Panthers sign C/G Gino Gradkowski

[jdpanther5]

3 minutes ago, JawnyBlaze said:

Well they did just pick up Alex Mack, so maybe they were paying Gradkowski more than they wanted for a backup.  Dunno.

Looks like he was a FA, not cut.

[Khyber53]

5 minutes ago, DelhommesTheMan said:

There's our insurance for Kalil next year.  We will be targeting a Center in the draft also mark it down.

He is a back-up for Kalil in case of injury. I believe Kalil will be a Panther for as long as he wishes and I'd expect him to want to stay for as long as he can keep playing the game.

And here's why: 

His long-term legacy. No one ever talks about it, but Kalil has all the hallmarks of a future Hall of Fame center. Like I said, no one talks about it because no one talks about offensive linemen and the Hall of Fame anymore... except for the Hall voters. They like to make sure a O-line person goes in every year or two. They understand the importance of the positions better than the average guy who just watches touchdowns or tackles.

In recent years, Kalil hasn't been just getting Pro Bowl nods, but he is often spoken of as the hands-down best center playing in the league today. He leads a great o-line here and is a big part of Newton's success. He's an all around likeable guy who is known for giving great interviews (remember that most of those Hall voters are sportswriters). If he can keep playing for a few more years, grab a ring or two (and we're as likely as anyone now) and go out with his health and wits about him, he'll be in Canton within six or seven years of retirement. He won't be a first ballot guy (no O-line player is generally), but he's a guy that voters can get behind.

 

[Ja Rhule]

Panthers signed C Gino Gradkowski to a three-year contract.

Gradkowski was destroyed as a starter in Baltimore before failing to beat out a wholly ineffective Mike Person in Atlanta last season. The deal should be worth around the league minimum. Gradkowski will back up C Ryan Kalil.

[*FreeFua*]

Flight to Houston...

 

Booked.

[Seltzer]

Solid move.  One thing I've really noticed the last few years in preseason games (disclaimer- no way to put too much stock in anything preseason) but our 2nd and 3rd units have typically looked better than their competition.  In a league where injury attrition adds up every year, depth is something that is dramatically overlooked by almost everyone, and certainly by preseason predictions.  It's tough with the salary cap to build quality depth at every position, but that is one thing Gettleman has certainly done a lot better IMO than a lot of the GM's in the league.  

You have to have elite talent to win championships, but the approach of drafting to obtain, develop, and retain elite players and use FA to bolster depth has been proven again and again to not only win championships, but to compete for them consistently.  Certainly none of this is possible without a franchise QB like Cam, but we finally have a franchise formula that has been proven to work.  It feels good knowing where this team is headed over the next few years

[Mr. Scot]

32 minutes ago, Bartin said:

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I'm almost positive we brought him in for a visit at some point last year or at least we were linked to him before he signed a 1 year deal with the Falcons.

EDIT: I'm definitely wrong about this by the way

Not entirely wrong.

He may not have visited, but there was a point where he was in play for us and we were interested (a waiver situation if I remember correctly). 

I remember hoping we'd get him but we didn't.

[Peppers90 NC]

33 minutes ago, Zaximus said:

Cool but a little worried that the Falcons let him go lol.  

Not saying he is good, but it's hard to look good if you're surrounded by trash on the line.

[Mr. Scot]

So...ugly, and maybe not quite all there.

[KB_fan]

45 minutes ago, jdpanther5 said:

"The Broncos waived him in the final roster cutdown and the Falcons claimed him ahead of the Panthers on the waiver wire."

[...]

So a Velasco/Silatolu replacement. Didn't realize he was with the Falcons, Gettleman again going after division-rival FAs.

I guess this means we'll be letting Silatolu & Velasco walk.  I hope Silatolu can find a good team and stay healthy.

It is interesting, and just a bit worrying, that the Falcons - who are very needy at Center - are letting him go. 

 

This means our Oline (so far) would be:

Oher / Daryl Williams / Remmers  - OT

Norwell / Turner / Scott / (Remmers) - Guard

Kalil / Gradowski / (Remmers) - C

 

We could be set....

We've also got a bunch of young guys signed to Futures contracts.  I assume we'll keep one or two on the PS.

• Masifilo, Matt   C   26
• Dismukes, Reese   C / G   23
• Larsen, Tyler   C / G   24
• Yankey, David  G    24

[Oh, and we've got 6'8 giant David Foucault who's been a development "project" at OT for 2 years.  It will be interesting to see if he's improved....]  And we have a 23 year old Futures Contract guy David Hawkins also who is an OT who will be camp competition.

I would guess draft priority would be depth at OT since Oher's contract is up after this year.

[stirs]

I don't get it.

We have Remmers as a backup now.  We have D Williams who will probably go into the RT position.

Unless someone is gonna sign Remmers or we are gonna cut Kalil.

No way you need 3 center guys, not normally anyway.  I think something is up

[KB_fan]

2 minutes ago, stirs said:

I don't get it.

We have Remmers as a backup now.  We have D Williams who will probably go into the RT position.

Unless someone is gonna sign Remmers or we are gonna cut Kalil.

No way you need 3 center guys, not normally anyway.  I think something is up

Remmers presumably will be backing up multiple positions on the line.  OT / G and maybe C.

Scott will presumably mostly be backing up G.

Gradowski at G and C.

We pretty much carried 8 linemen on the active roster all season.  You have to be able to account for multiple injuries.  If an OT and Kalil both were injured, Remmers couldn't play both positions.  Also, with Kalil's contract ending after this season, we're possibly looking for a long-term, cheaper replacement for him...

 

[Icebox]

Nah. This doesn't portend anything. This is just a depth signing. When this guy was a starter, he was rated as the worst starting center in the league. This is not a guy we're building our future offensive line around. He's just depth.

[TheSpecialJuan]

51 minutes ago, Moose Hoover said:

Ravens 4th rounder in 2012

That's right. He was supposed to be Matt Birk's replacement after he retired. Apparently he was not starting material and the Ravens were forced to trade for Buccaneers center (his name escapes me).

[Mr. Scot]

27 minutes ago, KB_fan said:

It is interesting, and just a bit worrying, that the Falcons - who are very needy at Center - are letting him go. 

Go back a year and you'll see numerous concerned comments about how we were getting a left tackle who was a castoff from a bad offensive line with the Titans. 

I'd say it worked out okay.