Quote :

"Geoff Hangartner, the team's top remaining unrestricted free agent, is not expected to re-sign with the Carolina Panthers today barring a dramatic turn of events. "He will test the free agent market," his agent Eric Metz said Thursday morning. "That's the way it looks now. He likes Carolina but he's going to see what else is out there." It was expected Hangartner would explore the market once the team signed offensive tackle Jordan Gross to a long-term contract, thus finalizing the team's starting offensive line. Although Hangartner plays a different position than Gross, the money the team gave to Gross doesn't leave much under the salary cap with which to convince Hangartner to stay."

2/27/2009 2:37:19 PM

^BIG loss.

2/27/2009 2:43:01 PM

it hurts our o-line depth but it was pretty much a given that he was good enough to start somewhere else and that he wouldnt be here next year

2/27/2009 3:04:21 PM

yeah, but he's almost as good as having 2-3 reserves since he can play mult. spots (w/o a drop off in talent)....should've made it a priority to keep him.

2/27/2009 3:24:54 PM

he wouldve commanded too much money for a backup...i wouldve liked to have kept him but we'll pick up a free agent lineman or two at some point to reestablish the depth

2/27/2009 3:26:17 PM

I know, but i remember the years when 1 or 2 key staring linemen injuries screwed us.

2/27/2009 3:30:29 PM

It was a huge advantage only needing to dress 7 linemen per game with Hangman and Bridges. That's what allowed us to keep specialists like Lloyd, Kyle, and Jones. I still can't figure out why CHI paid so much for Omiyale but we weren't going to keep him for much more than the league minimum anyhow.

The coaching staff clearly saw something in Bernadeau last year, hopefully he will take over for Hangman at G/C and we can grab a decent tackle in the middle of the draft. Sucks that Bridges got in trouble with the law at the end of last season, I'm guessing that's why he ended up getting cut.

2/27/2009 3:42:32 PM

for somebody like hangartner, who we KNEW was going to get signed by another team, why didnt we do what we did with jeff king and get ourselves a free 2nd round pick out of it?

2/27/2009 4:30:50 PM

it's because he is not a restricted free agent like King is.

2/27/2009 5:19:35 PM

ah

2/27/2009 5:21:24 PM

well the trade with philly for Otah really is huge for us right now.... that guy will be healthier and more experienced next year and we need him to be in there more than ever now

2/28/2009 10:20:36 AM

Hangartner signed with the Bills. No depth left on the Oline.

2/28/2009 5:09:02 PM

Ken Lucas cancelled a deal that would have sent him to the Lions a few days ago. This now increases the chances that he is just going to be released.

2/28/2009 11:16:04 PM

Patriots | To make run at Peppers?
Mon, 02 Mar 2009 05:55:48 -0800

John Tomase, of the Boston Herald, reports the New England Patriots could attempt to make a run at Carolina Panthers DL Julius Peppers with the cap money they saved and the draft pick acquired in the trade of QB Matt Cassel and LB Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs.

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/football/patriots/view/2009_03_02_Julius_Peppers_hot_item:_DE_would_fit_Patriots_mold/


Pep is about to go join the darkside for maybe a first and 2nd.

3/2/2009 2:30:25 PM

Guy Reports That He Totally Thinks The Patriots Should Sign Peppers

3/2/2009 3:17:54 PM

^I don't know if the Patriots will give up both a first and a second round pick.

3/2/2009 4:17:24 PM

My bad. That was in response to Ribs.

3/2/2009 4:18:52 PM

id take a 1st and 2nd in a heartbeat (so long as it is the 2nd acquired from the chiefs)

3/2/2009 8:06:21 PM

Darin Gantt was talking about that the other day...I just like the fact that now that Haynesworth is signed, he is the big name out there and is getting talked about, which makes me feel better about our chances of finding a team willing to give him a huge expensive deal

3/2/2009 8:08:21 PM

Quote :

"^I don't know if the Patriots will give up both a first and a second round pick."

It was rumored on carolinahuddle.com to be the 23rd and 34th pick if it went down like that

3/2/2009 10:14:22 PM

hell, if they want Pep, they might agree to two 1st-round picks

after all, odds are their 1st round pick next year is about 31st

its not like the lions trading a 1st round pick

[Edited on March 2, 2009 at 10:16 PM. Reason : .]

3/2/2009 10:15:58 PM

My bet is that the Patriots will want him on a long term deal, so if there is any truth to them being interested, it would be more likely to be in the form of them tendering a contract offer and giving up the two first round compensatory picks as opposed to making a trade.

3/2/2009 10:18:06 PM

i doubt they would trade 2 1st round picks, but im just saying if anybody would, it might be the pats...they are constantly making trades to stay young and cap friendly, trading down draft picks...they might trade away 1st round picks simply so they don't have to deal with adding new 1st round salaries

still something is bothering me...i've seen the peppers to pats rumors and pep had his "mystery AFC team" that he would want to play for, and as much as I dislike Belichik, I respect the shit out of him as a football coach and a football mind...i'd imagine peppers also does, so it might happen

however...i've also heard that belichik doesnt really like peppers...he and the pats are known for "nobody is above the team" (except tom brady, but cassell went 11-5 last year)...they routinely release players who want too much money and make the best of who they do have...they are an extremely well run franchise, i cant deny that...but in superbowl 38, pep pretty much got shut down...they just engaged him quickly so he couldnt use his speed...he doesnt have the will to blast out of that unless he's all provoked which seldom happens...Pep, for all his athleticism and physical talent, has weak pass rushing techniques...if he can get around the lineman with his speed, he can make plays...if he is forced to play physically in the trenches, he is average...belichik might think he can coach his potential up, and if anybody can its probably him, but as much sense as this deal makes, i dont see it happening

--

i just checked...he had a whopping TWO TACKLES in superbowl xxxviii

[Edited on March 2, 2009 at 10:32 PM. Reason : .]

3/2/2009 10:29:13 PM

^I don't know. They could just trade for him and then sign him to an extension. Same result. And if they give up the first and second round pick in the trade, it would be giving up less than the two first rounders when they just sign him to a contract.

3/2/2009 10:31:56 PM

i dont think we'll get 2 first rounders for him, i just think if any team could afford to give up 2 first rounders, it would be new england, for how they stockpile picks

they did clear up a good bit of cap room getting rid of vrabel and cassell, so they seem to be looking for room to sign some free agent(s)

3/2/2009 10:33:50 PM

Pat Yasinskis on espn.com said that there is a possibility that the Panthers could pursue Vonnie Holliday as a possible DE at a cheap price.

3/2/2009 10:35:44 PM

he used to work at the charlotte observer...he left for a better job since the observer is going down the shitter...i trust what he says

we certainly need to add at least one DE and one DT, especially if peppers gets moved

of course we wont have the cap room to pick up quality free agent d-lineman until we get rid of Pep.

[Edited on March 2, 2009 at 10:37 PM. Reason : ,]

3/2/2009 10:36:53 PM

I don't think Carolina will look at free agents if even they trade Pep. I think they will draft a replacement. I really like Brian orakpo from texas. Seems to have the ability to be a good pass rusher in the NFL. Only problem is that I dont know if he will be able to be a DE because of his rush defense abilities and he will probaly go high in the draft.

3/2/2009 10:42:08 PM

The possible combo of Holliday and Orakpo would make a good DE. Holliday on run downs and Orakpo on pass rush situations.

3/2/2009 10:43:47 PM

we seem like the type of team that likes to build through both free agency and the draft...we've gotten good players like beason and gross through the draft, but gotten some nice free agents like chris harris and maake as well...i definitely see us drafting mostly defensive players, but i also dont think a defensive minded coach like fox is going to trust a couple rookie starting defensive linemen especially if pep is gone

we'll have decent cap room to sign a couple free agents if/when we move pep

[Edited on March 2, 2009 at 10:45 PM. Reason : .]

3/2/2009 10:44:32 PM

^Good point. Only one change, we traded for Harris for a draft pick (third or fourth round). But, we seem to do a better job at getting talent throught the draft more often that high priced free agents. Also, I don't really see a great DE in free agency right now for Carolina to get.

3/2/2009 10:49:30 PM

theres always weighing the two options of a proven veteran versus an unproven rookie, with the potential to be better than the veteran...the chiefs got matt cassel (and vrabel) for a 2nd round pick...i'm not drinking the cassel kool aid yet, still not sure if his numbers were him, or moss, belichik, welker, etc, but all that aside, i'd definitely trust his NFL quarterbacking abilities over your average 2nd round QB draft pick

depending on what we can get for pep will dictate our draft and FA moves...if we can get a top 10 or 12 pick this year, maybe get the DE out of georgia tech...but if we get a 23rd pick or something, we might try to pick up a FA def end...i just want something with pep to happen well before the draft to give us time to get free agents and plan on our draft more accordingly

3/2/2009 10:53:49 PM

Yeah, Michael Johnson out of GT is a Pep-like athlete. But, I just don't see a good free agent DE left.

Heres a link to the list on d-line free agents
http://www.nfl.com/freeagency#players-tab-set-1:players-grid-container-position/players-list-links-position:pos-dl

3/2/2009 10:59:50 PM

nice link

i wouldnt mind jason taylor for a year, but you know he'll get hurt, and more importantly he wants way too fucking much money...still there are some serviceable guys on that list...i wish i could see which players were starters versus reserves...i just think theres something to be said for getting some serviceable guys who have proven over a few years that they can play in the nfl, compared to some rookies, especially when the rookies arent going to be top 20 pick rookies who should pan out...

and we're pretty solid offensively...i wouldnt mind some offensive line depth and either another TE option, or for King or Rosario or the 6'8" soon-to-be-2nd-year-player out of Louisville to step up, but our offense is nice...We had arguably the best running game in the league last year, and Jake isn't a great QB but he wins more than he loses...and he was integral in winning the first 2 games of the year when Smitty was suspended and wasn't there to "bail him out all the time"

Even though Pep isn't worth 16.8 million / year, he is still a good player and we need to add some pieces to the d-line

hell, we need d-line help even if Pep plays for us next year, we gave up 30+ points like 6 of the last 8 games or something...pathetic

[Edited on March 2, 2009 at 11:21 PM. Reason : .]

3/2/2009 11:09:28 PM

i think everyone knows pep isnt a long term solution.... maybe hurney & co. are thinking he will put up another monster year to raise his price tag for the following year?

still... if the offseason ends without us making moves to assure the future of our D-line, I will be very dissappointed.....

3/2/2009 11:51:57 PM

^I agree. We need to upgrade the d-line because it is a staple of the John Fox system. Pep will be gone sometime, Brayton isn't that great, and I don't know how good Johnson can be (he has shown quite a bit of ability though). And at dt Kemo's good but he could use some help because Lewis is decent but not great.

We fix our d-line then it instantly helps our secondary that was exposed late in the season.

3/3/2009 11:37:23 AM

Diggs restructured, 3 others get increases

The Carolina Panthers created some salary cap room by extending and restructuring the contract of linebacker Na'il Diggs, which helped offset a combined cap growth of $2.8 million to the 2009 base salaries of running back Jonathan Stewart, linebacker Thomas Davis and defensive end Tyler Brayton due to contract accelerators they earned last season, according to NFL Players Association documents.

Stewart, Davis and Brayton had escalators in their contracts to reward them for things such as statistical achievments, playing time, performance, etc. Stewart, who rushed for a team rookie record of 836 yards and scored 10 touchdowns, earned an additional $1 million to raise his '09 base salary from $1.74 million to $2.74 million. Davis, who ranked second on the team with 136 tackles, more than tripled his '09 base salary from $700,000 to $2.2 million.

Brayton earned $300,000 in escalators, the maximum his contract allowed, to increase his '09 base pay from $1.8 million to $2.1 million. He started all 16 games last season, totalling a career-high 4 1/2 sacks and 59 tackles, just two shy of the career high he set as a rookie with Oakland in 2003.

Diggs' contract was due to expire in 2010, but was extended to 2014. He likely received some guaranteed money to be prorated over the life of the new contract and thus provide salary cap relief. His '09 base salary dropped by $725,00 from $1.65 million to $925,000, and went down from $2 million in 2010 to $855,000.

The Panthers previously extended the contracts of defensive tackles Damione Lewis and Maake Kemoeatu in similar fashion for cap help, stretching them from 2010 to 2014.

3/3/2009 1:09:50 PM

Quote :

"Now that QB Matt Cassel has been dealt to the Kansas City Chiefs, trade speculation has shifted to another franchised player, Carolina Panthers DE Julius Peppers. Yet the two situations are as different as the two players. Peppers has a franchise tender and cannot be traded until he signs it, which means any trade discussions must go through his agent, Carl Carey. Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Carolina is prohibited from discussing a deal for Peppers with another team. If the Panthers did, it immediately would bring an NFL Players Association grievance. Cassel had a signed contract and was trade-able, just like any other player with his contract. Once he signed the franchise tender, he forfeited his rights to broker a deal. It’s why the Patriots were able to trade Cassel to the Chiefs on Saturday morning without the blessing of the quarterback and his representative. These are minor points but points of clarity. New England was able to trade Cassel. Carolina cannot trade Peppers — not until he has signed his franchise tender, which he has not. And it’s hard to envision finding a team that would satisfy Peppers’ wishes and the Panthers’ asking price. "

3/3/2009 10:24:18 PM

FINALLY TORRY HOLT HAS REQUESTED TO BE RELEASED BY THE RAMS!!!

DO IT, PANTHERS. DOOO ITTTT..

3/5/2009 5:00:12 PM

Not really needed ... Moose is still solid and Jarrett is coming along. I wouldn't mind signing Holt though.

3/5/2009 5:59:33 PM

I don't need an extra inch on my cock either, but I wouldn't turn it down if the price was right

3/5/2009 6:00:40 PM

its kinda funny that when Holt said he wanted to finish his career with the Panthers, he said something about joining his brother and the Panthers

We cut Terrence like 2 weeks later

3/5/2009 6:07:00 PM

^^^ Jarrett is coming along, huh? Yeah, that big jump from 6 catches in his rookie year to 10 catches last year shows that he is destined for stardom

The Panthers should just avoid former Trojan receivers like the plague. Colbert, Keyshawn, Jarrett... they've all been crap for the team.

3/5/2009 6:18:41 PM

ive always talked about how terrible roy williams is in coverage.. but i think he would be a good addition to our secondary... get that nasty marlon mccree complex back in them

3/5/2009 6:29:19 PM

Quote :

"Jarrett is coming along, huh?"

god damn right he is, did you watch him play last year compared to his rookie year?

1. he was the 4th string WR on the top rushing team in the NFL
2. the coaches preferred playing dj hackett so he could get hurt and stay hurt (basically because hackett was making more money, regardless of the fact that jarrett is better)
3. 9 of his 10 catches were for first downs, most of them on 3rd down plays, most of them going across the middle, getting hit, and always holding onto the ball

but keep hatin


[Edited on March 5, 2009 at 6:32 PM. Reason : .]

3/5/2009 6:29:49 PM

I completely agree.

Jarrett only had 10 catches, but for the most part they were difficult catches. He did drop a touchdown or two, but usually when he was getting the shit knocked out of him at the same time.
It's hard to have more than 10 catches when you don't get thrown the ball often. As a 4th receiver...well, you figure it out.

3/5/2009 8:30:35 PM

i thought he might have been a bust after his rookie year, but i think he's a little slow and it just took him awhile to figure out the playbook, and probably the NFL game speed in general...but he most definitely made progress last year, despite his low stats...I only hope I'm right as far as Hackett getting more PT because of his contract, and that its not some type of attitude issue with the coaches and Jarrett

Jarrett would come into the game for like 6 plays total, they'd throw to him once or twice on 3rd down, he'd catch the pass(es) and then the next week he wouldnt see a single snap...i never understood it

[Edited on March 5, 2009 at 9:46 PM. Reason : .]

3/5/2009 9:45:18 PM

Jarrett has shown some promise, but Jake has to gain trust in him before he will pass it to him a lot. Sometimes I believe Jake would rather force it to Steve than maybe look for the open guy. Jarrett's a big target and Jake seems to throw the ball high a lot. So once Jarrett gets more pt and Jake trusts him, then i could see him having a breakout season.

Also I don't think we need to spend what little money we have on Roy Williams or Holt (unless Holt's price is really resonable). We need to upgrade the d-line and find a guy who can cover more than those two guys. And Williams would be an extreme liability in the Tampa 2 system that we are going to run.

3/6/2009 12:45:51 AM

i really think Torry is going to end up here

3/6/2009 8:42:41 AM

Yeah, I mean, he's said in the past he wants to play for us

I know we have Moose as a solid #2, but Torry Holt....

certainly a decent receiving corps if we want to try a new qb in the next few years...

3/9/2009 9:54:11 PM