How would you grade this Panthers 2011 starting line up?

[KillerKat]

I can't speak for all of them but in looking at other fan websites, Cofield seems to be on the top of lots of folks lists. That means he will be able to negotiate top dollars. As for Wright, if he is expensive I would pass. He has 1 Int and 42 tackles in 10 starts and 13 games. Compare that to Marshall who had 88 tackles and 3 Ints in 16 games last year, and I don't find him to be an upgrade at all.

As for the rest, when was the last time in the past 5 years did we go out and get a household name at the peak of their career. Even with Shockey we waited until he has only a year or two left in the tank.

Im not sure Wright would want a lot of money. Im not sure why he only had 1 INT. Probably because he didnt get thrown at that much? I know the previous year he had 4 INTs. The only person for sure I know would be expensive is Cofield.

People act like this year is like any other year, but it's not. No other year had we sacrificed a team to prepare for a lockout and in the process save a crap load of money so that we can be able to spend and fill our needs the following season. Just because we haven't done something in the past, doesn't mean we will keep continuing that way. Especially this type of year. If there are 2 or 3 guys out there that we want but are prety expensive, don't be surprised if we still end up singing them.

[KillerKat]

Okoye will come in a trade, in all likelihood. I'm sure the Texans won't just cut him without trying to get something in return, and there's bound to be a team out there willing to take a chance on him. So if we sign him we're taking on 3 million per year of cap room right there.

I like Cofield, but it's already been pointed out that everyone else in the league does too. Also, the Giants have a second round tender on him in case last years' CBA rules are tendered. That doesn't mean a lot, other than to say that he's either going to be pretty expensive in his own right, or the Giants will make him so if they have the ability.

It kind of seems to me that the biggest hole is DT, and that's looking like one of the hardest ones to fill in Free Agency unless we go with an old guy who has two or three years at best left (Kris Jenkins, anyone?). So if the coaches are set on getting a DT, then that's where the money will go, and given our hole at CB I remain skeptical that we make a splash on yet a third starting-quality guy (Edwards, specifically).

And I'll be pretty surprised to see an Offensive Line that has both a free agent starter AND Duke Robinson on the roster. I think that they'll go into camp with an eye on it being Gross/Wharton/Kalil/Schwartz/Otah with Ziemba, Williams, Bernadeau, and Williams backing them up. Toss in Robinson if his head gets on straight (and I think we would all love that). Otherwise, you get your FA Guard, but not as a starter IMHO.

Hurney makes the roster, with input from the coaching staff. And the Panthers started the youth movement before the coaches were hired. I can't see them giving up on it so quickly, not in a year of low expectations and a fan honeymoon. You might think I'm nuts, but I see them patching the holes at CB and DT and trying to make do with what they have everywhere else.

Im going by the info brought to us by NJPanther. He stated that we would probably bring someone in to compete for the RG spot. And that we would add bodies to both lines.

[Urrymonster]

I think the main reason we wont spend big, is simply because where our team is right now. Usually the teams that go out and spend, are the teams that think they are one or two pieces away from a championship. We are the polar opposite of that. We have blooded a load of young players and then picked up a load more. I can image we will want to infuse our young roster with solid veterans who are model professionals, who can then step aside the moment the younger players are ready.

Spending big will just prevent some of our promising youngsters from developing with us.

[Urrymonster]

When people are saying 'Wright', are they meaning Eric Wright?!

If so, why??? The guy had a good 2008, but since then he has been mediocre at best, where he was dropped at the end of last season. He gave up 6 touchdowns, a 66.2% completion rate, 623 yards with 189 after the catch and a 121.5 QB rating.

All in return for 6 PDs and 1 interception. 2009 was better, but it wasn't any better than what Marshall has achieved.

[rayzor]

fwiw, i know people dismiss the idea that we will be using a typical chud/norv turner type coryell this year anyway (which is probably true), but one of the analysts at PFF was looking at a breakdown of formations used in passing situations by NFL teams last year and i asked him specifically about what the chargers ran.

what he said was 3 WR, 1 HB, 1 TE (40%) ...followed by 2,1,2 (35%)...followed by 2,1,1 plus a fullback (17%).

there were a couple interesting things he found in his research which was for an article on pass distribution of rookie QBs compared to vet QBs in which he found there wasn't a lot of difference.

this really stuck out to me, though...

very likely, even with a rookie QB and the stud RB corps we have (assuming williams is back) that we could be seeing a lot of 1 back sets using 3 WRs/1TE or 2WR/2TE.

i asked him a couple minutes ago about what the panthers have typically used the past couple years. it will be interesting to see.

got a response back...

PFF_MikeClay @_raynman 50% of the time it was 3WR-1HB-1TE in 2010. 32% 2-1-2. 11% 2-1-1 and a fullback

PFF_MikeClay @_raynman That's 2010 only

[panthers55]

Im not sure Wright would want a lot of money. Im not sure why he only had 1 INT. Probably because he didnt get thrown at that much? I know the previous year he had 4 INTs. The only person for sure I know would be expensive is Cofield.

People act like this year is like any other year, but it's not. No other year had we sacrificed a team to prepare for a lockout and in the process save a crap load of money so that we can be able to spend and fill our needs the following season. Just because we haven't done something in the past, doesn't mean we will keep continuing that way. Especially this type of year. If there are 2 or 3 guys out there that we want but are prety expensive, don't be surprised if we still end up singing them.

Wright is not that great nor he would be an upgrade over Marshall, plain and simple. There are not many guys we could afford (strike off Bailey and Aso from the list) or would be a great upgrade. I wouldn't be surprised if we do resign Marshall.

If you think Richardson went on the cheap last year so we could spend it this year in a free for all, you are wrong I am afraid He went on the cheap because he could and to show the players he wasn't going to spend big bucks in an uncapped year. He told Fox if you can't win with the vets then we are going to cut them and go with young guys (read cheap). The pattern has been struck for several years and will stay the same. We will build through the draft and supplement through free agency combing the scrap heap and journeyman ranks for a diamond in the rough. We didn't sign any significant free agents in 2009 either so it isn't as if last year was a one year aberration.

By not spending anything last year or locking up the core group of guys last year when he could, he did as much damage as good. For example anyone he signed last year could have been paid up front without it affecting the cap at all. This year we have the cap to contend with when we have so many guys left to sign. Do you know how many guys we have to decide what to do with who are either UFAs, RFAs(which will be turned in to UFAs once the CBA is signed), or whose contracts are expiring?? 13 guys. Doesn't count draft picks or free agents we pick up if the event some guys leave like Smith and Marshall.

Don't be surprised if we sign guys you haven't heard of and sign no big names at all. It would be the fourth year we haven't done that.

[panthers55]

got a response back...

Also remember that we had 3 wideouts back there most of the time because we were in 2nd and third and long quite a bit. Plus when folks put 8 or 9 in the box we passed instead of ran the ball. I expect that the roll out packages and other things we put in for Newton will increase the running chances not diminish them. I expect us actually to use 2 tight ends more under Chud, and run just as often. Davidson hardly used tight ends at all.

[pantherclaw]

when was the last time we had a crap load of money to spend just to hit the salary cap floor?

We'll fly by that just signing our own.

[KillerKat]

When people are saying 'Wright', are they meaning Eric Wright?!

If so, why??? The guy had a good 2008, but since then he has been mediocre at best, where he was dropped at the end of last season. He gave up 6 touchdowns, a 66.2% completion rate, 623 yards with 189 after the catch and a 121.5 QB rating.

All in return for 6 PDs and 1 interception. 2009 was better, but it wasn't any better than what Marshall has achieved.

Wright was one of 2 guys mentioned by NJPanther that we might be interested in looking at. Wright was the better of the two. If it was up to me, I would like Chris Carr because not only could he be a starting corner but would help out in punt returns (that is if we cant get Joseph or Aso).

[KillerKat]

Wright is not that great nor he would be an upgrade over Marshall, plain and simple. There are not many guys we could afford (strike off Bailey and Aso from the list) or would be a great upgrade. I wouldn't be surprised if we do resign Marshall.

If you think Richardson went on the cheap last year so we could spend it this year in a free for all, you are wrong I am afraid He went on the cheap because he could and to show the players he wasn't going to spend big bucks in an uncapped year. He told Fox if you can't win with the vets then we are going to cut them and go with young guys (read cheap). The pattern has been struck for several years and will stay the same. We will build through the draft and supplement through free agency combing the scrap heap and journeyman ranks for a diamond in the rough. We didn't sign any significant free agents in 2009 either so it isn't as if last year was a one year aberration.

By not spending anything last year or locking up the core group of guys last year when he could, he did as much damage as good. For example anyone he signed last year could have been paid up front without it affecting the cap at all. This year we have the cap to contend with when we have so many guys left to sign. Do you know how many guys we have to decide what to do with who are either UFAs, RFAs(which will be turned in to UFAs once the CBA is signed), or whose contracts are expiring?? 13 guys. Doesn't count draft picks or free agents we pick up if the event some guys leave like Smith and Marshall.

Don't be surprised if we sign guys you haven't heard of and sign no big names at all. It would be the fourth year we haven't done that.

4-12 here we come! If we aren't going to fill holes through FA then thats what we should expect.

[Verge]

It all depends on how Cam plays, it can be anywhere from an F to a B.

[panthers55]

4-12 here we come! If we aren't going to fill holes through FA then thats what we should expect.

I don't know at this point whether 4-12 will be about right or a low estimate. It really depends on who plays quarterback and how the offense gels. But the defense should be at least 7 points better and if the offense can be 7 points better as well that is a 14 point turnaround. That should be good enough to win a few more games.

Last year we had a ton of young players get quite a bit of experience either as starters or rotational guys. Those guys will not be rookies which bodes well for the Panthers this year. The few FA players we will sign this year pales in comparison to all the positive changes this year with a new coaching staff, legitimate potential franchise quarterback, and healthy players like Davis, Otah, and the rest. Other than a DT and potentially a CB and wide receiver (if Smith is traded) we don't have all the holes some talking heads thinks we do. The problem is our competition is pretty good as well. I expect we will be much improved this year and everyone will talk about what an expected turnaround much like St Louis last season.

[bleys]

and we have potentially gained a few competent coaches willing to actually coach in this upcoming season..

[MGH1989]

Injuries are not in this equation, everyone is healthy. Free agent additions in bold. If we were to roll this squad out in Arizona, would you be happy?

RT - Jeff Otah

RG - Evan Mathis (Cinci)

C - Ryan Kalil

LG - Travelle Wharton

LT - Jordan Gross

TE - Jeremy Shockey

WR - Steve Smith

WR - Braylon Edwards (NYJ)

RB - Johnathan Stewart

FB - Tony Fiametta

QB - Cam Newton

DE - Charles Johnson/Tyler Brayton (Rotation)

DE - Travis Johnson (SD)/Greg Hardy (Rotation)

DT - Barry Cofield (NYG)/Ed Johnson (Rotation)

DT - Terrell McClain/Derek Landri/Sione Fua (Rotation)

Will - Thomas Davis

Mike - Jon Beason

Sam - Dan Connor

SS - Charles Godfrey

WS - Sherrod Martin

CB - Chris Gamble

CB - Johnathan Joseph (Cinci)

*Also, in my scenario at University of Phoenix Stadium, Armanti Edwards is not there because he is coaching receivers at App State after Pilares ran him off the squad and the Everette Brown trade/pick was a nightmare that never happened.

I doubt we are that active in free agency. The first priority should be resigning our own players, mainly Deangelo (Im a proponent of doing so), CJ, TD, and James Anderson. That right there is a good chunk of money. After that I think there are moves to be made at corner and defensive tackle. I would love Aubrayo Franklin but he will command a helluva lot of money, not to mention he is on the wrong side of 30, which seems not to be a good think in Carolina these days.