Panthers Free Agent signings from the last 4 years

[SorthNarolina]

Starters are in bold. I didn't bother including guys that were let go during roster cuts and/or signed to the practice squad. Probably missed a few but here's what I found.

2010

Jason Williams (2 starts)

Thomas Williams

Wallace Wright

Marcus Hudson

David Clowney

Rhys Lloyd

Abdul Hodge

2009

Derek Landri (16 starts, still with team)

Hollis Thomas (13 starts, out of football 2010)

Kenny Moore (1 start, cut 2010)

A.J. Feeley (left for Rams 2010)

Jordan Senn

2008

Tyler Brayton (45 starts, resigned through 2012)

Keydrick Vincent (30 starts, out of football 2010)

Muhsin Muhammad (28 starts, retired 2010)

Landon Johnson (3 starts, cut 2010)

D.J. Hackett (2 starts, cut 2009)

Darwin Walker (2 starts, out of football 2009)

Mark Jones (left for Titans 2009, out of football 2010)

2007

Deke Cooper (15 starts, out of football 2008)

Vinny Testaverde (6 starts, retired 2008)

David Carr (4 starts, cut 2008)

Marquand Manuel (2 starts)

Frank Omiyale (1 start in 2008, left for Chicago 2009)

Rhys Lloyd (STer through 2009, left for Vikings 2010)

Dante Wesley (STer through 2009, left for Detroit 2010)

Curtis Deloatch (cut 2008)

Travis Taylor (cut 2008)

:skep:

A massive hole in this is you left off resignings and extensions

[Grammer]

Whelp, here comes the Fox nuthugger.

95% of the free agents we signed was to fill the 53 man roster and bury them on the depth chart never to see the playing field, or, to fill in a position midseason on a position that was devastated by injuries (Hollis Thomas).

and how the fug am i a fox nuthugger?

[Punisher]

Starters are in bold. I didn't bother including guys that were let go during roster cuts and/or signed to the practice squad. Probably missed a few but here's what I found.

2010

Jason Williams (2 starts)

Thomas Williams

Wallace Wright

Marcus Hudson

David Clowney

Rhys Lloyd

Abdul Hodge

2009

Derek Landri (16 starts, still with team)

Hollis Thomas (13 starts, out of football 2010)

Kenny Moore (1 start, cut 2010)

A.J. Feeley (left for Rams 2010)

Jordan Senn

2008

Tyler Brayton (45 starts, resigned through 2012)

Keydrick Vincent (30 starts, out of football 2010)

Muhsin Muhammad (28 starts, retired 2010)

Landon Johnson (3 starts, cut 2010)

D.J. Hackett (2 starts, cut 2009)

Darwin Walker (2 starts, out of football 2009)

Mark Jones (left for Titans 2009, out of football 2010)

2007

Deke Cooper (15 starts, out of football 2008)

Vinny Testaverde (6 starts, retired 2008)

David Carr (4 starts, cut 2008)

Marquand Manuel (2 starts)

Frank Omiyale (1 start in 2008, left for Chicago 2009)

Rhys Lloyd (STer through 2009, left for Vikings 2010)

Dante Wesley (STer through 2009, left for Detroit 2010)

Curtis Deloatch (cut 2008)

Travis Taylor (cut 2008)

:skep:

This is what I've been saying.

[MHS831]

Brayton has been decent and re-signing Moose I think was more loyality that practicality.

.

I think re-signing Moose was more humility on Hurney's part for not drafting or signing a successful WR during his tenure here.

[House]

Derka-derka

[nosuchthingasapanther]

95% of the free agents we signed was to fill the 53 man roster and bury them on the depth chart never to see the playing field, or, to fill in a position midseason on a position that was devastated by injuries (Hollis Thomas).

this.

in the past, the roster was pretty much set going into the offseason, and the panthers would use the draft to fill the obvious holes.

there have been exceptions, but for the most part fa stand for "find anything" for the panthers.

[Mr ocho nueve]

the Panthers want to draft & develop players & use free agency as means to supplement their roster. i see them only going after middle market free agents or older veterans with tread still left, the only people they will pay big are their own free agents much like the steelers do

And this is why the team needs to reverse this, with limits of course. You can't depend on rookies to make your team great, even if its a guy like Luck. Smart move is to splash in Free Agency before the draft, see what you got, then sign some vets to teach.

[Darth Waya]

I remember when Fox and Hurney first came in, they said they wanted to build through the draft, and sign Free Agents as role players.

Take that as you will.

[panthers55]

I think you have to separate players that were picked up to handle an injury situation and were never considered a long term solution versus guys who were picked up to contribute and be important members of the teams. For example guys like Moose and Brayton were signed with the idea that they would be depth at worse and starters at best.

Guys like Thomas and Testeverde were stop gap measures to deal with unexpected injuries and never considered key acquisitions. So not having them on the team a year later is predictable and not indicative of a problem. If you revise the list using that criteria- it looks like this.

Guys picked up expected to contribute to either special teams or play significant minutes:

2010- Jason Williams- went on IR

Wallace wright- Went on IR

Marcus Hudson- good special teamer

Rhys Lloyd- signed during season due to poor performance

2009- Derek Landri- good pickup and significant contributor

2008- Tyler Brayton- good pickup and solid contributor expecially in 2009

Keydrick Vincent- key starter in 2008 and 2009 who was sorely missed this year.

Muhsin Muhhammed- expected to play for a year or two and did his job very well.

Landon Johnson- Big time bust

Hackett- A project that didn't pan out- injury history

Darwin Walker- never recovered from car wreck- another project

Mark Jones- a key special teamer in 2008 that we sorely missed in 2009

2007- David Carr- was a bust coming here and stayed a bust

Most of the other guys listed were expected to be backups and get little playing time or like Testeverde and Thomas, picked up as stop gap solutions to deal with an injury at a key position so they never figured into the long range plans and were not key planned free agent acquisitions. Consequently the fact that they are no longer on the team indicates very little and surely doesn't suggest we didn't do a good job. You could make the argument for example that both these players helped out quite a bit. Vinny for his leadership and wisdom (look what he did for Williams) and Thomas shored up the middle when our run defense was abysmal in 2009.

Other players like Hackett, Walker and Moore were fliers spent on marginal or players coming off injury who we hoped we could get good value for cheap given they were not highly regarded. We hit on a few like Thomas, Vincent, and didn't do well on others. But we didn't expect to hit on everyone.

Over this time period Hurney has done a good job of finding guys to fill in holes when we have significant injuries. As for significant free agent signings- our philosophy is not to do that. So it isn't surprising that our free agent acquisitions are less than stellar.