Fox Sports Summarizes Panthers First Day of FA

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

LINK: http://www.gastongazette.com/sports/offensive_31064___article.html/depth_panthers.html

CHARLOTTE - One of the strengths of the Carolina Panthers last season was their depth on the offensive line.

But in less than 48 hours, the Panthers have been stripped of that luxury.

The Panthers lost backup offensive tackle Frank Omiyale to the Chicago Bears on the first day of free agency Friday while backup center/guard Geoff Hangartner visited with the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y. The Panthers released their other veteran backup Jeremy Bridges on Wednesday in a salary cap move.

Hangartner hasn't signed yet with the Bills, but if Omiyale's contract is any indication look for him to command an extraordinary amount of money. Omiyale received a four-year contract that could pay him a whopping $14 million despite having only started one game. Hangartner has started 25, including eight last season for the NFC South champions.

You'd have to assume Hangartner earns more than Omiyale, which would take the Panthers out of the picture altogether as far as their chances of re-signing him.

The Panthers are pretty much paralyzed by the salary cap, largely because they have nearly $17 million in cap funds tied up in defensive end Julius Peppers. The Panthers could become players in free agency if they're able to move Peppers, but there was no indication Friday they are close to doing that.

They could also clear about $2.37 million if they trade or cut cornerback Ken Lucas and millions more when/if they give quarterback Jake Delhomme a contract extension, but neither has happened yet.

If Hangartner leaves, the Panthers will be left with no experience beyond their starting five.

Carolina's only backups with knowledge of the offensive system are second-year players MacKenzy Bernadeau, an interior lineman, and tackle Geoff Schwartz. Both were seventh-round picks for the Panthers last year, but neither saw action.

The good news for the Panthers is they have one of the better starting offensive lines in the league after re-signing left tackle Jordan Gross.

While the Washington Redskins made a big splash on the first day of free agency (surprise, surprise right?) by signing Albert Haynesworth, the Panthers didn't even make a ripple.

The Panthers, tight under the NFL salary cap and with all 22 starters from last year still on the roster -- at least for now -- didn't visit with any free agents and didn't re-sign any of their own seven unrestricted free agents that hit the market on Friday.

Several agents have said the Panthers have told them they plan to not do much early in free agency, but might be interested in some players down the road when the market begins to cool off.

Right now, the Panthers simply can't afford the asking price of the top-notch free agents.

THOUGHTS???

[Delhommey]

I think the author's making a lot of assumptions that may or may not be correct.

[Kyle82]

We have GOT to move Pep

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

I think the author's making a lot of assumptions that may or may not be correct.

Yeah I know, I was thinking the same thing, apparently he does not understand we are a draft first team.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

We have GOT to move Pep

Yeah but if we can't, then he better play this year, because I don't want the panthers to just waste 16 million on a guy that won't give it all for his team.

[mantal]

Typical media negative press spin. Mostly accurate, but spun the wrong way...

[unicar15]

I think the most interesting part is when the writer brings up that we haven't extended Jake yet. I think that we're content with our situation right now and the talent that we have. I would rather not sign anyone this year and not be forced to extend Delhomme than extend Delhomme and be able to sign some guys that will see very little action.

[Murph]

Gantt hinted about us being handcuffed yesterday and there was that recent article stating that we had the least cap space of any of the 32 teams a few days ago, less than 2 million of cap space to spare. That's not even enough to sign our draft picks even without a first rounder.

I think Hurney's hands are tied otherwise we would be trying to bring back Jason Kyle, Mark Jones, Gary Gibson and Jason Carter sooner rather than later.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

I am just starting to think we keep everyone even peppers and lucas and see what our new coaching staff can do with this team and just build through the draft.

[House]

Well, its pretty much what we expected them to do. They don't have a whole lot of salary cap space. Even if we did, I wouldn't want them to be big players in FA. Do you really want to pay these guys the size contracts they are getting. Especially when we have some very important pieces of our team that are going to need to be re-signed soon. Beason, Williams, Davis, Marshall (will be a great Cover 2 corner) all are going to be up for contracts soon. Do you want to lose one or more of them because we overpaid for Bart Scott or T.J. Houshmandzadah? I don't.

The Panthers are being very smart about this whole thing. The only thing I do regret is that we are probably going to lose Hargatner and already lost Omiyale. Other than that We've done what we need to do.

[Delhommey]

It's been beaten to death that we've tended to not do well with FA "splashes.". Also, our backups, like Omiyale, are getting good starter money. It'd be stupid to match the offer so they can ride the pine.

We are not paralyzed by the cap. It's silly to say so.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

I was originally against the NFL getting rid of cap space and all that crap, but hell now I am all for it.

[monstercat]

It's been beaten to death that we've tended to not do well with FA "splashes.". Also, our backups, like Omiyale, are getting good starter money. It'd be stupid to match the offer so they can ride the pine.

We are not paralyzed by the cap. It's silly to say so.

Yeah, these salary cap reports turn out to be wrong every year anyway. I seriously doubt that anybody besides Marty Hurney and Rob Rodgers knows exactly how much money the Panthers really have to spend, because you have to know the details of every contract to know that.

[mountainpantherfan]

I agree that we don't the cap space for trying to bring in some big name FA but I don't like the fact we are handcuffed right now. If Hurney truely isn't interested in trading Peppers for anything less than 2 1st than he needs to get a long term deal done with Peppers. There are some of our own FA like Jones that need to be re-signed.