Real GM Panthers preview: best one I have read this offseason

[raleigh-panther]

OL & DT depth are serious to me. Otah was out a few games last year, more last year than Gross in Gross' whole career. DT, no point in saying much more about that I guess.

The O-line is one hit away from hurting Williams/Stewart's potential numbers this year.

Delhomme, well, he is what he is and he will be it for at least 3 more years...not much point in saying anything unless a new coach is around.

If they come out of the first 4 games, 3-1 or 4-0...that would really help things; a bell weather season for Mr. Fox, I think.

Philly is a tough team, Atlanta, a must win, but, as AK said previously, beat the Cowboys on National TV in Jones new stadium and that will make this team and the National media go a long way to forgetting Jan and the Cards.

[CatMan72]

Good write up, but I don't think the Panthers drafting of Stewart was a sign that they were ready to give up on Williams, it was just an insurance policy for a team that loves to run the ball. Williams had a break out year because he finally got a significant # of touches.

[GRWatcher]

The Panthers do use the fullback frequently and Hoover has shown spurts of being a very good one in past years, though his 2008 was not great.

I don't understand his comment about Hoover's 2008 not being great. Does he really think the OL opened all those holes for D'Will & Stewart by themselves? :out:

I guess his question about ST comes from us missing experience at a few key positions. Punt return man, kick off return man, 2 gunners (Marshall won't be on ST this year and Goings is gone), long snapper. And alot of the ST talent went elsewhere when our backup OL players left. He's right to question.

[WilkinsonDonnie]

We will win the NFC South again this year, the Saints and Falcons will also push for a playoff spot, but we have the best team of the three.

[outlaw4]

I don't understand his comment about Hoover's 2008 not being great. Does he really think the OL opened all those holes for D'Will & Stewart by themselves? :out:

Maybe he meant the dropped passes he had? :confused:

My worries are with the NFC East teams considering we lost against the whole division in 2006 and frankly, our record against those teams is awful (5 wins, 20 losses per my calculation)!

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/car/#headtohead

The other item to consider is the early bye week. Depending on how we start the season, it might be a good thing (early injuries, poor performance) or a bad thing (we play well only to have to start all over again).

[Woodie]

This article read to me like it was written by someone who saw few or no Panther games last year. There were too many inaccuracies and uninformed points made.

As I was reading it, I just got this vision of the author looking at the season stats and extrapolating what he needed in order to write an opinion on a team he was not overly familiar with...then calling up the one person he knows that might have actually seen few Panther games to fill in the blanks on things he couldn't get from the stat sheet.

[Lt Pinkerton]

This article read to me like it was written by someone who saw few or no Panther games last year. There were too many inaccuracies and uninformed points made.

As I was reading it, I just got this vision of the author looking at the season stats and extrapolating what he needed in order to write an opinion on a team he was not overly familiar with...then calling up the one person he knows that might have actually seen few Panther games to fill in the blanks on things he couldn't get from the stat sheet.

That's more than what ESPN would do.

[Woodie]

That's more than what ESPN would do.

Can't argue with that.

[Razzy]

Definitely one of the better previews ive read, and he's right in that there is only really one major thing that could stop us: injuries. Our depth, especially at OL, is atrocious.

[panthers55]

Definitely one of the better previews ive read, and he's right in that there is only really one major thing that could stop us: injuries. Our depth, especially at OL, is atrocious.

Geisinger has four years in the league although he hasn't gotten much playing time. At 6'2" and 315 he will make a good guard. Meanwhile, Palmer comes in off of our practice squad after failing to stick at Oakland or Philly. Still he has the size at 6'4" and 335lbs to make a good right tackle behind Otah. Schwartz is another big guy at 6'6" and 331. The question to me is who is going to back up Gross if he gets hurt. I expect it will go to Cadogan with Bernadeau at the left guard spot. Seems to me we only need 2 or 3 of these guys to develop quickly and there are lots of decent choices. I didn't know Omiyale at all until he started last year when Gross went down and he did a very credible job. For some reason I am not that worried.

[Delhommey]

There is always the option of kicking Wharton back outside if push comes to shove.

Center is my biggest concern.

[thefuzz]

There is always the option of kicking Wharton back outside if push comes to shove.

Center is my biggest concern.

YUP.

If Kalil goes down, not really sure who can step in there.

[panthers55]

YUP.

If Kalil goes down, not really sure who can step in there.

Depends if davis makes the roster. He is a center we picked up as a UDFA

[Nu Guns]

Hey !!!

Whenever I gave assessments like this one I get yelled at !!

:toetap05::toetap05::biggrin5: