What is Hurney thinking FREE UP SOME SPACE!

[panthers55]

Seems the "sky is falling folks" are out in full force. This is no different than last year. We built mainly through the draft and added some O line folks through free agency after all the big names were taken. And many of those big names like JT were not worth what they got paid last year and won't be worth it again.

There is no reason to have cap space until you need it. Just like Washington went out and got Haynesworth and then cut JT, we could easily sign someone and then cut Lucas or renegotiate Jake's contract. I beleive you have some time to get back under the cap when you do a deal.

The fact that we have kept Lucas looking for a trade rather than cutting him suggests the front office isn't as desperate as most folks in this thread.

Good thing Hurney is running the franchise instead of the nervous nellies here. In the end we will have the guys we need to find the missing pieces this year to do well. Comparing us to years past makes little sense. Each year stands on it's own good or bad.

[CharlotteBeer.com]

Once we trade Peppers to the Skins for 2 #1s, then parlay one of those #1s to acquire Cutler from the Broncos for the Skins 2010 #1, sign Warner from the Cardinals with the Pep cap dollar savings, then bring Favre back from retirement, draft Matt Sanchez with this years #1, we'll release Jake and have the most hellacious battle for the starting QB position evah.

You heard it here first.

I think you have mistaken us for another team in our division.

[Kurb]

Panic is a sure sign of ignorance.

[mantal]

Panic is a sure sign of ignorance.

Ignorance is a sure sign of panic, what's your point?

[Brooklyn Bully]

QFT.

you guys that are doom and glooming over the lack of movement are really funny.

keep it up. good laughs.

Almost as funny as you: Moore is god; D-Lo will get 2000 yds; we're fine, all Hurney has to do is sign some cheap FAs around training camp; we went 12-4, that says something; Jake will have a better season; DJ will step it up, super optimists.

You guys keep it up too. Better laughs.

[mountainpantherfan]

I was actually going to start a thread about Jake's contract but this seems like a suitable forum.

I don't think Delhomme will extend his contract this offseason at any point. Why should he? If the team believes in him the way many on here believe they do, then next season being uncapped will allow Delhomme to rake in some big dollars. If Delhomme was willing to sign an extension he would have done so before FA began as the team needed that cap space before the league announced the cap increase.

Delhomme would be stupid to sign an extension at this point. Maybe if the CBA is worked out before the April deadline but if not don't expect anything until next offseason when Delhomme becomes a FA.

[MadHatter]

Almost as funny as you: Moore is god; D-Lo will get 2000 yds; we're fine, all Hurney has to do is sign some cheap FAs around training camp; we went 12-4, that says something; Jake will have a better season; DJ will step it up, super optimists.

You guys keep it up too. Better laughs.

There have been two teams during the past decasde that make big spalshes every FA......Oakland and Washington. Both continue to be marginal at best teams.

Offense is fine....we will pickup a few cheap FA's on the OL for depth and let them fight it out in training camp. We are set a RB. WR is OK...Smitty, Moose, Jarrett, Robinson, etc...will definitely get it done on a run-first team.

Defense....need some help on the DL. LB's are stacked. Need another CB.

Going out and cutting your QB, etc... just to sign an overpriced FA on defense will set this team back years.

The worst thing to happen to fans of football is Madden. Everyone now thinks they have a freakin clue how to build a successful team. If you want to use the Raiders or Redskins as the blueprint, you will be happy during FA period and then disappointed come the regular season.

[panthers55]

Almost as funny as you: Moore is god; D-Lo will get 2000 yds; we're fine, all Hurney has to do is sign some cheap FAs around training camp; we went 12-4, that says something; Jake will have a better season; DJ will step it up, super optimists.

You guys keep it up too. Better laughs.

It is all about defense I would agee. The offense is not a big issue for the first time in forever. One thing you guys forget is that we will have a new scheme on defense this year. And look at teams that run the cover 2/Tampa 2. Tampa has rarely had a dominant line. Indy has had some good DEs but even Freeney has had some off years. I agree we need some DE help but have plenty of time to find some guys. Right now the DEs in free agency are not a good group. We can't pull guys out of thin air. Hurney will do what he can with Peppers and try to find some guys to fill in as best he can. There is no reason to believe at this point we will be worse than last year. We may not be 12-4 but that is also affected by things like schedule which looks to be much tougher on paper at this early date. All we really need to be is better than Tampa, Atlanta, and New Orleans.

Much too early for gloom and doom scenarios.

[mantal]

It is all about defense I would agee. The offense is not a big issue for the first time in forever. One thing you guys forget is that we will have a new scheme on defense this year. And look at teams that run the cover 2/Tampa 2. Tampa has rarely had a dominant line. Indy has had some good DEs but even Freeney has had some off years. I agree we need some DE help but have plenty of time to find some guys. Right now the DEs in free agency are not a good group. We can't pull guys out of thin air. Hurney will do what he can with Peppers and try to find some guys to fill in as best he can. There is no reason to believe at this point we will be worse than last year. We may not be 12-4 but that is also affected by things like schedule which looks to be much tougher on paper at this early date. All we really need to be is better than Tampa, Atlanta, and New Orleans.

Much too early for gloom and doom scenarios.

Exactly, we don't have to outrun the bear, just the others that are running from the bear...

Everybody in the division has to play the same teams we do - and us - twice...

[sml1950]

Exactly, we don't have to outrun the bear, just the others that are running from the bear...

Everybody in the division has to play the same teams we do - and us - twice...

Slightly different schedule in that we (1st in NFC S) play the 1st in NFC N(Minn) and NFC W(Az) and Atl as #2 plays the 2nd, etc. for the 2 interconf games.

[monstercat]

There have been two teams during the past decasde that make big spalshes every FA......Oakland and Washington. Both continue to be marginal at best teams.

Offense is fine....we will pickup a few cheap FA's on the OL for depth and let them fight it out in training camp. We are set a RB. WR is OK...Smitty, Moose, Jarrett, Robinson, etc...will definitely get it done on a run-first team.

Defense....need some help on the DL. LB's are stacked. Need another CB.

Going out and cutting your QB, etc... just to sign an overpriced FA on defense will set this team back years.

The worst thing to happen to fans of football is Madden. Everyone now thinks they have a freakin clue how to build a successful team. If you want to use the Raiders or Redskins as the blueprint, you will be happy during FA period and then disappointed come the regular season.

I agree with you. Hell, all you have to do is look at last year. All the talking heads were saying that the Browns and the Jets were big FA "winners" because they went after the big names, made the big trades, and spent a butt load of money, but neither one of those teams even made the play offs, and they both ended up firing their HC's.

The irony is that both of those teams traded for big name DT's, which is the same position everybody thinks the Panthers need to upgrade. Personally, I'm not so sure we're that bad off at DT...we mainly just need more depth so we don't end up playing a rookie DT for the first time in a big game like the Giants game last year.

[mantal]

Slightly different schedule in that we (1st in NFC S) play the 1st in NFC N(Minn) and NFC W(Az) and Atl as #2 plays the 2nd, etc. for the 2 interconf games.

I understand that, just don't value it as much as you seem to. I should have made that clear, but didn't, my bad...

[Montsta]

Slightly different schedule in that we (1st in NFC S) play the 1st in NFC N(Minn) and NFC W(Az) and Atl as #2 plays the 2nd, etc. for the 2 interconf games.

I'd rather play ARZ next year than SF, IMHO. And I've never been one for worrying about schedules. The teams you worry about the most can have an abysmal year for whatever reason. Look at San Diego last year, I'm sure there were plenty of teams thinking "Sh*t, we gotta play them?" after the season they had the year before. IIRC there were plenty of you doom and gloomers bitching that we had to open the season @ San Diego last year, and we all know how that turned out.

Personally, I look at it like the other teams are saying "Oh crap, we gotta play Carolina in Carolina? We Be F****D!"

[dpanthersman]

I'd rather play ARZ next year than SF, IMHO. And I've never been one for worrying about schedules. The teams you worry about the most can have an abysmal year for whatever reason. Look at San Diego last year, I'm sure there were plenty of teams thinking "Sh*t, we gotta play them?" after the season they had the year before. IIRC there were plenty of you doom and gloomers bitching that we had to open the season @ San Diego last year, and we all know how that turned out.

Personally, I look at it like the other teams are saying "Oh crap, we gotta play Carolina in Carolina? We Be F****D!"

plus for some strange reason this team always seems to play better against tougher teams.