Crossman on Panther Special Teams

[Kevin Greene]

CHARLOTTE – Danny Crossman chuckles when he hears people talk about the Carolina Panthers having the bulk of their team back from last year.

“Everybody says, ‘Hey, you guys have everybody coming back,’ and I’m like, ‘Wait a second here!’” joked Crossman, the team's special teams coordinator.

While that may be true on offense and defense where the Panthers return 21 of 22 starters, it’s certainly not that way on special teams. In fact, Crossman has more newcomers than incumbents in 2009.

After re-signing offensive tackle Jordan Gross and franchising defensive end Julius Peppers, the Panthers found themselves tight under the salary cap and were forced to let go of a handful of mid-level players, filling out the bottom of their roster with younger, cheaper alternatives.

As a result, Carolina’s special teams unit has taken a hit.

*Mark Jones, the team’s primary punt and kickoff returner last season, left via free agency because the team didn’t have enough cap space to make him decent offer.

*They even lack money at this point to re-sign reliable long snapper Jason Kyle, a free agent who has been perfect on snaps in his eight years with the team.

More:

http://www.carolinagrowl.com/Read.aspx?Story=1096

[rayzor]

more:

http://www.carolinahuddle.com/forum/carolina-panthers/13467-3-phases-football-panthers-3rd-phase-might-struggle.html

[Kevin Greene]

more:

http://www.carolinahuddle.com/forum/carolina-panthers/13467-3-phases-football-panthers-3rd-phase-might-struggle.html

LOL, that thread title didn't look like what I was going to post. *sigh*

[rayzor]

no big deal.

[WilkinsonDonnie]

Interesting how everyone was calling for his neck not too long ago, but I am excited we have given him some fast talent to work with. We need to put up a count down to training camp tracker.

[panthers55]

Interesting how everyone was calling for his neck not too long ago, but I am excited we have given him some fast talent to work with. We need to put up a count down to training camp tracker.

When Crossman can take mediocre talent and make them play well then he is a coach. Anyone can take great talent and do alright. Crossman can't hold Scotty O'Brien's jock.

[mush]

I was hoping Crossman would be a surprise midseason firing last year.

[Skew]

When Crossman can take mediocre talent and make them play well then he is a coach. Anyone can take great talent and do alright. Crossman can't hold Scotty O'Brien's jock.

True.

I was hoping Crossman would be a surprise midseason firing last year.

Me too.