2016 Roster Building - Here's a look at the Current Roster

[TheSpecialJuan]

9 minutes ago, KB_fan said:

I would assume we will tender Remmers, however.   I think he's too valuable to us at the moment to risk letting go unless / until we are sure we have another starter at RT.

Yeah, we will definitely bring him back. But he's going to be looked at as a backup (thank god) at OT and C.

[Mr. Scot]

I thought I had already commented on this, but apparently I haven't.

Good work, KBF.

[Icebox]

CJ is definitely gone. No "questionable" about it. It would be beyond foolish to even restructure the deal given how little he was able to contribute this year. The guy has been great for us, but his time as an elite DE is over.

[TheSpecialJuan]

5 minutes ago, Icebox said:

CJ is definitely gone. No "questionable" about it. It would be beyond foolish to even restructure the deal given how little he was able to contribute this year. The guy has been great for us, but his time as an elite DE is over.

You're absolutely right. Even if we restructure his mega deal, he's still not worth the amount we're going to pay him.

[KB_fan]

Three articles at the Observer may be of interest:

A look at a potential two-deep preliminary depth chart for the Panthers in 2016.  

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nfl/carolina-panthers/nfl-blog/article60123781.html

10 areas the Panthers should address:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nfl/carolina-panthers/article60122346.html

Free agent list:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nfl/carolina-panthers/nfl-blog/article60123511.html

 

[DeeJay]

I'd love to see just 1 or 2 more Wr's to be fully bad ass at that position

Great write up tho

[TheSpecialJuan]

17 minutes ago, KB_fan said:

Three articles at the Observer may be of interest:

A look at a potential two-deep preliminary depth chart for the Panthers in 2016.  

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nfl/carolina-panthers/nfl-blog/article60123781.html

10 areas the Panthers should address:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nfl/carolina-panthers/article60122346.html

Free agent list:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nfl/carolina-panthers/nfl-blog/article60123511.html

 

great stuff. thanks 

[KB_fan]

Panthers.com has posted an up to date list of potential free agents here:

http://www.panthers.com/news/ask-bryan/article-2/Ask-Bryan-Free-Agency-Primer/cdb57fdf-8848-4b64-a9be-5e457117c378

UNRESTRICTED		RESTRICTED		EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS
POS	PLAYER	POS	PLAYER	POS	PLAYER
WR	Jerricho Cotchery	DE	Frank Alexander	LB	Ben Jacobs
CB	Cortland Finnegan	WR	Stephen Hill
OT	Tyronne Green	OT	Mike Remmers
S	Roman Harper
DT	Kyle Love
CB	Josh Norman
P	Brad Nortman
G	Chris Scott
G	Amini Silatolu
CB	Charles Tillman
FB	Mike Tolbert
C	Fernando Velasco
QB	Joe Webb

 

JJ Jansen no longer shows up as he signed a new contract.

Bersin, for whatever reason, is not considered a pending free agent, something explicitly discussed in the linked article.

[KB_fan]

So, it's been 4 weeks since I started this thread, here's what has happened in the interim.  Entries in bold are SIGNINGS / moves to keep a player.

2/11:  Signed Free Agent Punter Swayze Waters

2/11:  Remaining years of Cotchery & Harper's contracts voided, meaning they become UFAs this year.

2/12:  DE Wes Horton re-signed to a one-year contract.

2/17:  Long Snapper JJ Janson signs a 5 year contract to stay with the Panthers.

2/18:  DE Jared Allen announces his retirement

3/1:  CB Josh Norman tagged with the non-exclusive Franchise tag (just under $14 million)

3/2:  LB Ben Jacobs re-signs

3/3:  DE Charles Johnson released

3/3  DT Dwan Edwards released

3/3 OT Nate Chandler released

3/3  Backup G / C ;Chris Scott re-signed

3/7:  RT Mike Remmers offered a 2nd round tender.

3/7:  WR Stephen Hill signed to a 1 year contract.

[KB_fan]

So, with all of those transactions, here is what our roster looks like this morning (March 8).  I've copied this from another thread where I was discussing "Roster holes":

The roster is broken it down into the following groups:

Starters,  Key Role Players, Backups.  (With the exception of new punter Swayze Waters, all of these guys were either on the active roster or the IR during the 2015 season)

Then there are the PS guys signed to a Futures contract, and the new Futures contract players.

Assuming that Harper and Tillman  do not return, and assuming that J-No and Remmers DO return, we would have spots for 4 or 5 "new" starters on our roster.  Probably 3 of these spots are taken by players already on our roster.

1)  Jared Allen's spot is our biggest hole.  We need another starting DE.  Presumbly this will be a free agent.

2) Harper's spot would presumably be filled by Tre Boston, or perhaps a FA.

3) Charles Johnson's spot would presumably be filled by Kony Ealy.

4 & 5) Peanut Tillman's spot is presumably filled by Bene Benwikere,... but that opens up Bene's roster spot at nickel.  That could possibly be filled by Finnegan, McClain, a FA or a draft pick.

Other possible changes to starters:

We could upgrade Remmers (presumably Daryl Williams).

We also might want to upgrade Ed Dickson (FA or draft). 

Ginn & Brown are listed among the starters at WR since that was their role in 2015, but I'm assuming that Funchess will take one of those spots, with our top 3 WRs being Benji, Funch and either Ginn or Brown.

Running Back?  Do we want another RB to share the load with J-Stew?  Could CAP or Wegher be that player?

 

Among role players:

Edwards is gone.  Alexander will be gone.  For now, I assume we'll re-sign Love, Tolbert and Webb.  I assume Cotchery will leave.  Finnegan perhaps could stay around as competition for Nickel CB (but in any case, we would need more CB depth)  Nortman will likely stay, but in any case we've already signed Swayze Waters as a potential replacement.

So the holes:

1) DT to replace Edwards in the rotation.  High priority - FA and/or draft.

2) DE Depth (to "replace" Alexander and also Ealy who will now be a starter)... we might be ok with Addison, Horton & Delaire, Cox and Miley, but I would think we'll at least draft someone.

3) CB Depth to replace / compete with Finnegan & McClain.  Pretty big need.

4) WR to replace Cotchery - we already have Benjamin, Funchess, Ginn & Brown.  Possible 5th wideouts are Hill, Norwood, Bersin, Byrd, or a draftee.  Doubt we'll sign a FA, but a draft pick is quite possible.  (Someone like Sterling Shepard?)

5) Safety Depth:  With Boston presumably starting, we may need added Safety depth.  Perhaps with Marlowe, Marcus Ball and Ras-I Dowling we might have enough players, but a FA or draft pick is possible.

6) Fullback?  Depends on if we re-sign Tolbert.  Almost every Mock draft I've done / seen has FB "baby Gronk" (Glen Gronkowski) available on the board when we pick in round 5.  I could see him being a possible draft pick for us.

7) Running Back??  I could see Fozzy losing his place in the RB rotation.  I can't see us carrying 4 RBs & a FB on the active roster again.  Either Fozzy or Wegher is likely gone.  Do we draft or sign some competition?  I've seen several post-Combine mocks with Ezekiel Elliot falling to us, but I don't think it really very likely....

 

Depending on whether we resign Silatolu and Velasco, Our biggest need for greater depth is on our Oline, with particular attention at Center (Kalil is on the final year of his contract).

 

Finally, here are the PS / Futures contracts:

[Thorrez]

Reading this, one could actually argue that we do not have a single liability on offense (for the first time ever).

I'm not sayning we cannot improve, and of course we need to upgrade to account for injury, but with no change I would think this is a solid group of starters. I cannot remember ever think that before.

Defense is another matter entirely with corner/nickel, safety (I don't trust Boston) and DE needing upgrades. 

 

[DelhommesTheMan]

Basically this Offseason won't even be about this year, it's about next offseason.  We need to be in position financially to either resign Kalil, Oher, Norwell, Short, Star, Coleman.  Or have replacements already on the roster for them..that's a lot of holes to fill.  I assume the younger guys Star, Short and Norwell will be back with long term deals.  That still leaves us with a  potential hole at FS, C, and LT.  If Josh isn't brought back add CB also.  So I expect to see draft picks made (especially in a deep Dline and C draft) to address these holes and give us some leverage going into next offseason hopefully as SB champs...

[KB_fan]

1 minute ago, DelhommesTheMan said:

Basically this Offseason won't even be about this year, it's about next offseason.  We need to be in position financially to either resign Kalil, Oher, Norwell, Short, Star, Coleman.  Or have replacements already on the roster for them..that's a lot of holes to fill.  I assume the younger guys Star, Short and Norwell will be back with long term deals.  That still leaves us with a  potential hole at FS, C, and LT.  If Josh isn't brought back add CB also.  So I expect to see draft picks made (especially in a deep Dline and C draft) to address these holes and give us some leverage going into next offseason hopefully as SB champs...

This comment should be MUST reading for everyone on the Huddle.  You are so right.  We have a lot of key players with contracts expiring in 2017.   In addition to the ones you've mentioned above, J-No would also be on that list if we don't sign a long-term contract with him.  AJ Klein as well.  Philly Brown.  Ted Ginn.  Stephen Hill.  Brenton Bersin.  Mario Addison.  Maybe Remmers?  (Not sure how the contract tender process works.  Assume it's like a one year contract?)

[DelhommesTheMan]

They will wait until after the draft to see if one of the stud Centers lands to us and is BPA at that point.  Otherwise an extension with Kalil to free up some room this year and lock him up for another 3 years or so would be ideal if we fail to draft a replacement.  Jonathan Stewart could be a cap casualty next offseason also, it's actually very likely he will be.  Drafting a DT would give us some additional leverage in talks with both DTs (who I want to keep).  Norman will have to agree to a long term extension or unfortuantley he's gone next year with no chance we franchise him again.  Hopefully Norwell gives us a home town discount, we gave him a shot to start as an undrafted rookie.  He owes us..Signing a vet like Weddle could be a good move in case Coleman bolts like has happened in the past with our safeties, and would give us a potential tandem of Boston and Weddle next year.  Glad I'm not Gettleman because some tough choices to make.