Available Free Agent OLB's To Replace Thomas Davis?

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

These guys aren't half bad and they are all UFA's, not all are OLB's but they would still bring more depth and could possibly allow Dan Connor to move outside.

Realistic Possibilities

Tracy White (really like him)

Khary Campbell

Darrell McClover

One Year Guys

Keith Bulluck (for one year only)

Chike Okeafor (for one year only)

Jeremiah Trotter (for one year only)

Junior Seau (for one year only)

Bertrand Berry (get him to unretire for one year only)

[MadHatter]

It will take a while to see all the ways Davis injury might affect the Panthers, but here are some early thoughts.

(1) OLB might now be a greater need for the Panthers than DT.

(2) With no good free agent OLB's left, and only 5 2011 drat picks, the Panthers will probably have to shop the bargain basement for a replacement, likely among the other teams final cuts.

(3) Davis loss could mean the Panthers will not be able to play even a few snaps in a 3-4 defense.

(4) The Panthers might even try some 4-2-5 defensive sets, because of their lack of LB depth, but this might be complicated by the lack of any big CB's or S's.

(5) Could the Panthers try to overcome their lack of LB depth by going big at SLB, with DE's/OLB's Eric Norwood, and Hilee Taylor (neither are ready to start yet, but maybe by mid-season, if they work hard)?

(6) How many wins might the loss of Davis cost the Panthers this season?

(7) Will the Panthers 2011 1st round pick now become a LB (maybe like UNC's Bruce Carter or Quan Sturdivant), rather than a CB to replace Richard Marshall, or a DT to replace their free agent DT's (everyone but Irvin)?

(1) Wrong

(2) Wrong....replacement is already on the team

(3) Davis was not a 3-4 type of LB, so his injury would have zero impact on this.

(4) We still have depth at LB.

(5) We have depth at LB...enough said.

(6) None

(7) Very possible

[scpanther22]

Just look at LB drafted in the 6th-7th rounds and the panthers prob will pick one up when one they like gets cut.

[KatsAzz]

QFT

In my opinion, the only current FA OLB that the Panthers might even entertain the slight possibility of bringing in would be Cato June because of his history with Meeks.

Another looming problem for the Panthers is that LB's Thomas Davis, James Anderson, and Jamar Williams will all be unrestricted free agents next season, as will Jon Beason, and Dan Connor in 2012.

I wish the Panthers would try to acquire Denver's Thomas Davis clone, 3rd year SS Josh Barrett (6-1 3/4, 225, 4.35-40, 1.50-10 the best overall 10 yard times at the last 2 Combines was only 1.46). It's just Barrett's bad luck to stuck behind 4 other good safeties in Denver, and too small to play LB in their 3-4 defense. With Barrett's good enough size, and great speed, he cold become a great cover 2 OLB, and a super fast feared blitzing OLB. At his minimum salary, and being on the Broncos roster bubble, he might be acquired very cheaply.

[brandon_87]

as much as i'll take heat for this, I say we should pick up June just as a back up plan, he knows our system and flourished in it, and whats the worst that could happen? he gets released? I say he is worth a shot

[KaseKlosed]

rather him go down now then right before the season, if i had a divine choice on the matter, now we can have his replacements take snaps with the first team and who knows they might catch on quicker than normal given the circumstances

[panthers55]

It will take a while to see all the ways Davis injury might affect the Panthers, but here are some early thoughts.

(1) OLB might now be a greater need for the Panthers than DT.

(2) With no good free agent OLB's left, and only 5 2011 drat picks, the Panthers will probably have to shop the bargain basement for a replacement, likely among the other teams final cuts.

(3) Davis loss could mean the Panthers will not be able to play even a few snaps in a 3-4 defense.

(4) The Panthers might even try some 4-2-5 defensive sets, because of their lack of LB depth, but this might be complicated by the lack of any big CB's or S's.

(5) Could the Panthers try to overcome their lack of LB depth by going big at SLB, with DE's/OLB's Eric Norwood, and Hilee Taylor (neither are ready to start yet, but maybe by mid-season, if they work hard)?

(6) How many wins might the loss of Davis cost the Panthers this season?

(7) Will the Panthers 2011 1st round pick now become a LB (maybe like UNC's Bruce Carter or Quan Sturdivant), rather than a CB to replace Richard Marshall, or a DT to replace their free agent DT's (everyone but Irvin)?

1.We are fine at OLB although less experienced than with Davis but you could say that about any position on the team.

2. We are going to do at many positions this year if the right guy comes available.

3. We don't play a traditional 3-4 and never have under Fox. Rushing 3 guys like we sometimes do isn't close to a 3-4 alignment.

4. A 4-2-5 is a standard nickel package that we run quite a bit already.

5. I doubt either Norwood or Taylor would be good options at SAM. They couldn't keep up with TEs in coverage.

6. None. Unless the guy is at quarterback, you can rarely if ever trace a game back to missing one guy. Football is a team sport.

7. Much too early to tell. Why not find out how we do in 2010 and how the guys play before worrying about 2011. Davis might be a guy who isn't here anyway due to contract issues so we may have had to replace him anyway regardless. Besides let see if we are even playing football in 2011.

[Sword]

with davis hurt this might actually let us keep an extra wide reciever or qb on the roster that we wouldn't of been able to otherwise..

[BF91]

with davis hurt this might actually let us keep an extra wide reciever or qb on the roster that we wouldn't of been able to otherwise..

Why would we do that? We're down a linebacker, and need to replace him with another linebacker.