A thought going into next season

[Mr. Scot]

Not necessarily a major concern, but a thought that a prior scenario may again play itself out in the year to come.

More than once in their history, the Panthers have found themselves with something of a glut of defensive line talent in training camp. Naturally, each year when camp finishes, the team keeps the guys it thinks are the best of the bunch and lets the others go.

Unfortunately, in these situations, someone generally gets let go that fans (and coaches) really wish they could have kept.

In prior years, some of the guys who were cut - names like Tony Brown, Dave Ball, Jovan Haye and others - have gone on to good careers elsewhere. Fans this past season lamented that those guys were gone because we certainly could have used them once the injuries started mounting

Truthfully though, at the time the decisions had to be made, they made sense. There's really no such thing as too many good players when it comes time for camp. If they go on to success elsewhere, what can you do? It happens to every team. They let someone go, and then down the road think "we could have used that guy". It's the nature of the game.

This past season, the Panthers wound up stockpiling defensive linemen because guys kept getting injured. Asa a result, we go into next season with incumbent starters like Damione Lewis and Ma'ake Kemoeatu back, but other decent talent on hand like Louis Leonard, Tank Tyler (RFA) Corvey Irvin and Derek Landri. And what do you go with a guy like Hollis Thomas who seemed to have found a personal Fountain of Youth in Charlotte?

(actually, with Hollis it was probably more like a Burger of Youth) :sosp:

And that's just in the middle. On the outside you have Charles Johnson, Everette Brown and Hilee Taylor back, and two free agents in Tyler Brayton and Julius Peppers. Even if you only bring back one of those two, that's not a bad set of DEs. If you bring both back, it looks pretty good.

Top it all off with a good DL coach in Brian Baker, and the possible acquisition of other players as well. Suppose a decent vet comes available cheap? How about a solid draft pick that falls to a point where it's hard to pass on his value? And of course there'll be undrafted guys too. What if one of them looks good? Heck, maybe even Nick Hayden (EFA) could prove to be of value. You never know.

The point being that in all likelihood, this will be another year where the team winds up letting go of someone they'd love to keep, if only they could. Spartanburg in 2010 could see the need for some difficult decisions to be made. Fans will have to hope the team makes them wisely.

The one thing you can say: If there is such a thing, it's a good problem to have

[Fiz]

thanks for the memories hilee taylor

[Mr. Scot]

thanks for the memories hilee taylor

Possible, although he is the kind of DE that Ron Meeks favors. If Peppers goes, he might just hang around.

(granted, while I like Taylor, I don't really think that's an ideal scenario)

[pantherfan81]

Yeah it sucks letting go of talent but sometimes you gotta lose some to gain some.

[kdrh5]

i wouldnt mind trading Hilee Taylor to the Browns for a late draft pick

[davos]

I do like some of our D line men, but I think people may mistake having a cluster of simply good players to be a great situation. Sure they can motivate & compete to get better, but only Peppers is explosive. Plus really none of them with the exception of Hollis Thomas have shown consistency. The one player I personally would hold on to is Charles Johnson. He can possibly become a beast. The rest...meh.

I'll admit though I may be looking past Everette Brown & Tank Tyler. They may have a bright future.

[beastson]

Scot, come on up with some trade scenarios that has ran through ya head

Cause I know you some have

[Nu Guns]

Good read Mr. Scott, your right our defense looks to be outstanding for next season.

With that being said, this gives the Panthers a great window to improve things on the other side of the ball. Firstly WR must be addressed during this off season and picking up a catching TE wouldnt hurt either. I am really hoping we go after Kevin Walters. He is really talented and out of the FA/trading block he would be the best value for the money.

[Mr. Scot]

Scot, come on up with some trade scenarios that has ran through ya head

Cause I know you some have

The only trades I put much stock in for next year are for picks, and even there I don't see much unless they can't deal with peppers and they attempt to franchise him again but this time do it with an eye to trade.

(who knows if he'd sign his tender any earlier this time?)

Outside of Peppers, nobody in the current rotation likely fetches more than a high second day pick, if that.

Everyone's hoping for the Panthers to somehow trade back into the first round. I'm not holding my breath.

[Kevin Greene]

Kewl, we're free to draft QB, then WR.

[Kevin Greene]

Outside of Peppers, nobody in the current rotation likely fetches more than a high second day pick, if that.

Remember that "Day 2" now means rounds 2 and 3. We're not going to trade any of our D lineman for a 2nd or 3rd round pick. Signing and then trading Julius Peppers is a fantasy only the galactically stupid think might come to fruition.

[Mr. Scot]

Remember that "Day 2" now means rounds 2 and 3. We're not going to trade any of our D lineman for a 2nd or 3rd round pick. Signing and then trading Julius Peppers is a fantasy only the galactically stupid think might come to fruition.

I'm still getting used to the new format

[Kevin Greene]

I'm still getting used to the new format

Rd. 1: Thurs., April 22, 7:30 p.m. ET

Rd. 2-3: Fri., April 23, 6:30 p.m. ET

Rd. 4-7: Sat., April 24, 10 a.m. ET Radio City Music Hall, New York

Weird I know, NFL is going for the ratings.

[rayzor]

i can see us keeping:

kemo (for just one year @ $750k)

thomas

leonard

tank

irvin

peppers

johnson

brown

brayton

lewis and hillee i see getting the boot.....although, if we trade pep away, do we keep taylor or do we go after a vet like seymour or even chike okeafor?