Serious Question.

[TruCatzFan]

you consider the number overall pick not to be serious competition.....once Moore got hurt/poo his pants Clausen was our only legit option last year

If you really think that JC is legit competition for Cam you've lost it man...

Players have publicly blasted JC all offseason... Never even showed leadership potential in him... Cam is the consummate team player and leader that this franchise has been starving for since it's inception...

Edit: if all else fails we'll just call up someone on their couch to fill in... Worked last year.

[Ivan The Awesome]

The Seahawks lost their Pro bowl QB for Tarvaris Jackson, and you think they got better.

I'm sure if you put in a rookie QB with the 'Hawks, he'd produce with those two WR's they have now. Rice and Williams, Two big Targets, then Golden Tate (smitty 2.0) in the slot all day, you mean to tell me they are not better? Jimmy Clausen could probably produce nicely in that situation. I can't imagine that Tavaris Jackson or who ever they put at the QB helm would not produce.

Rice' Signing made them better, Tavaris is canon fodder at this point. He's not a bad QB either IMHO. He would produce in that situation.

[Guest Setfree1012]

First thing I want to point out is that "our coaching staff was signifigantly upgraded" IMO, that alone will improve the on field-product. Our offensive and defensive schemes have been adjusted and should allow us to be more efficient on both sides of the ball. It's amazing how that change just in itself is constantly overlooked by many looking for the "BIG" signing. Keeping in mind the "big" signings don't guarnatee wins in the NFL, just ask Oakland, or Washington. Almost all the successful teams are built via the draft, and keeping core players in tact.

As far as free agency is concerned locking up our "core" players first should and was first priority. Signings like Mare (a bit expensive IMO), Hartstock, Payne, Edwards were solid in a sense as they were spots we needed to fill. The front office felt Mare, offered more than Kasay (lack of KOS), Harstock was a necessity as we needed a run blocking TE, as Barnidge and Shockey are more receiving threats. Ron Edwards gives us a mentor to our rookies on the DL and a proven NT (who's durable), while Payne is additional depth and an upgrade over Marcus Hudson IMO at safety.

Now all that seems to be left is extending Beason, and Kalil as well as bringing in a legit #2 quality DB (Rodgers, Joseph, Cromartie). I think we will do our due diligence in bringing someone of their caliber into the fold, but we had to take care of in house first it's the smart thing to do.

Now to answer your question, yes I do believe we improved ourselves today, and I believe we'll continue to through free agency, and waivers. I also have some high hopes for our UDFA's as well.

[Lumps]

i think the real question here is how worse could we possibly get? bettering a 2-14 team should be pretty damn easy plus theres Cam GOAT

[Sword]

Don't expect much out of signing our own guys and some random FAs here or there...drafting good players is the way we are going to get better. hopefully we pick the right ones..

[davos]

indigenous

[Gipetto]

Why so serious

[Happy Panther]

Need one or two more free agents before we can compete in the NFC south. We could still get blanked with this team in 2011. Add a CB and vet QB and maybe a fatty on the O line and we are 3-3 in the south maybe better.

[TruCatzFan]

Need one or two more free agents before we can compete in the NFC south. We could still get blanked with this team in 2011. Add a CB and vet QB and maybe a fatty on the O line and we are 3-3 in the south maybe better.

Your pessimism just made me vomit...

How can you call yourself a "HappyPanther"?

[rayzor]

Well put it this way. Not resigning these players makes us worse. We have to do it one step at a time.

first thing i thought of. first step in FA was making sure we didn't get worse, which easily could have happened, but it didn't.

Releasing Fox instantly made us better. Having a coach that gives a fug will be worth some wins.

agreed 100%. coaching staff, esp. on offense, is going to make a huge difference.

We need a CB, WR, and a back QB and I think we're golden. CB is the biggest need. If we fail to add a start CB, we failed.

i tend to agree with this, esp. CB, though there are about 4 or 5 CBs who i would be very happy with not named asomugha.

The TE signing makes no sense to me, at all. He has one touchdown compared to King's 8 or so. I don't understand that one at all. But, King has now signed with the Cardinals (poor guy).

.

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Mare vs. Kasay, hard to say. Had to come down to the roster spot. How much value do you give that?

the TE was brought in to be a blocking TE. the dude is a hoss in that regard. very much an upgrade there. wasn't meant to be a receiving TE. we got shockey and barnidge for that.

re: mare vs. kasay, i've for a long time taken the very unpopular opinion that we need to have 1 guy doing the job and that it might be necessary to move on from kasay despite the loyalty many have to him for being the last of the originals. mare is just as accurate as kasay and can do kickoffs and will probably be around longer.

The Panthers were infinitely better when we drafted "dat deal" with the #1 overall pick...

Plus we signed 2 of the Top 5 "FREE" Agents... As in they could have gone wherever they wanted...

This is by far the BEST Free Agency in The history of the franchise...

If we land Joseph... It will set this FA class off!

true.

The panthers are easily setting themselves up to be better. It may not come full circle this year or even the following year, but having these young guys re-sign so that they hit their peak level on THIS team, will be something we will thank Hurney and Richardson for later. This is what rebuilding is all about.

agreed.