

According to this report out of ESPN.com, the Carolina Panthers are shopping running back DeShaun Foster.  While Foster is definitely a solid running back and a better option than many teams have at the position, the Panthers feel that that DeAngello Williams is their running back of the future.  They were expected to do something about this situation during the offseason, and this is certainly their best option.  If they can get Foster moved to another team and get something back for this top-tier running back, they will be in solid shape to rebuilding this team into a contender.
Not to toot my own horn, but I definitely called this not too long ago.  I said the Panthers needed to address the fact that DeAngelo Williams is their running back moving forward, but that he would never make the strides needed to become truly great until Carolina got rid of the aging and injury prone Foster.  After playing his first full season of his career, Foster will never be more marketable.  And if the Panthers aren’t going to re-sign him next year, this makes the most sense of any move they could have made.  The Panthers’ offseason is getting off to a solid start.

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Panthers Need Fixing

According to this article out of the Charlotte Observer, the Carolina Panthers need some work this offseason.  While I’m not sure this qualifies as breaking news, it is exactly the kind of story that Panthers fans should get used to seeing until their team starts making moves when free agency gets under way officially.  For now, all the Panthers have are issues that must be addressed and a waiting period until they can address them.  As such, they will likely be subjected to articles and write-ups just like this one, stating the obvious: That the Carolina Panthers need help and fast.

This article recommends spending heavily in free agency.  While I can see where the impetus to spend and spend now comes from, I am not sure this is the most prudent line of attack for the Panthers in the long term.  The problem I have with that course of action is that if it fails, it puts the Panthers in even worse shape for the rebuilding project that will start next year after John Fox is fired.  However, I can’t see any other way for this to play out.  Coach and GM will pay out the nose for players they believe can fix the Panthers, and if they’re wrong, heaven help everyone who loves the Panthers.

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Top Five Panthers Needs

ESPN.com is getting into the swing of the offseason, and right now they’re doing so by listing the top five needs of each team, broken down by division.  Today, they took on the NFC South, detailing the top five needs of the Carolina Panthers in the process (scroll down a bit to see the breakdown of the Panthers).  According to the good people at ESPN.com, the Panthers need to address their situations at offensive tackle, defensive end, wide receiver, free safety, and defensive tackle.  The Panthers definitely need to address a good deal of issues this offseason.

While I do agree that the Panthers need to do all they can to get their offensive tackles locked down and build depth at the position as well, and I also agree that they need to get younger at defensive end, I truly believe their assessment of the pass game is way off.  The Panthers so obviously need a truly viable backup option right now, it’s not even funny.  Was I the only one watching their entire season implode after Delhomme went down?  To put the blame for the lack of a viable pass game this year on the receivers is just unfair.

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Delhomme Rehab Slow but Steady

In some really wonderful news for the Carolina Panthers, ESPN.com is reporting that Jake Delhomme’s rehab is still progressing very well.  Delhomme, as has been reported earlier, has begun throwing a nerf ball, which bodes extremely well for his recovery.  Delhomme has even gone so far as to state that he feels like this injury - while it may have been a big hindrance to the Panthers last year - will be the best thing in the long run.  The quarterback feels as though his elbow is in better game shape now than it has been in years.

Many fans of the Panthers may not have been aware, but Delhomme has been playing with pain for years now.  For the last few seasons, their QB hasn’t been at 100% during any game.  Now, with the surgery and time off to rehab, the elbow feels better than it ever has before, if you listen to Delhomme talk about it.  If the Panthers can open up their playbook a little more in 2008, that’s definitely not a bad thing.  Sometimes you have to take the lemons and make lemonade, and that seems to be exactly what Delhomme is trying to do.

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Panthers Re-Sign DT to Begin Busy Offseason

In an offseason expected to be loaded with shakeups and shakedowns, the Carolina Panthers have gotten off to a very solid start.  The Panthers re-signed reserve defensive tackle Damione Lewis to a three-year contract on Saturday, and according to Lewis’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, the deal should be finalized sometime on Monday.  Obviously, with the deal still being finalized, no actual details of the contract have been fully disclosed. Next week, the Panthers will begin the process of making some cuts, which should prove very interesting for those following the team.

On a completely unrelated note, but still pertaining to the team, if you scroll down to the bottom of this story, the finally paragraph of this article discusses Jake Delhomme’s rehab.  Apparently Delhomme has gotten himself back into shape to the point where he can throw a nerf ball.  While at first this many seem like a silly indicator of progress, this is actually really great news for the Panthers.  If Delhomme is throwing a nerf ball, that means that his arm is now going through the motion of throwing again.  This is a great step toward full recovery for the quarterback.

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Panthers To Possibly Cut Carr, Morgan

We knew this time was coming.  Everyone in North or South Carolina had to know that this day would come, when the wholesale trimming of the fat would begin for the Panthers sooner rather than later.  With the date approaching when teams can begin to start with their cuts, this article questions which players the Panthers will cut and which players they will keep.  The big name on the list is of course Dan Morgan.  Morgan was a big part of this Carolina team for a long time and is a fan favorite, but injuries have hurt his career and he makes nearly five million next season.  He may be the first big name player to go.

However, the article states that cutting David Carr won’t be so easy.  Apparently, the Panthers love Carr’s “natural ability” and “classiness.”  His natural ability to do what?  Do they love his natural ability to take a sack or fumble more?  Do they think he looks especially classy when he’s on the grass after taking a sack?  Or do they think he looks classier when he’s on the sideline holding a clipboard?  Whatever they’re thinking, if they actually pay him what he’s due next season to stink up the joint like he did this year, the Panthers are nuts.

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Panthers Must Face Cold Hard Facts

According to this article out of ESPN.com, the Panthers need to start cutting ties with some of their older players. While veteran favorites like Mike Rucker and Dan Morgan definitely have the love of every Carolina Panthers fan, they are all past their primes. Keeping these men on the roster, according to Pat Yasinskas, was one of the main reasons the Panthers went 7-9 last year. If the Panthers want to reverse their fortunes, they will need to cut ties with some of their older players in favor of new blood. I’m not sure I fully agree with it, but I see where the author is coming from.
My main issue with this article is that it ignores the fact that the Panthers were actually having a decent season until Jake Delhomme fell injured. Now, while I do agree that the Panthers can no longer afford to hang on to sentimental favorites, I still maintain that throwing the blame for the Panthers’ failed season on their shoulders is unfair. The Panthers had an awful season after losing their starting QB because they signed the wrong backup. If they’d had someone to pick up the slack for Delhomme, perhaps we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

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Chad Johnson to Carolina?

Stan Olson may officially be my least favorite sports writer of all time.  The man seems about as informed on Carolina sports as I am, which is sad considering how much more access to various journalistic resources the man has in comparison to me, especially within his own market.  Here is his take on the possibility of Chad Johnson being traded to the Carolina Panthers.  First of all, let me just say that I do agree with Olson on one point: it is highly unlikely that you see Chad Johnson in a Carolina Panthers uniform at any time during the 2008 season.

However, I would say that the reason you won’t see Johson play for the Panthers has more to do with the Panthers not being willing to make the move to get Chad Johnson than it does with the reasons cited by Olson.  My favorite reason he listed was when he said that rumors of Johnson sitting out 2008 were shot down by his agent. First of all, never quote Drew Rosenhaus as if you believe a word he says.  Second, when Rosenhaus says “Chad Johnson will play football in 2008,” and you can’t read between the lines and realize that he never ever said that Chad Johnson would play for the Bengals anywhere in that statement, then you’re just not the sharpest knife in the drawer.  I fully expect Chad Johnson to play for a team other than the Bengals next season, if not at the beginning of the season, then by the end.  Will that team be the Panthers?  we’ll have to wait and see.

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Panthers Want to Keep Gross

Today we’re hitting up an article from The Herald online to bring you the news that the Carolina Panthers are confident they can retain standout tackle Jordan Gross, who could possibly test the free agent market.  Gross will likely have the franchise tag applied to him, which will cost the Panthers somewhere in the seven million dollar range for a one-year deal.  While this price is certainly steep, it is nowhere near the $9 million-plus that teams had to pay last year to franchise tag a player of Gross’s caliber.  This year, the market is a bit more stable and sane, so the Panthers will likely try to keep Gross at least one more year.

Obviously, the Panthers would prefer to sign Gross to a longer deal.  Gross would also prefer to sign a long-term contract with the Panthers, and has voiced this preference to the media.  Both sides remain confident that they can reach an agreement on exactly what such a deal would entail, and these sorts of things take time.  At the very least, everyone simply wants to avoid the type of contract disputes we saw with certain players last year who were given the franchise tag.  Those players held out and were a big distraction to their teams.  If there is one thing the Panthers don’t want or need going into the 2008 season, it is any kind of negative distraction.

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Rucker Puts off Retirement

According to this news story plucked from the wire by ESPN.com, Mike Rucker has decided not to retire.  The 33-year-old defensive end has been a rock for the Panthers for years now, ranking second in total tackles in franchise history and recording more than 55 sacks for Carolina during his career there.  Rucker is slated to become a free agent this offseason, and at his age, there is no way to tell what kind of market value he still has at his position.  Rucker would obviously like to finish out his career as a Panther, and I’m sure the front office would like to see that happen as well.

However, things are not so cut and dry as sitting down and signing the contract.  The Panthers enter this offseason under extreme pressure and scrutiny to perform well in the market.  They will need to pick up some key free agents and make solid decisions on draft day if they want to reinvigorate their fan base.  While Mike Rucker is certainly a great Panther, his decision to come back will raise more than a few concerns as to the length and monetary value of his next contract.  It should be interesting to see how long it takes to get a deal done.

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