Fox says “budget” is the reason the Panthers traded SS Harris

[megadeth078]

We can't have slower, run-stopping specialists for safeties in today's league.

Chris will be missed.

[pantherclaw]

I Don't buy this.

It does make a nice tidy excuse for trading away a fan favorite.

I say this because harris' contract wasn't big by any means.

I think they just saw some value in him, and got was happy to get another player while getting rid of him to make room for the younger guys.

If he had a bigger contract..then sure.

Nice tidy excuse. Sly as a fox.

[cookinbrak]

We can't have slower, run-stopping specialists for safeties in today's league.

Chris will be missed.

Harris- 60 tackles, 3 INTs, 2 FFs

Martin- 23 tackles, 3 INTs, 1 FF

Godfrey- 45 tackles, 1 INT, 4 FFs

My goodness, you're right, we should have cut Godfrey. Oh, wait.....

[jasonluckydog]

The main reason for several cuts is to eat the money we lost on Jake this year..JR is cutting 10 million off this season's payroll. we still have to sign all the rookies the only issue I see that might cost him is Jimmy he will want 1st round money.

[scpanther22]

We can't have slower, run-stopping specialists for safeties in today's league.

Chris will be missed.

Harris is not the best in pass coverage but he is still a good S...IMO not just a "run-stopping specialist"

[jramsey4]

Harris- 60 tackles, 3 INTs, 2 FFs

Martin- 23 tackles, 3 INTs, 1 FF

Godfrey- 45 tackles, 1 INT, 4 FFs

My goodness, you're right, we should have cut Godfrey. Oh, wait.....

If Godfrey plays like he did at the end of last year we will be fine no doubt but what happens now that there is no competition pushing him? He didn't really start playing well until Martin came in and almost stole his position away from him (might have still if Godfrey plays at SS).

I for one keep having flashbacks from the start of the season and him missing tackles left and right.

[panthers55]

Getting rid of Harrris was not primarily about spending this year and has nothing to do with Delhomme getting paid so much this year. All of these moves have been done to get us down in salary for next year and beyond. The owners are trying to essentially wrangle a 20% reduction in the cap from the players. One scenario is that the cap ceiling will be 20% less than this year. If the cap in 2009 was around 140 or so that means the new cap would need to be around 112 million (there are other scenarios where the cap stays the same and players help with stadium costs or other proposals).

Jake was not a money saving move as his is all guaranteed and will be paid regardless. Plus we had to replace him with a rookie who will cost money as well so it actually hurt us to cut him financially. It was likely a team chemistry thing and belief he was done. Peppers was definitely a this year savings and a recognition that he wasn't going to sign here long-term for a reasonable amount so we avoided future salaries down the road and dumped a big potential contract..

Harris was cut because he had a long term contract and JR saved money. Plus if we change schemes it avoids dead cap space if we cut him down the road.

This has nothing to do with this year's cap since there isn't one but going as cheap as possible so we will be well below any future cap, make the franchise plenty of money this year to protect against loss of revenue next year if there is a lockout, and avoid most all of our long term contracts so in the event Fox is gone (I think Richardson knows the answer already and it is yes) he gives the new guy as much flexibility as possible and makes everyone expendable again next year.

You can say this is a youth movement all you want. But it is all about the money and always has been. Winning is likely the fourth priority behind:

1.save money this year, and save money next year.

2. Dump all the veterans and long term contracts while there is not a cap.

3. By going young you reestablish a much lower base salary level from which to work in the future.

Hurney's and Fox's jobs are to turn Poo into PBJ sandwiches as someone said earlier. If we do fairly well this year it will be despite Richardson not because of him. No one is tanking the season, it is just that there are competing priorities which this year are trumping the product on the field. This season it is win as many you can given the constraints we are putting you under. Very similar to what Tampa did to Allen and Gruden for years.

Some of us just saw it sooner than others.

[panthers55]

Getting rid of Harrris was not primarily about spending this year and has nothing to do with Delhomme getting paid so much this year. All of these moves have been done to get us down in salary for next year and beyond. The owners are trying to essentially wrangle a 20% reduction in the cap from the players. One scenario is that the cap ceiling will be 20% less than this year. If the cap in 2009 was around 140 or so that means the new cap would need to be around 112 million (there are other scenarios where the cap stays the same and players help with stadium costs or other proposals).

Jake was not a money saving move as his is all guaranteed and will be paid regardless. Plus we had to replace him with a rookie who will cost money as well so it actually hurt us to cut him financially. It was likely a team chemistry thing and belief he was done. Peppers was definitely a this year savings and a recognition that he wasn't going to sign here long-term for a reasonable amount so we avoided future salaries down the road and dumped a big potential contract..

Harris was cut because he had a long term contract and JR saved money. Plus if we change schemes it avoids dead cap space if we cut him down the road.

This has nothing to do with this year's cap since there isn't one but going as cheap as possible so we will be well below any future cap, make the franchise plenty of money this year to protect against loss of revenue next year if there is a lockout, and avoid most all of our long term contracts so in the event Fox is gone (I think Richardson knows the answer already and it is yes) he gives the new guy as much flexibility as possible and makes everyone expendable again next year.

You can say this is a youth movement all you want. But it is all about the money and always has been. Winning is likely the fourth priority behind:

1.save money this year, and save money next year.

2. Dump all the veterans and long term contracts while there is not a cap.

3. By going young you reestablish a much lower base salary level from which to work in the future.

Hurney's and Fox's jobs are to turn Poo into PBJ sandwiches as someone said earlier. If we do fairly well this year it will be despite Richardson not because of him. No one is tanking the season, it is just that there are competing priorities which this year are trumping the product on the field. This season it is win as many you can given the constraints we are putting you under. Very similar to what Tampa did to Allen and Gruden for years.

Some of us just saw it sooner than others.

[cookinbrak]

No, only one team is doing that.

[Shockatelly]

I am/was a HUGE Harris fan and hope he does well back home, BUT this mice made sense whether you want to admit it or not. Martin is a far better option against teams in a now pass happy NFL.

Harris' vocal leadership and punishing style if play will be missed, but otherwise I like this move, regardless of the reason.

You LIKE this move? LOL. Too funny. Trading a starter for a backup...interesting that you LIKE this move. What the hell is there to like about it? Are you like the only fan in the world that cares how much the owner makes? Way to go JR -- way to bring down overhead!! Everybody: panthers profit on 3!!!!!!!!!

[Guest silver82blade]

You LIKE this move? LOL. Too funny. Trading a starter for a backup...interesting that you LIKE this move. What the hell is there to like about it? Are you like the only fan in the world that cares how much the owner makes? Way to go JR -- way to bring down overhead!! Everybody: panthers profit on 3!!!!!!!!!

not just about making money. they've wasted a lot of money lately on peppers and delhomme. they need to make it up somehow. this is a much smaller market than most nfl teams. they don't rake in the cash like some. plus, no one knows what the salary cap will be like after they sort it out. best to go as cheap as possible 'til then. i think they've done an extraordinary job finding a balance between player talent and the financial side of it. we have probably the youngest team in the league, and probably one of the lowest salary totals, and i still think we could make the playoffs.

[cookinbrak]

Dear God, if stupid was gold, this place would be Fort Knox.

[Snake]

Dear God, if stupid was gold, this place would be Fort Knox.

Gotta love the n00bs. :cheers2:

[Matt Foley]

For this to be true either:

a). Fox is about to be fired.

. Fox is trying to improve his resume.

or

c). All of the above.

None if those options make any sense from where I'm standing.

Fox sounds like a man whose been dealt his final hand, has been called all in by the pot, and therefore knows whatever he says doesn't matter in the least.

The Panthers, as an organization, are all about toeing the company line. That's why Jenkins was sent packing, that's why Delhomme was such a favored son. For Fox to break rank is huge, in my opinion. Especially knowing how he feels about the local media. I wouldn't be totally shocked if he had fed this to that bald dude with the goatee (name escapes me right now), but to give something to one of the local guys, who the Panthers are convinced are out to get them, is very surprising.