Quote :

"our OL can't stay healthy"

if I'm feeling good about anything going into this season, it's that we have backups for pretty much every o-line position that are virtually as good as the starters are (and everybody can switch to another spot in the o-line if need be).

[Edited on May 7, 2007 at 3:09 PM. Reason : 3]

5/7/2007 3:09:14 PM

Quote :

"CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Carolina Panthers and star receiver Steve Smith came to terms on a three-year contract extension Tuesday that will keep him with the team through the 2012 season. Smith, one of the league's top receivers, had been hoping to get a new deal for some time and the Panthers had made a long-term deal one of their top priorities after they released veteran receiver Keyshawn Johnson last week. Smith, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, led the NFL with 103 catches for 1,563 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2005. His numbers declined last season as he finished with 20 fewer catches, 400 fewer receiving yards and four fewer touchdowns and Carolina finished a disappointing 8-8. The 28-year-old Smith was Carolina's third-round pick in 2001. Used primarily as a kick returner as a rookie, Smith became Carolina's go-to receiver in their Super Bowl season in 2003."

Smart move by the panthers. Dont even let him get close to free agency. I'm wondering how much more he is going to get paid now though...

5/8/2007 10:16:47 AM

it's probably laden with performance clauses. I'm glad we locked him up for a while.....now pepps.

5/8/2007 10:26:46 AM

six-year, $45 million contract (2nd highest paid WR in NFL behind Marvin Harrison)

5/8/2007 10:50:17 AM

Actually not as much as I thought it was gonna be. Considering the whole "OMG WE'RE RETOOLING THE ENTIRE OFFENSE AROUND THIS GUY" shit we've been hearing lately. I mean, the man is arguably the best in the league at his position.

5/8/2007 12:03:10 PM

he is arguably the best, but if the only other WR getting paid more is future HOFer Marvin Harrison, thats not exactly a slap in the face

5/8/2007 12:05:01 PM

i just hope he looses the leg injury bug.

5/8/2007 12:05:48 PM

bttt

7/30/2007 4:48:47 PM

DAAMMIIT WHERE DID THIS COME FROM



come on, u made this in april.
i guess i'll make one now entitled **Official 2008 Carolina Panthers Thread** and then bttt it next year


[Edited on July 30, 2007 at 4:52 PM. Reason : .]

7/30/2007 4:49:31 PM

I know this is pretty early but I am looking for a pair of tickets to the Panthers-Cowboys game. I am trying to be able to attend the game with a friend from out of state so I am looking early so he can book a flight. Ideally someone out there has plans for Christmas and won't need their tickets. If that's the case make me an offer. Thanks.

see my thread in classifieds

7/30/2007 10:25:22 PM

http://www.charlotte.com/sports/story/217871.html

Beason talks have stalled, agent says


dang

7/30/2007 11:05:30 PM

Panthers need to do bend a little and sign him so he doesn't miss any more camp

7/30/2007 11:19:18 PM

Diggs is OK for now.....we'll just need him when Morgan bruises his brain again.

7/31/2007 10:47:38 AM

Quote :

"-- Salley & Cooper Work with First Team -- Mon Jul 30, 2007 --from FFMastermind.com The Charlotte Observer reports Carolina Panthers SS Nate Salley and FS Deke Cooper worked with the first team on Monday as veteran FS Mike Minter strolled the sidelines. Salley and Cooper could open the regular season as starters, with Minter spending his final NFL season as a backup."

http://www.ffmastermind.com/teambits.php?team=CAR


Maybe Foxy knew something all of us didn't all along.

7/31/2007 10:53:55 AM

^ yeah. I could see how King is a better fit into the Zone blocking scheme. A receiving TE for the panthers maybe? naaaahh....

7/31/2007 11:00:59 AM

quick salary cap question. is the salary cap only affected by guaranteed money? or are incentives reflected in the calculation of the cap.

8/1/2007 11:31:31 AM

I think the cap is based on all money a player makes in a year....but with guaranteed money, you can apply certain portions to different years, even if it was pd up front.

8/1/2007 12:50:22 PM

just got back from training camp this afternoon. there were a lot of players that sat out or did not get many reps - minter, gamble, lucas, morgan, steve to name a few. they were playing....they just were letting the younger guys get more reps in the scrimmage.

drew carter looks like he is gonna be starting opposite steve from what i have heard previously and by what i saw at todays camp. he made 2 sweet catches for long yardage with a safety and corner on him both times.

carr really doesn't look that great right now. all his passes today were dump offs at or near the line of scrimmage when he couldn't find a open receiver. Basanez looked better than carr today, threading the needle several times to receivers in the middle of the field 20-30 yds away. Jake looked good, but nothing spectacular. jake is going to be the starter this whole year imo, unless carr makes up a lot of ground.

rucker has really come a long way on the torn acl. he was doing all the drills today and looked like he had a lot of confidence in his knee with his speed bursts and cuts during scrimmage.

maake and jenkins both look trimmer and a slight step quicker than last year.

seward could be a legitimate starter if morgan gets hurt. he won't make the same impact plays, but he was smart off the ball and always put himself in position to make the tackle. james anderson also saw a number of reps and he appeared to be decent.

all in all i wasn't blown away, but the team looked solid overall from what i saw.

8/1/2007 8:32:00 PM

8/2/2007 9:36:06 AM

Quote :

"PANTHERS HOPE TO SET A PRECEDENT A league source tells us that the Carolina Panthers are refusing to pay an option bonus to first-round draft pick Jon Beason because the Panthers hope to establish a precedent of paying no option bonus to any of its draft picks. Because teams now cannot recover all or part of an option bonus in the event of a holdout, suspension, or other default, the Panthers hope to never be in the position of not being able to recover money -- and/or to use the ability to recover money as a way to keep a player in line. The fact that the Panthers want to pay no option bonus at all to Beason has prompted speculation that the Panthers have a specific concern about the former Miami standout. Not so, said one league source with knowledge of Beason. The source said that Beason is a good kid and will not be a problem. The Panthers, we're told, want to have that structure in place on a year-in, year-out basis in the event that they ever are inclined to draft a guy who might become a problem down the road. Still, with G.M. Marty Hurney and coach John Fox widely believed to be on the hot seat, shouldn't they be more concerned about getting into camp a guy who might be able to help both of them keep their jobs, and less concerned about setting a precedent that they might not be there to continue?"

8/2/2007 2:06:54 PM

Not sure how I feel about this

[Edited on August 2, 2007 at 2:09 PM. Reason : x]

8/2/2007 2:09:17 PM

why do people continuously say that foxy is on the hot seat? He's the best thing that has ever happened to the panthers and deserves more credit than that.

8/2/2007 2:23:27 PM

does anybody know how long beason can hold out? i mean what happens if he holds out the whole year? do we still have rights to him next year or more? at what point do other teams have a shot at him?

8/2/2007 2:43:01 PM

http://www.nbc5.com/sports/13807072/detail.html

looks like we got our starting safety now

Bears trade Safety Chris Harris to Panthers for undisclosed draft pick

stats

http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/552524

8/2/2007 3:53:54 PM

sweet, I think I remember this guy being pretty good ( though its hard to look bad playing behind Urlacher)

I'm guessing this pick isn't a 6th or 7th rounder, probably more like a 3rd or 4th

but reading that article, it looks like he fell out of favor and was 3rd string for the bears, so we may have gotten him for a late draft pick afterall

[Edited on August 2, 2007 at 4:03 PM. Reason : x]

8/2/2007 4:01:17 PM

seems like a solid pickup...

Harris puts himself in position to succeed
By Larry Mayer


BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – Dirty Harry, the rough and tumble detective portrayed by actor Clint Eastwood, famously says in the movie “Magnum Force” that “a man has to know his limitations.”

Heeding those words of advice has helped safety Chris Harris overcome a lack of blazing speed and become a reliable hard-hitting playmaker who always seems to be around the ball.


Chris Harris has played 25 games with 20 starts in two seasons with the Bears.
“I know my limitations,” Harris said. “I know what I can and what I can’t do, so I try to be a smart football player. I’m not as fast as some other safeties, but I find a way to get myself in position. If I’m in the right position, I won’t have to worry about compensating with speed.

“I try my best to put myself in position to make a play.”

Harris has done just that, returning interceptions for touchdowns in back-to-back practices Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. The former came when he stepped in front of Rashied Davis to pick off Brian Griese and the latter occurred when he victimized Chris Leak.

After Harris intercepted the former Florida star Tuesday, fellow safety Mike Brown celebrated by starting the Florida State war chant accompanied by a tomahawk chop.

“Chris is smart,” said defensive backs coach Steven Wilks. “He understands the game. He’s always going to be in the right position at the right time. He’s been in the system for a while and it shows. Thus far we’re excited about the things we’ve seen in training camp from him.”

Harris is a big-time hitter who takes excellent angles and possesses a knack for making plays.

A sixth-round draft pick, Harris burst on the scene as a rookie, starting 13 games after supplanting veteran Mike Green at free safety following a Week 1 loss at Washington.

The 6-foot, 207-pounder from Louisiana-Monroe registered 70 tackles and three interceptions, including two in a Dec. 25 division-clinching win over future Hall of Famer Brett Favre and the Packers.

Harris found out how the other half lives last season when he was demoted from the No. 1 defense in favor of rookie second-round pick Danieal Manning after two regular season games.

Staying positive rather than pouting, Harris started the final five contests at strong safety after veteran Todd Johnson was sidelined with an ankle injury in a loss at New England. Harris had 38 tackles in those five games and intercepted a Peyton Manning pass in the Super Bowl.

This summer Harris again finds himself lining up with the second team in training camp behind Adam Archuleta, a veteran who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Washington Redskins. But Harris is focusing more on improving than complaining about his spot on the depth chart.

“It is what it is,” he said. “I didn’t want to come into camp with a negative attitude. I just come to work every day, work to get better with the different techniques they’re asking us to do, try to be more consistent and show them I’ve still got the juice.”

Harris, who has been taking reps at both safety positions, admits that being a non-starter provides extra incentive.

“There’s always more motivation when you’re working with the twos,” he said. “You’ve got to let them know that you’re still there, that you still can play and that nothing’s changed. I just look at it as a chance to better myself on the field.”

8/2/2007 4:52:46 PM

Eight under-the-radar rookies to watch

Quote :

"Ryne Robinson, Carolina, Kick Returner Though he may be fourth or fifth on the Panthers' wide receiver depth chart this season, Robinson should be the team's top kick and punt return man on opening day. Steve Smith can finally take a break. A star at Miami of Ohio, Robinson returned seven punts for touchdowns in his four years playing in the MAC. By his senior season, he was the nation's active punt return yardage leader (1,677). A two-sport athlete who also played baseball for the Redhawks, Robinson's already signed a four-year deal with the Panthers. He will electrify and excite the Carolina fans. No doubt about that. The question is just how many returns he'll take to the house this year."

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7085430

8/2/2007 5:36:11 PM

Quote :

"Flashback... Panthers @ Bears playoff game. Steve Smith's touchdown where he slides down the goal post like a fire pole. Rewind... who was that guy that got burned then slipped and fell in single coverage? Oops... that was Chris Harris. "

From charlotte.com

8/2/2007 11:13:35 PM

he didn't exactly get burnt by a slow tight end

8/3/2007 12:04:55 AM

Quote :

"Defense applies the pressure in Panthers goalline scrimmage By Steve Reed August 2, 2007 - 7:12PM SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The Carolina Panthers went to full contact goal-line drills on Thursday and the defense delivered a knockout blow to the offense. The Panthers ran 10 plays in all, with the offense scoring just once, the defense holding six times and three other plays resulting in penalties, including two on the line of scrimmage. Here’s how the 10-play drill went: 1. Kris Jenkins jumped off-sides, resulting in a penalty on the defense. 2. Deshaun Foster scored on a 2-yard touchdown run, going over left guard. 3. Jake Delhomme was flushed out of the pocket by defensive end Stanley McClover and forced to throw the ball away in the end zone. 4. With all of his receivers covered, Delhomme fired incomplete in the back of the end zone while under duress. 5. The offense was called for a false start. (The name of the guilty victim was unknown). 6. Middle linebacker Adam Seward, who filled in for Dan Morgan in this drill, absolutely blew up Eric Shelton at the line of scrimmage, knocking him back for no gain. 7. Running back Nick Goings was stuffed for a 4-yard loss by a host of defenders. 8. David Carr threw incomplete in the end zone, but it appeared safety Deke Cooper might have been called for a pass interference penalty. 9. Running back Michael Haynes was stopped just short of the goal line. 10. Cornerback Ken Lucas stuffs Haynes for a loss with an impressive hit. The defense literally mobbed Lucas. In fact, in one of the funnier moments of camp, McClover ran over and chest-butted Lucas, sending him flying about three yards back. Lucas, who came under criticism for his tackling a year ago, didn’t seem to mind. Nobody was more excited than him. Afterward, head coach John Fox acknowledged the defense got the better of the offense, although that isn’t unusual this early in training camp. “It’s usually energetic when you have a scrimmage,” Fox said. “It’s part of the tightrope you walk when you are getting guys ready. You don’t want to get them too banged up. We had about 10 plays and we came out of there pretty healthy.” "

http://www.gastongazette.com/sports/NFL_8068___article.html/panthers_lucas.html

just for the people that might have raised an eyebrow when i mentioned earlier that seward could fill in as a starter for dan if he were to be injured.

seward is also the guy that got in a fight with foster for a hard tackle. i think this guy could quickly become a fan favorite with his smarts and hard hits. the guy is also the quiet lunch pail type of guy, much like goings or hoover.

[Edited on August 3, 2007 at 9:06 AM. Reason : .]

8/3/2007 9:03:15 AM

Quote :

"SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mike Minter’s farewell season may be over before it begins. Minter dropped a bombshell on reporters Friday morning, announcing he’s contemplating retiring from the NFL before the start of the season because he’s unsure if his knees can withstand another year of pounding. “Yeah, I wouldn’t lie to you all, there is a possibility (I will retire),” Minter said after sitting out Friday morning’s practice. “I wouldn’t say I’m leaning toward that way, but is there a possibility? Yeah.” Minter, 33, has only participated in a handful of the team’s 11 practices so far this training camp, saying his knees are having trouble responding to the grind. Minter has endured three previous knee operations and said they're basically reduced to bone on bone with nothing in between to serve as a cushion. Minter, who took a $1.43 million pay cut to return to the Panthers, said he wanted to come to training camp to see how his body would hold up – and obviously it hasn’t as well as he’d hoped. “I’m sitting here and I’m looking at Week 12 right now and I’m saying, wow, if I feel like this bad right now in training camp, then Week 12 is going to be really bad,” Minter said. Minter said he would inform coach John Fox of his final decision before the end of training camp. “We have been in communication the whole time and he understands and he knows where I stand,” Minter said. “We’re just trying to see. It’s too early to right now to say what it is. So you go through a scrimmage and see how you react and go through a preseason game and see how you react… We’ll see how these knees react. Can they react right, can they get back strong, can I back-peddle, can I break down, can I do it every day – that is what I look at.” Minter has played 10 seasons for the Panthers and is the franchise’s all-time leading tackler. He said his body began to wear down late last season and he only practiced once a week, that being a light workout on Friday. “That is when it hit me,” Minter said. “Can I do this again and can I do it at a level that is acceptable to me? I wanted to come here to see that. I wanted to come into training camp and find that out.” Minter’s bombshell comes one day after the Panthers traded for safety Chris Harris from the Chicago Bears. If Minter retires, it will throw Carolina’s safety position into flux. Harris is expected to start at one position, but Minter’s retirement could open the door for Nate Salley, Deke Cooper or rookie C.J. Wilson. Salley is currently out of practice with a knee injury. With his eye toward retirement, Minter applauded the team’s decision to go after Harris. “There’s always a beginning and an end and you had better begin the beginning before the end is up,” he said. “So I think it’s smart for them to make a move to get a guy in here who has been in (big games).” "

interesting......

8/3/2007 1:46:01 PM

Quote :

"Minter has endured three previous knee operations and said they're basically reduced to bone on bone with nothing in between to serve as a cushion."

dont they put some kind of synthetic cartilage in for that type operation?

8/3/2007 1:48:01 PM

Yasinkas said in his blog on Charlotte.com that Minter would maybe be a backup with the addition of Harris...still, it'd be sad to see him go

Do you think we'd put his name up in the Ring of Honor with Mills and McCormack? He was was always very good for us, but never great. But he was here his whole career and is one of the most notable players in the teams brief history.

I thought they were gonna put Wesley's name up there, but they haven't yet, so I don't know about Minter.

8/3/2007 1:50:04 PM

minter will be in the panthers hof....in addition to the fact that he's played his whole career here and leads the teams all time list in tackles, he's does alot in the community, which is big with richardson.

8/3/2007 1:52:06 PM

ouch. aaand our pass defense gets weaker yet again....

8/3/2007 3:57:05 PM

i didn't expect too much from him this year anyway.....it might be a case of addition by subtraction.

8/3/2007 4:01:52 PM

Does anyone know when are they showing the Panthers huddle, and on what channel?

8/3/2007 4:26:45 PM

http://www.panthers.com/multimedia/default.aspx?id=1594

8/3/2007 4:40:00 PM

man there are so many things i'm upset at...i cant even begin.....

8/3/2007 9:11:57 PM

Quote :

"why do people continuously say that foxy is on the hot seat? He's the best thing that has ever happened to the panthers and deserves more credit than that."

8/3/2007 9:50:56 PM

Minter has been more of a liability for the past few years, especially last year, he has lost about 5 steps and has not been the tackler he was. He is making backup money, I guess when we traded for the new safety he figured he would be playing backup real soon....does he really want to do that after being starter all this time?

[Edited on August 4, 2007 at 5:26 PM. Reason : w]

8/4/2007 5:25:40 PM

jon beason holdout coming to a close, according to charlotte.com

he and his agent have flights to charlotte

8/4/2007 8:17:58 PM

good news if it's true.

8/4/2007 9:27:26 PM

Quote :

"According to a source with knowledge of flight schedules, Jon Beason and agent Michael Huyghue are booked on flights into Charlotte tonight. A league source said they’re expected to meet face to face with the Panthers on Sunday morning and all indications are a deal will be finalized then. Beason, the 25th overall pick, has missed eight days of training camp and 12 practices. If all goes as expected, Beason is likely to be on the field Monday morning when the Panthers return to practice. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "

8/4/2007 11:12:21 PM

Quote :

"....does he really want to do that after being starter all this time? "

minter is the type of player that will do anything to help out no matter what it is. there is a reason he is still playing for the league minimum while his knees are a concern. he is a extremely classy guy that wants to give back to the panthers any way he possibly can.

minter is one of my favorite panthers of all time for his awesome attitude and dedication.

8/4/2007 11:27:17 PM

Minter's early retirement would be a very sad thing, I'd love to see him play out this last season as he originally planned. Of course he probably knows what he's capable of, and if he says he's hurting I wouldn't want to force him to try and play. That said, Harris was a good pickup but I'm still a little unsure about how this will all shape up.

Quote :

"minter is one of my favorite panthers of all time for his awesome attitude and dedication."

Ditto.

8/4/2007 11:58:31 PM

still furshia, will you watch a panthers game with me this season?

8/5/2007 12:06:56 AM

Fox and Hurney ftmfw

Beason's black ass is finally in




also from Insider, for yall broke mofos

Quote :

"SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Five observations from Carolina Panthers training camp, gleaned from the team's Aug. 2-3 practices: 1. It all starts up front Despite finishing out of the playoffs in 2006, the Carolina defense still ranked No. 7 overall in the league. That's the unit's best position since it finished ninth in 2002, coach John Fox's initial season with the franchise. One problem, though, was Carolina's minus-5 turnover/takeaway differential, which was the seventh poorest in the league. Carolina registered only 22 takeaways, and only three teams had fewer than that. Whether the Panthers improve in that critical area this season remains to be seen, but at least in the early stages of camp, the defense has been dominant at times. As always with the Panthers, everything starts with their front four, and it remains both a powerful and versatile unit. In a Thursday afternoon full-contact goal-line drill that lasted 10 snaps, the defensive line not only penetrated often into the backfield, but also flashed pursuit skills and took on blockers, permitting linebackers to make stops as well. Left end Julius Peppers, who figures to soon land a monster contract extension, appears geared up for a huge season. Tackle Kris Jenkins, who skipped all of the voluntary offseason workouts, reported in surprisingly good condition, relatively speaking. And right end Mike Rucker, who underwent knee surgery only in January, seems to have made a remarkable recovery, even though he is still working in just one practice daily. Keep an eye on second-year end Stanley McClover, a seventh-round pick in 2006 who has added nearly 20 pounds to his once lean frame. The former Auburn standout has some upfield explosiveness, and should be a factor in pass-rush situations. 2. O-line once again healthy In last year's season opener, the offensive line lost two starters, left tackle Travelle Wharton (anterior cruciate ligament) and center Justin Hartwig (groin), for the year and never really recovered. The departure of Wharton was especially critical, since some coaches privately felt he was the Panthers' best lineman. It also forced Carolina to move right tackle Jordan Gross to the left side, where he simply isn't as effective. General manager Marty Hurney has worked hard to build depth and, while the Panthers would have to scramble if one of their tackles went down with an injury, they have assembled a lot of interior players now. Jeremy Bridges, who was signed off the street last year because of the injuries and started 14 games at right tackle, is now the right guard. Left guard Mike Wahle is one of the best in the league. Geoff Hangartner, who started 15 games at center in 2006 after Hartwig went down, and third-year guard Evan Mathis, are reserves now. Center Ryan Kalil of Southern California was a steal in the second round, one of the top linemen overall in the 2006 draft class, but looks undersized. 3. Still searching for a second receiver Two years ago, Steve Smith accounted for over 60 percent of the Panthers' wide receivers' catches, yards and touchdowns. The wide receiving corps was suspect beyond him, but Carolina was 11-5 and came within a game of advancing to the Super Bowl. Last season, the front office attempted to complement their mighty-mite star by adding Keyshawn Johnson to the wideout mix. The result: Smith had only 43.2 percent of the catches by wide receivers, and 47.3 percent of the yards, but the Panthers were just 8-8. Go figure. Smith is explosive enough to take over games all by himself, but last year's results aside, the Panthers have to develop a threat at the "Z" receiver spot at some point. Three candidates -- young veterans Keary Colbert and Drew Carter and rookie second-round Dwayne Jarrett -- are vying for the right to start opposite Smith. The competition is wide open and the coaches hope someone emerges in the preseason. Carter is showing signs of being more than just a straight-line deep threat, but Colbert, who caught 47 passes as a rookie in 2004 but has just 30 catches in the two years since, still seems to be struggling to get out of neutral. The long, lean Jarrett could be the answer, but the former Southern California star still appears a bit tentative. He did, however, flash some run-after-catch abilities, especially between the hashes, in the Friday morning practice. Although not a candidate to start, one sleeper might be Taye Biddle, a second-year player who played in just two games in 2006 and had three catches. He's a guy the coaches definitely like. 4. Carr a steady ride at backup Five-year veteran David Carr, the first player chosen overall in the 2002 draft, and with 75 starts on his résumé, has really fit in nicely here and provides the Panthers a quality backup quarterback. Carr isn't challenging incumbent Jake Delhomme for the No. 1 job, and may not, but he has thrown the ball well and looks very comfortable. Sacked a remarkable 249 times during his five years with the Houston Texans, he seems to be over that ordeal. His new teammates like Carr a lot and Carolina officials still can't believe that more teams didn't pursue Carr was the Texans released him. He's a very nice insurance policy, and tremendous addition by Hurney and Fox. 5. Pyschology 101 Fox is keeping a close eye on issues of health and psyche in this camp. The Panthers had starters miss 80 games in 2006, the second-most in the league, and it clearly disrupted the season. And so there are a lot of players right now, guys like Wharton and Rucker, who are working just one practice per day. The staff is also closely monitoring middle linebacker Dan Morgan, who played in only one game in '06 because of his latest concussion incident. One of the NFL's fastest middle 'backers when he is on the field, Morgan has missed 40 games in six seasons because of injuries. Fox is working him slowly into contact drills. So far, so good. "Every time you throw him out there, you hold your breath," Fox allowed. As for psyche, well, there's some potential for concern there on a lot of fronts, but it has yet to be a problem. Some of the issues: Delhomme having a former starter, in Carr, backing him up now. There's certainly no sign, early on, that Delhomme is playing with his head on a swivel. Carr, who has always been the No. 1 guy, in a support role now. Jenkins, who wants a new contract, and probably realizes that isn't going to happen this year. Cornerback Ken Lucas, who made a huge hit on the final play of Thursday's goal-line session, coming off a miserable 2006 season in which he was benched for a while. For now, Fox seems to have a handle on all of it."

[Edited on August 5, 2007 at 11:39 AM. Reason : x]

8/5/2007 11:36:16 AM

also about zone blocking

Quote :

"SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Leaning back in his office chair, his feet planted on the edge of his desk following a crisp Thursday afternoon practice, punctuated by a goal-line drill in which the Carolina Panthers' defense dominated, coach John Fox insisted that he and his staff are "not trying to reinvent the wheel" in 2007. But in attempting to re-energize an offense which ranked 24th in the league in 2006, didn't knock many opponents off the line of scrimmage, and averaged 7.6 points per game fewer than it had in the previous season, Fox has dramatically overhauled his staff and tweaked some philosophies. Observation deck Packers With the Panthers' D looking strong as usual, coach John Fox is looking for a No. 2 wideout and just keeping an eye on the health and psyche of the club. Check out what else Len Pasquarelli observed at Panthers camp. • Observation deck • Training camp index Gone is legendary offensive coordinator Dan Henning, who had been calling the shots on that side of the ball since Fox landed the Carolina gig in 2002. Out as well is offensive line coach Mike Maser, who had served in that capacity for all but one season of Fox's tenure. In is new coordinator Jeff Davidson and, with him, a zone-blocking scheme that the Panthers' brass feels is a better fit for the talents of the Carolina offensive linemen and running backs. Unlike the Denver Broncos, the Panthers won't sell out totally to a design in which the blockers "cut" the defenders, particularly on the backside of a play. Davidson has retained some of the power-based and man-to-man blocking techniques, and kept portions of the gap- and counter-style blocking that Carolina used in the past. Still, there is a pretty big dose of cut-blocking being installed here with the hopes that if the Panthers can get into a zone, they'll get more often into the end zone in 2007. "People have made a lot out of it, probably more than it deserves, but really, we just feel it fits better with our linemen and with their strengths," Fox said. "It's not like we're doing it on every play, like some of the teams that live and die with it, and don't know anything but zone-blocking. We're not being (fanatical) with it. But (Davidson) knows it, it's what he likes, and he believes in it." While the transition to the zone-blocking package is very much a work in progress, Carolina players are beginning to believe in it, too. "Backs like it because it gives you a lot more options for reading the hole and finding the 'mesh point.' Linemen seem to like it because, if the back does what he's supposed to do, the offensive linemen always look right, and the defense often looks (silly)," said second-year tailback DeAngelo Williams, the 2006 first-rounder who played in zone-blocking scheme at the University of Memphis, a system that made him the fourth-leading rusher in NCAA history. "So, yeah, if we do it right, it will help us a lot." Coming off a 2006 campaign in which the offense was sporadic, and finished in the bottom half of the league's statistical rankings for a second straight year, the Panthers need some help, it seems, to get back on track. Last season clearly was an enigmatic and confusing one. The Panthers had exactly the same number of first downs (278) as they did in 2005, and their total offensive output in terms of yardage was just 27 yards less than the previous season. They averaged 3.9 yards per run, a half-yard improvement over 2005. But the offense registered 64 fewer rushing plays than in 2005, and the ground attack managed only an anemic 1,079 yards, nearly 600 yards less than in the 2005 season. Part of the disparity can be attributed to game situations, since the Panthers often played from behind, and were forced to throw the ball. Fox, though, isn't using that as a crutch for the shortcomings of his offense. "We just didn't run the ball enough," he said. "And when we did run it, we didn't run it efficiently enough." For the Carolina offense to succeed, Fox and general manager Marty Hurney emphasized, it's imperative the running game get into high gear. Quarterback Jake Delhomme is most effective when bolstered by a strong ground attack. Wide receiver Steve Smith's potential for big, vertical plays is enhanced by a running game that the opposition defense is forced to honor. And there is simply a natural rhythm to the way this team likes to use its personnel that flows better when the ground game is in concert. Thus, the implementation of the zone-blocking scheme, which can be a demanding one to assimilate. The basic zone-blocking tenets force the linemen to work more in tandem on blocks, emphasize getting out to the second level to block linebackers, and stress the need to seal off the backside so that runners can cut back into the void. Standout right tackle Jordan Gross said the changes in the Carolina system have forced the linemen to study harder, take more notes, review considerable video of other zone-blocking teams in the league. But the benefits, he said, are beginning to show, even early in camp. "As a lineman, it allows you to come off the ball hard, full-tilt all the way," Gross said. "And the bootlegs and play-action stuff all looks more real, because it spins off the running game, so that makes pass protection a little easier." Certainly there are ancillary benefits, as well, to the zone-blocking package. Defensive linemen in the league universally detest the blocking design because its emphasis on cut-blocking and chopping players on the backside of plays imperils their knees. And so there is a natural tentativeness on the part of defenders when they play zone-blocking offenses. There has been no hesitancy from Panthers blockers and runners, though, in buying into the new design. Davidson has sold it well, and as the Panthers continue to work out the kinks in camp, it is growing on them. "Myself, I believe in an 'adapt and adopt' philosophy, you know?" said Williams, who rushed for 501 yards in his debut season, and expects more while playing in the time-sharing arrangement with starter DeShaun Foster. "We're adapting pretty well to the changes, and I think guys are really embracing it as something we can be good at, really.""

8/5/2007 11:40:37 AM

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers rookie Jon Beason ended his eight-day holdout Sunday when he signed a five-year contract that includes more than $6 million in guaranteed money.

Agent Michael Huyghue said Beason, the 25th pick in the draft, will get a $3.2 million signing bonus to make up for the lack of a second-year option bonus, which was the main stumbling block in the negotiations.

8/5/2007 2:37:39 PM