Does cutting Brad Hoover mean a change of philosophy?

[SorthNarolina]

Of all the cuts this season, for me Brad Hoover was the most shocking and the one i disagreed with the most. I think Lewis and Harris was pushing it, but I could still understand those for the most part.

Hoover was cheap, much better than any potential replacement, and a superb teammate. He was having injury problems, but I don't think they were so severe that he needed to be cut.

Along with cutting Hoover the FO also brought in more WRs and pushed the 3 and 4 WR sets in mini-camp.

Now this could just a coincidence of the team addressing a longtime need at WR and JR trimming the budget due to the impending lockout.

But still why cut Hoover? He was cheap, he only had 1 year left on his deal. It would have ran out after 2010. No money would be paid during 2011.

His replacement Fiametta has looked underwhelming at best. All of our other young replacements have stepped in and proven themselves at least a little bit. You can rationalize cutting Delhome or Diggs but not Hoover.

I think we may be shifting a bit from the smashmouth philosophy and spreading things out a little bit.

I think the loss of Hoover might just be another casualty in the slow extinction of the blocking FB.

[scpanther22]

I think it was more of a money move..$860,000 base salary + 100,000 roster bonus

If anything Armanti Edwards signifies a change in philosphy.

using the slot reciever

[pantherclaw]

Really?

I thought it has been obvious for years, that the Panthers have been looking for his replacement. That doesn't say they didn't value Hoover. In fact, could be argued they were looking out for him by trying to find his replacement while hoover still had his health.

Fiammatta (sp?) Wasn't the first fb they've brought in in hopes of finding hoovers replacement. Then when they drafted him, ithe writing was on the wall. Hoover played part of one more season, while mentoring his replacement.

Talk about money, and how you think he still could get it done,... and it just shows that you chose to ignore all the signs that his time as a Panther was coming to an end.

Hoover has always been a fan favorite. He'll always be in my Panther heart.

That being said, I don't lie to myself by thinking hoover can still get it done at the level the coaches and gm want. He hasn't even been picked up by another team.

[SorthNarolina]

He was in decline, but Fiametta hasn't looked ready to replace him by any stretch of the imagination.

[pantherclaw]

I understand that.

I also understand the guys making the decision, have watched him in practice, in late games last season. They obviously felt he was coming along.

I also can't think of any rookie fb that made an impact on offense his rookie season. Most need the year to adjust.

[Razzy]

At times last year, Hoover looked like an old man. He could have gone another season, but certainly not two, and with 2011 looming in the distance it was just his time.

With out o-line and Sutton/Fiametta, there really shouldn't be too much of a dropoff.

[KillerKat]

i think Fiametta and Jackson will do pretty good for us this season.

[SorthNarolina]

I understand that.

I also understand the guys making the decision, have watched him in practice, in late games last season. They obviously felt he was coming along.

I also can't think of any rookie fb that made an impact on offense his rookie season. Most need the year to adjust.

ah that's a good point. I forgot how challenging the position is on the mental side of the coin. When I think about it a lot of his problems seemed to be he was choosing his blocks kind of gingerly.

Hopefully he steps up.

[outlaw4]

Of all the cuts this season, for me Brad Hoover was the most shocking and the one i disagreed with the most. I think Lewis and Harris was pushing it, but I could still understand those for the most part.

Hoover was cheap, much better than any potential replacement, and a superb teammate. He was having injury problems, but I don't think they were so severe that he needed to be cut.

Along with cutting Hoover the FO also brought in more WRs and pushed the 3 and 4 WR sets in mini-camp.

Now this could just a coincidence of the team addressing a longtime need at WR and JR trimming the budget due to the impending lockout.

But still why cut Hoover? He was cheap, he only had 1 year left on his deal. It would have ran out after 2010. No money would be paid during 2011.

His replacement Fiametta has looked underwhelming at best. All of our other young replacements have stepped in and proven themselves at least a little bit. You can rationalize cutting Delhome or Diggs but not Hoover.

I think we may be shifting a bit from the smashmouth philosophy and spreading things out a little bit.

I think the loss of Hoover might just be another casualty in the slow extincting of the blocking FB.

Double Trouble still racked up tons of yardage last season despite Hoov getting hurt so it gives the team greater flexibility by cutting him. It's likely that they will rely less on having a traditional FB and rely more of packages with an H-back to have another target to throw to. That way, other players can fill that spot rather than just one guy.

[mush]

I think the team, in the youth movement, cut Hoover as an afterthought. yes they will save money, but I also think with this youth movement will come some more roster moves meant with special teams in mind so as good as he was to special teams, there are meant to be more upgrades to it to compensate for losing Hoover.

He did well to keep an NFL job as long as he did...the hometown team ties, undrafted thing, willing to do anything asked, etc....that worked for him well and he was lucky...but now his age outran him and he finally became expendable. Sad, great example of what you need to do to keep your NFL job, but eventually all the guys like that lose their job.....it was his time.

[Wither]

No; what are you smoking? (Joking of course, but seriously, no )

[CatMan72]

The writing was on the wall the moment they drafted Fiametta.

[cookinbrak]

i think Fiametta and Jackson will do pretty good for us this season.

Hopefully, Jackson gets the nod. Fiametta is completely disposable.

[Khyber53]

The fullback position itself has been fading from football over the last decade, and I believe last year we may have been the only team to carry two fullbacks on the roster. The position may join the center guard, slot back, wing back and others on the history heap. Of course, it may come back like the nose tackle position if a team starts using it in some way that shakes up the league.

Hoover is one of, if not the number one, my favorite Panthers of all time. He was just an all around great competitor and work horse. Fifty-three guys on a team like him wouldn't win every single game, but they would bring home championships every year.

But time was wearing on Hoover and the injuries were beginning to show. You could see him thinking about laying a hit on a defender before he did it and that spells trouble. Your battering ram can't flinch and still do its job.