Just some thoughts...

[finleye]

I recently found this board, and really like it. There seems to be more technical knowledge of the game here, more so by far than any other board I have come across so far, and that really appeals to me. Along those lines, I'll just throw out a few questions that I have had for a while now, but have been unable to get satisfactory answers to due to a lack of respectable observers of the game at the other sources of information. Anyway, here goes nothin':

1) To start the year, we had 9 defensive lineman on our 53-man roster last year (Peppers, Jenkins, Buckner, Rucker, Wallace, Moorehead, O. Jordan, Duckett, Rassmussen, while Carstens was on the practice squad). But, if Burton had not gotten hurt, he would have had Duckett's spot in the roster, right? And had the Rod Walker experiment panned out, would he have taken Jordan's spot? Also, had Pittman not gotten hurt again, would we have had one less DT or would we have taken 10 DLineman on the roster?

Basically, I think that the Panthers want another end, preferably one that is stout against the run, to backup Peppers which would allow Wallace to concentrate on the RDE position while occasionally filling in as a rush tackle. And in order to do that, wouldnt we need only one backup DT for Buckner's spot, rather than the backup-by-committee approach that we had last year with the Jordan/Cartens tandem?

In 2003, we had Jenkins, Buckner, Burton, and Moorehead at DT and Pep, Ruck, Wallace, Rassmussen, and Pittman to begin the season, but i think once Pittman went on IR we stayed at 8 DLineman and went with an extra LB, maybe, to help cover for Fields's vacancy.

So, what do the Panthers want, ideally, for the D-Line this year? Another solid DT (and would it have to be a day 1 pick?) so we can carry only 4 DT's, along with another solid strongside end to round out the depth there, and allow Rassmussen to focus on ST? Or would they consider carrying 10, with another DT on the the roster?

Who can still be signed to the practice squad? I'm pretty sure Cartens and Isaac Hilton still can, but what about Omari Jordan, Cleveland Pinkney, and Eddie Freeman? Who is the best DT prospect at this point, Jordan, Pinkney, or Freeman (I know no one will know this, but im just throwing it out there)?

Would Marcus Spears be a great option for us due to his ability (or perceived ability) to play both DT and strongside end? Could Spears play Buckner's DT position, or is he strictly an undertackle? Hypothetically, who would be a better fit for us, Travis Johnson, Marcus Spears, Antaaj Hawthorne, Mosley from Iowa, Ronald Fields, Luis Castillo (sp?), or someone else?

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[The Brain]

For starters I think Peppers showed better ability at stopping the run than he has in the past. That more than anything was probably his most improved aspect of last year. Which I think lets them go with Wallace and Ras as the backups at DE.

I personally would like to see them address DT due to Buckner's age and the lack of quality depth. I like Moorehead, but as I've said before I'd like to see a bigger run stuffing style DT brought in to pair up with Jenkins. I really like the prospect of Hawthorne due to this.

 

[magnus]

point 1 - I see a lot more tackles on there than ends. And none between Duckett (all hype), Jordan and Carstens (sucked against the run) worked out, so none should really be counted on. So I gotta assume there's a need for a tackle than an end - a pick gives us 4, and if a 5th works out, we keep him. Freeman should compete with the above scrubs.

At end we've got 3 starting level players and Rasmussen, a ST fixture, so there's no huge need there.

There's always a tweener like Spears, but he's not strong enough to stay inside, and we don't need that end badly enough to put 14 into him.

 

[Reznor]

I'd like to have a big old Ted Washington or that fat fucker that used to play for GB in there on run downs. Not those 2 guys, but someone like that and young.

 

[QueenCityHillbilly]

that fat fucker that used to play for GB

Gilbert Brown?

 

[Reznor]

Gilbert Brown?

yeah, that's him.

 

[magnus]

The nice thing about Burton was that he wasn't 350 lbs - he could still move a little. A two gap type player handling one gap, quick enough to get off the ball. Problem is, a roleplayer like that would stay a roleplayer, and I don't know that Moorehead is a starting level player yet.

So we'll probably need a greater player than a roleplayer in the draft - a guy who could theoretically start.

Can't help but love Castillo in that role.

 

[finleye]

point 1 - I see a lot more tackles on there than ends. And none between Duckett (all hype), Jordan and Carstens (sucked against the run) worked out, so none should really be counted on. So I gotta assume there's a need for a tackle than an end - a pick gives us 4, and if a 5th works out, we keep him. Freeman should compete with the above scrubs.

At end we've got 3 starting level players and Rasmussen, a ST fixture, so there's no huge need there.

There's always a tweener like Spears, but he's not strong enough to stay inside, and we don't need that end badly enough to put 14 into him.

The only reason I think they might consider adding another end is because they tried to get Pittman in the rotation for two straight years, and not that Pittman has torn up the ACL twice, they are gonna be forced to go in another direction for an end if they do indeed decide to do that.

And, I completely agree with not needing an end enough to put a 14 into him, but i was just trying to brainstorm hypothetically who would strengthen our defensive line the most, without taking into account the cost of acquiring that player in the draft (i.e., without worrying about the opportunity cost of selecting Spears rather than, say, Troy Williamson). I dont know enough about football to decide if Spears is stong enough to play inside, and since I read somewhere that some personell people were undecided as to whether he would be a better end or tackle in the 4-3, thats the extent of my knowledge on which i based the question.

I am kinda in the dark when it comes to Buckners position. What are his most important responsibilities? I thought he played well this past season, but is his play slipping due to age, or is it just expected to slip because of his age? Who would be the best prospect to play Buckners position, of any DT in the, regardless of whether it would be worth selecting that player? Could Moorehead effectively play Buckner's position, or is he only really gonna be effective as an undertackle?



In regards to Brain Jet's comments, I dont think there is a need to target a run stuffing end because of the perception that Peppers struggles against the rush because I completely agree Peppers made improvement in that area of his game this year; rather, to be a backup for the strongside, an end must be more stout against the run than a backup at RDE in our defense (right?).

Maybe the signing of Pittman two years ago was a hedge against Peppers strugglin against the run, and now the need for a run stuffing strongside end is not nearly as great as it was then. Or is the need for a backup left end inherent in the Fox's philosophy? Does Kemp suited to fill that role or not?