Training camp goals

[CanadianCat]

Training camp goals

Fix defensive problems: Jake Delhomme might have been made the scapegoat for Carolina's playoff loss to Arizona last season, but the reality is the Panthers' defense didn't do them any favors.

In the second half of the season, the Panthers began to struggle defending the pass and began giving up big plays by the handful. They were victimized both through the air (13 touchdown passes allowed in their final six games) and on the ground (they allowed 120 yards or more rushing in six of their final eight games, including 301 to the New York Giants).

So the problems were in place long before the Panthers were upset at home by 20 points by the Cardinals on Jan. 10.

Initially the Panthers planned to bring back defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac, but he had a change of heart and decided to leave, ultimately taking a demotion to coach in Green Bay. The Panthers brought in Ron Meeks, who plans to simplify the defense and allow his players to run to the football.

Meeks got the most out of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis in Indianapolis, which should excite Julius Peppers and rookie Everette Brown in Meeks' first year in Carolina. Whether or not Peppers really comes to play could be another issue. He already said he didn't want to stay in Carolina, but the Panthers strong-armed him into applying the franchise tag to him.

The Panthers replaced only one regular starter, cornerback Ken Lucas, whose spot was filled by promising cover man Richard Marshall. Lucas was released and rejoined the Seahawks.

Find depth on the offensive line: The fact that the Panthers have their starting offensive line returning from last season is fantastic, but don't overlook the fact they have nobody backing up behind them.

None of Carolina's backups has started a regular-season game. That's a problem, particularly if you consider all of Carolina's starting offensive linemen missed a game last season.

So the Panthers will be paying close attention to a bunch of young players hoping to find guys who can serve in a pinch. Of course, the Panthers would love to sign a veteran lineman, but they can't do that given their salary cap woes.

Rookie Duke Robinson and second-year players Mackenzy Bernadeau and Geoffrey Schwartz are likely to earn roster spots.

Find quality contributors on special teams: This might seem like a mild problem, but the Panthers have experienced plenty of turnover this offseason on special teams.

Along with losing their returner and long snapper, the team will also need to replace their top three special teams tacklers from last season. All of that should keep coordinator Danny Crossman busy.

With so much money tied up on the top of their 53-man roster, the Panthers have had to skimp at the bottom. That means Crossman will be getting a lot of young players to work with and will have to work some magic to get these guys on the same page.

CAMP CALENDAR: The Panthers report to Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., for the start of training camp on Aug. 2. The first day of practice is Aug. 3. The annual "Fan Fest" at Bank of America Stadium will be the following Saturday. The Panthers close camp Aug. 20. The team will not scrimmage another club this year.

thehuddle.com

[CanadianCat]

PLAYER/PERSONNEL NOTES

--The Panthers claimed tight end Andrew Davie off waivers from the New York Jets on Thursday. Davie signed with the Jets as a rookie free agent from Arkansas in April and going undrafted. Davie, 6-6, 275 pounds, caught 24 passes for 199 yards and six touchdowns in three seasons at Arkansas.

--The Panthers still have four unsigned draft picks, including both second-round selections -- defensive end Everette Brown from Florida State and cornerback Sherrod Martin from Troy.

--One player to watch as the Panthers head into training camp is running back Jamall Lee. He was the third overall pick in this year's CFL draft, but signed with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent.

He's looked very good in OTAs and some inside the organization are eager to see what he can do when the team puts on the pads.

Lee wants to play in the NFL.

In fact, if he makes the Panthers practice squad he would still make more than he would on a CFL roster this year.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Jake is our starting quarterback and I think everyone knows how much we value him." --Panthers GM Marty Hurney, who handed QB Jake Delhomme a $42.5 million contract extension this offseason despite the fact Delhomme committed six turnovers in a postseason home loss to Arizona on Jan. 10.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

The deadline for defensive end Julius Peppers to sign a contract extension came and went Wednesday with no resolution, meaning Peppers will play this season as Carolina's franchise player. He will earn $16.683 million in 2009. Neither side has commented on the situation.

The Panthers can't negotiate a new deal with Peppers until after the season.

He will become an unrestricted free agent again next February, but the Panthers can use the franchise tag on him just as they did this season.

UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS

QUARTERBACKS: Starter -- Jake Delhomme. Backups -- Josh McCown, Matt Moore, Hunter Cantwell.

There are plenty of fans in Charlotte who'd like to see McCown (or anyone else) get a shot as the starting quarterback, but that isn't going to happen unless Delhomme gets hurt. Despite a miserable performance in the NFC Divisional playoffs in which Delhomme committed six turnovers, including five interceptions, the Panthers are sticking with him for the foreseeable future as evidenced by the five-year, $42 million contract extension they gave him this offseason. Delhomme threw 15 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions last year, but led the team to a 12-4 record and the NFC South championship after Tommy John surgery ended his season early in 2008. The big question here will be if the playoff debacle will affect Delhomme's confidence this season. McCown is a journeyman backup with a losing record as a starter, but hasn't thrown any passes since his arrival last year. Moore started three games in 2007 for the Panthers when injuries intervened, but took a step back last year in the preseason and was demoted to third string after breaking his leg.

RUNNING BACKS: Starters -- RB DeAngelo Williams, FB Brad Hoover. Backups -- RB Jonathan Stewart, RB Mike Goodson, FB Tony Fiammetta, RB Jamall Lee, RB Decori Birmingham.

Williams is coming off a dynamic season, establishing a franchise record for rushing yards (1,515) and touchdowns (18). He averaged a whopping 5.5 yards per carry despite splitting carries with rookie Jonathan Stewart. Stewart, despite missing most of the offseason recovering from a toe injury he suffered in college, turned in a great effort setting franchise rookie records for rushing yards (836) and touchdowns (10). Together, they helped the Panthers finish third in the league in rushing, averaging 152.3 yards per game. They will get a little help this year from Goodson, a third-round pick out of Texas A&M, who looked extremely fast during this summer's OTAs. He could see action as a slot receiver because he's a very good pass receiver. Hoover is a reliable and underrated fullback now in his 10th season with the team. However, he'll be pushed by Fiammetta, who was drafted in the fifth round out of Syracuse.

TIGHT ENDS: Starter -- Jeff King. Backups -- Gary Barnidge, Dante Rosario, Kevin Brock, Andrew Davie.

King remains the starter in Carolina largely because of his versatility as a receiver and blocker. Jake Delhomme said last year that King "is one of those guys who, before you know it, is in the league for 10 years." King will never put up great numbers like the other tight ends in the NFC South, but will contribute. Last year he had 21 receptions for 195 yards and a touchdown. He's not flashy, just reliable. Barnidge may have been the biggest surprise during OTAs, catching everything in sight. The Panthers view him as a player who can stretch the middle of the field. He was a rookie last year and didn't catch any passes, but the team is looking for bigger and better things this season. Rosario had a 100-yard game and caught the winning touchdown in last year's season opener against San Diego but was largely invisible the rest of the season. He's also coming off back surgery, although the coaching staff believes he'll be ready for training camp.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad. Backups -- Dwayne Jarrett, Ryne Robinson, Jason Carter, Larry Beavers, Kenneth Moore, Marcus Monk, Jason Cherry.

Despite serving a two-game suspension for slugging a teammate during a training camp fight last summer, Smith rebounded by averaging more than 100 yards receiving per game in 2009 while earning another trip to the Pro Bowl. He's still one of the top five receivers in the game and will continue to be Jake Delhomme's primary weapon in the passing game. Muhammad, even at 36, continues to be a valuable weapon catching 65 passes last year for 923 yards and five touchdowns. He's the starter for now, although the Panthers would eventually like to see Jarrett take the next step and replace him. There are some who believe this may be Jarrett's last chance to prove himself. He's not done that yet. Last year he had just 10 receptions for 119 yards. The No. 4 receiver slot is still wide open, although Robinson would appear to have the inside edge because he can return punts and kicks. But the big question will be if he can bounce back from a knee problem. The rest of Carolina's receivers are fighting for one other spot.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LT Jordan Gross, LG Travelle Wharton, C Ryan Kalil, RG Keydrick Vincent, RT Jeff Otah. Backups -- G Duke Robinson, T Geoffrey Schwartz, G Mackenzy Bernadeau, T Jonathan Palmer, T Gerald Codagan, G C.J. Davis, G Justin Geisinger, C Keith Gray, T Garry Williams.

Carolina's offensive line was outstanding last year, paving the way for a franchise-record 2,437 rushing yards and 30 rushing touchdowns. They allowed only 20 sacks. The good news is the Panthers signed Gross to a long-term contract extension, assuring the Panthers will have all five starters back from last year's team as well as all 11 starters on offense overall. Otah looks like a great young player, as does Kalil. Wharton is a little overpaid, but still very effective. The bad news is Gross' contract extension and the decision to franchise Julius Peppers took up most of the available salary cap space. That meant the Panthers weren't able to re-sign guard/center Geoff Hangartner and tackle Frank Omiyale and had to cut Jeremy Bridges. That means they have no experienced backups. Bernadeau and Schwartz were both seventh-round picks in 2008 but didn't play. The team drafted Robinson this year and signed a host of undrafted rookie free agents.

thehuddle.com

[CanadianCat]

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LDE Tyler Brayton, LDT Maake Kemoeatu, RDT Damione Lewis, RDE Julius Peppers. Backups -- DE Everette Brown, DE Charles Johnson, DE Hilee Taylor, DT Corvey Irvin, DT Nick Hayden, DT Marlon Favorite, DT Lonnie Harvey, DE Casper Brinkley, DT Justin Kershaw, DT Lorenzo Williams.

The Panthers registered 37 sacks last year, 14.5 by Peppers. So you can bet the team is thrilled to have him back under contract, even though they couldn't convince him to sign a long-term contract. Peppers will make more than $1 million per game. Brayton turned out to be a solid free-agent acquisition last year for the Panthers, but isn't a top-notch pass rusher, which is one of the reasons the Panthers traded a first-round pick in 2010 for the right to draft Florida State's Brown. Brown figures to challenge Brayton and Charles Johnson, who had six sacks last year, for playing time. The Panthers also like Taylor as a third-round pass rusher. Carolina drafted Irvin in the third round to give them some needed depth at defensive tackle. Kemoeatu and Lewis both went down with injuries late last season and the Panthers' run defense fell apart. The Giants, in fact, put up 301 yards against them on the ground in Week 16. Hayden got some experience last year and Carolina is hoping one or two of their young undrafted rookies can step up and make an impact.

LINEBACKERS: Starters -- WLB Thomas Davis, MLB Jon Beason, SLB Na'il Diggs. Backups -- MLB Dan Connor, WLB Landon Johnson, OLB James Anderson, LB Anthony Heygood, LB Mortty Ivy, LB Jeremy Leman.

The Panthers didn't touch this position in the offseason. Davis, Beason and Diggs return and they're pretty solid starters. Beason, in fact, has developed into one of the game's top young linebackers making the Pro Bowl in just his second season. Davis is a player with great potential. Johnson took a pay cut to stay in Carolina and Connor, a former third-round pick, is hoping to return from a knee injury and provide snaps behind Beason and on special teams. The rest of the positions are largely up in the air. One thing is for sure, the Panthers need to find a player who can cover three outstanding tight ends in the their division -- Atlanta's Tony Gonzalez, Tampa Bay's Kellen Winslow and New Orleans' Jeremy Shockey. That player is likely to be Davis. The Panthers really could use a little veteran depth here, but they're handcuffed by the salary cap.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- LCB Chris Gamble, RCB Richard Marshall, FS Charles Godfrey, SS Chris Harris. Backups -- CB Sherrod Martin, CB C.J. Wilson, CB Dante Wesley, CB Captain Munnerlyn, SS Quinton Teal, FS Nate Salley, SS Joe Fields, CB D.J. Clark, SS Paul Chiara, S Anthony Scirotto.

The Panthers paid Gamble like a shutdown corner late last season and it's time for him to prove he deserves the cash. Gamble seems ready for the challenge and is hoping he'll face the opposition's top receiver on a weekly basis instead of being kept on the left side of the field every play. After three seasons with the Panthers, Marshall steps into the starting lineup to replace Ken Lucas, the only starter from last year's team who was let go. Marshall played great in 2007, but struggled late last season. The Panthers drafted Sherrod Martin from Troy in the second round with an eye toward the future. He's a little bit of a project since he doesn't have much experience at cornerback, but he could eventually be the starter if the Panthers can't re-sign Marshall next year. For now, Martin will challenge Wilson for time as the team's nickel back. Wesley has always been a valuable special teams player, but will have to fight to keep his job. Harris is a playmaker at strong safety, while Godfrey started all 16 games as a rookie at free safety and got better as the season progressed. Teal and Salley provide depth here. Overall, Carolina's secondary really was exposed toward the end of last season, one of the reasons defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac is no longer around.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K John Kasay, P Jason Baker, KO Rhys Lloyd, KR/PR Ryne Robinson, LS J.J. Jansen, LS Nick Sundberg.

Kasay turns 40 later this year. He's coming off one of his best seasons as a pro in 2009, connecting on 28-of-31 field goals. He was perfect from inside 46 yards with his only misses coming from 47, 50 and 54 yards. It helps that Lloyd is the team's kickoff specialist. He had 30 touchbacks last season, the most in the league, which is why he'll be back. Baker is a fairly consistent punter. Although he had three punts blocked last year, two of them certainly weren't his fault as the Panthers blew protection. Carolina's return jobs are up in the air after the team was unable to re-sign Mark Jones. Robinson has the inside track to win the job, but rookie Larry Beavers might challenge on kickoff returns and Captain Munnerlyn could steal some punts away. Longtime long snapper Jason Kyle was not retained, which means either Jansen or Sundberg will handle that role. Both are rookies.

thehuddle.com

[KintnerBoy]

Too much to read.

[PhillyB]

Too much to read.

maybe, but it's a very thorough analysis, and thus worth it.

i'm slightly worried about our depth in general in several key positions, but that's more than offset by my excitement for the coming season

[rayzor]

not sure we are supposed to be quoting whole articles or quoting articles and not putting in a link.

copyright infringement and all.

[aussiePanther]

Thanks for the writeup/post; I got a lot out of it!

[double_blue]

very thorough... i appreciate the effort.

i think that alot of the issues with the secondary can be directly traced to injury, especially chris harris. he was no where near healthy near the end of the season and was incapable of laying the wood on receivers.

[KillerKat]

not sure we are supposed to be quoting whole articles or quoting articles and not putting in a link.

copyright infringement and all.

I think he wrote it himself

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

Great write up...jaysus though, that's a lot of wordage.