Defensive Tackle Options Revisited

[Mr. Scot]

Since a few folks have requested it, here’s a deeper look at some defensive tackles that might be on the bubble with other teams and thus could conceivably be obtained after cuts or via trade.

They’re broken down according to the value I think they could bring to the team. Discussion is made of why they might – and I emphasize, might – become available to the Panthers. It’s by no means a lock that these guys will be let go, and trade options may or may not prove to be realistic.

And away we go…

BEST OPTIONS:

These guys to me represent the best-case scenarios, the ones who could step in, start in Kemoeatu’s place and prove to be solid, maybe even dominant.

Corey Williams, Browns (6-4, 320, Age 29, 6th yr, 16-16)

What he brings: size, talent, run-stopping ability, experience

Why he might be available: Browns switching to a 3-4; he’s a bad fit

Williams has been the biggest source of speculation in Pantherland, and might be the guy the Panthers covet most. He certainly has the size and skills they need, though a shoulder injury from last year could be a concern. Add in that he’d command a bigger salary than others might.

If he’s the guy the Panthers truly want, I wouldn’t expect much to happen until close to – or even after – final cuts. The Browns may want to see what they can get for him, and it’s generally Marty Hurney’s MO to do things last minute anyway.

Sadly, the Panthers may not be the only ones keeping a watch on his status. If there’s any sort of bidding war (or even so much as a bidding tussle) Panther fans can likely forget about Williams.

However, if he can be had, he might be just what the doctor ordered.

Glenn Dorsey, Chiefs (6-1, 297, Age 24, 2nd yr, 16-16)

What he brings: potential, youth, raw talent (possibly more than anyone else on this list)

Why he might be available: 3-4 switch, and new Chiefs coach Todd Haley isn’t exactly president of his fan club

Right now, the name on the lips of the most Panther fans is Corey Williams, but Glenn Dorsey could be a close second. And while Todd Haley may not be a fan, Panthers beat writer Darin Gantt certainly is, and there’s cause. Dorsey was a top pick for a reason, and if he were to play to that potential the combo of Dorsey and Julius Peppers on the same line could be dominant and devastating.

The big question, of course, is whether Dorsey actually will play to that potential (some would direct that question at Peppers also). There’s also the fact that while he may be in Haley’s doghouse, teams don’t just give away high picks in their second year. The price to get him could be high, maybe too high, and then what if he is indeed the bust some think he is?

Bottom line: All due respect to Gantt, who knows way more about the team than I do, I really can’t see this happening.

(as a side note, I’m pretty sure someone on the Panthers now or recently went to the same high school as he did - East Ascension in Louisiana - but I forget who)

Fred Evans, Vikings (6-4, 305, Age 25, 4th yr, 16-2)

What he brings: youth, potential, could be on the verge of breaking out

Why he might be available: the Vikings are deep on DL and could conceivably be willing to part with him for a decent offer

Marty Hurney’s recent scouting trip to watch a Chiefs-Vikings game was speculated to be about Glenn Dorsey, but a young backup like Evans is more Hurney’s style. For the record, Evans notched two tackles and a sack in that game.

In late 2008, Evans saw some starting time filling in for Pat Williams, including a start in the Vikings playoff loss. He was a restricted free agent this past offseason and the Vikings gave him a second round tender, indicating they wanted to keep him in the rotation.

He’s a guy who’s potentially on the rise, but is still mostly an unknown at this point. It should be remembered though that starting for the Panthers wouldn’t be the same sort of duty as rotating with the Williams Wall in Minnesota. And the possible suspensions still hanging over the two bricks who make up that wall make it less likely the Vikings will part with him easily.

Also worth noting, Evans has a couple of marks on his permanent record. The most significant? Having been arrested back in 2007 in a situation similar to the recent Aqib Talib story while with the Dolphins (who drafted him in the 7th round of the 2006 draft). At the time, he was on probation relating to a marijuana possession charge and wound up serving a two game suspension as a result of the incident.

For the Panthers to be interested, they’d need assurance that these sorts of issues are a thing of the past.

Quick FYI: While we’re in Minnesota, for anyone wondering about former Panther/current Viking Otis Grigsby, the Vikes roster lists him at only 260 pounds and playing defensive end. Not likely he’d fill the need the Panthers have now for a big man in the interior line.

Barry Cofield, Giants (6-4, 306, Age 25, 4th yr, 15-15)

What he brings: consistency, starting experience, good skills against the run

Why he might be available: offseason acquisitions could make him expendable

Cofield has been speculated to be on the bubble due to some of the Giants offseason acquisitions (Chris Canty, for example) but injuries on the Giants DL (to Chris Canty, for example) could take him right off that bubble, and that’s assuming he was ever really on. Add in that as a veteran and starter on a good DL, he likely wouldn’t come cheap.

If he makes it past final cuts (which seems likely) you might speculate that the Panthers could use something the Giants need - say, a large, highly drafted receiver - to tempt them to part with a guy at a position where they’re deep.

Possible? Sure, but given that Cofield is a starter, that Jarrett is still “potential”, that decent receivers might be available to the Giants via cuts, that the Panthers aren’t exactly “deep” at receiver and that there’s no solid info indicating the Panthers are ready to dump Jarrett, I wouldn’t put any money on it.

When all is said and done, I think the Giants keep him.

But again, you never know.

OTHER POTENTIAL STARTERS:

Some fellows who might come in and start, but who I wouldn’t be especially excited about.

Alan Branch, Cardinals (6-5, 338, Age 24, 3rd yr, 4-0)

What he brings: mammoth size, ability to plug the middle

Why he might be available: he’s been an underachiever

Branch is probably the closest you could get to replacing Ma’ake Kemoeatu with a similar body. Unfortunately, he’s likely not as good as Kemo was.

Branch has been something of a disappointment to the Cardinals. Arizona spent a second round pick on him in 2007, and in his first two years he’s seen action in only fifteen games, starting none. When in, he can plug the middle but not much else. Pass rush? Not so much.

If you want Branch, you’d have to believe either that the Panthers really need that big run stuffer in Kemo’s spot or you’d have to buy the old adage that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. For me, while that’s often true, I don’t know that it applies here.

Of the starters, he could possibly turn out to be one of the easier ones to get (provided the Cardinals decide to cut him, which is iffy) but that’s not necessarily a great reason to look at him.

Unless of course, you’re cap-strapped, which the Panthers are.

William Joseph, Raiders (6-5, 310, Age 29, 7th yr, 8-0)

What he brings: size, experience, veteran presence

Why he might be available: the Raiders already cut him once

Joseph was previously a Giant, more recently a Raider. He was cut by Oakland and only re-signed after injuries to other DL. He’s something of an underachiever but has the size and the tools. As with Branch, if you believe coaching could “fix” him he could be worth a shot. Being brutally honest, I’m not certain I believe that.

Jimmy Kennedy, Vikings (6-5, 320, Age 30, 7th yr, 2-0)

What he brings: size, veteran presence, familiarity

Why he might be available: currently low on the Vikes depth chart

Kennedy’s best year came starting opposite former Ram and current Panther Damione Lewis. He was with the Jags for part of last season but was cut loose. The Vikes picked him up when they needed fill-ins but re-signed him this season for camp. If you believe a change of scenery and coaching could make a difference, he might be a possibility. The question you have to ask is how realistic that might be.

(continued...)

[Mr. Scot]

POTENTIAL DEPTH:

Here we have players who would more likely be depth or rotational players than starters, unless the Panthers luck into another Jordan Carstens. While none is an absolute lock to make their team’s final roster, some are more likely than others.

Dre Moore, Buccaneers (6-4, 305, Age 24, 1st yr, 0-0)

Currently a backup to Chris Hovan. Has local ties (Independence High School grad). Moore was a 4th round pick last year but only made it to the Bucs practice squad. Still, while he may not be a roster “lock”, I don’t really see the Bucs letting go of him just yet. As far as trade, to call division rival trades “rare” would be as much an understatement as calling Alan Branch “big-boned”.

Mitch King, Titans (6-2, 280, Age 23, Rookie)

King is an undrafted rookie on a deep Titans line. Some folks liked him around draft time and hoped the Panthers would pick him up either on the second day or as an undrafted. Titans got him instead. He was a fairly solid, overachiever type in college. Small, but strong and consistent, he’s ultimately the kind of guy that’s more likely to be an asset in the future than this season.

Kevin Vickerson, Titans (6-5, 305, Age 26, 4th yr, 7-0)

Currently behind former Panther Tony Brown on the Titans depth chart, Vickerson was a 7th round pick of the Dolphins originally. He’s been bigger before and could be again, but there are character and possibly injury concerns, including a four game suspension for a violation of the steroid policy (defended with the standard “dietary supplement” line).

OTHER OPTIONS:

A few other names from the Giants, Titans and Vikings (all deep on DL). Pretty much all potential here, no one that I’d really expect to crack the starting lineup. Generally speaking, significant contributions as a rotational player might be a best-case scenario. Still, they’re worth noting because the Panthers may sign more than one new DT before all is said and done.

LaJuan Ramsey, Titans (6-3, 300, Age 25, 3rd yr, 4-0)

- journeyman who spent a little time with the Colts under now Panther DC Ron Meeks

Jeremy Clark, Giants (6-3, 309, Age 25, 1st yr, 0-0)

- undrafted in 2007, signed with Philly; has spent time on the practice squads of the Eagles and the Giants

Letroy Guion, Vikings (6-4, 303, Age 22, 2nd yr, 2-0)

- 5th round pick for Minnesota in 2008, has been nicked up some

Anthony Bryant, Giants (6-3, 337, Age 27, 3rd yr, 1-0)

- has spent time with the Bucs, Lions and Dolphins; good size but still all potential

Antoine Holmes, Vikings (6-2, 289, Age 23, Rookie)

- an undrafted rookie for the Vikings out of NC State

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

So with all that said, what do the Panthers do next?

Truthfully, your guess is as good as mine.

One thing I feel fairly sure of is that it seems unlikely the situation will resolve itself soon. Given how Marty Hurney operates, and the fact that first cuts tend to be 90% “camp fodder – I suspect anyone picked up after first cuts won’t likely be a high impact guy. If a new starter is to be obtained, it probably won’t happen until around (or after) final cuts. That way, Hurney can have all options on the table.

For what it’s worth, Gantt believes the Panthers will sign more than one DT, likely one starter quality and one depth. They could come from this list, or the Panthers could follow their usual habit of signing or trading for a guy none of us is talking about. That is, after all, the way it usually seems to happen.

Of course, their scouting department is a little better than ours

[Vagrant]

I doubt the Panthers sign anybody under 30 to start up the middle, to be honest. They tend to like veteran guys in that role. Chances are good we sign a player that is viewed as somewhat washed up and loses his job in final cuts.

For depth purposes, we may sign a first or second year guy..... but not to start.

[MadHatter]

I doubt the Vikings will let any of their DT's go at this point....pending suspension of the Williams Wall.

[Hairless Cat]

nice write up Mr Scot - thankk you - cant rep you for it this time cause it needs to be spread around.

[stirs]

Good analysis.

Slim pickens unless there is an injury somewhere like Minny to a LB and we make a trade.

Gabe Watson was someone also with AZ I was looking at. Didn't know if he would stick at NT or not.

[JungleCat]

I just hope any one of those guys would be enough. I feel like one more bad injury to the DL would put us back in the same situation. Beggars can't be choosers, though.

[Kurb]

Corey Williams (if he can return to his GreenBay form) would REALLY change how our D-line is viewed. I would have 0 issues with sending a 2nd to get him.

[MadHatter]

Corey Williams (if he can return to his GreenBay form) would REALLY change how our D-line is viewed. I would have 0 issues with sending a 2nd to get him.

Agreed...a 2nd for a DT that had 14 sacks and 70 tackles in two year. I would GLADLY give up a 2nd for that.

[unicar15]

My question is...If we trade for a guy like Williams or Dorsey then what happens to Maake next year? There is no way we can have Lewis, Kemo, and one of those guys on our roster. The cap figures just wouldn't work out unless its an uncapped year. That said, I'd love to have either one of the first two if the price was right. Neither one of those guys belong in a 3-4 and in the end those teams know it and are going to look to deal them.

[mountainpantherfan]

My question is...If we trade for a guy like Williams or Dorsey then what happens to Maake next year? There is no way we can have Lewis, Kemo, and one of those guys on our roster. The cap figures just wouldn't work out unless its an uncapped year. That said, I'd love to have either one of the first two if the price was right. Neither one of those guys belong in a 3-4 and in the end those teams know it and are going to look to deal them.

There was a time that the Panthers had Jenkins, Kemo and Lewis, all high cap figures. I would hope that Kemo would stay and that Lewis would be gone.

I think Williams is the main target right now and like Mr. Scot said Hurney is just waiting until closer to cuts to make his move.

[Kevin Greene]

I'll take 2.

[JungleCat]

Hopefully, Kemo's injury isn't career ending.

[Kurb]

Maake is gone next year.

He is due a significant roster bonus, coming off a major injury and over 30 years old.