Carolina Panthers NFL Team Column

This offseason was supposed to have been a busy one for the Carolina Panthers and so far it has been. It has just not been busy the way some thought it would be. Many Panther fans were looking for a big free agent catch to be picked up by their team. Team watchers felt a player like Michael Turner, Bernard Berrian or possibly a lineman like Flozell Adams or even a superstar like Alan Faneca would become a Panther this offseason. After last year's disappointing season, the general consensus was the Panther team owner, Jerry Richardson, had to have issued coach John Fox some type of "win a playoff game next year or move on..." ultimatum. With that in mind, it looks as if the Panther braintrust, made up of head coach John Fox and general manager Marty Hurney had their team building work cut out for them.

Conventional wisdom plus a stadium full of hungry fans says the team would have to go all out this offseason and try fill all of the holes in the Panther lineup and put together a team that could go out and win immediately, make the playoffs and possibly more. That is asking a lot from a head coach who is presiding over a 7-9 team.  However, the last time two times the Panthers were 7-9 coach John Fox brought them back the following year and led them to a Superbowl and to an NFC championship game. So, if past history is any indication of possibilities that may occur in the future then this upcoming season may just hold what Panther fans have been waiting for.  

Either way, there will have to be a lot of personnel moves made this offseason. There will also have to be some creative accounting applied to the Panther payrolls in order to free up enough salary cap space to go out and get the kind of players the teams needs.  The owner of the Carolina Panthers, Jerry Richardson, will have to be willing to spend whatever funds are needed to get his team back in the playoff hunt. From all indications so far, it looks as if the team's "checkbook" may just be wide open for the coaches and staff to go out and sign few "big name" players and “ink” a few of those "hard to sign" early  draft picks to contracts before the 2008 season begins. So, what have we seen so far?

The biggest offensive signing of this free agency period, for the Panthers, happened over a week ago. The Panthers signed former Seattle wide receiver DJ Hackett. Hackett is a 6'2 208 pound possession receiver and looks to be just what the Panthers needed. Hackett had been courted by the Redskins and by the Tampa Bay Buc's as well as his former team, the Seattle Seahawks. However, it was the Panthers that Hackett met with last and they offered him the "number 2" receiving role and a $3.5 million, 2 year contract. Washington had offered him the league minimum and there was no mention of where Hackett would fit into the Redskin lineup. Tampa Bay did not release any terms of a possible offer and Seattle declined to match Carolina's offer to Hackett, plus he would have had to contend with Seattle receivers Deion Branch and Bobby Engram for playing time. So, Hackett opted for Carolina as he reportedly believed the Panthers were a team on the move and he liked the idea of playing opposite of Steve Smith. The only knock on Hackett has been his health. Hackett suffered a high ankle sprain last year and played very little. Even with the question of Hackett's health you have believe he will have plenty of time to rehab his ankles this offseason. 

Seattle has not always had great luck grooming young receivers and have produced a few receivers, over the years, who have suffered from having the honor of dropping multiple, crucial passes.  This kind of thing is one of the reasons both Keary Colbert and Drew Carter are no longer Panthers.  Fortunately, new Panther DJ Hackett has not had an issue with dropping passes. He has only one drop in the last 2 seasons. Having a big, strong, possession receiver, who can go over the middle and make the tough catches and take the hard shots, yet hang onto the ball is just what the doctor ordered for Jake Delhomme and the Carolina passing attack.  Should Hackett remain healthy, his signing could be something of a steal for the offensively challenged Carolina Panthers, considering he is being paid just $1.75 million per year.  That is big money for most of us but for a number 2 receiver, in the NFL, who is capable of 50 or more receptions per season...well, let's just say -that is a bargain. There was not a lot of depth in this year's free agent wide receiving class but Hackett was thought to be ranked in the top five of free agent receivers out there and Mushin Muhammad could not have been far behind.  With that in mind it is really somewhat surprising Carolina actually signed Hackett, given the amount of time they waited to make a move.  He will fill a much needed role in Carolina next season.

Carolina had already begun to address the wide receiver position question before they signed Hackett with their signing of former Panther, Mushin Muhammad. Thanks to a move by the Chicago Bears, who released Muhammad, Carolina got him back for "song".  It has been over 2 years since the Panthers lost Muhammad ("Moose") to free agency. To try and makeup for Muhammad's loss the Panthers had signed Keyshawn Johnson to fill the second wideout's position but that experiment was not a success. However, with Muhammad back in a Panther uniform and possibly lining up in the "slot" position and having DJ Hackett on the other side playing the "2" position, hopefully some of the defensive heat will then move away from Panther superstar Steve Smith. Smith will still command double coverage in some situations but having Hackett and "Moose" in the game will force potential opponents to try and keep from tying up multiple defensive backs from keying in on Smith, on every pass play.  If that happens, the "middle" of the field should be ripe for 7-10 yard passes.

The receiver additions should give quarterback Jake Delhomme multiple targets to throw to when under fire.  I certainly believe a healthy Hackett and the well seasoned pro and crafty veteran, Muhammad, are a very nice and substantial upgrade over former Panthers Keary Colbert and Drew Carter duo. If Jake Delhomme's elbow heals properly- so he can distribute the ball- and if the new Panther, Hackett, can stay healthy, then Carolina looks to have one of the top five receiving trio's  in the NFL.

The next moves the Panthers made were a bit surprising. Guard Mike Wahle was released after his upcoming salary amount due had become a salary cap hit the Panthers could not suffer.  The team’s actions showed they were in a struggle to free up enough money to re-sign their best lineman, tackle, Jordan Gross  yet have enough financial room left over to try and fill the holes left vacant by loses in free agency and players who were released following last season. The team had to believe they could fill Wahle's position by using players who were already on their roster and by bringing in a few free agents who could hopefully give a little depth at the position.  The Panthers used the franchise tag in order to keep tackle Jordan Gross and the team quickly re-signed Travelle Wharton in order to prevent him from being lost in free agency. Last year's starting center, Justin Hartwig, was just released. This move looks like a vote of confidence in second year backup center Ryan Kalil to now takeover the starting center's job.

To help fill other spaces on the offensive line the Panthers signed free agent guard Keydrick Vincent and it looks as if Jeremy Bridges could be possibly be moved to the right tackle position if the team cannot pick up a player who they can trust to start and protect quarterback Jake Delhomme this season. The Panthers also picked up free agent guards Toniu Fonoti and Milford Brown. 

Brown started 15 games last season for the St. Louis Rams and is thought to be a starting caliber player.  Fonoti has to be viewed as a "project" player.  After being drafted in the second round, in 2002, Fonoti had started 15 games as a rookie in San Diego and was placed on IR the following season.  However, he bounced back in '04 and started all 16 games.  But the '05 season was not as kind as Fonoti lost his starting position then watched as his weight spiraled out of control, to over 400 pounds. He played in only 3 games for 3 different teams in '05 and played in only 3 more games in '06.  Fonoti sat out the entire season last year after being cut during training camp by Atlanta.  Face it, this signing did not cost the the team very much money and is not a real salary cap hit.
However, Fonoti has shown he can start in the NFL and if there is some way he can get into and stay in football shape then he may make a nice addition to the depth on the offensive line or he could possibly even compete for a staring job. There is very little downside with his signing and if he cannot prove serviceable, the Panthers would certainly release him as Atlanta did last year.

When it comes to the Panthers run game the team had changes in mind going into the offseason but I do not believe anyone thought one of the team's first moves would be to release their starting running back, Deshaun Foster.  Foster's career in Carolina was somewhat average and but he was able to contribute when he not hampered by injuries. Foster had a degree of success when he relieved former Panther power runner, Stephen Davis.  Foster was a nice "change of pace back".  After the Panther's superbowl season Foster was plagued by fumbles and nagging injuries.  Last year Foster split playing time and carries with Deangelo Williams.  While Williams seemed to flourish,  Foster looked to be going the other way.  He seemed to lack some of the former "breakout" ability he had once possessed and his yards per carry numbers were abysmal.  Although Foster was by no means a "bad' running back, he just could not seem to put together a 1000 yard season and be the strong runner Carolina wanted him to be. 

The Panthers had been very successful when they previously had Stephen Davis as the big, "bruising power back" and had Foster as the more "shifty" style running back and "change of pace" runner.  It looked as if the team felt Williams and Foster could fill the same roll as Foster and Davis once had filled. That proved to not be the case.  While it seemed like Williams had evolved into the more "shifty", "scat" back, the larger Foster showed he could not fill the roll of the bruising power runner that the team had so desperately relied on in their 2003 Superbowl run.  That style of "smash mouth" football is what the defensive minded head coach, John Fox,  is all about.  Using a big powerful running back and having a ball control offense with an excellent kicking game plus having a few explosive wide receivers coupled with a "grind it out", strong, gritty and stingy defense is how coach Fox made his mark in the NFL and that is the system he believes in.  These changes just seem to point in that direction.  Also, Foster did not help his case by being a consistent team leader in the fumble department. 

Toward the end of last season Panther watchers could see a shift in the carry totals and a few changes in play calling that seemed to be indicative of a possible changing of the guard in the Carolina backfield.  Last season looked to be Deangelo William's chance to finally make a run at the starting running back job.  It took some repetition but Williams finally seemed to break out in the final 3 games of the season with 242 total yards while averaging 5.3 yards per carry.  During those final 3 games Foster was only able to muster 102 total yards and he had only 3.3 yards per carry. Those season ending numbers seemed to signal the end of Foster's run in Carolina. The Panthers had secretly tried to trade Foster over the past month but could not get any suitors.  Foster was released and then picked up by the San Francisco 49's where he will backup their starting back, Frank Gore. 

Look for Deangelo Williams to now be the new feature back in Carolina.  The Panthers also picked up Labrandon Toefield to hopefully perform as their "power back" and to ad depth in the Panther run game.  Toefield, who was not a starter in Jacksonville, seems to have all of the attributes needed to succeed in the NFL and it looks as if he may get his chance to play in Carolina.  Toefield had been hidden behind Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor in the Jacksonville backfield. Also, in the run game  the Panthers did re-sign local fan favorite and Thomasville product, Brad Hoover.  Hoover will continue in his primary role as a  blocking back but will himself with the ball in some short yardage  situations.   Look for Carolina to possibly address the need for running back depth in the 2008 draft.  The Panthers may well feel the need to ad a running back with their first round pick.  This would be a big piece of the offensive puzzle for the Panthers. There seems to only be a handful of really good running backs, in this year's draft, who could possibly go out and make an impact in their rookie season in the NFL.  The top three backs should go in the first round but Felix Jones, RB Arkansas, may just land square on the Panther's lap in the 2nd round. If that were to happens the team would have to be torn as it is likely University of Delaware, QB Joe Flacco could also be available then as well. Both of those players would seem to be great picks for the Panthers and some decisions would have to be made on draft day as to who is needed most. 

There are still a few unknowns left in the Panther run game. One is the future status of Panther Nick Goings.  Goings suffered two concussions in the beginning weeks of last season causing him to placed on IR after the fourth game. Goings has always been a great role player as a backup runner and is a nice change of pace back who can also run passing routes. He has done well as a starter when needed. Goings has also become a special teams asset and has shown glimpses of greatness in the past.  However, Goings has had multiple injuries to contend with and especially bad are the multiple concussions he has recently suffered.  However, it was Goings who remained healthy in the team's injury laden '04 season. Goings had 4 back-to-back 100 yard games. Goings also rushed for more than 100 yards per game in 5 of the last 7 games in '04. He helped carry the team to multiple victories then and it seems as if the franchise has shown him a great deal of loyalty during his struggles with injuries. Goings has shown if he has proper blocking help and when he is healthy that he is almost as good as anyone in the game.  The problem is that he has been unable to have those two varibles of good health and solid blocking in place since 2004.

Though it may look as if the Carolina backfield is set...slow down.  Look for at least one more running back to be added to the roster before the '08 season starts.  John Fox and Marty Hurney were both at Darren McFadden and Felix Jones media blitz also know as the Arkansas "pro day".  The team also sent their top scout to see the Rashard Mendenhall workout.  It seems at least one of these running backs will be available when the Panthers make their pick and Mendehall or Jones could possibly be a Panther next year.  Drafting a running back with an early pick would fly smack in the face of the conventional wisdom that has the Panthers taking Ryan Clady or Jeff Otah with their first pick.  These visits could just be a bluff by the Panther brass to help protect the players they really want to pick from possibly being drafted  by divisional foes.  Don't look for the Panthers to sign Darren McFadden on draft day just yet. However, stranger things have happened but one has to believe the Panthers were looking into Felix Jones when they traveled to Arkansas. 

The only thing to give hungry Panther fans a small, teasing glimmer of hope that they could see McFadden in a Carolina Panther uniform next season may be the slight chance that the team could do something out of desperation like trade multiple draft picks for a player like McFadden.  McFadden, a player who could possibly post numbers like Adrian Peterson did last year in Minnesota,  would be great as a short term solution if he could be as productive and remain healthier than Peterson was . However, a move like that would mean the team would have to basically go into next season with the players they have right now and count on McFadden to gain 1400 yards and not go down with an injury. Would that be worth it?  Well, only if everyone could stay healthy, then sure it would be.  But let one key player go down with an injury and the team would finished.  So, I believe the Panthers were only in Arkansas to see Felix Jones and it just so happened that Mr. McFadden was there as well.
 
The last bit of the offensive puzzle concerns the quarterback position. Can Jake Delhomme come back after "Tommy John" surgery in time for the '08 season? And will he be 100%?  Many, including coach Fox believe he will be fine. However, the success rate for comebacks after that procedure are not as good as one may think.  Jake still has a long road of rehab ahead of him.  If he is going to ready for week one he has a lot of hard work and a bit of luck ahead of him. In the meantime the Panthers do have Matt Moore.  Moore proved he could play and he could win in the NFL as displayed in his relief efforts last year.   Moore will have a chance to improve as he should get a lot of work in practice as the number 2 quarterback. However, fans in Carolina easily remember the nightmare scenario that occurred last year when an injury to Jake Delhomme and then another injury to the underachieving backup, David Carr started a mad scramble for another quarterback in mid-season. With that season breaker in mind I am sure the Panthers are counting on Brett Basanez to rebound from his 2007 injuries and be healthy and 100% when the seson begins but the team has to keep an eye on a few backup quarterbacks, either in the draft or in free agency. University of Delaware quarterback, Joe Flacco, received a visit from the Carolina Panthers staff. Flacco is thought to be the prototypical pro quarterback and could possibly find himself available when the Panthers make one of their first day picks.  This draft has a fair selection of decent quarterbacks and even if Carolina passes on Flacco there should be another serviceable quarterback available in the latter rounds . No matter how Carolina addresses the issue at quarterback it must be addressed.