Who will return punts and kickoffs in this season?

[Razeyfingers]

AE has the potential to be a Cribbs and asking him to concentrate on punt duties isnt asking too much if youre going to ease up on his 89 tutelage for the year.

Not that Im not thinking the same thing you guys are. . I am, but, just sayin.

[CRA]

AE has the potential to be a Cribbs and asking him to concentrate on punt duties isnt asking too much if youre going to ease up on his 89 tutelage for the year.

Not that Im not thinking the same thing you guys are. . I am, but, just sayin.

I might disagree. I think he has more Julian Elderman potential. Cribbs has come in and done things no one in the history of the NFL has done as a returner. I think the Cribbs expectation is just as bad as the 89 talk.

[CharlotteBeer.com]

Brian Witherspoon BIO:Why are we not using this guy?

I don't get it either -- especially considering we brought him on to do just that. He's obviously competent at it. Fox is just trying to force Armanti in as the returner right now; in my opinion, they need to give it to Witherspoon and let Armanti continue to learn.

[Anybodyhome]

Because he is slower than Dwayne Jarrett.

I'm not thinking the Panthers should be concerned as much about speed as much as simply catching the friggin' ball... and the Panthers have only gotten worse since he left.

If Witherspoon is never tried out as a PR, given the fact he's done it for the last 3 seasons with the Lions and Jags, and Munnerlyn or Edwards starts the season at the position, it then becomes time to start openly questioning everything about this franchise, from the top down.

[CRA]

I'm not thinking the Panthers should be concerned as much about speed as much as simply catching the friggin' ball... and the Panthers have only gotten worse since he left.

If Witherspoon is never tried out as a PR, given the fact he's done it for the last 3 seasons with the Lions and Jags, and Munnerlyn or Edwards starts the season at the position, it then becomes time to start openly questioning everything about this franchise, from the top down.

if that occurrs, it could just reinforce why JR put the guy who started Jake game after game in a lame duck season.

I think if Fox had any real thought about giving Witherspoon a shot we would have seen him the 2nd half of the Jets game. Instead he went with Moore and Captain.

[CharlotteBeer.com]

if that occurrs, it could just reinforce why JR put the guy who started Jake game after game in a lame duck season.

I think if Fox had any real thought about giving Witherspoon a shot we would have seen him the 2nd half of the Jets game. Instead he went with Moore and Captain.

I think I saw a Gantt tweet that said he didn't think there was a chance Witherspoon would make the team. I just don't understand that.

[Anybodyhome]

I don't understand Gantt, so there you have it...

[CRA]

I don't understand Gantt, so there you have it...

If gantt says he probably doesn't have a shot then I tend to probably believe that. I think Gantt has enough of an inside look to tell if a guy isn't being given a shot. If Witherspoon didn't make it to get some reps in the Jets game it probably ain't gonna happen. It is a shame when you have a possible fix sitting on the roster currently and it is being ignored. I think Mark Jones proved (as he was a big part of that 12-4 season) that keeping a guy as a return man only is worth it at times. And Mark Jones was far from an impressive return man. He was safe and consistant. No reason to believe Witherspoon isn't that and then some imo based on his past performance.

[Snake]

Witherspoon has a better resume than anyone on the roster. I think he could be our Mark Jones (or better b/c he is faster). I think it is odd Fox hasn't given him any reps with has horrible as all his prefered candidates have been.

or maybe that is Fox's saftey net. Or maybe it is classic Fox where he wants to use "his guys" instead of just going the obvious.

[gmonet]

So, why was it the Panthers let Mark Jones go a couple seasons back?

Good question...ask Witherspoon!

[CRA]

you can facepalm all you want but history under Fox shows that when he believes in guys he will start them again and again until he gets the results he beleives they are capable of.....even if he players on the roster that can stop the bleeding. Finally when the season is over if he still doesn't get the result he then make adjust his roster in the offseason.

No coach I can think of would have kept Jake in the length Fox did (even factoring what Jake had accomplished). He could have stopped the bleeding and saved the season by going to his bench.

I can't think of a coach that would have kept Godfrey in for 22 consecutive starts with that caliber of S play (2008 until his 09 injury). Sure, after 22 games of bad play he finally improved after he cameback from injury. That is a long time of a player hurting a team to get the wanted results. I would think they could make a lot of those improvements in practice instead of being a starter and being liabilities to those extremes on Sunday.

Edwards is bad. He isn't going to make huge gains from now until week 1. He has a proven NFL return man on his roster right now who had not even returned a single kick. Who do you want to wager will be the starter come week 1 at NY. My money is on Edwards b/c Fox simply beleives in him and wants him to be the guy. Fox will patiently wait for "his guy" even if it hurts the team in the process.

That is my opinion at least.

[pantherclaw]

It is only preseason. The kid needs the reps, practice, and most importantly if he is to succeed, confidence...which will only come from him tearing one or two lose.

[CRA]

It is only preseason. The kid needs the reps, practice, and most importantly if he is to succeed, confidence...which will only come from him tearing one or two lose.

I agree. Reps are important.

but how many guys who "get" the return game in the NFL go through a long learning process of trial and error? Even guys who didn't focus on returning in college who become returners in the NFL imo are simply naturals at it. There are definately areas they need to fine tune but Fox just seemed committed to this idea from draft day.....which I don't think is a strategy Carolina should commit to based on early results.

Now, I like AE but he is a project. I still haven't heard a reasonable guess as to why a proven return man like Witherspoon hasn't been given at least a shot to showcase his talent.

[pantherclaw]

It is preseason. And there is nothing natural about returning punts. Ask steve smith.

I honestly don't see the need to showcase anybody that has been a returner.

Preseason isn't about showcasing. Please.

I'm as frustrated about the issue as anybody...but I also am level headed enough to know that as long as its pre season....edwards needs to be out there.

Just yesterday I was saying he should focus only on offense...but I know ya just can't give up on a player in transition in preseason. That is failure of commitment in coaching...and I don't expect that from any coach.