QB Sacks May Be An Issue For 2010 Panthers

[KatsAzz]

QB sacks could be a big problem for the Panthers D-Line in 2010.

Here are the career sack numbers (seasons, total sacks, and best season total) for the Panthers D-Line players:

7-15.5- 5 - DE Tyler Brayton

3 - 10- 6 - DE Charles Johnson

1 -2.5-2.5- DE Everette Brown

0 - 0 - 0 - DE Greg Hardy

2 - 1 - 1 - DE Hilee Taylor

5 - 2 - 1 - DE Eric Moore

3 - 0 - 0 - DT Tank Tyler

3 - 1 - 1 - DT Louis Leonard

3 - 1 - 1 - DT Ed Johnson

0 - 0 - 0 - DT Corvey Irvin

3 - 3 - 2 - DT Derek Landri

2 - 1 - 1 - DT Nick Hayden

0 - 0 - 0 - DT Andre Neblett

0 - 0 - 0 - OLB Eric Norwood

32-37 -20.5 Totals

Both starting DE's Brayton (5) and Charkes Johnson (6) had career best seasons in sacks, and will have to repeat that performance this season (something of a long shot). Brown had 2.5 sacks as a rookie, and will need to have a breakout season this year. Hardy is a rookie, coming off several injuries, so anything more than 2 sacks this season would be a shock. Taylor only has 1 sack in his 2 seasons, but it's hard to get sacks from the bench, and he may not make the roster (he's sort of a duplication of Norwood).

Both current projected starters at DT, Leonard (1) and Tyler (0), have produced only 1 sack in 6 seasons combined. Ed Johnson had his 1 sack in his 16 game rookie season, but that was with Freeny and Mathis at the DE's. Irvin is a rookie, after miss all of last season, so you don't really know what you can expect from him. Hayden has 1 sack in his 2 seasons, but he's undersized, and slow, so he may not make the roster. The sack leader for the Panthers DT's is Derek Landri (cut by the Jags last season), with 3 sacks in his 3 seasons, the only Panthers DT with more than 1 career sack, and he may not make the roster. Neblett is just an undrafted rookie, who most likely won't make the roster. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

For a little more insight into the players pass rush ability, here are their 40, and 10 yard times from nfldraftscout.com, and their draft position ranking (their records don't go back far enough for Brayton):

----------- Tyler Brayton

4.84 - 1.63 Charles Johnson - #11

4.65 - 1.59 Everrette Brown (Combine 4,73-40) - #3

4.82 - 1.75 Greg Hardy (Combine 4.96-40, Pro Day 4.79-40) - #10

4.64 - ---- Hilee Taylor - #26 OLB

4.71 - 1.58 Eric Norwood - #10 OLB

4.84 - 1.81 Eric Moore - #8

5.18 - 1.78 Tank Tyler - #4

5.28 - ---- Louis Leonard - #31

4.99 - ---- Ed Johnson - #43

4.96 - 1.71 Corvey Irvin - #15

4.96 - ---- Derek Landri - #14

5.14 - 1.74 Nick Hayden - #15

4.99 - ---- Andre Neblett - #32

The average 40 time for a DE is 4.80, above average 4.73-4.79, good 4.65-4.72, great 4.64 or better, below average 4.85-4.89, and poor 4.90 or higher.

The average 40 time for a DT is 5.00-5.08, above average 4.95-4.99, good 4.88-4.94, great 4.87 or better, below average 5.09-5.19, poor 5.20 or higher.

[Guild]

Johnson's increase in snaps may allow for a proportional or even greater increase in sacks.

[Dpantherman]

we were 23rd in QB sacks last year, which was what I was trying to get across to people that think were so great before. The pass rush wasn't that great even w/ Peppers. and many of the sacks we got were coverage sacks.

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?archive=false&conference=null&role=OPP&offensiveStatisticCategory=null&defensiveStatisticCategory=SACKS&season=2009&seasonType=REG&tabSeq=2&qualified=true&Submit=Go

[The Don]

This thread means nothing to me. All of those stats come from the past. Anything is possible in a new year. With Peppers gone, Charles Johnson is gonna become a beast on the edge. Even in his limited play, he was able to get 6 sacks in 2008. And I strongly believe that Brown will be a beast.

That's optimistically speaking of course. I think we'll struggle coming out the gate... but somewhere in the season, may be week 5 for all I know, our D-line is gonna start to gel, just like they did last season, but much quicker. And look for Beason to really put some motivation in his teammates.

[pantherclaw]

Posting stats from part time players, which is what they were, doesn't equate to less sacks as starters.

Players get better every year, and increased roles.

[panthers55]

Brayton was a first rounder (32) and ran a 4.75 in the combine in 2003.

[Panthro]

Delhomme threw the same amount of TD's in 2009 as Moore

[blackcatgrowl]

Good post, and good look up on these numbers.

There is a reason these guys were either backups or "under the radar". Sure, performance changes by player from year to year, but the numbers do tell a tale.

[House]

While I wouldn't disagree that sacks may be an issue for this team this year, I think that your stats are irrelevant.

First off, you are looking at a DL that among all players averages 2.28 years of NFL experience. To say that these guys can or will not get it and possibly break out this year is a little quick to the draw. Most DL take 2-3 years before they really start to come along. I would be worried about those stats if every player on the roster averaged about 5 years of NFL experience. In that same vien, that is a very young DL, which could cause problems for us also.

As far as their 40 times, who gives a poo? How many times a game are DL asked to run 40 yards? If your DL is running 40 yards, you have way more problems to worry about than how fast he is running it in. Looking at the 10 yard splits tells the true story here, as far as pass rush goes. Brown, Johnson, Hardy, and Norwood are all quick. Johnson is a beast, I have heard that, even before Pep left, he is the strongest player on the team.

Too be honest though, I am not worried about sacks. I want to see a ton of QB hurries and pressures. That is what causes turnovers, not sacks. Brown was one of the best in the league last year with his limited play on getting a QB to hurry.

The other HUGE part of this, is the DL. How much pressure can Leonard and Tyler create up the middle. In the past this always our biggest issue. I can not count how many times I saw Brayton, Pep, Johnson, or Brown get to the QB only to have him step up because there was no interior pressure.

There is cause for concern but I think with the players that we have in place it may be unfounded.

[blackcatgrowl]

Too be honest though, I am not worried about sacks. I want to see a ton of QB hurries and pressures. That is what causes turnovers, not sacks.

Yeeeaaah, *cough*, I'm going to have to sort of "disagree" with this.

[nosuchthingasapanther]

Posting stats from part time players, which is what they were, doesn't equate to less sacks as starters.

this.

[Big Ed]

This team will have more sacks

Meeks has a season under his belt and players that will fit his system better !

Losing Peppers is not the end of

sacks!

[House]

Yeeeaaah, *cough*, I'm going to have to sort of "disagree" with this.

Yeah, because the guy that gets 10 sacks and 4 QB hurries is a WHOLE lot better than the guy that gets 5 sacks and 15 QB hurries. Or at least Madden rates him a whole lot higher so that has to mean something, right?

[CharlotteBeer.com]

I remember when DeAngelo Williams' best year was when he had 717 yards. That was 2007. How'd he do in 2008?

I know that's not a fair comparison, given that Foster was not the force that Peppers was at his position, but I don't think it's out of the question to think Johnson will have more sacks next year. In fact, I think he'll have around 10.

Brown is the question mark to me. Still, he has great potential.

I am worried about the defensive line, but it could be a lot better than we think. We'll just have to wait and see.