Panthers plan to keep Rucker

SCOTT FOWLER
[email protected]
The Carolina Panthers plan to keep veteran defensive end Mike Rucker for the 2007 season despite speculation to the contrary, Panthers general manager Marty Hurney told The Observer on Wednesday night.

"We're hoping Mike Rucker can come back full-strength next season," Hurney said, "and he's definitely in our plans. Mike Rucker typifies what we want in both a player and a person."

Rucker turns 32 next week and is coming off recent surgery after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He also has a $6.9-million salary-cap figure for 2007 at the moment -- third-highest on the team behind Julius Peppers and Jake Delhomme.

But Rucker's knee rehab is going well, the defensive end said Wednesday night. And if the Panthers restructure his contract -- an extension would be necessary to do so -- his cap number could be reduced.

"There's still a lot of tread left on my tires," Rucker said. "I plan to be fully ready for 2007."

Rucker had surgery on his ACL in early January. He now walks without a limp or a brace and goes to rehab sessions five days a week with the Panthers training staff. Rucker said he expects his knee to be 100 percent by no later than August.



Read Scott Fowler's sports column in tomorrow's Charlotte Observer for more on this developing story.

 

We do need to restructure. From everything I've heard, he seems to be on schedule. I'm happy with the decision. Without him, we would awfully thin at DE.

 

He's certainly one of the best players and best guys we've ever had, but I'm really worried this could come back to haunt us big time.

 

I'd be willing to nearly guarantee that he won't be here at that cap figure. But it's good that they expect they can get something done.

 

I would be happy to see them extend him out a few years so he can finish his career here as long as the numbers are not huge. I would hate to give him a huge bonus not knowing how well he will be able to play coming off a major knee injury.

I would rather give him some decent money than to chase a free agent or use our first round pick on a DE.

 

this wouldn't keep us from getting a first rounder. As of right now we're still in need, and with Rucker's age/injury it would be smart to have enough depth.

 

With the money and draft picks we have tied up in the DL already combined with the holes at safety and linebacker I really hope we do not draft a DE in round one.

 

I kinda hope we do. End isn't that deep at all in the draft, if you want a complete player. I don't want to spend huge on a DE next year, and I don't want to nickel and dime a bunch of situational people hoping that every one of them do, in fact, work out.

And the money we put into the line is for a reason. The line's most of why we do stop the run well year in and year out, IMO.

 

You mentioned you didn't like Carriker. Who do you like at 14?

 

I would rather see us get a real player at safety instead of using scrubs and if Draft leaves our linebackers are really thin. I would rather fill one of those holes and have to use situational DEs than to leave those holes open. An average DE should do pretty well on our defense with Peppers drawing so much attention to the other side.