Panthers Article Round-up

Here’s a few Panther articles that surfaced over the past week.

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13 Things He Can’t Wait to See – Vinnie Iyer – Sporting News

This guy Vinnie has gone through the thought process of picking 13 things (Baker’s Dozen?) that he is looking forward too. No word yet as to whether the number 13 was coincidental or planned, Vinnie’s not talking.

9. Steve Smith getting help in the Carolina Panthers’ offense. Jake Delhomme looks on track to return from his elbow injury, and Carolina welcomed back a familiar friend opposite Smith in Muhsin Muhammad.

The Panthers reached the Super Bowl with the chemistry of the Delhomme-Smith-Muhammad trio sparking the passing game, and this time they also have another promising target in ex-Seahawk D.J. Hackett. Additions to the offensive line and backfield will help deflect attention from Smith.

Smith is the mightiest of mites at wide receiver, and it will be nice to see him make more plays while being swarmed less.

It will be nice but I still want to see Smitty get his catches. Smitty is in his prime years and plays with a chip on his shoulder that only Carolina fans typically appreciate. He’s the big play threat that needs to touch the ball regularly and who typically makes a least one big play a game, if not more. He will be a primary focus of every DC the Panthers face this season and I hope he saves his biggest games for the NFC South. Yeah Vinnie…I can’t wait either.

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 Peppers Agent Plays "Show Me the Money!"

Julius Peppers agent has begun the postering process for his clients next contract. He claims Pep’s 2.5 sack season will not have an impact on his anticipated payday.

But if what the Panthers are saying to Peppers and Carey is that they think just as highly of him now as they did a year ago, then I have 0 percent confidence that what they're saying is how they really feel. A year ago Peppers was coming off a 13-sack season. Now he's coming off a 2.5-sack season. Are we really supposed to believe that doesn't matter?

I believe that Peppers will eventually sign a long-term deal to stay with Carolina, but I don't believe it will be for the same kind of money that he could have gotten if he had had double-digit sacks in 2007. If he and his agent think a 2.5-sack season changes nothing, they're mistaken.

 I don’t know Pep, you might have to put up 15 sacks this season to convince me. I want five just against the Bucs. Who knows, if Pep gets stubborn and decides the Panthers offer is too low…I’ll stop right there. Find a happy place…!! Pep isn’t going anywhere.

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 Panthers Resign CB Deloatch

The Panthers resigned CB Curtis Deloatch to a new deal. Deloatch was a back-up last season prior to getting hurt.

 Deloatch, 26, played in six games and recorded one tackle and one pass defensed in addition to notching three special teams tackles in three stints on the Panthers roster last year. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee versus Indianapolis on October 28 and was placed on injured reserve.

Deloatch was one of the last players to make the roster last season. He played fairly well when he got minutes, usually in the nickel or dime packages. He could end up being the 4^th CB if he can beat out Ricardo Colclough.

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 Brett Basanez looking forward to forgetting about 2007

Panthers 3^rd string QB Brett Basanez’ 2007 season never got off the ground due a season ending injury in the preseason. He was told at first that he would never play again:

 "The first doctor I saw let me know, ‘Hey you have done some nasty stuff in there. You probably will not play again. We may be able to fix it, but you won't be able to come back,'" Basanez said.

 "Coach McCoy came to us and basically said we have confidence in you three guys. We're going into camp with you three. We could go out and get a quarterback in the first round but we're not going to do that. He basically said, ‘Don't screw it up,'" Basanez said. "Coach Fox and (general manager) Marty Hurney put a lot of faith in us and we're doing everything we can to prove them right."

 "Don’t screw it up"? I was kinda hoping for one of those ‘gipper’ speeches. That sounded more like my dad…hungover.

"Really, I just want the coaches to know if they need a guy I can go in I'm ready, I can go in and do the job," Basanez said. "I don't want it to be like, ‘OK, who's next?' I want them to be confident in what I can do. Jake is the guy. I want to learn as much as I can so that if he has to come out there isn't a step down to the next guy.

 That's quite a comeback story..if he can come back. I really have yet to form an opinion of Brett Basanez because I’ve seen so little of him. I don’t recall being impressed at training camp (but Jake put on a show). There is opportunity to climb the depth chart even with two good hands much less rehabbing a wrist like Brett. I do hope he performs well.