SB Nation's Safety Rankings (Panthers 30th)

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

NFC South Rankings

New Orleans Saints**: 14th

Atlanta Falcons: 15th

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 28th

Carolina Panthers: 30th

30. Carolina Panthers

Carolina has mostly spare parts at safety. The spare part that might surprise is Ravens' castoff Haruki Nakamura. He is competing with Sherrod Martin for the starting free safety role. Better, healthier linebackers could help Charles Godfrey at strong safety.

No shock here, I pretty much agree with what was said. Martin just doesn't look like he has the ability to play safety and even with a strong and healthy linebacker corp; I don't see much improvement in his game. Nakamura and Smith will definitely challenge for the free safety spot. Charles Godfrey on the other hand should really benefit from a strong linebacker corp and hopefully a better secondary in general with Nakamura and Norman possibly taking over for Martin and Munnerlyn. A Gamble, Norman, Godfrey, and Nakamura secondary looks pretty good on paper, in my opinion.

Thoughts?

[CRA]

NFC South Rankings

New Orleans Saints****: 14th

Atlanta Falcons: 15th

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 28th

Carolina Panthers: 30th

No shock here, I pretty much agree with what was said. Martin just doesn't look like he has the ability to play safety and even with a strong and healthy linebacker corp; I don't see much improvement in his game. Nakamura and Smith will definitely challenge for the free safety spot. Charles Godfrey on the other hand should really benefit from a strong linebacker corp and hopefully a better secondary in general with Nakamura and Norman possibly taking over for Martin and Munnerlyn. A Gamble, Norman, Godfrey, and Nakamura secondary looks pretty good on paper, in my opinion.

Thoughts?

Thoughts?

Sounds like blind optmism in regards to Godfrey...who has consistantly been one of the worst S in the NFL since arriving. Every year a new excuse for why he can't tackle in the open field or handle coverage assignments.

[panthers34]

Godfrey is still are best safty

[The Huddler]

Acually it doesnt look too good on paper, but thats just me bud. Gamble is solid but underrated. Norman is a rookie so he is a huge questionmark. Nakamura is also unproven. Godfrey has potential but hasnt shined quite yet. From an outsiders viewpoint we look pretty shakey in the secondary.

But i think Rivera knows what jes doing. He turned the chargers defense into the best in the league with a bunch of No names like ours.Dont forget Wilkes. But honestly i see a lot of potential

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Thoughts?

Sounds like blind optmism in regards to Godfrey...who has consistantly been one of the worst S in the NFL since arriving. Every year a new excuse for why he can't tackle in the open field or handle coverage assignments.

Godfrey has been far from one of the worse safety's in the league. He looks bad at times because he is having to cover for Captain Munnerlyn or whoever is playing cornerback on the left side.

Godfrey reads routes very well and he is an above average tackler.

I don't understand all the hate Godfrey gets all the time, when he is an average NFL safety. It's not like he is fricken Brandon Meriweather, so I see no need to be pissed off about Godfrey.

[Guest Bwood]

Godfrey is still are best safty

Our*

You're seriously 23?

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Acually it doesnt look too good on paper, but thats just me bud. Gamble is solid but underrated. Norman is a rookie so he is a huge questionmark. Nakamura is also unproven. Godfrey has potential but hasnt shined quite yet. From an outsiders viewpoint we look pretty shakey in the secondary.

But i think Rivera knows what jes doing. He turned the chargers defense into the best in the league with a bunch of No names like ours.Dont forget Wilkes. But honestly i see a lot of potential

Gamble- Top 10 corner

Norman- Has really impressed so far

Nakamura- Has learned from Ed Reed

Godfrey- Very underrated corner

Doesn't look so bad to me.

People also forget that without a pass rush, any team's secondary is going to look awful. If we can get Ron Edwards back healthy and an improved McClain/Fua along with Alexander/Hardy/Johnson creating pressure on the outside; I think this secondary will have a chance to shine.

Once again, don't forget about our top three linebacker corp returning from injury.

I'm sure the Steelers secondary would look poor if their linebackers were Jason Phillips and Kion Wilson.

[LinvilleGorge]

Godfrey is still our best safty

that's the problem

Our safety play has been horrific the past few years. 30th is likely being generous. The only thing that keeps us from being dead last is signing some free agents who may actually have a little bit of ability.

[CRA]

Godfrey has been far from one of the worse safety's in the league. He looks bad at times because he is having to cover for Captain Munnerlyn or whoever is playing cornerback on the left side.

Godfrey reads routes very well and he is an above average tackler.

I don't understand all the hate Godfrey gets all the time, when he is an average NFL safety. It's not like he is fricken Brandon Merriweather, so I see no need to be pissed off about Godfrey.

Godfrey has been one of the worst....if you talk to people who aren't Panther fans.

Captain is just a 2012 excuse....every year it is something else causing him to not be able to make tackles in the open field and handle his assignment in coverage.

Take a site like PFF......and find a S that has started in the NFL who has rated as poorly as Godfrey over the same time span (with the same team). There isn't one....they all get benched, cut or traded. So how is Godfrey not one the worst starting Ss in the NFL since he arrived? Bc Carolina extended him?

And Godfrey is a horrible tackler. Above average? Off what? Don't confuse a hard hit when he arrives with the ball as good tackling....in the open field Godfrey couldn't bring down my grandma.

As I have said before....ability isn't the issue as he has the tools. He just isn't a S. He will be replaced either this year or next.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Godfrey has been one of the worst....if you talk to people who aren't Panther fans.

Captain is just a 2012 excuse....every year it is something else causing him to not be able to make tackles in the open field and handle his assignment in coverage.

Take a site like PFF......and find a S that has started in the NFL who has rated as poorly as Godfrey over the same time span (with the same team). There isn't one....they all get benched, cut or traded. So how is Godfrey not one the worst starting Ss in the NFL since he arrived? Bc Carolina extended him?

When you have to cover for someone else, you are going to look like sh*t. Point blank.

In the 2010-2011 season, Godfrey was the only bright spot on the team.

[cultclassiccat]

Paint me blue and call me babe.

Our rotations this yr will be a breath of fresh air...mark it

[csx]

When you have to cover for someone else, you are going to look like sh*t. Point blank.

In the 2010-2011 season, Godfrey was the only bright spot on the team.

That's pretty bad because Godfrey was on of the worst safetys in the NFL that season as well. 2009 was the only season he wasn't just terrible.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

In 2010 he wasn't that bad, the entire team as a whole was bad but Godfrey actually had a decent season. He recorded five picks in that season after covering for other people.

[CRA]

When you have to cover for someone else, you are going to look like sh*t. Point blank.

In the 2010-2011 season, Godfrey was the only bright spot on the team.

Every year the reason Godfrey sucks is blamed on someone...

His FFs that one season made him a S in some eyes he simply isn't and has never been here. Funny how Godfrey earns praise to this day ofg those FFs from one season.....yet the same people dismiss Martin's moments and pin the suckage on him.