KSpan

The Nut Punch... er, Peanut Punch.

Because there haven't been any of those in the NFC North or on Chicago's roster in recent years.

Agreed, but the big picture is that it's only one year. If it isn't incentivized Gettleman probably figures it'll be done and off the books next year anyway.

That's definitely a Target-level contract.

Would've felt better if it was Tillman of 5 or so years ago, but no real reason to feel bad about it. He's a great locker room guy and will be a solid mentor to the young corners.

Only if he actually goes to Cleveland. If he goes anywhere else, he will be awesome just to torture the Browns fans as they think about what might have been.

I just don't see the issue with his Viking self as long as he isn't seeking big money. He averaged 60 catches and 800 yards his 2 years there, but I admittedly haven't watched every Vikings game so teams could be seeing something specific.

Probably, but unless he's asking for a lot of money or wants to be a #1 I don't know what he really has to prove. Other than being hurt in 2012 he's been very consistent. I guess people could be eyeing his 'decline in production' in Minnesota, but with AP's monster year in 2013 and their QBs last year that shouldn't be tough to figure out. If he takes a 1 year deal and does well, then teams are just going to point to his age and say he'll be declining at any moment and he'll be stuck in the same situation again.

Explain how 'the team is not being built well enough to compete', particularly in the context of judging, after only two years, a revitalization plan that the GM said from day one will take three years to complete. I won't dispute that the other NFCS teams are seemingly a mess, but there is nothing Carolina can do about that.

The Nazis finally lost.

Armond 'Yard Master' Smith.

Chevelle and Crossfade are near the top of the sucky performance list.

It's the NFL's way to keep Carolina down.

Where he would most likely continue to be near-invisible.

Criminally ignorant.

He'd make one hell of a jump ball receiver.

No, but he did have a sack in each of the final 3 games. He has now accomplished that feat as many times (once) as Hardy has in his career, and Hardy didn't do it until the final 3 games of 2013, his 4th season in the league and third as a full-time starter. I'm not saying that Kony is as good as Hardy right now, but I do think he's far from maxed out.

Countercounterpoint: Imagine how those two would have looked playing for Chicago last year.

Meh. Low-risk, moderate reward.

Foxball, 2015 version.

The issue with Harper as depth is that the backup safeties are usually on ST, and he doesn't seem like a great fit for that type of role.

There isn't a snowball's chance in hell Gentleman would pay him anywhere near this money once the current contract is up, so no need to worry about it. And calling CJ money-hungry is ludicrous and baseless - the guy signed a lucrative contract in the prime of his career and has done his absolute best the entire time, performing very well overall. Maybe he's a little overpaid, but he didn't write the contract. If CJ is 'money-hungry' then so is Deangelo, Stew, Kalil, Beason, Jake, and every other player who got paid by Hurney.

He clearly wasn't healthy at the start and he had 1 sack each in weeks 4, 5, and 6 and pretty consistent thereafter, so you just harpooned your whole argument. And the guy will be 29 this season and 30 when his contract runs out... far from a dinosaur.

Sorry man, but CJ didn't 'suck' once he got healthy. And what he's being paid is a moot point because there isn't anything that can be done about it short of extending him, which seems to go against your argument.

Did I miss CJ's press conferences, because I don't recall him being asked to step to a podium or not taking responsibility for his early-season peformance. In fact... http://espn.go.com/blog/carolina-panthers/post/_/id/8968/sackless-johnson-still-earning-his-keep