Alot to look forward to next year

[MaineManPanther]

Looking at the roster, theres alot of reason to be excited for next year. Both Offensively and Defensively.

Offence:

1. Gross and Wharton will have another year to get used to and grow in there respective position. Both players have been constanly moved around, but now will finally be able to settle in. Otah and Kali will grow and be better players. Both players are very talented and being very early in their careers will only get better with expeirence. Vincent as well will be more used to the team and apparently thanks to surgey be even more mobile.

The oline as a whole will have a good feel and jell with each other with this year under thier belt. Botton line our oline who gave a team REcord low in sacks and a team record in rushing, will be even better next year.

2.Jarret Robinson and Rosario will have a third year under their belt and will be better and more expirenced. Atleast one of them will emerge as a solid threat in the passing game.

3. Davidson will grow with the team and be better with calls and using our players.

4. Stewart will imporve and learn from his rookie season along with Willams to make this duo even more dynamic.

Defensively:

1. Godfrey will learn and grow as a talented player. He already perforemd solid as a rookie and will no doubt be even better next year with expience under his belt. Gamble has shown to be better and better every year and will imporve with the next year.

2. Davis is young will have a year under is his new position along with Beason who amazingly is only in his 3nd year will be even better.

3. Johnson looks like he emerging as a talented DE and will be heading into is third year and ready to prehaps move as a fulltime DE.

Truth is theres alot to look forward to. Almost all our starters from this 12-4 squad will be back with many of them even better. Theres really no significant decline in any of our positions next year (assuming we keep peppers and gross). Add to the fact we have FA and draft to plug our smaller holes, theres alot of reason to be excited for next year.

[KDawg004]

good to know there are still some reasonable people who realize this team is young and still has a bright future. teams lose and there are many teams who have been upset...it happens people. i know it hurts but lets start looking forward to next season.

[njpanther]

a much tougher schedule.

[AcrossThePond]

a much tougher schedule.

All teams in the south will be facing a tougher schedule. Atlanta haven't strung two winning seasons together for a while, and NO and Tampa are on the wane.

Having been very mopey for the last couple of days i'm starting to think that next season could be great.

[Urrymonster]

Whilst I am not expecting championships and superbowls next season, due to the correctly pointed our schedule. I am more excited about the longevity of this team and our success over the next 5 years or so.

As the OP pointed out our OL (provided Gross signs) is with us for at least the next 3 years barring injury. Add in our somewhat impressive running back tandem and we have the cogs of a fantastic offense for 3 or 5 years (depending on what Williams does at the end of his contract). Our LB core is very young, athletic and pretty good (although we may not re-sign Davis...) and our secondary whilst under performe at the end of the season has some pretty promising prospects. My only beef with the secondary is that are not used in the right way. Godfrey made some fantastic judgment calls when the opposition was trying to pick on him and has not bitten on fakes. Of course he has been burned a couple of times but that happens to liteally all FSs.

There is not one area that we did not have a young up and coming player perform at a high standard. Other than QB and FB we also have young guys waiting in the wings just itching to get onto the field. Whilst last Sat was a ba bad time. I do not put too much on the individuals, more on what was asked of them. The coaches could change their scheme after the widespread criticism even without losing any coaches (although a new DC would be nice...) as they have done it before.

I think we will be a consistent challenger from here on. Provided we stick to the principles of not over spending in free agency and picking up hungry players who have something to prove, building through the draft and focusing on maintaining and improving the trenches.

[BIGH2001]

Due to injuries and general unpredictability of the NFL it's hard to say with any certainty which teams will be good from one season to the next. That's why you have to seize the opportunity when it is there (such as when you are 12-4 and hosting a playoff game). Sure everything looks ok on paper but what happens if we have a 2004 type opening to the season and one of our backs goes out for the year and some aging vet like Moose (as Davis did in 04) really starts to show that age. Then we're back to square one and wondering why we didn't get it done when we had a chance.

Oh, by the way, the defense still sucks and Trgo isn't going anywhere.

[CarolinaPride74]

We also get Dan Connor back!

[CLTPanther]

Yea, the schedule isn't giving me any warm fuzzies about next year. Our best hope is that Atlanta proves they overachieved this year and Ryan has a sophmore slump.

[CharlotteBeer.com]

No doubt it's a tougher schedule, but one our entire division faces. You can only get better by playing the best.

I agree with most of your points, but I'm still not completely sold on Godfrey. Don't get me wrong, I think he played very well for a rookie. I just hope we seem him improve his pass coverage as he learns the game a bit more.

[Cape Fear Cat]

I'm with you man...what's past is past. Let's get ready for '09!

[CLTPanther]

I'm looking forward to more of this