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Shaq Thompson Remains a Free Agent

chknwing

By chknwing,
in Carolina Panthers

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d-dave Veteran

d-dave

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

Look, I love Shaq and have cheered for him since Day 1. I'd love to see him back but those injuries were all pretty major and they started coming one after another. That's usually the sign for a professional athlete that it's time to turn the page.

I think he's been an excellent linebacker throughout his career and when he took to the field beside Luke and TD, he was very much a man among equals there. I think that sadly, it is time for a new page for him, just like those other stalwarts. 

But please, ask him to come back and retire as a Panther. We'd be honored by him if he did.

I agree.  Father Time is undefeated.  Linebacker is a physical position, and Shaq's injuries are piling up.  Sometimes you have to just know your time to hang'em up.

I don't think anyone should denigrate Shaq's leadership or his history with the team, but that's all in the past.  If it's week 4 and we're down all our LBs, sure, bring him in.  But for camp and the season, we need youth.  Jewell is the elder statesman here, but even he's had his fair share of injuries.  So at this point, I'd rather live with youth and mistakes while they learn instead of older vets who will get hurt more frequently.

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ImfromClayton Collaborator

ImfromClayton

Posted
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I also think there's a locker room element here. Shaq is and was an excellent person and leader. He's pretty much been the face of the franchise in the post Cam/Luke/Greg/TD era. 

I'm not saying Shaq is similar to 89, but Cam didn't come into his own as a leader until 89 was gone, and I love Steve Smith. I'm not sure Shaq can stick around long enough to be part of the next good run. We lacked leadership on defense last year in his absence.  Need someone to step up into that role. Even on a team friendly deal, I'm not sure we bring him back, and I mean that in the most complimentary way I can say it. 

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ThPantherFan Grand Master

ThPantherFan

Posted
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14 hours ago, Jon Snow said:

No. The team is going younger and will pick someone off the wire waiver later on. Be patient young padawon.

I understand that but it would be good if he could help our young guys develop.  A lot of knowledge, he has.  Maybe he could be part of the coaching staff?

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Jon Snow Grand Master

Jon Snow

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1 minute ago, ThPantherFan said:

I understand that but it would be good if he could help our young guys develop.  A lot of knowledge, he has.  Maybe he could be part of the coaching staff?

They have coaches and a vet for that already on the team. Shaq is washed man. It's time to let it go. 

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PanthersGTI Mentor

PanthersGTI

Posted
Posted (edited)

The only way I see it happening is if they bring him in as the backups backup because they want a leader on the defense in the locker room to help solidify the culture, especially with all the new additions on that side of the ball. 

 

So basically.....it won't happen. I appreciate everything Shaq did for this team, truly an underrated guy who had the misfortune of playing for some bad HCs/DCs/Teams starting with the end of Rivera's tenure. 

Edited by PanthersGTI
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      I met Shaq at an OTA---if you recall, he was absent until the end due to Washington being on the quarter system. He was very nice--soft spoken--but I was thinking "Linebacker?" As an OLB in a 4-3, he was small.  I did not see 6'0"--I saw 5'10-5'11 tops and maybe 220.  When we converted to a 3-4, that moved him inside and, in my opinion, shortened his career.  He just does not have the frame for ILB duties.  If you watch enough film, you will see that Shaq often was late getting to the hole and tackled from the side a lot.  Morgan and Luke were in the hole square with the LOS and talking on blocks and RBs head on.  Had Shaq met pulling guards and fullbacks in the hole like that, he would not have lasted 4 years. He had a very frail frame. 
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