We are set at DT for next season.

[thunderraiden]

yeah, I think Carolina needs to build through the draft....but FA is still important. Would love to see a good FA DT brought in......I think if Carolina can land a playmaker in FA at DT, LB, S or CB......they need to make that move. Draft is find for building depth and developing talent but you can't just relay on that.

Its worth remembering that we signed a big fa playmaker at the dt position this year...

[Yaboychris28]

I agree with op, I'd like to see us address other issues than our dt's first. OL, LB, CB

[CRA]

Its worth remembering that we signed a big fa playmaker at the dt position this year...

Nah, we signed someone who was legitimately qualified to start in the NFL at DT.

We have been so bad/average at DT it skews the reality of what a playmaking DT is

[CRA]

I am not convinced our run defense problems have been fixed the last few games. Yards per game by itself, is not a good indicator. During the recent win streak, we have tended to get out to big leagues and teams have been forced to abandon the run, and try to beat us through the air. Our average ypc has only improved slightly, and that improvement is mainly due to our two games against Tampa. The Texans gashed us on the ground.

Its going to take a few more games to determine if we have really improved that much.

Colts ran pretty well all things considered......Tampa has skewed things. Turner playing like poo with a groin injury late this year as well

[Ja Rhule]

Was it like 5 years ago we drafted DT in 3rd and cut him the following year. Forgot his name... Ellison or something.

[OneBadassCat]

I think McClain and Fua should be on the team next year but we need to at least sign an above average guy at DT. What we have is not enough and we can't expect our rookies to be probowlers next year. Edwards is good but who knows what kind of shape he'll be in next season.

I'd say we go with:

Edwards

Shirley

McClain

Fua

Free Agent.

[CRA]

I think McClain and Fua should be on the team next year but we need to at least sign an above average guy at DT. What we have is not enough and we can't expect our rookies to be probowlers next year. Edwards is good but who knows what kind of shape he'll be in next season.

I'd say we go with:

Edwards

Shirley

McClain

Fua

Free Agent.

all I know is I want our starting DTs next season not to include anyone who got reps this year. At least not week 1. Nothing suggests anyone active on our roster is starting material......yet.

[panfan32]

the only position we are set at, is QB. Rivera and company will reevaluate each position on the team. Dont be surprised to see big changes.

I disagree. I feel we are set and several positinos.

QB (CAm and Anderson)

HB (Willaims, Stewart

WR (Smith, Lafell, Gettis)

TE (Olsen, Shockey, Barnidge

OT (Gross, Bell (Good Backup), Otah (should be healthy after a year off to fully recover Properly. The strike BS hurt his recovery)

OG (Wharton, Hangartner (who is also a good backup C) Need to add some fresh meat here)

C (Kalil (who may be the best C in the game today)

Offensive Upgrades: OG, OT (gross getting some age on him would be nice to sign Kalil's brother out of USC)

On defense

DE: Charles Johnson, Greg Hardy, Keiser (signed off of the practice squad and has had 4 sacks in 5 games) Eric Norwood

LB (Beason, Davis (If he comes back) Conner (If we resign him. He stated he would play the field) Anderson, Senn who stepup and I dont see being a a backup anymore. Thomas Willaims Head hunter LB with a nose for the ball.

DT (Edwards, Kearse, Neblett, Mclain, Fua Still need an upgrade In IMO)

CB (Munnerlyn, Gamble, Stanford, Hogan, Upgrade in the draft coming)

S (Godfrey, Martin, Pugh,)

Defensive upgrades needed: DT, CB

[Argus Plexus]

DT is a massive need. 21st in the league in Run Defense is NOT acceptable. /thread

[Lumps]

no way Fua gets cut a season after spending a draft pick on him... especially the way Rivera kept making remarks about how he was improving

don't expect any draft picks to be spent on DT... we're loaded with players at the position at the moment, and they're all going to fight for a spot in TC next year

makes no sense to me how people on this forum keep harping that we need to draft a DT again next year when they haven't been patient with the ones we drafted this year. what if we hadn't given players like CJ and James Anderson the time to grow into their positions?

Fair enough but in the same sense what if we cut Jarrett after only 1 year and found someone better? We may have a #2 WR by then. I say we give our rookies more time but we are not fine at DT, given them more time is just another way you are saying you accept the hole in the defense as our weakness, this is not the same as saying we are fine at DT. Most poeple here see that our offense is fine, and playing to win and they crave a game changer.

I know the more realistic and efficient route is to wait and see what we have. Still I have no problem with a little security from the draft. It doesn't need to be a high pick but think about it, we have a lot of young players already and defense is all we need how many defensive players do yo draft before you hit DT or better yet what is there is a value DT pick? I say do it.

[ed bell]

Gotta remember Frank "Big Spoon" Kearse and Jason Shirley this weekend since Neblett is possibly out...Shirley has 3 sacks in 3 starts.

Sounded like Rivera was pleased with these two lately. We may see quite a bit of both on Sunday.

That's a couple more projects who probably will be back next year. Big reason why I doubt we take another rookie on. We have 4 guys in development as of right now....

[MGH1989]

lmao no we aren't.

[NCstoner420]

lmao no we aren't.

Edwards, Fua, McClain, Shirley, and Kearse are enough to anchor the middle of the line. I've seen a little footage on some of the top prospects and none of them are worth using a top pick on. We have a HUGE hole at CB and that needs to be addressed first.

[Ja Rhule]

Also, most huge runs were outside. That's on LB more than DT. How many times we seen this year when running back bounces outside and runs for a massive gain. Forte got over 200 yards by bouncing outside, past Hardy and Jason Williams. You can't blame everything on DTs. But Fua did sucked a lot. I've seen his ass getting pancaked 3-4 times a game. That's unacceptable by run blocking DT.