Marty Hurney likes Panthers' direction (article)

[TruCatzFan]

Title is self explanitory...

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7247289/carolina-panthers-heading-right-direction-according-gm-marty-hurney

"We have a plan," Hurney said. "Until you get there and start winning games, you always feel like there's a lot of work to do. And certainly there is."

"I think offensively we have shown the ability to change the momentum in games," he said. "Now we have to improve that in the other areas and start making the plays we need to make to win games."

...and now watch the Huddle flood gates open up! LOL

I just read it and figured it was something "news worthy"

[Zithers]

nothing really new/interesting about that.

we all know hurney prefers to stick with drafted players. i did think we were a bit more aggressive this year though. its seems that the staff has a lot more clout than previous years with getting shockey before the lockout and immediately taking the bait when the email about olsen being available was sent out.

i hope we go for more experienced players for depth though. i'd rather have gaither, hartsock, hangartner, etc over 7th round practice squad rookie castoffs like kearse, hines, phillips, etc. though i guess they'd cost more...

[nctarheel0619]

Seems as drafting players then signing players works. IE Packers and Steelers. So, hopefully Hurney can evaluate talent better next year.

[Jim Harbaugh]

Hurney sucks ballz.

[rayzor]

While Hurney isn't going to ignore that offensive side of the ball next offseason, he realizes the focus needs to be on defense and building depth after a year in which injuries hit the Panthers hard.

absolutely. pretty much a no brainer. aside from getting gettis healthy and getting RT taken care of, there really isn't a whole lot that needs to be done personnel-wise to the offense. it's just a matter of getting the playbook 100% down and everyone familiar with their roles.

Just nine games into the season, the Panthers already have 12 players on injured reserve, including six starters -- three on each side of the ball.

this is the biggest enemy to the season we have had.

If things remain the same the Panthers should have a pretty high draft pick in 2012, one year after taking Cam Newton with the No. 1 selection.

The Panthers should also have enough salary cap space to add some quality starters in free agency next year, although that's not something Hurney has typically done much of in the recent years.

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"We felt like we needed to get a core and nucleus intact for several years and we feel like we have done that," Hurney said.

As for how aggressive the team will be in free agency next year, Hurney said he'll leave every avenue open for improvement. But he emphasized the Panthers plan to stick to their plan of developing their own draft picks rather than breaking the bank on signing free agents.

i do think we should spend more on FA and hopefully we can find a decent bargain or two, esp at DT and hopefully a return specialist.

i do think they have the nucleus they need on offense and defense, though.

STs needs a massive overhaul.

overall, though, i agree with hurney. the team is headed in the right direction.

[Montsta]

I'm not as big of a Hurney-hater as some on here are, but I also don't understand how you can have potential back-to-back top 2 pick in the draft-type seasons and think your formula has been successful. I know about injuries and all, and I'm not asking for sparkly shiny FA's, but you gotta change the game up a little bit there Marty, cuz 2008 was a LLLLOOOONNNNGGGG time ago.

[logic1977]

I'm not as big of a Hurney-hater as some on here are, but I also don't understand how you can have potential back-to-back top 2 pick in the draft-type seasons and think your formula has been successful. I know about injuries and all, and I'm not asking for sparkly shiny FA's, but you gotta change the game up a little bit there Marty, cuz 2008 was a LLLLOOOONNNNGGGG time ago.

This somewhat may be the plan. We obviously still have some wholes, but look at the Lions right now, being in the crapper several years in a row brought them Megatron, stafford and Suh. Not too bad.

I'm sure that no one is tanking intentionally but it may be similar to last year, they held on making some short term moves and are rolling the dice with what we have. Up until last week's debacle I was really that upset with the team, yes it was frustrating but you saw signs of something better.

Last week, was a whole different level of fail, hope to see a bounce back

[rayzor]

I'm not as big of a Hurney-hater as some on here are, but I also don't understand how you can have potential back-to-back top 2 pick in the draft-type seasons and think your formula has been successful. I know about injuries and all, and I'm not asking for sparkly shiny FA's, but you gotta change the game up a little bit there Marty, cuz 2008 was a LLLLOOOONNNNGGGG time ago.

considering that they had to tear the team down so that they could rebuild it after fox took it down the wrong road so far...it shouldn't come as a total surprise.

the team wasn't built for the future with fox. it was built to try and re-create the '03 magic using the same people if possible, playing the same game the same way.

just chalk it up as a blessing that we'll have that many early picks on our team. it would have been great if we hadn't given up that 2nd last year for edwards, but water under the bridge....crap. that didn't make me feel any better.

anyway...i hope he's more open to bringing in more vet talent in key areas like he did this year via trade or free agency with shockey, olsen, and edwards (even if he wound up on IR, it was still a solid move). i just hope we can have a couple contracts restructured to make it happen.

[Montsta]

This somewhat may be the plan. We obviously still have some wholes, but look at the Lions right now, being in the crapper several years in a row brought them Megatron, stafford and Suh. Not too bad.

I'm sure that no one is tanking intentionally but it may be similar to last year, they held on making some short term moves and are rolling the dice with what we have. Up until last week's debacle I was really that upset with the team, yes it was frustrating but you saw signs of something better.

Last week, was a whole different level of fail, hope to see a bounce back

Well at this point I would love to have the #1 with Indy having the #2. That way we can trade them 1's plus a king's ransom, still pick up Kalil, and proceed to build a perennial contender.

And of course I'd rather win out and be 9-7, but realistically if we are gonna lose I'd rather lose 'em all and rape someone on a Herschel Walker-esque trade.

[SOJA]

I'm not as big of a Hurney-hater as some on here are, but I also don't understand how you can have potential back-to-back top 2 pick in the draft-type seasons and think your formula has been successful. I know about injuries and all, and I'm not asking for sparkly shiny FA's, but you gotta change the game up a little bit there Marty, cuz 2008 was a LLLLOOOONNNNGGGG time ago.

pretty much this.

I am probably one of the only Hurney supporters on this board. However, even my patience is beginning to wear thin. I don't know what it is, but something just feels "wrong" with this team. I don't know whose fault it is. I don't know if it's even time to start assigning blame. But I know I expect a more competitive team than we saw Sunday. If that becomes a trend, someone needs to get the axe.

[Montsta]

considering that they had to tear the team down so that they could rebuild it after fox took it down the wrong road so far...it shouldn't come as a total surprise.

the team wasn't built for the future with fox. it was built to try and re-create the '03 magic using the same people if possible, playing the same game the same way.

just chalk it up as a blessing that we'll have that many early picks on our team. it would have been great if we hadn't given up that 2nd last year for edwards, but water under the bridge....crap. that didn't make me feel any better.

anyway...i hope he's more open to bringing in more vet talent in key areas like he did this year via trade or free agency with shockey, olsen, and edwards (even if he wound up on IR, it was still a solid move). i just hope we can have a couple contracts restructured to make it happen.

Well Yas seems pretty convinced (according to article posted by someone else here already in another thread about Hurney) that we will have some cap room to sign talented free agents. I don't know how this is because I think there were threads here before about how we have zero wiggle room in the cap department. Hurney has been pretty spot on with first round picks, so to get Kalil and then hit on the #34 pick would be very beneficial for our future. On that note, fug you Otah. Oh what might have been...

[bleys]

we have a couple million of free cap space (IIRC).. when the cap rises next year, it'll expand a bit more.. on top of having quite a few contracts up at the end of the year..

[Sam Mills Fan]

Hey has anyone noticed the Panthers haven't had a winning season since Bush was president?

[Ricky Spanish]

"It's our philosophy to draft well, re-sign your own players and complement through the other areas," Hurney said. "We have had more success doing it that way."

I'm sorry, but I call bullshit on this. we have had far LESS success doing it this way, especially in recent years...