Carolina Panthers Shifting the Line

[Zod]

Yes, Travelle Wharton is back in Carolina. This could be great news, depending on his conditioning. Missing over a year of football can be a difficult thing to overcome. Ask Panthers current right guard Garry Williams. Williams was an exciting prospect before sitting the 2011 season with an injury. It has taken him over a year just to get back into playing shape and being able to compete for a starting position.

 

But lets assume Wharton is in prime football condition. Where do you put him?

 

In his previous stint in Carolina, he played mostly at left guard next to Jordan Gross. Putting him back in that same spot next to Gross would mean a quicker acclimation period. Gross and Wharton were very close as Panthers, even carpooling to practice together. You cannot overstate the importance of chemistry between a right tackle and right guard. I suspect the Wharton-Gross tandem could look solid again within a couple of weeks.

 

Putting Wharton on the left would shift Amini Silatolu over to the right guard position. Amini has always played on the left side, in college he was a left tackle. For a second year player, there will be a significant adjustment period going from left to right in the guard position.

 

Or do you put Wharton in the right guard position and allow continuity for Amini now that he seems to be coming into his own? Amini currently has an injured hamstring and won't be getting any playing time on Thursday. This decreases the chances of him being ready for a right guard start come week 1.

[Jakob]

I'll make my mind up after we sign a few more OL cuts next week.

[Carolina Husker]

Put Wharton at RG

[Pejorative Miscreant]

I say put him on the right side for now. Would not move Amini.

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[Cyberjag]

If Fox was here Wharton would play LT and Gross would move over to RT.

[AceBoogie]

I think you have to put the stronger player next to bell. Whoever that is. Best case scenario bell isn't starting week one

[rayzor]

unless it's someone that is to replace gross, i don't really want the left side messed with.

 

the right side is what needs the help. i don't really know where wharton would be best suited, but i think he'd be an upgrade over anyone there. him just getting over ACL issues might mean that the more limited mobility needed for RG might make that the best place.

 

one thing i do wonder, tho, is has he played on the right side before? i'm sure he'd be able to adjust but i just don't know how well suited he is for run blocking on that side. it's not easy moving a guy from one side to the other. it's almost like telling a nascar driver to start turning right.

[NanceUSMC]

I think scrambling the OL, which is already struggling, 2 weeks before the games start to count, is a bad idea... 

 

Who knows what kind of playing shape Wharton will be in, but the last thing I want to do is see someone who is struggling at RT, moved to LT...  Or someone who is struggling at LG moved to RG...  Or worse as some have suggested...  I think you put him in at RG, and hope the light comes on for Silatolu, and that Edmund gets healthy and can contribute quickly...  I also think we have to entertain the idea of bringing in one more lineman for depth...  Assuming someone gets cut who can help us...

 

 

[mbarbour21]

RG. Dont wanna move Amini since he is starting to get it. Wharton singed a one year so we may not hav him next year, so I wouldn't mess up Amini who we will prob have for quite a while. Wouldn't put Amini and Bell on one side. But we could sign someone before the season begins. But if we don't, RG.

[rayzor]

very much agreeing with nance about it being a bad idea to shake up the line anymore than it is.

 

probably the #1 thing i wanted even before TC started was to have the OL set personnel-wise so rather than tinkering around with what combos/bodies work well enough for those couple weeks in spartanburg they could have been gelling as a unit.

 

that didn't happen.

 

we always start out slow on the OL. thats been going on for years. that needs to change because it effects the overall start for the team.

 

chemistry needs to form between the guys on the line and the least amount of shuffling we can do, the better. leave the right side alone and then upgrade RG and after that, if possible, upgrade RT. RG is where we have the least amount of experience with the line.

[SCP]

At this point, RG. Inserting him there for the time being ensures the least amount of disruption. You start moving too many pieces and the chemistry, what little there seems to be, is gone for the short term.

[DOMOMAN]

I'd say you always put the 9 year Veteran on the slightly different position to help your young DII guy keep a sense of continuity, Gross-Silatolu-Kalil-Wharton-Williams would be my preferred O-Line right now

[TNPanther]

At this point in the preseason, it's pretty much pointless to play musical chairs with the lineman, with the exception of shifting Gross to RT if we find a true stopgap LT (which probably won't happen but I can always hope).

 

Put Travelle at RG. He will help out Bell or whoever plays RT. Amini needs to stay at LG

[countryboi]

I really dont like the idea of moving Amini. i like the idea of amini and bell on the same side even less....I am guessing wharton gets plugged in a RG