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A Mid-Season look back at Free Agency.

Kurb

By Kurb,
in Carolina Panthers

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Kurb

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8 Games in is usually a great time to look at your football team and get a feeling for what is ahead. To say the time from the start of free agency till now has been exciting is an understatement. Never in a million years did we expect all the things to have went down as they have.

Looking Back at Free Agency.

We signed them all. Even when we thought he wouldn't BigCat went apepoo with his check book and signed or extended what many of us considered the "core". Here at the mid-point its mildly safe to insert some 20-20 hindsight for performance thus far in the season.

Beason extension: Even if Beas never plays another down of football this was a smart move. Until Cam became Carolina's FootBall Jesus Beason was the face of this franchise for many. I have little doubt he returns and leads this D back to a level of competence.

Signed Charles Johnson for Solmia's GNP Worth almost every penny thus far. 7 sacks in 8 games i think ? Solid against the run. No quit motor. Kid is earning his check.

Kalil Extension: Solid move. As usual it was a tad expensive. But Kalil has been a anchor in the middle this season. Locking up the Center is very important to the QB and his future. Can't have lots of random faces at that position and expect success in the future.

Godfrey Extension: I was surprised at this and in a fashion I still am. Godfrey however is improving every season and thus far has grown into a solid safety. He seems to do his best work close to the LOS when the D tries to stack the box. His coverage is still hit or miss IMO. I do trust Rivera in development of Safties and the defense as a whole.

Thomas Davis Extension: This deal has cause quite the bitchfest. While I too am no fan of extending 2xinjured players I do like TD, that said I rolled my eyes just as hard as the next dude when he went back on IR. Its important to note his deal has protections to the team included if this kind of thing happened. I can only pray he gets A) a deal restructuring that further protects the team and B) returns to the LB corps and gives us another 4 good years.

Mare signing I still don't really care either way on this. But it freed up a roster spot that was sorely needed. Kasey missed his share as well. Browns last season, Giants in regular season 2009. Kickers are kickers. Mare has done well kicking touchbacks.

Shocky and Olsen Signing and Trade Two of the more important additions to the team IMO. The return of the pass catching TE to Carolina is #3 on my reasons for offensive success this season. Shockey added a edge to the offensive side of the ball that has been needed. Sure Smitty is always fired up, but Shock genuinely dislikes Defenses, and I respect that. I would even go so far as to say we should give him a 2-3 year deal to hang around a bit.

Olsen is very solid and as he gets more comfortable with the offense I think we have something very special with him. That said I see some of the complaints Bears fans had. Olsen doesnt seem to have the same edge that Shock has and he has disappeared in a few games this season.

Signing Ron Edwards To Be Decided ? Figures a guy who has hardly missed a game goes on IR in our training camp.

DeAngelo Signing Me along with Panthro and some others bitched and moaned at this deal. I still don't like it for several reasons, some old some new.

First, it was a luxury signing on a team with few luxuries. We had a JUST AS GOOD (some say better) back in JStew waiting in the wings. A team with as many holes as we had in the offseason can not afford to giving out luxury deals.

Second, the money we used on DWill could have easily went towards a player like Jonathan Joseph (CB) or Barry Coefield (DT). I will argue such a signing would have given us 1-2 more wins on the season, especially Coefield.

Third, we most likely would have gotten a 3rd or a 4th in compensation when/if someone else signed Williams, which could have made the Olsen trade almost free.

Waiver Wire Dudes.

Hangman is solid back in Carolina, but still nothing special.

Butler and Captain are basically the same guy at this point.

The other CB we claimed has been invisible, is he still on the team ?

Tutu plays special teams.....woohoo ?

Late Addition Al Wallace AKA Applewhite

Applewhite is just what the Dr Ordered after so many of our LB's have gotten hurt. I think the guy makes at least 1 play every series he is in the game. He has been a teacher on the field and a leader as soon as he stepped foot here. He has made plays as a 4-3 DE and a 3-4 LBer. With the youth we have on D he (IMO) has been the perfect addition. He cant solve the DT/CB problem but he has solved a leadership void we have had.

Im sure I have forgotten someone or some signing. Overall I was pleased with how everything went down. Please add in your thoughts.

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