The Plan for Star

[KendrickPanther]

I do not think you understand what roster depth is for a team. CJ and KK are not depth.

Dwan Edwards, Colin Cole, Kyle Love, Mario Addison, and Wes Horton. That is the depth. Can you put a formidable front up with any 4 of that group? And we have had this issue since 2011. Expecting different results by doing the same things is Gettleman/Rivera motto.

The LBs do not plug leaks. The DL keeps bodies off the LBs to allow them to move and get to the ball. A poor DL will decline the performance of even the best LB in the league.

Our depth right now is better than our starters in 2010-2011.. You really can't compare them. Antwan Applewhite? Frank Kearse? Andre Neblett? Jason Shirley? Nick Hayden? Edwards, Cole, and Addison are proven players. Horton and Love are a little less proven but they have what it takes. 

[PhillyB]

I do not think you understand what roster depth is for a team. CJ and KK are not depth.

Dwan Edwards, Colin Cole, Kyle Love, Mario Addison, and Wes Horton. That is the depth. Can you put a formidable front up with any 4 of that group? And we have had this issue since 2011. Expecting different results by doing the same things is Gettleman/Rivera motto.

The LBs do not plug leaks. The DL keeps bodies off the LBs to allow them to move and get to the ball. A poor DL will decline the performance of even the best LB in the league.

we are not deep at nose tackle.

we are deep on the defensive line as a unit, which gives us the flexibility to not be deep at nose tackle for a short period of time.

[CPantherKing]

 

Our depth right now is better than our starters in 2010-2011.. You really can't compare them. Antwan Applewhite? Frank Kearse? Andre Neblett? Jason Shirley? Nick Hayden? Edwards, Cole, and Addison are proven players. Horton and Love are a little less proven but they have what it takes. 

Are you really going back to the 2010 season to make the argument that the Panthers depth is better? A three legged dog is better than a two legged dog, but it is still not capable of running with the big dogs on all four legs. 

Edwards, Cole, Addison, and Horton give up big runs and take more than 3 seconds to get to the QB. Not good at all.

[pantherj]

I think he'll be back for the Bucs game. I read that his type of injury takes 6-8 weeks to heal. I think it happen in early August. I'm not expecting him for the next few weeks.

[UpstatePanther]

Sorry, but don't see the depth you speak of. This team needs all its starters to have a chance at the playoffs.

Not sure how anyone would call the Panthers deep at any position outside of QB. Most teams have quality starters as depth. That is not the case in Carolina, and opposing teams will exploit that fact.

for you to say this, tells me you dont know much about the Panthers' roster. not doubting your fandom or anything, but this is about as incorrect as one can get about the Panthers. it really reminds me of what the media says about the team.

QB - 1 generational superstar and 2 backups that could start for a team in the right situation

RB - 1 stud RB, 1 shifty, situational vet, and 2 young backups that could be the future at the position. yes Stewart might get hurt, but i am confident with what ive seen from CAP, Wegher, and Fozzy that if Stewart goes down, our committee will match at least 75% of Stew's production

FB - 1 hard-hitting, power fullback that adds an invaluable extra dimension to our offense (one that is MUCH needed with our inept OC)

TE - 1 top 3 TE, 1 above average, pass-catching backup, and 1 young backup that has been prevented from showing much potential due to injuries

OL - finally a starting line that has played together all preseason, and has performed admirably throughout the preseason. Run-blocking is suspect, but seeing how the Panthers are a run-first team, this should be fixed very soon if not already. 2nd and 3rd stringers shouldnt start as a unit, but will be adequate backups and rotational players.

WR - only depth concern on the offense. Although, the deficiency here can be schemed around. i mentioned in a separate thread earlier today that having Ted Ginn and Philly Brown both split wide actually makes alot of sense. They can stretch the perimeter while the sure-handed Cotchery and Olsen, promising rookie Funchess, and promising newcomer Norwood can wreak havoc underneath. Not to mention that our RB's have proven they can be a valuable asset catching dump-off passes from underneath. Yes, Philly needs to catch the damn ball. But this group is capable of surprising people i think. perhaps im being too optimistic, but i think they will surprise people this season.

DE - semi-concerning. Charles Johnson will be a stud. he might take some time to get going, but Jacksonville and Houston should be good games to get into a rhythm. Kony Ealy came on strong toward the end of the preseason and while he will have his struggles against the better OLs of the league, i think he will make an adequate counterbalance to CJ. Mario Addison pushed Kony and Frank Alexander for the starting spot and would be an adequate backup for Kony IMHO. Wes Horton would be a drop in talent, but i dont think the drop would be too great. If the Panthers sign Da'Quan Bowers, i will not be concerned about the depth here at DE at all.

DT - KK Short should start in the opener, and the importance of that cannot be overstated. He should be ready to go, even though he missed alot of the preseason with back spasms. Yes, Lotulelei might be out. But Edwards, Cole, and Love are more than adequate backups. They are older, for sure. But they were more than serviceable last season and performed very well this preseason. there should be no concern for this position.

LB - do i really need to go there?

CB - concern. and thats only because there are only 4 of them. The coaching staff wouldnt have only kept 4 if they were worried about any of them being out for the opener. This is a talent-deep CB corps where Bene could start in his own right and will probably still be in on a hell of alot of snaps, and Teddy Williams will be adequate to give someone else a breather. Lets not forget that the Panthers kept Colin Jones, who is a hybrid Safety/Nickleback and has performed very well in the nickle package. 

Safety - concern. Any safety corps that starts Roman Harper is concerning. But Sean McDermott is actually good at his job, unlike his offensive (pun intended) counterpart, and i highly doubt that Harper will be in on alot of pass plays. He is best in run support and i think one of the other safeties takes his place on obvious passing plays. Tre Boston struggled last year, as can be expected for a rookie 4th rounder, and Dean Marlowe is largely unproven (though he did earn a roster spot after going undrafted this year). Marlowe flashed in preseason, and might continue his performance as an adequate backup during the regular season. Kurt Coleman brings much needed attitude and talent to this safety unit. no concern there. and as mentioned earlier, Colin Jones can play the safety position and can be trusted to fill in while someone needs a breather. 

 

It is ignorant to claim that the Panthers' roster has no depth. This is the deepest roster we have had in many, many years. i dont fault anyone for not knowing about the depth the Panthers have achieved, but it does suggest where they get their information from (the media).

 

[Qu1million]

Even by week 3, I hope hes back to play as many snaps as possible...wouldn't like to see him play half of what he's expected

[CPantherKing]

It is ignorant to claim that the Panthers' roster has no depth. This is the deepest roster we have had in many, many years. i dont fault anyone for not knowing about the depth the Panthers have achieved, but it does suggest where they get their information from (the media).

 

Depth: A large number of good players.

That is the definition. This does not mean a top layer of good players followed by average, mediocre, and project/potential players.

Your post supported my point. When you look at depth of a team you do not list the starters as the foundation to your argument. Remove the starters, and then tell me how good the second team is for the Panthers. If you look at a second team unit and think that they would be a liability in winning a game, then they are not good depth.

[NavyPF4L]

I do not think you understand what roster depth is for a team. CJ and KK are not depth.

Dwan Edwards, Colin Cole, Kyle Love, Mario Addison, and Wes Horton. That is the depth. Can you put a formidable front up with any 4 of that group? And we have had this issue since 2011. Expecting different results by doing the same things is Gettleman/Rivera motto.

The LBs do not plug leaks. The DL keeps bodies off the LBs to allow them to move and get to the ball. A poor DL will decline the performance of even the best LB in the league.

im sorry but didnt our depth spank everyone elses depth in preseason? Get out of here with that poo

[motocross_cat]

^^^^thank you^^^^

[CPantherKing]

im sorry but didnt our depth spank everyone elses depth in preseason? Get out of here with that poo

Derek Anderson and Joe Webb brought the Panthers back in the first 2 games, we lost the 3rd game, and the Steelers depth is awful. They too need all their starters to be healthy. I already said the Panthers have good depth at QB. It is the rest of the team that is unproven or mediocre, and they will be a huge liability if elevated to a starting role.

You also have a very loose use of the term "spank". The only dominant performance was against the Steelers, and most of the ones that dominated (Bersin, Lucas, Cox, Todman, Simonson, Boykin) are no longer on the active roster. So, you cannot count them as depth. 

[PizzaTheHutt]

Many Bothans died... To bring us the death of Star's plans.

[UpstatePanther]

Depth: A large number of good players.

That is the definition. This does not mean a top layer of good players followed by average, mediocre, and project/potential players.

Your post supported my point. When you look at depth of a team you do not list the starters as the foundation to your argument. Remove the starters, and then tell me how good the second team is for the Panthers. If you look at a second team unit and think that they would be a liability in winning a game, then they are not good depth.

you expect depth to be starting caliber? please. no team in the NFL is three deep at every postion with starting caliber players. 

i consider "good depth" to consist of players that shouldnt start, but could if need be (or could fill in adequately when the starter needs a rest). 

my whole post was meant to show you that the Panthers' roster is filled with guys that can fill in for a few snaps, or (in many cases) a game or two, without much drop off.

your point about stripping away the starters and asking if the team would win is ill-advised. No team in the NFL could do that and win games. im not even sure how to answer that point.

[ctrcat]

Save him until after the bye/Seahawks game if necessary.  On a game by game basis we should still be 4-0, and I want to see the fury unleashed on that pathetic Seahawks OL, a far more pathetic OL than we had to face in January without him.

[Castavar]

Give me a healthy star for the playoffs and future. DO NOT rush him back please. We can handle the Jags, Texans, Saints, and Bucs without Star. Then the bye week comes. I say sit him until then so we can have him healthy for that hard stretch of games.