Richardson, Fox and Hurney retreat

It was reported he wanted to bring players together and encourage leadership. If leadership is what you want, I think you want it on all sides and as quiet a Pep is, you'd want an additional defensive player. If it was just to have fun then it doesn't matter but if he's trying to get players to lead, you need several on both sides of the ball and let's throw in special teams too. Just my feeling.

 

I'd bet it's more about entertaining his top paid employees than encouraging leadership.

 

In one of the articles, Hurney describes the 2 days as intense. I like that. I think Gannt said a source said the coaches think 8 positions need upgrading. Last year they seemed to think it was only a couple. So there are some good signs. I just don't want them to think they're really good, and they don't have to improve.

 

here's Gantt's article on the meeting

http://www.heraldonline.com/247/story/277677.html

not just 8 positions, but 8 STARTING positions that need an upgrade. That's a pretty tall order given our cap situation.

 

We're not talking 8 50 million players.

And, take care of Peppers and prorate Smith's bonus, and you're halfway there already. The cap will be OK.

 

My point was they aren't talking about retooling here or there, they're talking about rebuilding. We had 18 roster spots to fill going in and it sounds as if they're planning to add a few more to that now making what little money we'll have after doing what you suggest not go as far.

 

They aren't in catastrophic trouble, though. They have a franchise player worth a pretty big portion of the cap all by himself.

I don't get it. Worry about not improving the team, and then worry when they quietly suggest they will.

 

maybe it's because with their track record I have no confidence they can do what they say with the money they'll have. It's one thing to say they'll find the money, it's another to actually come up with it. They'll overpay some one causing them to be forced to bargain shop somewhere else and the upgrade will be some one slightly better but still not good enough to make a real difference.

 

fair enough, I know where you're coming from, but it's just not that realistic IMO to yell at them from both ends.

 

Thinking about the eight
Submitted by Darin on Wed, 2008-01-09 12:14.
As we mentioned in the paper the other day, the Panthers coaching staff has suggested after the annual evaluation meetings that there are eight starting positions which need upgrading this offseason.

Upon thinking about it, at least five of them are fairly clear. But the rest might start cutting into some longtime favorites, and some guys who have achieved at a high level here.

It's clear that LT's one of them, and at least one G (Mike Wahle's showing his age, and has reached the cut-able portion of his contract). WR is obvious. RDE too, and FS.