Let's talk about Mario Williams

[BlanksKarma]

I was under the impression the Panthers are over the cap already. How are they going to afford, what should be, the highest paid FA in 2012?

[csx]

Charles Johnson basically is our Mike Rucker.

I was going to say something to that affect.

Rucker was underrated. He didn't have huge stats but he just played technically and fundamentally very well.

[SuperMan]

agreed 100%. With the new rookie cap, it makes more sense to draft your typical 'big money' positions like QB, LT and DE.

Why pay 20 million dollars a year for a free agent when you can draft one to play for 1/4 of the price? For that reason, I would be pretty pissed if we brought in MW.

None of the DE's in this draft have anything close to MW talent, If we managed to land MW in FA and draft Brockers our Defense would be immensely better immediately.

[unicar15]

Draft Quinton Coples and pay a fraction of the cost for a guy that could end up being be every bit as good.

[CPF4LIFE]

So let me understand this correctly, before this season everybody was saying they would rather have CJ than Peppers because he gave effort every play and we got the same amount of production, but now he is being compared to Mike Rucker after this season??? LOL... Smh.

[bleys]

So let me understand this correctly, before this season everybody was saying they would rather have CJ than Peppers because he gave effort every play and we got the same amount of production, but now he is being compared to Mike Rucker after this season??? LOL... Smh.

it's not funny to pick on kid's with down syndrome...

[csx]

So let me understand this correctly, before this season everybody was saying they would rather have CJ than Peppers because he gave effort every play and we got the same amount of production, but now he is being compared to Mike Rucker after this season??? LOL... Smh.

Some people may have said that then and some people may be comparing his production to Rucker now but that doesn't mean they are the same people and are contradicting themselves. There are thousands of people here stating opinions.

Rucker comparisons are a compliment anyways.

[Lumps]

The defense has 3 players making superstar $ that I can think of off hand (Gamble, Beason, Johnson). Anderson (and Godfrey?) is making more than average. These are players with long contracts. There is no way the Panthers sign someone like Williams because he is a big name that demands money. They'll fill their biggest need with the draft and the rest will likley be stacked with competition of mediocres and maybe the most average player win.

But that is all we really need, 7-8 average guys replacing horrendous ones. Can't have a team full of allstars.

[Matthias]

And let's also sign Vince Young, so we can start our own dream team.:D

[Ivan The Awesome]

Pass.

[chef17]

Think beyond next season.

Are you going to resign Stewart? If so, he will cost much more then 2.6 per season. If you sign Mario, you let his hit me smaller in the first season. That goes for any great DE or OLB we might sign. The draft is lean in these two categories so FA is the way to go.

Beyond next season the cap is supposed to expand with the TV deals anyway so money would be a much smaller issue.

[panthers55]

Having 2 guys who can do what 1 guy would otherwise be able to do is poor strategy though, since there are always 11 players on the field at any one time. When you have 1 guy who can do the job of 2 guys, that leaves another player to do his own thing.

Given you have 46 active players for any one game and you platoon players throughout the game, you have guys on the field all the time for certain situations based on down and distance. The plan is to have one guy who plays the run well on running downs and one guy who comes in on passing downs. You spend less than 10 million for the pair versus spending 20 million for one guy. You take the 10 million difference and invest it elsewhere. We did that with Kemo, did it with Brayton, etc. Both of those players won't be on the field at the same time so your point about having an extra guy is frankly confusing at best.

Sure if you could have unlimited money you could have all the best players but you can't. So you platoon guys to do the job for less than paying for 1 superstar. Sure if you had a choice you would spend the money for the superstar. But what happens if you don't have the money. This strategy is how to fill the need with what you can afford. A great strategy when that is the best you can do.

[Matthias]

Mario shouldn't cost 20 million. Maybe 16 million tops, but I think he could be had for 14 million to play for his home state. (Really the Panthers represents two states) If we could get this cat and perhaps Erin Henderson, we should sport the best defense in the league.

[panthers55]

Mario shouldn't cost 20 million. Maybe 16 million tops, but I think he could be had for 14 million to play for his home state. (Really the Panthers represents two states) If we could get this cat and perhaps Erin Henderson, we should sport the best defense in the league.

He made right at 14 million in 2011, Houston is considering letting him go because they can't afford to pay him that and still pay Foster. If they try and franchise him I think they have to pay him 20% over what he made this year or 17 million. Given the tag for DEs is right at 12 million, they likely don't want to spend that much I can't see him going backwards at this point. If there is a bidding war- 18 million is very possible. Otherwise he just signs back with Houston. I reallly doubt he gives anyone a discount. This is his second contract where he wants to make as much as he can.