Players on 1 YR deals.

[camtheone]

Ginn we will get on the cheap...still has problems with drops.....been decent with Punt Returns and Kick off Returns....any other team he will not be WR1 or WR2....he gets a lot more chances here in Carolina....

 

Mitchell....he's a man playing against boys sometimes...but he does sometimes overextend himself....he's played great for us as far as physical ability and toughness but a great secondary player....not so much...love the guy but not a top tier...I think he'll take a decent 2-3 deal from us.....

 

Cole likes his role..he'll stay for a 2 year deal...

 

Hardy.....I'm thinking we tag him....we should not be any means go over 9 to 10 million for him.....and if we tag him and keep him he has to play big or he'll lose a lot of money.....he's a product of how good CJ is on this Def....he gets the stats because he's more mobile then CJ but CJ is a beast and he's what allows Hardy to get his numbers...we shall see...seems to me like Hardy is just about the money and not so much about the team....hell of a player....but if he wants CJ money then we can use the tag then trade or get him cheaper...............lots of football left.....We have a lot of young guys that have been showing some promise so get an offensive lineman and another secondary player for the price of Hardy...lots of questions but lets worry about them after our nice playoff run.....but hey the most important game is the next game...and man this game is going to be huge....KEEP POUNDING!!!!!!

[DaveThePanther2008]

Cole is the easy one, he's into his mid 30s, a good rotational player.  I think he stays for relatively cheap depth.

 

Mitchell is going to be interesting.  Why was a career back up before lighting it up this year?  Why did he light it up this year?  Is this another Marlon McCree situation?  He's been great for us on several levels this year, and I'd love to keep him for the right price.

 

Hardy is the one I'm most on the fence about.  He already turned down $8 million a year.  I'd love to keep the gang together, but for $10 million?  With CJ out the past two weeks, he's not done a whole lot on the field.  I expected him to really step up.  Against the Bucs he did have a great sack, and lord knows the man plays with his heart.  I love the man-warrior mentality he's got going on there.  Hardy should have taken the $8 million from us to keep the band together, but he believes he's worth CJ money.  I just don't see that happening unless some magic occurs.  Like he becomes the dominate DE for us this last month and the play offs.  He's good, but not CJ good.

 

I love me some Kraken.  He is a very good DE and his ability is out of this world.   With that said Addison, Alexander and Horton have all shown they can get after the QB.  Even if it is platooning they can fill a void that Kraken would create. 

 

Rivera and Gettleman are going to have to decide who is more important.  Keep the defensive end who wants big money but we have depth or keep a possible one hit wonder.

 

Mitchell and Hardy both have the passion that you love to see from players.   If I were the GM and I am glad I am not.   I would keep Mitchell.

 

[pantherclaw]

One year isn't enough for any of them to get great money.

[Delhommey]

No one would pay any of those three big money, so we'll be fine.

Ginn will never be more than a #3 receiver and should be paid as such.

Cole is a nice to have not need to have.

Godfrey's salary will jump to $5 mil next year so if we can dump that and get Mitchell at no more than $2 million per for 3-4 years, we will have done well. I'd like to see us upgrade the safety position in the draft, but we have too many other needs.

[rayzor]

i'm not worried.

 

last year was a buyers market that forced a lot of players to take an  even ask for a lot of one year deals because the market was so crowded and the cap didn't grow very much. 

 

the cap won't be growing very much this year either, but what is going to happen is the market will become even more flooded thanks to not only the usual numbers of free agents hitting the street, but the extra large number of players who took one year deals.

 

the guys who took one year deals lat year will take one gear deals again in hopes that the next year is better or they will opt for security and suck it up taking bargain basement multi year deals.

 

the big benefit to us is that free agents will be looking at the culture here and how we've turned things around and will think to themselves "if i'm going to be forced to take a smaller paycheck than what i would like, i might as well play for a team that is having a lot of fun,  likes each other, and is winning and trending upward and in a city and area that i'd like to settle down in long term with my family."

[Dunn]

Id rather have DE by committee of Addison/Horton/Alexander then pay Hardy big money.  What happens if we give him a huge contract and he gets hurt, and dump a few guys who could have rotated and kept it fresh with pressure and still be of able ability?

 

I also trust in Gettlemagic.  Quick question, was he offered the 8 million by Gettleman or Hurney?  If it was by Gettleman then I think he for sure getting the Franchise tag, and Gettleman will trust his instinct in the draft on selecting a solid replacement.  

 

For some reason, I feel that Rivera is the glue that will REALLY hold this all together and keep this core group, you see how much the players trusted in him and backed him as a great players coach and to me, that has been HUGE with this success with the wins and player commradery. This team feels like a college team playing because they love the game.  

 

 

Of course, money does talk..so it could go either way I suppose. 

[iamhubby1]

 

i'm not worried.

the big benefit to us is that free agenta will be looking at the culture here and how we've turned things around and will think to themselves "if i'm going to be forced to take a smaller paycheck than what i wohld like, i might as well play for a team that is having a lot of fun  likes each other, and is winning and trending upward and in a city and area that i'd like to settle down in long term with my family."

First, let me say. I bet your editor is cringing after reading this post. Dude, even for you, this is one whooper.

Yup. We just might be a destination players may want to look into. We are young, we are improving, we are already on the cusp of greatness. Players, well, most I think, especially players who are starting to look at the end of their career, want Championships. Carolina may be a destination for players like this. They already got their big Contract, so they could sign those 1-2 years deals at a reasonable price.

We very well could be that team that players look to for a final shot at a Championship. G-man will listen to offers. But the main thing with him is value. If you are worth what you want, you may just get something close to that. Just don't overvalue yourself, cuz G-man will pass you by.

All you folks that think we can replace Kracken are selling him short. He is a beast against the run. Not one Huddler even mentioned that aspect of his game. That is the part of his game that means the most to Rivera/G-man. C'mon man.

I truly hope G-man and Kracken's agent can get a deal done. I want him back, but only at fair market value.

[rayzor]

i don't pay my editors to handle message board posts.

 

if i did, they'd be rich and i'd be broke.

[iamhubby1]

 

Id rather have DE by committee of Addison/Horton/Alexander then pay Hardy big money.  What happens if we give him a huge contract and he gets hurt, and dump a few guys who could have rotated and kept it fresh with pressure and still be of able ability?

 

I also trust in Gettlemagic.  Quick question, was he offered the 8 million by Gettleman or Hurney?  If it was by Gettleman then I think he for sure getting the Franchise tag, and Gettleman will trust his instinct in the draft on selecting a solid replacement.  

 

For some reason, I feel that Rivera is the glue that will REALLY hold this all together and keep this core group, you see how much the players trusted in him and backed him as a great players coach and to me, that has been HUGE with this success with the wins and player commradery. This team feels like a college team playing because they love the game.  

 

 

Of course, money does talk..so it could go either way I suppose. 

It still amazes me when folks use the "he may get injured card". Kracken is a versatile beast. Plays the run very well, as well as rushing the QB. You just cannot replace a player like Hardy. He has earned his money. I just hope he will take Carolina money over some other team. As long as the money is close, I think he stays.

Cutting Godfrey puts our Cap at close to 20mil under. We have the money to sign him. The only sticking point is the money. G-man will not over pay. If Kracken wants more than he is worth in G-man's eyes. He will not get it here.

Also, IMO, we will not franchise Hardy.

[iamhubby1]

 

i don't pay my editors to handle message board posts.

 

if i did, they'd be rich and i'd be broke.

Hey, don't get me wrong. It was totally readable. But...even for you, that last post was a doozy. I'm bored, so I thought I would mention it.

Also, on a side note. Is there even 1 iota of regret over not going all in earlier this year? I really do understand why you could be hesitant, cuz this team was just so exasperating. But, in hindsight, you missed out on a few there. But hellz, all's well that ends well.

[Happy Panther]

I hope we resign both Lafell and Ginn and draft Smith's replacement as O-Line in the first two rounds.

 

Jordan Matthews is listed as a big play receiver and could fall to us but would rather find a guy in the 2nd and take a hogmolly in the first. Steve isn't retiring next year

 

 

[rayzor]

 

Hey, don't get me wrong. It was totally readable. But...even for you, that last post was a doozy. I'm bored, so I thought I would mention it.

Also, on a side note. Is there even 1 iota of regret over not going all in earlier this year? I really do understand why you could be hesitant, cuz this team was just so exasperating. But, in hindsight, you missed out on a few there. But hellz, all's well that ends well.

 

i wrote that using my tablet while taking a dump. probably a lot worse than that in here that i've done considering the number of times that happens.

 

at any rate, no...no regrets over how i felt about this team.

 

i saw changes that needed to be made and areas that this team, esp. the coaching staff was insufficient in. i thought rivera needed to grow a set and take more chances. esp. late in games and on fourth down. apparently he decided that needed to change as well. in that regard i was right...so no regrets there.

 

as far as shula goes...i wanted to be wrong and there was nothing in his past that suggested that i would be. he had failed and he was as predictable as they came as a play caller. the first few games i didn't see anything to suggest otherwise, but since AZ, much like rivera, he has changed and improved. i doubted he could do it, but he did. i was wrong. even at that...no regrets. being wrong happens and i'm glad that i was.

 

i knew that this was a team with a lot of potential, i just doubted the coaching staff's ability to help the team realize it. coaching was holding this team back and i was right. coaching got better so the results have improved as has my outlook.

 

i had valid reasons for every doubt i had about this team heading into the season. the fact that things i doubted about this team are what changed and brought about more wins makes me feel my concerns were justified.

 

based on what i had witnessed for several years, i had no reason to have much faith at all in this team. as the saying goes, winning cures everything. rivera and shula managing the game the way that they has brought about winning and winning has restored my faith in this team.

 

[Dunn]

 

It still amazes me when folks use the "he may get injured card". Kracken is a versatile beast. Plays the run very well, as well as rushing the QB. You just cannot replace a player like Hardy.

And it still amazes me that people claim he is irreplaceable...come'on.  Is he a top pass rusher in the NFL? Id say top 10 but IMO there are others that can step up and provide ample pressure and support if necessary.  Our Dline is so incredible all the way around now so that you could replace one guy and you won't notice a massive difference in production (sans Fua).  Look at the Bucs & Miami game.

 

Injury is always a possibility, so why not factor that in?  You don't want to put all your eggs in one basket when re-signing, and if the possibility of replacing him comes up, do you want a reliable and dependable backup, or a scrub off the practice squad since you couldn't afford to sign anyone worth a poo to back him up.

[iamhubby1]

And it still amazes me that people claim he is irreplaceable...come'on.  Is he a top pass rusher in the NFL? Id say top 10 but IMO there are others that can step up and provide ample pressure and support if necessary.  Our Dline is so incredible all the way around now so that you could replace one guy and you won't notice a massive difference in production (sans Fua).  Look at the Bucs & Miami game.

 

Injury is always a possibility, so why not factor that in?  You don't want to put all your eggs in one basket when re-signing, and if the possibility of replacing him comes up, do you want a reliable and dependable backup, or a scrub off the practice squad since you couldn't afford to sign anyone worth a poo to back him up.

If I am correct, we have 6 guys on the D-line who are either on rookie, or 1 year deals. We have the money and cap space to spend on keeping Hardy. CJ is the only D-lineman making any money at all, so we should be able to afford to give Hardy fair market value.

Kracken does more than rush the passer. He has never had a serious injury. He is a versatile and valuable member of that line. We need to keep him, because he is worth keeping, and he is probably worth anything we give him to keep him.

We have plenty of quality backups on that line. A few that should wind up being pretty damm good. But we cannot afford to lose a talent like Hardy. Hardy makes that line better. Losing him makes our line worse. And I don't want to have that happen after showing what that line can do this year.

Kracken is one of the best DE in the league. Maybe not top shelf, but at or near that level. We have to keep him. But ultimately, it is up to him.