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February 05, 2009
Panthers' offseason to-do list
The Panthers' offseason is officially underway. The team has from today until Feb. 19 to decide whether it will franchise Julius Peppers and free agency begins Feb. 27. Here's a list of key decisions and issues the team faces.
The Peppers issue
There are three options with Peppers -- franchise and trade him; franchise and don't trade him (and risk him electing to sit out the 2009 season in protest) or let him walk (uncompensated) after his contract expires Feb. 26. The first scenario seems to make the most sense for the Panthers, who don't have a first-round choice in this year's draft. Assuming they were to get a No. 1 and at least one other high pick in exchange for Peppers, they'd be able to lessen the damage of his departure with another successful draft (they've been very astute on draft weekend the past few years). They could also troll the free-agent market (Tennessee's Albert Haynesworth?).
Jordan Gross
Last season's franchise player has said he wants to stay with the Panthers after his contract expires this month, but nothing's been finalized. Gross, who's at the Pro Bowl, will probably command about an $8 million per year contract. Losing Peppers AND Gross would be disastrous for the Panthers, and it's hard to see that happening.
The secondary
If the Panthers don't keep aging Ken Lucas, who recently turned 30 and struggled late last season, they'll have to find another cornerback. Richard Marshall, the team's nickle back, might be ready to step in.
The offensive line
Assuming Gross signs, the Panthers have an outstanding starting unit. But backup Geoff Hangartner becomes a free agent, and his ability to fill in last season during a spate of injuries was critical to Carolina's regular-season success. Losing Hangartner, who's good enough that he might find a team for whom he could start, would really hurt the O line's depth.
Kick/punt returns
The Panthers found a solid, if unspectacular, guy in Mark Jones last season. Jones is another pending free agent. Will he stay with the Panthers and potentially face lots of competition for the job next season from Ryne Robinson, Kenneth Moore and Jason Carter?
Quarterback
Finding a successor to Jake Delhomme is clearly going to be one of the Panthers' next big tasks, if it isn't already. Delhomme is the starter for '09 (no questions asked!), but he just turned 34 and has one season left on his contract with a big salary-cap hit of $11 million. Are the Panthers satisified they have a successor in backups Josh McCown, 29, or Matt Moore, 24; do they see somebody in the draft or free agency, or will they try at some point to restructure or extend Delhomme's contract? Right now, the Panthers aren't drafting high enough for a shot at a player like Matt Stafford or Mark Sanchez. And there's no realistic shot at a free agent who is a Delhomme-caliber quarterback (the Patriots will likely franchise Matt Cassell, for instance). -- David Scott
Posted by Observer Sports on February 5, 2009 at 11:32 AM | Permalink
Comments
I would hope that the Panthers wouldn't troll the free agent market. I'd rather they just offer Haynesworth a contract and be done with it. Har har.
Posted by: Revshawn | Feb 5, 2009 11:42:51 AM
I'm on the fence about Haynesworth. I read he's interested in the south, mainly Carolina or atlanta. And me personally, I feel he's a great asset but I can't get the foot stomp outa my mind from a couple years ago. he's a time bomb, but can improve our line alot, and allow us to go after a young DE that he would take pressure off of. imagine kemo and haynesworth together. that'd be pretty damn good. it would give any rookie DE and Johnson/Brayton a world to work with on the sides.
Posted by: Clay | Feb 5, 2009 11:53:54 AM
not to mention it would keep us from playing him twice a year if he goes to atlanta...
Posted by: Clay | Feb 5, 2009 11:54:45 AM
im a Jake fan but if we draft a QB..
Two Words..
Rhett Bomar..
Posted by: AGH! | Feb 5, 2009 12:00:20 PM
gota agree, haynesworth would be huge. nut have to sign Gross and restructure Delhomme...no way im paying that guy 11 mill. no way he's worth that.
Posted by: randy | Feb 5, 2009 12:03:59 PM
False Start #69, Five yard penalty. What would a Panthers game be like without hearing that at least 3 times!!!!
Posted by: Big Kev | Feb 5, 2009 12:04:43 PM
Haynesworth would be a huge get! He and Kemo could definetly clog up the middle. If we sign and trade Peppers we'd get a 1st round and 2nd round draft pick at least. Grab a DE with alot of promise, or trade the 1st round pick for an established DE. Or grab one in Free Agency - Terrell Suggs anyone? Imagine that front 4...Suggs, Kemo, Haynesworth, and Brayton/Johnson. Beastly!!! I think we'd be left saying Julius who?
Posted by: Jake | Feb 5, 2009 12:29:56 PM
Here's an idea...in the off season, mainly caused you su(ked balls in this past post season...you should practice like you're in the regular season you dumb (o(ks!
Posted by: Word2UrMother | Feb 5, 2009 12:30:54 PM
What in the world is a "Delhomme-caliber quarterback"? I'd hope they would go after a "Brady or Manning-caliber quarterback"! Not saying that there are any out there, but raise the standards a little for God's sake. Jake is a good QB, not a great QB and definitely not an elite QB. He's the best the Panthers have had so forget that rebuttle please; however, that's not saying a whole lot since this is still a young franchise.
Posted by: NFL247 | Feb 5, 2009 12:31:54 PM
I'm very interested to see what they do with Mark Jones, he did a very good job on returns, but I cant imagine them keeping both a return man who cannot play receiver and a kicker who cannot kick field goals
Posted by: matt | Feb 5, 2009 12:32:39 PM
Sign and trade Peppers (get a 1st and 2nd round for him). Sign Haynesworth in free agency. Use the 1st rounder to pick a DE who can step in and play right away, or hit the FA market again. Terrell Suggs anyone? Imagine that front 4....Suggs, Kemo, Haynesworth, and Johnson/Brayton. Beastly! We'd be left saying Julius who? FYI...Kemo and Suggs played together in Baltimore.
Posted by: Jake | Feb 5, 2009 12:32:52 PM
Any Southern Cal QB would seem to be a good QB of the future...Palmer, Leinert (sp?), Cassell, Sanchez...Coach Carroll sure does groom QB's extremely well for the NFL level.
Posted by: NFL247 | Feb 5, 2009 12:34:12 PM
DEFINITELY HAVE TO RESIGN GROSS IN MY OPINION, HE MAY HAVE SOME FALSE STARTS FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT HIS FLEXIBILITY TO PLAY BOTH TACKLE SPOTS AND HIM WANTING TO BE WITH THE PANTHERS IS IMPORTANT TO ME....HE HAS BEEN FORCED TO CHANGE TACKLE SPOTS BACK AND FORTH FOR YEARS AND STILL WANTS TO BE A PANTHER, WE HAVE BENT OVER BACKWARDS FOR PEPPERS, PAYING HIM MORE THAN HE HAS GIVEN (EFFORT WISE, HE GOT 14.5 SACKS JUST BECAUSE HE'S GIFTED ATHLETICALLY, IF HE GAVE A DAMN HE WOULD HAVE HAD 25, AND I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL WITH HIM!) AND HE WANTS TO SHIP OUT, I SAY FRANCHISE HIM AND LET HIM BE GONE...KEEP THE PLAYERS THAT WANT TO BE HERE, GROSS IS VALUABLE TO THIS TEAM BASED OFF EXPERIENCE, FLEXIBILITY, AND LOYALTY. MY 2 CENTS, PEACE
Posted by: DBROWN | Feb 5, 2009 12:46:47 PM
1. Cut Ken Lucas
2. Cut DJ Hackett
3. Cut Tyler Brayton
4. "Cut" Hangartner (let him walk, he'll get signed)
5. Sign Gross to extension
6. Franchise Peppers
7. Trade Peppers for draft picks
8. PROFIT
Posted by: Jimmy | Feb 5, 2009 1:03:32 PM
Don't forget we have to re-sign Gamble. He is listed as a top 10 FA on scout.com 2nd behind Asomugha and if we part ways with Lucas we can't affored to lose both starting CB's ,plus we won't have the cap room to go after a corner like Asomugha from Oakland with our D-line problems that have to be addressed.
Posted by: hellfish | Feb 5, 2009 1:19:34 PM
Pep made 14.5 maybe 15.5 good plays last year. I agree with you completely Jake, hopefully our front office sees it that way too, doesnt seem that hard to me.
Posted by: DNYCE | Feb 5, 2009 1:29:40 PM
Hellfish - Gamble was signed to a crazy large contract during the season - he's taken care of.
Posted by: John | Feb 5, 2009 1:35:12 PM
Try to keep up hellfish. They've already given Gamble a big money, long term contract. Good One!
Posted by: Irony | Feb 5, 2009 1:39:37 PM
So if Peppers decides he wants to sign a long deal with us (remember all of this is just speculation; until I hear Pepp say otherwise), what should we focus on? Aside from cutting loose Lucas, which I foresee happening, getting some depth at corner and on the D-line, where else can we look at? If Pepp does sign franchise and then we trade, I see us rebuilding through those draft picks rather than through free agency with Haynesworth/Asomungda. Depth is going to be so huge for us next season with our tough schedule.
Posted by: TrueFan | Feb 5, 2009 2:16:33 PM
Franchise Peppers, trade him for Chuck Norris and then sit back as the Panthers round house kick our way to the superbowl.
Posted by: Chuck Norris | Feb 5, 2009 2:24:55 PM
I like the idea of signing and trading Peppers for a 1 and 2 if possible, and then turning around and signing Haynesworth. Use a pick to get a DE or find someone that isn't a "name" that could possibly be developed. There won't be enough money to sign Haynesworth and a top dollar DE, so the best route there is a second tier free agent or a draft pick.
Posted by: Brian | Feb 5, 2009 2:37:13 PM
perhaps I am mistaken and/or corecct me if I am wrong but didnt the nfl's all-time leading sackmaster play for the ny giants and dont they use a 4-3. players make the scheme, schemes dont make the player...I say best trade #90 for some new young talent with a full tank of gas
Posted by: Nebcatfan | Feb 5, 2009 2:53:24 PM
our key player should be gross. he's the
best at what he does and he finally got the recognition he deserves. peppers needs to be franchised and traded. he obviously doesnt want to be here and no 1 player deserves 17 million per year. resign gross and trade peppers to fix that leaking D line.
Posted by: rafi | Feb 5, 2009 3:03:15 PM
just sign and trade peppers 2 the lions ots not like he was the definsive MVP let him cry then wen we win it all witout him hell b cryn again its always up and down wit him any way he said it not about the money wat great team that has a chance of winning it all can afford him any way he will always make the pro bowl on a contract year, RIGHT
Posted by: james | Feb 5, 2009 3:10:46 PM
Frankly, I don't know why Lucas gets so much of the blame for the secondary's woes in the second half of the season. Marshall and Godfrey blew their fair share of coverages in the late stages of the year, too. In addition, by the time signing bonus accelerations were applied, we'd only save about $3.4 million against the cap. What starting-caliber corner could we sign for that kind of money, even one on the lower end of the spectrum, as most around here see Lucas?
As for the O-Line, maintaining the kind of versatile backup depth we have in Hangartner and Bridges will be important. I like Bernardeau's chances of developing into a good backup along the interior line, but I don't know if I'd feel comfortable having him be the primary backup at more than one of those spots next year.
If Jones is willing to sign cheap, then sure, keep him. However, with other guys who were young or hurt this year who also have more potential to contribute at receiver already locked up in Robinson, Moore, and Carter, there's no need to spend much on him.
As for QB, in our system, there's no need to break the bank on either a top-of-the line FA or a high draft pick. Young guys rarely play right away, and when they do, it usually hurts rather than helps their development. Ideally, we'll rely on a strong defense to keep us in the game while a great line and RB combo wears down the D. Delhomme's much more than a game manager, but that's all we need. A QB like that can be developed as a mid-to-late rounder or an inexpensive FA, like even McCown once his deal is up. His experience in the system will be pretty invaluable.
I don't think Haynesworth would be a good move. He'll command HUGE money, he's got obvious character questions, and we're already committed to paying both Lewis and Kemo starters' money at the position. If we signed Haynesworth, we'd be looking at eating a good bit of money to cut one of those guys or paying a lot for a rotational bench DT. If we're going to use big money on a DL FA, I'd rather put 60% of the Peppers offer to Suggs. He's got most of the athleticism and versatility that made Peppers such an impact player when he actually tried.
I don't know Big Kev...maybe you can point out all those games where he false started three times or more.
Matt, as I noted above, I feel you on the return specialist, but there's no way you can say Lloyd didn't greatly impact our ST units. He led the NFL in TBs, both gross and in percentage, and we had vast improvement on our recent opponents' drive start figures.
NFL247, it's hard to say that Leinart has had a particularly successful transition to the NFL.
Jimmy, I understand your disappointment in Hackett, but he's still signed very affordably, and I don't see why we shouldn't keep him on board at least through camp. He had a great camp last year, and he's certainly more of a downfield weapon as the #3 when healthy than Jarrett is. As for Brayton, I don't see why you'd want to cut a 16-game starter who can play two positions and is only on the cap for $1.6 mil. You don't find deals like that in FA.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Feb 5, 2009 3:38:16 PM
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