FBO: 2010 Organizational Rankings

[jbland]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/news/story?page=FootballOutsiders2010OrganizationalRankings

Wow! Number 2! They like what we have done and are doing.

2. Carolina Panthers

There are currently 81 players on the Panthers roster, 58 of whom are either 25 or younger. That's a sign of how salary cap issues and a veteran roster forced the team to throw a lot of young talent at the wall and see what sticks. The reality, though, is that the Panthers have both quality and quantity. Their best young player, of course, is middle linebacker Jon Beason, who deserves to be in the conversations about the league's best linebackers. No middle linebacker -- not even Patrick Willis -- is better in coverage. Carolina had the league's second-ranked pass defense last year by Football Outsiders numbers, and its oldest starter in the secondary is 27-year-old Chris Gamble. He's the only one of their top six defensive backs older than 25. Defensive end Charles Johnson is 24, and by the end of the year, he'll be starting across from 2009 second-rounder Everette Brown, who is 22. The offense, though, is Carolina's more impressive young unit. Even without including Matt Moore, who turns 26 in August, there's serious talent to be had. The star is halfback Jonathan Stewart, who is every bit the back DeAngelo Williams is, but struggles to stay healthy. The offensive line opening holes for Stewart and Williams is among the league's best, and it features two elite young players in center Ryan Kalil and right tackle Jeff Otah. This year, they'll be joined by guard Geoff Schwartz, who made it to our Top 25 Prospects list and profiles as another excellent masher in the running game. They've even got a viable receiving prospect in tight end Gary Barnidge. With Moore, Jimmy Clausen, and Tony Pike on the roster, they've got three guys to compete for the long-term answer at QB.

[Pejorative Miscreant]

I see where they get the health questions about Stewart but has he ever missed PT due to an injury. It was always practice and preseason but nothing serious during a game. I may be wrong

[BlindSite]

I see where they get the health questions about Stewart but has he ever missed PT due to an injury. It was always practice and preseason but nothing serious during a game. I may be wrong

It's understandable to question it, though he's a standout RB, given the fact he never practices and rarely gets above questionable for game time, one would assume that the more carries he has the less likely he is to fight through the pain every game, every year in his career.

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

Homers

[SorthNarolina]

I see where they get the health questions about Stewart but has he ever missed PT due to an injury. It was always practice and preseason but nothing serious during a game. I may be wrong

He has health issues definately. Not missing a game doesn't make his two offseason surguries in a row go away. Eventually those will catch up to him.

[Delhommey]

Stewart's ankle problem is like Percy Harvin's migraine problem: Not yet a dire issue but cause for concern.

[Swarly]

wow respect from the media that's a first

it's a shame that people only look at the players released and ignore the core of players to build around.

[Delhommey]

BTW these guy's win prediction for Carolina in the last three seasons*:

2008: 10-6

2009: 8-8

2010: 7-9

*. They aren't that cut and dry. They do mean projections which were 9.5, 8.3 and 7.2 respectively.

[SCP]

I see where they get the health questions about Stewart but has he ever missed PT due to an injury. It was always practice and preseason but nothing serious during a game. I may be wrong

You are not wrong, J Stew showed up when it counted.

[SorthNarolina]

The media respecting the organization isn't new. Fox, Hurney, and Richardson get all sorts of props.

They just don't like the football team as much. We're inconsistent and small market team so the glass is always half empty media wise.

[Khyber53]

Everyone loves and winner and everyone wants to hear about the losers. Big spenders get press time, too. New England, Pittsburgh and Indy are perennial winners, Detroit and Oakland are perennial losers -- all get a lot of mentions, simply because they are at the poles -- easy stories. Add in basically the big spending NFC East (Dallas and Washington particularly) there's always something going on.

Here in the muddled middle, there aren't many easy pickings for stories in the off season, or heck, even during the season. We're not alone, as the Jags, Seahawks, Titans and others just aren't that sexy floating around the middle of the league year after year.

It really takes a Super Bowl run, or a run at the winless record, to really break out of the doldrums of national coverage. We're improving, but not standing out consistently.

[DickolausJ]

2005-2006 Season we had crazy coverage in the newspapers when we went on like that seven game win streak.