Jekyll and Hyde players: Past & Future

[bLACKpANTHER]

We all have seen it before - a player comes along thats makes you feel all warm inside and secure at a position that in actuality is a weakness. These aren't just camp heros. They have actually performed during the regular season and/or playoffs. I'm just gunna run through a few from seasons past and some potential from last year's unbelievable season:

Kerry Colbert - had a great rookie year when Smitty went down with the broken leg. He and Moose were Jake's only targets and he bolstered his stats into making up believe in him/keep him for the next 3 years.

Ken Lucas - a FA that came here after our SB run and seemed to be the 2nd corner to pair with Gamble. He had a knack for the big play. He wasn't horrid like Colbert but for what he was his 1st year with us (8 ints) to what he ended up being was a big difference. 

David Gettis - the Biddles and Byrds have come and gone, but one WR stands alone as the guy who would save our team when he 'just got healthy' - when he was healthy all along. Gettis rookie year was average at best - "But but he was catching ducks from Pickles. Give him a true QB (Caaaam) and we are set at WR!"

Jeff Otah - a player that Hurney traded back up into the 1st round to get, which set our franchise back 3 years. He seemed worth it at first, slotted as the road grading RT to Gross on the left. But "Otah is in Rivera's dog house" became the final few words on another Jekyll and Hyde player.

Colin Jones - more recently a player that seemed to give us flexibility at the slot CB and Safety positions. He filled in nicely in Rivera's buffalo package but this year showed how much a liability he was. CB seemed like a deep position with Norman, Bene, Tillman and Jones. Injurys to Bene and Tillman forced Colin into a starting role which caused Gettleman to call Finnegan off his couch.

 

Which brings me to my potential Jekyll and Hyde players for this upcoming season:

Cortland Finnegan - not signed to the team yet, but people are already giving him praise and want to bring him bsck. I'm weary - he was on his couch for a reason. 

Kurt Coleman - What a year! Journeyman to biggest probowl snub in team history? I don't think he will flip on us but be careful, lets see him do it again this year before he is donned the greatest FS in team history.

Kony Ealy - What in the Blue Hell!?! I know I know. Call me crazy but I am not so sure just yet. I hope you all get to bump this in a year or 2 to shame me for questioning our probowl DE - but as of now, give me a full season begore I truly feel comfortable with our bookends.

[Jangler]

There is an inner core to this team. Ealy and Coleman can be a part of the core. The NFL is full of 1-2 year players. Don't know how good these players can be long term, guess I'll wait a see.

 

 

[Mr. Scot]

I don't think Coleman is so much "Jekyll and Hyde" as he is "system fit".

Coming to Carolina reunited him with the DC he had when he first entered the league. And I think McDermott knew how to use him better than others had.

I view his story as similar to that of Oher and Matsko.

[nosuchthingasapanther]

my pick is devin funchess.

people think that with benjamin coming back the panthers will have some dynamic duo set of receivers....i don't see it happening. i think he'll slowly slide down depth chart and fade into oblivion.

[KillaCamNewton]

DeShaun Foster, Drew Carter, Ted Ginn

[bLACKpANTHER]

4 minutes ago, KillaCamNewton said:

DeShaun Foster, Drew Carter, Ted Ginn

I can't put any of those guys into this category. Deshaun was a solid RB for most of his time here. He was the best RB in the 2008 playoffs. Injuries took him out and that fumbling problem. But overall I would label him a success as a Panther.

Drew Carter never really showed us a "bright side".. we just hoped it was there. Think about it - he was behind Colbert on the depth chart.... bleh

Ginn has exceeded all expectations ever since he has been here, both times. He might be a Mr. Hyde player on other teams, but with us he is all Dr. Jekyll.

[Growl]

4 hours ago, nosuchthingasapanther said:

my pick is devin funchess.

people think that with benjamin coming back the panthers will have some dynamic duo set of receivers....i don't see it happening. i think he'll slowly slide down depth chart and fade into oblivion.

 

4 hours ago, nosuchthingasapanther said:

my pick is devin funchess.

people think that with benjamin coming back the panthers will have some dynamic duo set of receivers....i don't see it happening. i think he'll slowly slide down depth chart and fade into oblivion.

Well hey there Mr. Smiles.

[shaqattaq]

4 hours ago, nosuchthingasapanther said:

my pick is devin funchess.

people think that with benjamin coming back the panthers will have some dynamic duo set of receivers....i don't see it happening. i think he'll slowly slide down depth chart and fade into oblivion.

IMO, a rookie can't qualify for a Jekyll and Hyde player. I get that you are worried about him not being good next season, but I honestly don't think he was all that god (Jekyll worthy) this season. He showed solid growth and no "freshman slump", but honestly didn't thrill me overall.  Not that a rookie has to, but for a second round pick who's main competition was out for the season, I expected a little more. I believe (and seriously hope) that he continue to grow and has a long productive career in Charlotte, but the jury's still out on this guy.

[shaqattaq]

I'm very concerned for Norman. He's had numerous seasons of being fair to slightly better than average as a CB and only about a season and a half as a shut down CB. He has the most potential to fug us if he backslides (I'm not predicting that he will), especially if he gets his big-money, long term deal.

[pantherclaw]

33 minutes ago, shaqattaq said:

IMO, a rookie can't qualify for a Jekyll and Hyde player. I get that you are worried about him not being good next season, but I honestly don't think he was all that god (Jekyll worthy) this season. He showed solid growth and no "freshman slump", but honestly didn't thrill me overall.  Not that a rookie has to, but for a second round pick who's main competition was out for the season, I expected a little more. I believe (and seriously hope) that he continue to grow and has a long productive career in Charlotte, but the jury's still out on this guy.

I don't know what was so disappointing about Funchess' rookie season.  

Not very many rookie receivers have major impacts on their teams. 

KB's rookie class has spoiled many fans. 

3 years is the average for a receiver to come into his own in the NFL.  

While Funchess yards were about average, his 6 TD's were above average. 

Funchess will be alright. 

Could be even better than alright, which is what I'm expecting with KB back on the field.

[Bronn]

Ricky Manning Jr. was a BOSS during that playoff run and season for the most part... But they took away the physicality element of coverage and he disappeared off the face of the earth...

As far as moving forward... Shaq Thompson kind of let me down sometimes, and then shined at others... I know I will probably catch hell for this, but I want to see consistency moving forward from my 1st rd. pick... He has two of the best to learn from, so there's that...

Don't even get me started on Kevin Norwood... what the actual hell happened there? Will he even be on the team next year? Nobody ever talks about this because of our success this year, but was that move just a hope and a prayer that didn't get answered, or did our receiving corps just keep him inactive?

[shaqattaq]

36 minutes ago, pantherclaw said:

I don't know what was so disappointing about Funchess' rookie season.  

Not very many rookie receivers have major impacts on their teams. 

KB's rookie class has spoiled many fans. 

3 years is the average for a receiver to come into his own in the NFL.  

While Funchess yards were about average, his 6 TD's were above average. 

Funchess will be alright. 

Could be even better than alright, which is what I'm expecting with KB back on the field.

I never said that I was disappointed in Funchess. In fact, I'm stoked to have him and think that the upside on this kid is huge. I also said that as a rookie he wasn't necessarily needing to "thrill" me. I probably am a bit spoiled by 2014's WR draft class, but I did expect a little more out of him considering the circumstances. I don't feel that his impact on the team was enough to qualify him as a Jekyll/Hyde candidate.

[imminent rogaine]

2 hours ago, bLACKpANTHER said:

I can't put any of those guys into this category. Deshaun was a solid RB for most of his time here. He was the best RB in the 2008 playoffs. Injuries took him out and that fumbling problem. But overall I would label him a success as a Panther.

 

Deshaun Foster has the same amount of TDs as a panther as he does fumbles. Other than a few runs here and there (colts, Eagles, patriots) he was garbage.

Lucas was my favorite player but he and Colbert definitely fall in that category.