What do you guys feel the outlook for this year and the future is?

[Sloth]

With our running game and style, we can really only be so bad.

Worst-case is probably 7-9. I think we hit 9 wins but miss the playoffs.

[PanthaSan]

I am keeping an open mind. I do feel we will surprise some teams and do better than expected.

Either way, I will root loudly and proudly....

[Kakarot]

7-9 this year, but it should be a pretty fun year with all these young guys. However, I do like the moves that were made this offseason. I think with the moves Carolina has a bright future ahead. Maybe they will get a superbowl victory in my lifetime, lol.

[Jangler]

Bleak.

Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here.

[NJPanthers12]

Whatever our record is, I know I haven't been this excited about a panther's season since before 2005 season, getting Smitty back from that broken leg. This year we have so much unknown talent and youth bursting at the seems. We've all been clamoring for youngins to take over for ineffective veterans for so so long now, and now we get what we've wanted. Win or lose, I'm just stoked to see how it all pans out. I personally believe we can get to our 3th championship game this decade...

just throwing it out there one nfc championship game in the next 10 years is nothing to get excited about. i would actually be angry.

[raleigh-panther]

I believe 7-9 if everyone stays healthy, much worse if they don't.

We are rebuilding, and that's ok.

Losses: Giants, Bengals, Saints, 49ers, Ravens, Seahawks,Cardinals, Steelers, Atlanta

Wins: Bucs, Chicago, St Louis, Saints, Bucs, Browns, Atlanta

IMHO, it's not so much that we have quote 'unknown' players, as it is that we have young players who have not played together as a team on defense, and that, DL is definitely a concern.

It is an interesting year and hope I'm wrong. If the Panthers are 9-7, with all this change, then Fox has earned that new contract and then some, but, he may be as sick of Jerry as Jerry is of him.

Next year, I see a new coach and a lot of focus on the DL in the first 3 rounds and free agents, if, there is a next year

[Vegas Heel]

The only ? on O is the WRs behind Smitty and injuries but I think that we will be able to move the ball and keep the D off the field.

As many have said, the back 7 is great and the LBs are good (better if we still had Davis but I am optimistic about Connor). The DL is the big ? for the whole team...if they suck then 7-9 and if good then 9-7+ and playoffs are realistic...possibly better.

[pigskinpicker]

I loved hearing the positive comments about the DT position in camp so far.. my first post was a long writeup with my outlook and that playoffs are in our grasp next season for sure, I was worried most about the DT position, even more so than the DE position with peppers leaving etc... I'm in the 10-6 camp

[jayflip]

just throwing it out there one nfc championship game in the next 10 years is nothing to get excited about. i would actually be angry.

If we were to reach the championship game this year, it would be the 3th time in a ten year span. "this decade" doesn't allude to once in the next ten years, but x amount of times in a ten year span, a span that presumably starts in 2003, and we are currently in the 8rd season of said span.

[Brooklyn Bully]

We go 8-8, and then we all rage like Hulk when there is a lockout and we don't see Panthers football from January 2011 until August 2012.

Actually I think they'll get a deal done at the last second. I just don't know which side will give in the tad needed to get this thing done.

[PhillyB]

Dante Rosario?

if this was a totally obscure joke referencing the translation of rosario's name to rosary from spanish to english, i totally got it!!!

:bigear:

[Delhommey]

This is an interesting season that may be painfully boring to watch. There are so many things that could go either way.

Smitty missing so much time in camp may result in other WR's and even (gasp) the TE's to get more looks come game time, but it could also be detrimental with Smith and Moore not getting time to gel. Say what you will, but Delhomme (before he fell off the face of the earth) had a telepathic relationship with Steve that allowed our superstar to get the ball no matter what the coverage. Yes it's nice to spread the ball, but I'd rather have the ball in Smitty's hands than Kenny Moore's.

The lack of any semblance of a #2 receiving option (regardless of what they're doing in shorts, none of the other WR's have come close to performing even up to a 35 year old Moose on game day) could force Davidson to start calling TE routes that regularly pass the first down marker. It could also bring us back to the old familiar scene of every defensive back on the other team standing the whole game within a quick trot of #89.

A winning season may be a Pyrrhic victory as even though a deep playoff run would be wonderful, it could put a multitude of players to be UFA's (Kahlil, Williams, Moore, maybe even Davis) in the national spotlight and could make John Fox unaffordable.

[Nu Guns]

how is Connor looking out there?

[Ricky Spanish]

This is an interesting season that may be painfully boring to watch. There are so many things that could go either way.

Smitty missing so much time in camp may result in other WR's and even (gasp) the TE's to get more looks come game time, but it could also be detrimental with Smith and Moore not getting time to gel. Say what you will, but Delhomme (before he fell off the face of the earth) had a telepathic relationship with Steve that allowed our superstar to get the ball no matter what the coverage. Yes it's nice to spread the ball, but I'd rather have the ball in Smitty's hands than Kenny Moore's.

The lack of any semblance of a #2 receiving option (regardless of what they're doing in shorts, none of the other WR's have come close to performing even up to a 35 year old Moose on game day) could force Davidson to start calling TE routes that regularly pass the first down marker. It could also bring us back to the old familiar scene of every defensive back on the other team standing the whole game within a quick trot of #89.

A winning season may be a Pyrrhic victory as even though a deep playoff run would be wonderful, it could put a multitude of players to be UFA's (Kahlil, Williams, Moore, maybe even Davis) in the national spotlight and could make John Fox unaffordable.

i really think that the whole delhomme smith connection was a bit over rated. you watch a lot of those plays and smith has no business coming down with the lame ducks jake throws up for grabs, smitty is just a beast and can leap 25 in the air. i'm sorry but a 5'9" wide out should not be coming down with the ball over 6'+ receivers. moore did what he had to do, and that was get steve the ball so he could do steve smith things. case in point, the minnesota game. we've been seeing less and less run after the catch beastlyness from steve because delhomme was constantly forcing the ball to him so there were no opportunities to. moore spreads the ball around better and is very careful.

basically what i am saying is that the moore to smith connection won't be lacking in the slightest come the regular season.