Awesome article on Gettleman & Kuechly signing

[KB_fan]

Maybe the best thing David Newton has written... he nailed this:

http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/178573/gm-dave-gettleman-has-been-key-to-solidifying-panthers-future

Here's an excerpt:

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Carolina Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman leaned against the wall off to the side on Thursday night as Luke Kuechly was introduced as the highest paid middle linebacker in the league.

He should have been front and center.

Although he left without speaking, Gettleman is the reason the Panthers have secured the future by signing Kuechly, quarterback Cam Newton, outside linebacker Thomas Davis and tight end Greg Olsen to lucrative extensions over the past few months.

He’s taken a team that was more than $16 million over the salary cap when he arrived in January of 2013 to $14.68 million under the cap before Kuechly signed.

He’s gone from, at least in terms of keeping the core intact, shopping at the Dollar Store to Tiffany’s.

He made Newton one of the top five paid quarterbacks in the NFL with a five-year, $103.8 million extension that runs through 2020. Kuechly’s five-year, $62 million extension keeps one of the NFL’s top defensive players on the roster through 2021.

The Pro Bowler Olsen is secure through 2018 with a three-year, $22.5 million extension. Davis gets $17.75 million over the next three years.

Gettleman has done this without mortgaging the future which happened when the Panthers gave outrageous salaries to defensive end Charles Johnson, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

It wasn’t an easy process getting here. Gettleman had to skimp in free agency during his first two seasons. He had to release all-time leading receiver Steve Smith and all-time leading rusher Williams in consecutive seasons.

Those weren’t popular moves.

But Gettleman did what he felt was right for the long-term health of the organization, not to make fans happy. He did it by being smart and concise and patient.

He did it by rewarding those that epitomize what team owner Jerry Richardson wants his players to represent on and off the field.

[KB_fan]

And in spite of all that scrimping and skimping and cutting star players...., with all the holes on the rosters, we won back to back division titles and have a really solid opportunity and probability of a threepeat.  It's a great time to be a Panthers fan.  The future looks bright. 

[Gregg S]

In Gettleman We Trust!

[Cary Kollins]

Good stuff.

 

It's funny...after hearing how D Newton talks I can't read his articles without hearing his voice in my head.

[Paa Langfart]

lol at the article that follows the op s about Smitty mixing it up with the Baltimore press and his ejection from the Redskins pre season game.  Same ole Smitty.

[Mr. Scot]

Nice find, KBF.

[SOJA]

Let's just reiterate that a good portion of idiots wanted us to fire Gettleman in the middle of last season 

[the_philosopher]

lol at the article that follows the op s about Smitty mixing it up with the Baltimore press and his ejection from the Redskins pre season game.  Same ole Smitty.

But remember, he only plays with intensity like that because we released him. He was just going to coast to retirement if we didn't. 

Oh, and he wasn't nice enough to our grown men receivers. 

[Khaki Lackey]

Let's just reiterate that a good portion of idiots wanted us to fire Gettleman in the middle of last season 

A lot still want him fired for not signing one of the many unemployed 1000 yard receivers that are begging to play for the vet minimum. Those kind of folks that live in the Madden-sphere, where money doesn't matter and there are no repercussions for bad decisions, are always going to want the GM fired regardless of the team. They do move the needle on message boards, though!

[tiger7_88]

And in spite of all that scrimping and skimping and cutting star players...., with all the holes on the rosters, we won back to back division titles and have a really solid opportunity and probability of a threepeat.  It's a great time to be a Panthers fan.  The future looks bright. 

<================ The tag line... read it.

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

Let's just reiterate that a good portion of idiots wanted us to fire Gettleman in the middle of last season 

oh i wouldn't forget.  it reached its absolute nadir around the time of the vikings game

then his draft picks and signings started getting more playing time and we crushed any challengers on the way to a division title. 

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

But remember, he only plays with intensity like that because we released him. He was just going to coast to retirement if we didn't. 

Oh, and he wasn't nice enough to our grown men receivers. 

i don't think anybody is going to argue that smitty is always going to talk no matter what he does on the field

[the butch]

I never understood the hate for Gettleman.  I really didn't.  How can some fans be so ignorant of the big picture?  The dude has been a magician since getting here.

Bup Bup Bup Bup Bup

 

[Growl]

Yes fans were just up in arms when deangelo was cut