Fox Sports Summarizes Panthers First Day of FA

[Mr. Scot]

My summary of the Panthers first day in free agency...

...

(pretty much)

[monstercat]

I don't understand why people worry so much about making a "splash" anyway, aside from just having more to talk about.

The two teams that made the biggest FA splashes last year were the Jets and the Browns, while the Steelers were pretty quiet. Well, the Jets and Browns both failed to make the play offs, and they both fired their HC's, while the Steelers went on to win the Super Bowl.

BTW, don't believe for a second that Hurney wouldn't settle for anything less than two 1st rounders for Peppers.

[Mr. Scot]

I'd much rather make a 'splash' in the postseason than the offseason.

Though preferably not the kind of splash they made this past postseason.

(i.e. the kind you usually hear in the toilet)

[CAPantherFan]

Pittsburg Steelers didn't make much of a splash either did they? They and the Patriots are the models orgs in the NFL for how biz should be done. They rarely give up the bank on FA signings and build through the draft and sign their core players. That is what we should be doing.

[mountainpantherfan]

BTW, don't believe for a second that Hurney wouldn't settle for anything less than two 1st rounders for Peppers.

I am by no means apart of the grammar police on this board but you used a double negative in that sentence. So are you saying he will take less or he will not take less?

[monstercat]

I am by no means apart of the grammar police on this board but you used a double negative in that sentence. So are you saying he will take less or he will not take less?

I'm saying that Hurney will take less than two first rounders for Peppers if the compensation is reasonably fair. He just can't, and shouldn't, say so publicly.

[mountainpantherfan]

I'm saying that Hurney will take less than two first rounders for Peppers if the compensation is reasonably fair. He just can't, and shouldn't, say so publicly.

Thats what I thought you meant. And I agree, Hurney will not turn down a good offer.

[WolfPack]

We are going to have to find a couple of reliable linemen somewhere down the road, a FA pickup later, then a quality draft pick, of course we have to wait till at lest the 2nd round as of now.

[panthers55]

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.

This doesn't sound as if it is a plan of desperation or inability to sign any free agents but a deliberate plan which began with the signing of Gamble and Gross and will end in a few months. I take my sense of this, not from what they could have done in order to free up cap space but what they haven't so far. There doesn't seem to be anyone out there who we want bad enough to pay over market value. And if that means replacing some good guys who are going to make a big payday, on their second contract so be it. That happens. It is a testament to our abilty to develop good young talent on the offensive line.

If you are going to be a consistent team you need to be grooming young players who can fill in as backups so you can rebound from the inevitable loss of good players when they hit free agency. You can't pay everyone. Maybe it is not about inability to pay guys like Hangman or Omiyale, but needing to develop young talent like Schwartz and Bernadeau and give them playing time.

We could free up close to 25 million in a hurry if we were willing to just cut a few players. But we won't because we are trying to get maximum value for them particularly Peppers.

It is a prison of their own design and they seem happy enough to remain there not making big moves. Or at least they aren't telling anyone about them.

Last year folks were nervous as well when we didn't make any huge leaps into free agency but shopped the bargain basement for diamonds in the rough.

If you look at the guys who are our free agents who we haven't signed, every one of them we want but perhaps at a discount. But only Kyle can't easily be replaced but eventually it will come down to a long snappper versus kickoff specialist. I like all of them myself.

But I suspact Hurney is doing the best he can given the cards he is dealt. Whether that is a good or bad job remains to be seen. I figure we have to wait and trust he knows what he is doing. Which beats the heck out of the alternative. Based on the last year or two I think they are finally getting it together.

[goodlay]

Im nervous, but I was nervous last year, so it isn't really a big deal yet.

[magnus]

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

THOUGHTS???

We can't afford the asking price of our backups that nobody thought anything of this time last year. These guys might be worth that to someone else, but the article doesn't note how freaking stupid it would be to pay a lineman who sits behind the most durable LT we've ever had, $3 mil after paying the guy in front of him $9 mil.

We're sitting on a ton of space because of Peppers. If we keep him, we don't have a ton of other needs. If we don't, $17 mil in space is at least three starters' worth of space. People panic on day one every year, which is why teams are paying $100 million for cheapshot DTs with motivation problems and giving $12 million for our table scraps.

[carpanfan96]

Pepper's will either be dealt or resign with us, I just don't see them keeping the tag on him for the whole season. Just have to give it time.

[Snake]

The Panthers always have a plan and even when we had cap space last year didnt make a splash. Hell we didnt make a ripple until the end.

[GRWatcher]

The Panthers always have a plan and even when we had cap space last year didnt make a splash. Hell we didnt make a ripple until the end.

There are probably quite a few things we don't know. I'll bet reworked contracts for Delhomme and probably a few others are sitting in someone's computer just ready to print out. Hell, they already restructured Kemo's, didn't they? Just to get under the cap.

They respect the men that play for them and if a FA can start somewhere else and get the money for it, then they actually are happy for that guy and wish him luck. We can't pay everyone starter money. It's a testament to our organization when it happens.

Some of our FA's may be testing the water, seeing what money is out there to compare to any contract the Panthers may give them. Can't blame them. The only other one I will really miss is Jason Kyle. You can't underestimate the value of a good long snapper.