Why I predict we'll bring back either Tillman or Finnegan

[KB_fan]

I find it interesting how quiet things have been on the Tillman & Finnegan fronts this offseason.  No announcements of either retiring, no reports of visits to or interest by other teams...  Unless I've missed something, there's been near total radio silence on both of them.

I've opined in several different threads that I would love to see Tillman back on the team if he recovers well - even if he starts the season on the PUP, he could perhaps contribute towards a late season SB run, and I very very much want to see this guy get a SB ring, especially with the Panthers.

But while I started merely wishing aloud that Peanut's days as a Panther are not over & done, I've now got a pretty compelling reason why I think Tillman or perhaps Finnegan will be back in a Panthers uni this summer.  CB room leadership.

So I was looking at the current roster, sorted by position, and sorted by age.... something jumped out at me.  Take a look, and think about what we know about Ron and how he likes to build his locker room:

 

 

Just about every position except CB, has an obvious veteran leader in the position group. 

Josh could possibly be that leader in the CB group, but his uncertain contract status and the fact that he may miss OTAs, etc., and perhaps his excitable personality as well, may preclude him taking this role. 

Solution:  Bring back Peanut or Finnegan.  Even if they don't start, their presence in the locker room in a fairly young CB group could be very important - especially as the group navigates the potential drama of Norman's contract negotiations.  In one more season I'd expect Bene to begin to take on a leadership role among the CBs.  The kid impresses me tremendously with his maturity.  And Boykin could too - but he's too new as a Panther right now.

So.  We WILL bring back either Tillman or Finnegan.  You can pretty much book it.  You read it here first!  LOL.

 

** of course Cam is the obvious leader of the QBs (and the team).  He doesn't "need" DA's experience and leadership.  But I highlighted DA anyway just to make it doubly obvious what a wealth of vet. experience we have at almost every position, while not being an "old" team.  Much of our core is young.  Awesome.

[Ivan The Awesome]

I'd prefer Finnegan.  That's just me though. 

[KB_fan]

I just realized I've been a bit inconsistent in what I wrote above and in the leaders I highlighted in the various groups.  I discounted the possibility of Boykin being a leader among the CBs due to his "newness with the Panthers", while at the same time highlighting new Panther Paul Soliai as a potential leader among the DTs.

I guess I would argue that Soliai's 9 year career counts for more than Boykin's 4 year career.  But even if we were to exclude both new free agents from being position leaders in the locker room, I'd argue that Kyle Love would also be a strong position leader among the DTs, and certainly KK is coming into his own too. 

The DT group as a whole is more experienced / stable than the CB group, which makes the need for strong leadership in the CB room somewhat more pressing.

[Jeremy Igo]

The entire defensive backfield see themselves as a unit. Kurt Coeman is ready to step up in that in that group I believe. I believe both Tillman and Finnegan will retire. 

[KB_fan]

A final comment:  if that roster and the combination of vet leadership with emerging young stars doesn't excite you and get you counting the days until football season starts, you need to turn in your fan card now. 

I haven't kept up with all the rosters on other teams, but Dave & Ron have done an incredible job in crafting a roster.  It's got to be one of the deepest and most balanced in the NFL.

WOW!  Somehow sorting it by position and age as I did above just made me appreciate their exceptional work even more!

[jdpanther5]

I wouldn't mind bringing Tillman back, but I think the Finnegan ship sailed with the Boykin signing. Even if Tillman can't go by the start of the season, we can place him on the PUP list until he's healthy. This would allow him to provide that vet leadership without even counting toward the 53.

[KB_fan]

54 minutes ago, Jeremy Igo said:

The entire defensive backfield see themselves as a unit. Kurt Coleman is ready to step up in that in that group I believe. I believe both Tillman and Finnegan will retire. 

Ok, thanks, that's helpful.  From the outside I certainly knew there was unity - the whole Thieves Ave. thing - but in day to day locker room operations I wasn't sure if there needed to be an obvious leader for both the CBs and the Safeties,  Having never set foot in an NFL locker room, I defer to those who have!

[the butch]

1 hour ago, Jeremy Igo said:

The entire defensive backfield see themselves as a unit. Kurt Coeman is ready to step up in that in that group I believe. I believe both Tillman and Finnegan will retire. 

I'm going with this.  Zod, more than anyone, would have a great inclination of the DB group.

[Thorrez]

Whatever technical solution we use, to get peanut active around week 12 without counting towards the 53 before would be awesome. I really think he has one more run of 7 games left in him (especially when opponents starts to be banged up). 

As for Finnegan, no.

[Dunn]

I think Tillman will want to come back, and he CAN contribute...be it late in the season after he heals.  His ability to cause turnovers is too good to pass up.  Finnegan to me was just a stop gap...but really didn't provide that extra spark we needed.  

Plus you'd think Tillman would announce his retirement by now this late in the offseason...to not do so I think shows he still wants one more shot.  

[PandaPancake]

Still no Bene doing Future dance moves gif? This makes me sad

[KB_fan]

5 minutes ago, PandaPancake said:

Still no Bene doing Future dance moves gif? This makes me sad

Wasn't that Boston?

[Panther53521]

Looking over the roster, its funny how many of our major contributing players started they NFL career at the age of 20 or younger.

Maybe that needs to be looked at in drafts ... at that age their bodies could be easily able add weight and muscle to keep developing into the player that they can be.

[Davidson Deac II]

Tillman is 35 years old, and coming off an ACL tear.  I don't see him coming back unless we go thru a rash of injuries at the position this year.  Finnegan maybe, but I think it would have already happened if they are thinking about it.