Must read link on Luuuuuke Keek

[TheGreatestOfAllTimeCam]

I read Deadspin every day. Pretty happy to find this Luke post on there today during lunch.

http://deadspin.com/...gly-lost-season

How The Panthers' Luke Kuechly Salvaged a Seemingly Lost Season

Pro Football Focus, which grades individual players based on watching footage of every play, ranked him as the league's seventh-best inside linebacker, behind the usual royalty (Patrick Willis, Daryl Washington, NaVorro Bowman, Derrick Johnson) and fellow standout rookie Bobby Wagner, of the Seahawks. But Wagner gets to play in front of a great secondary and behind a great line. Kuechly has a little luck—he has to do more—so his individual grade doesn't look quite as great. But advanced stats show the Panthers' performance as a unit is way up. Last year, without Beason, they ranked 32nd in stopping the run. This year, without Beason, they ranked 11th.

The dude is a league-reknowned stud at this point already.

[Happy Panther]

Even with the successful finish, Ron Rivera still might lose his job. If he does, the gig in Carolina becomes the league's most exciting job opening. They're young, mean and on the rise, and they have the 14th overall pick. If their new rookie winds up anything like Newton and Kuechly, Carolina's headed somewhere in 2013.

We are going to be a trendy pick next year

[TheGreatestOfAllTimeCam]

We are going to be a trendy pick next year

I feel like we were this year, so I'll temper my expectations. That said, next year feels "do or die" as far as making the playoffs go.

[Spaceballs83]

For once I am excited to see the Defense play. Whenever i DVR'd games in the past i would fast forward to whenever the offense gets on the field. Now it's fun to watch both ends of the ball.

[SOJA]

to be fair having Dwan Edwards helped our run defense out tremendously as well. that being said, could not be happier that I was way off base on the Keek pick- Hurney hits again in round one

[cultclassiccat]

we were just getting warmed up....

We will punish teams and take our strides early and often, waiting for no one in our pursuit of our greater goal...multiple super bowls.

Lets see what else the draft brings us this yr, Im stoked for our team and the lucky draftees that we choose to bring on board. Cant wait.

[TheGreatestOfAllTimeCam]

Every time I watched the defense closely in the second half of the season, Kuechly was around the play on every tackle it seemed like. Against the falcons he made like 5 in a row at one point spanning a couple different series. Just a monster.

[Chaos]

We are going to be a trendy pick next year

Cool. Let's just not let the team hear this. We don't need anymore newspaper ads. Just piss and vinegar.

[Panths]

Luke, and Hardy showing up like a madman, made our defense watchable this season

[TheGreatestOfAllTimeCam]

Don't forget Thomas Davis, and adequate play from the makeshift corner group.

CJ was good too

[Pejorative Miscreant]

The Defense has a solid core that could be very potent. I think there will be some turnover due to the cap (Beason, Gamble, CJ and to a certain extent Anderson are subjectto restructured/cut/traded) but there is definitely an upward trend.

[Argus Plexus]

Re-signing Hardy should be a must for the next GM. Hopefully it's a persuasive SOB.

[Stumpy]

(Beason, Gamble, CJ and to a certain extent Anderson are subjectto restructured/cut/traded)

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Gamble, CJ and to a certain extent Anderson are subjectto restru

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CJ???

Chuck is a Top 5 DE, and he is getting paid like one.

Could Hurndawg have inked him for cheaper than he did? Yes. Is Johnson gonna take a paycut now, because we paid him top DE money before he had established himself as one? Hell naw!

[fieryprophet]

CJ???

Chuck is a Top 5 DE, and he is getting paid like one.

Could Hurndawg have inked him for cheaper than he did? Yes. Is Johnson gonna take a paycut now, because we paid him top DE money before he had established himself as one? Hell naw!

Restructuring CJ's contract would just be turning some of his future salary into a signing bonus. He would get paid upfront and still make the same amount of money while lowering the cap for this season.