Mike Tolbert is a tough and versatile running back that you want on your team. But running back was not a priority for the Carolina Panthers, not with DeAngelo Williams signing a huge contract before last season and with Jonathan Stewart under contract through this season.
Stewart, however, will be free when the season ends and the contract he signed as a rookie expires. Is Tolbert insurance? The signing certainly creates opportunities. The Panthers can trade Williams or Stewart. What they can't do is pay Stewart as much as they paid Williams.
Tolbert, who played at Coastal Carolina, is 5-9 and 243 pounds and almost as wide as he is tall. His reputation is that he does what he's asked - run, catch, block and play on special teams. He makes the Panthers more interesting and more flexible in terms of trades but less flexible under the salary cap.
Be interesting to see what happens next.
In other NFL news, Peyton Manning appears headed to Denver. Denver coach John Fox was not adverse to scoring when he coached the Panthers but his priority was defense and a strong running game.
When you think of Manning, however, you do not think of handoffs. Be interesting to see how Fox opens his offense to accommodate one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
You heard it hear first, john stewert to denver for tebow and a draft pick!!
Posted by: jamerson | March 19, 2012 at 01:09 PM
stewart sorry
Posted by: jamerson | March 19, 2012 at 01:12 PM
Can we trade Obama?
Posted by: District Six | March 19, 2012 at 01:17 PM
@Jamerson, not happening..
Posted by: Catsnmbr1Fan | March 19, 2012 at 01:18 PM
Who cares?
Fox will be gone before the season ends. BOOK THAT
Posted by: Eat me | March 19, 2012 at 01:20 PM
@District Six...don't you have a bridge to go troll under?
Posted by: Marcus | March 19, 2012 at 01:32 PM
You heard it here first: Jonathan Stewart to NE for Brady; Brady to Denver for Manning, Manning to SF for Vernon Davis, Davis to CBS for Bill Cowher, Bill Cowher to ESPN for Erin Andrews.
Posted by: Brandon | March 19, 2012 at 01:41 PM
Stewart or Williams would be worth a trade for a 1st round in 2013.
Posted by: BB | March 19, 2012 at 03:01 PM
Tom - WTF??? You know as well as anyone that Fox is Elway's sideline puppet - he has NO say and probably has no clue what plays are being called on offense.
But, because of this move by Elway - Fox will look like the greatest coach of all time or the biggest slug if Manning's neck doesn't fully recover (which is my bet) -
Needless to say - Fox is what he is and will never, ever be any better than a mediocre, 8 and 8 coach...
Elway on the other hand - knows what it takes to win and that is NOT a freakin handoff on 3rd and long.
Posted by: Flips256 | March 19, 2012 at 03:47 PM
Tolbert gives depth and flexibility. I don't think Manning will be healthy enough to finish the season. Tebow finishes the season in Denver. D-Will renegotiates his front loaded contract to give Panthers room to resign Stewart.
End of stories.
Posted by: Nosebleed fan | March 19, 2012 at 04:13 PM
Agree with "Nosebleed fan". Tolbert doesn't just add depth at backfield, he vastly improves special teams! All three will be Panthers in 2013.
Posted by: ColdInNY | March 19, 2012 at 04:54 PM
@Flips256
Trash Fox all you want, but he's still the best coach this team has ever had. He never did worse than 7-9 until the 2010 disaster. The guy rode a running back playing QB all the way to a playoff victory last year, that alone deserved coach of the year consideration.
Posted by: Bill C. | March 19, 2012 at 06:25 PM
@Bill C.
Yes - Fox rode a running back all the way to an 8-8 season and a weak playoff victory - but let me ask you this...
Do you really think that was a Fox offense you saw? Do you honestly believe that a guy that flat out REFUSED to make season adjustments, let alone halftime adjustments all of a sudden changed everything he believes in to "open up" his offense??
Come on - we all know Elway is the one running that show and Fox is a mere puppet that shows up and gets a check...
and for the record - 7-9 is not something to be proud of - it is what it is - mediocre at best!
Posted by: Flips256 | March 20, 2012 at 08:34 AM
I don't get this -- having Goodson didn't mean Stewart and Williams were redundant, and having Tolbert doesn't mean that either. It means Goodson is gone at least by first cuts in camp, if not before.
Everyone wave goodbye to the fumbler.
Posted by: MTBinDurham | March 20, 2012 at 01:13 PM
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. *@*
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