Jonathan Stewart article on PFT.

[rayzor]

Multi back system is about not spending or investing heavily in a backfield.

Passing league. No other team is paying 2 RBs.....and they don't have the added bonus of Cam.

not buying that because no one else is doing it, we shouldn't and that isn't some stuck in the past foxball mentality either that is resistant to change.

i see what the panthers are doing and how it can be better than anyone else. i don't see them taking the team and trying to be the pats or the Saints* with a QB that can run. i see them being a team that will beat you on the ground or in the air and that will make you choose your poison and i see that happening with a different cast of players than what is the norm.

screw this passing league crap or any one dimensional brand of football. do it all and cram it all down their throats. break the rules. forget following trends and start your own, do your own thing.

we should work with what we have and build around it and make this team better than anyones. we have a better group of ball runners than any other team in the league. we have a QB with one of the best arms in the league. we have a young up and coming group of WRs that should provide our QB with plenty of solid options that defenses will have to choose between trying to shut them down or try and stop the run game that is always possible. 34. 28, and tolbert provide this team and cam with a ton of options that can wear out defenses and get this team down the field and into the endzone.

i just see no reason that we should put an end to that if we can keep all of these guys and still keep growing as a team and win more games.

[CRA]

While seeing Cam run is fun, it's not in the Panthers best interest to see him jumping over pylons for the rest of his career.

Money is slightly tied up right now with the running back situation, but that is something that can be easily fixed by re-structuring a few contracts.

It is the there best interest to let him run now.... Double Trouble wont even be disussed around here when it is time to pull Cam from the ground work.

[Pantherman]

None of the remaining money from D-Will's contract is guaranteed money. Chill. I see a restructure coming.

Say What!! Ummm are you high. Atleast 20 million of the money on the 43 mill. contract still is guaranteed. Most of it comes comes up front for the first 3 years of the contract. The rest is much smaller amounts after. Don't see how you get that there no more guaranteed money left. He has plenty left that they must pay him.

[weymouthst]

How is he on a downward slope? I haven't seen much of that. He is still a good RB with years left in the tank. Watch and see Dwill break out this year. You will change your tune.

I'm just saying, approaching age 30 and given that kind of money..but i agree and truly hope he has a fantastic year.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

It is the there best interest to let him run now.... Double Trouble wont even be disussed around here when it is time to pull Cam from the ground work.

Risking an injury to Newton is not the brightest thing you have suggested, I have no problem with him scrambling but the designed plays that have him getting nailed at the line of scrimmage probably isn't in the best interest of the Panthers.

[top dawg]

we want stew. we have the cap space for stew. stew wants us.

i fail to see a reason for anything but optimism here

I am optimistic, but due to the circumstances let's not try and act like Stewart is a sure bet to stay here, or that D-Will is a sure bet to stay here. Barring injury, the only thing that I would be willing to bet on is that Tolbert will be here in 2012 with either D-Will or J-Stew. Do I think that we can keep Williams and Stewart? Hell yeah.

While you are correct. History has shown that players start to slow down once they hit 30 (excluding Qbs). With that said, who wouldnt want to have a 26 year old RB with fresher legs (stew's age next season) over a 30 year old RB with not as fresh legs (D-will next year)?

Yes, RBs especially hit a wall near 30, and I believe that it's kind of naive for some (Rayz) on here to think that age will not have an effect on Williams, regardless of perceived lack of mileage. I am 45 and still in relatively good shape (even to the point where people are sometimes surprised that I am in my 40s, but I can tell you that it's not only a physical thing that causes a decline, but the mental challenge is a bitch also. Physical jobs take their toll, and football is about as brutal a job that there is (other than fighting) on your limbs, cartilage, tendons, bones, etc. D-Will is a gamer and I expect to see a couple of more relatively high productive years out of him, but the decline has already started (even if it's near imperceptible). No disrespect to D-Will, but Stewie is now the alpha dog, and apparently Hurney made plans for this impending evolution.

Moreover (especially in light of the way D-Will's contract was structured), I absolutely think that Rivera is not going to let Stew go anywhere because he saw what happened in San Diego with Michael Turner and Ladanian Tomlinson. Of course hindsight is always 20:20, but the chargers should have never let Turner get away in order to keep an aging Tomlinson. In our case, it is much more evident that if it comes down to a choice that there really isn't a choice: Stewart is our guy.

As for money, Stewart can probably get paid big in free agency, and I would think that unless he is just one helluva special man, he is gonna want to get paid his worth. Could I see him giving a hometown discount? Yes. But I think he would have a hard time leaving millions on the table and/or an opportunity to carve his legacy into NFL history. Perhaps a belief that the Lombardi will be here in Carolina, along with a most lucrative pay-day that is in the neighborhood of D-Will's money will be the determining factor that keeps him a Panther.

[CRA]

not buying that because no one else is doing it, we shouldn't and that isn't some stuck in the past foxball mentality either that is resistant to change.

i see what the panthers are doing and how it can be better than anyone else. i don't see them taking the team and trying to be the pats or the Saints** with a QB that can run. i see them being a team that will beat you on the ground or in the air and that will make you choose your poison and i see that happening with a different cast of players than what is the norm.

screw this passing league crap or any one dimensional brand of football. do it all and cram it all down their throats. break the rules. forget following trends and start your own, do your own thing.

we should work with what we have and build around it and make this team better than anyones. we have a better group of ball runners than any other team in the league. we have a QB with one of the best arms in the league. we have a young up and coming group of WRs that should provide our QB with plenty of solid options that defenses will have to choose between trying to shut them down or try and stop the run game that is always possible. 34. 28, and tolbert provide this team and cam with a ton of options that can wear out defenses and get this team down the field and into the endzone.

i just see no reason that we should put an end to that if we can keep all of these guys and still keep growing as a team and win more games.

You aren't buying it is a passing league and rosters are being built to follow?

Cant have it all. Need a great D to go with Cam.

Cam+ half Double Trouble + Tolbert = easily the potential for the best ground attack in the NFL. What team with THAT is looking to spend dollars an another elite RB with holes all over the roster

[iamhubby1]

Not to mention that in 2014 season. The TV deal for all the teams will kick in and give teams alot more money to work with. Panthers need to go ahead work out something with Stewart for 5 years. Redo Dwill contract and back load it. Then when the TV deal kicks in. Everyone will be Super happy. Plain and simple.

I hope you are not counting on that tv money? I am not sure the cap will rise at all after that deal? We are in mystery cap space now, because, I believe the money from the tv deal is already spent. Something to do with overestimating the cap the last few years.

DWill is in the last year of the money end of his deal. You could say he is a potential FA, just as easily as say he will be extended. The point being, if you think he is still going to make close to that 3yr 18 mil, I cannot help you. We will be able to keep DWill on the cheapish, and give Stewy his contract as well. So yeah, everyone should be happy!? Good luck with that concept.

I love that despite the fact the future around here is boundless. People still need to cling to imagined future events to dampen their enthusiasm. Future events have a way of working their way out. It is the present that always seems to get in the way. We are set at RB at present. The future on the other hand, is still up in the air.

As has been said. Why worry about next year? Put your emotions into this year. Let the Front Office worry about next year for you. That is what they actually do for a living. Worry about next year, so us fans don't have too.

[CRA]

Also, if people are going to continuously use the "he will give us the hometown discount" line.....name one that has done it.

[Argus Plexus]

Say What!! Ummm are you high. Atleast 20 million of the money on the 43 mill. contract still is guaranteed. Most of it comes comes up front for the first 3 years of the contract. The rest is much smaller amounts after. Don't see how you get that there no more guaranteed money left. He has plenty left that they must pay him.

Pardon me, friend, I stand corrected. None of the money after this season is guaranteed.

After this season, none of the three years and $18 million remaining on Williams' is guaranteed. With Williams turning 30 next April, the Panthers could release the older back and go with Stewart, who doesn't turn 26 until next March.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82a80968/article/jonathan-stewart-intends-to-stay-a-carolina-panther?module=HP11_MYNFL

[Pantherman]

Risking an injury to Newton is not the brightest thing you have suggested, I have no problem with him scrambling but the designed plays that have him getting nailed at the line of scrimmage probably isn't in the best interest of the Panthers.

I would agree. Unless Newton has no other option accept to scramble for his life. The panthers should not risk him on doing stupid option plays. Cam goes down. Then our who season goes bye bye. We got more then enough firepower in the backfield now with Dwill, Stewart, and Tolbert. Use them this year. It would ok to use Cam in an option play once again. But beyond that it is risky his career every time. They need to use the RBs alot more this year.

[panthers55]

Lets lay to rest this whole none of the rest of his contract is guaranteed crap so there is no problem. William's guaranteed money has been paid but the cap cost has not been accounted for. If he is cut before the 2013 season the remaining cap cost of his signing bonus will escalate and it will cost us 9,600,000. If we do it after June 1, it will cost us 4,800,000 in 2013 and another 4,800,000 in 2014. All in dead cap space.

[La Pantera]

Also, if people are going to continuously use the "he will give us the hometown discount" line.....name one that has done it.

Steve Smith, Mike Tolbert.

[nosuchthingasapanther]

Steve Smith, Mike Tolbert.

steve smith restructured. contrary to popular belief, that's not the same as giving up money.

tolbert giving carolina a discount is the same as stewart giving a discount...to sign with seattle.