Should the Panther's Welcome Kemo back next year with a pink slip?

[PhillyB]

depends on who's available.

[ChucktownK]

NTs are a dime a dozen....sure why not.

you guys are crazy.

thinnest position we have and go and cut him? lol

Good at least someone here is thinking. First thing that came to my mind as well. He needs a good replacement BEFORE he's let go. We haven't refilled a DL position with ANY upgrades recently. We gotta get that right first. I feel every time we let one go, we get a sub-par replacement. Kemo was the only one I felt we really did good with. Brayton's OK but he's no Ruck. No what I mean? And the back-ups are all either "prospects" or not effective.

[weyco2000]

Look at the mess we find ourselves in now. Guys that take up 2 of the OL are hard to come by. His loss has effected the entire defense. At first I thought it wouldnt really matter, but to this point I realize how important he really is. I say keep him and build around him. Its the DE's that worry me.

[jramsey4]

Good at least someone here is thinking. First thing that came to my mind as well. He needs a good replacement BEFORE he's let go. We haven't refilled a DL position with ANY upgrades recently. We gotta get that right first. I feel every time we let one go, we get a sub-par replacement. Kemo was the only one I felt we really did good with. Brayton's OK but he's no Ruck. No what I mean? And the back-ups are all either "prospects" or not effective.

Finding a 3-4 NT is difficult but finding a guy that can not make it as a NT in a 3-4 that can succeed as a 4-3 DT are not. We got Leonard (who looked great before the Injury) for peanuts. I keep going back to the fact that Kemo wasn't all that special as he was below average at pressuring the QB where Leonard looked great in that aspect. The same goes for Lewis we can replace his under producing big butt. We can find there equivalent talent level for cheaper we just have to know where to look.

[Cyberjag]

Either kemo or lewis needed to be replaced heading into this season....they weren't good enough last year.

Did we do good at the end of last year with him in there? No. We do not need him. We can use the money to get someone better.

Last year our defense started slipping when our defensive tackle that backed up Lewis got injured, Darwin Walker. When Walker got back Lewis was dinged up and Kemo was out. We gave up so many yards in the last two games that our overall rankings dropped from the top half to the bottom half.

Those two are definitely getting old and certainly need young legs behind them. That said, they're decent starters and when they were both healthy our defense as a whole was much, much better.

It's already been said--DT is the weakest point on defense, and has been since Kemo went down. Why would you make it weaker by cutting him? Bring more bodies in to compete and choose the top four, don't just go cutting without a suitable replacement.

[Khyber53]

For our defensive scheme, I wouldn't ditch either Kemo or Lewis. Developing some decent back-ups behind them that can rotate in and out of the game would be the biggest help we could imagine.

But to cut a pink slip for a guy who can do the job?

Haven't you been paying attention so far this season?:frown2:

[jramsey4]

For our defensive scheme, I wouldn't ditch either Kemo or Lewis. Developing some decent back-ups behind them that can rotate in and out of the game would be the biggest help we could imagine.

But to cut a pink slip for a guy who can do the job?

Haven't you been paying attention so far this season?:frown2:

We fell apart at D last year even before the injuries at DT. This Cover 2 will never be a top D with Lewis and Kemo as our starters. We proved this at the end of year last year. If you want this outdated D to work you must have an all-pro line to keep constant pressure on the QB. Neither Lewis or Kemo can do this consistently. If you want to keep them as depth (as long as they take a pay cut) then I'm all for it. But it doesn't matter because I think we will be a 3-4 next year under Cowher. Kemo would be a good 3-4 NT for a season or two till we find our future there.

[rippadonn]

You guys are spoiled. We forgot how, just a couple years ago we had the luxury of having #77 and #99. Then having #90 and #93 on the ends. Those were the days huh?

#77 leaving was the beginning of the end of our Super Bowl D line. We now know how other teams have to hope and wish #99s and #77(frmr) grew on trees.

[PantherDude]

Look at the mess we find ourselves in now. Guys that take up 2 of the OL are hard to come by. His loss has effected the entire defense. At first I thought it wouldnt really matter, but to this point I realize how important he really is. I say keep him and build around him. Its the DE's that worry me.

Well said. We need to find a young, good DT before we cut Kemo. Look at how our DT looking so far now without him. We may haven't been perfect with him, but we sure as hell suck without him.

[bleys]

Our problem isn't DE so much as it is a DT who can get at the QB... We need Kemo to do his job, as long as the injury doesn't hinder his ability. It's a great DT to move Lewis to a backup role that is important for our success... And not just a journeyman who we hope finds his niche...

Making that happen and finding that guy is going to be the struggle.

[Panthers128]

idk what this team can do, the defensive line sucks and the only notable player on it doesn't want to play here.

usually fans can bullshit there way with projections of what to do but looking at the panthers defense gives me a headache, i cannot even speculate without realizing we're poo out of luck barring a great draft/free agency.

Way too many drafted tight ends and running backs and shitty receivers in the fox era, although they did get some good draft picks.

Hopefully the team takes full advantage of the uncapped year.

[Fox007]

The Panther's should welcome him back with a bear hug, and thank the gods he is healthy.

When our DT's get back from injury, in addition to our pickups, we have the potential to actually be deep there next year.(and have a good rotation)