Panther News Nuggets from the Litter Box

• Darin Gantt now thinks New England might make an offer for DE Julius Peppers by paying the two 1st round pick price. I’m growing weary of the guessing game too. 
• Here’s a guy who agrees that Jake Delhomme should remain the Panthers starting QB. 
• With the Panthers in need of defensive line help I thought this article was interesting in determining where a draft prospect might fit.  
• Here’s another Mock Draft that has the Panthers taking DT Fili Moala from USC at #59. 
• Is anyone else surprised that Pat White was the most impressive QB at the combine? Any takers here?

Update: I just found more on Peppers to NE at Scout.com:

However, Adam Schefter reported that the Patriots are interested in acquiring Julius Peppers. Schefter stated that New England was one of the teams that Peppers had previously stated he'd like to go to, and that the recent trade of Cassel and Vrabel to the Chiefs opened enough cap space for the Patriots to sign Peppers. Peppers would fill a need for the Patriots, not to mention it would mean that the Panthers wouldn't have to see Peppers possibly only twice more in his career, (assuming the two don't meet in the Super Bowl any time soon).

If the Panthers are going to compete for some decent FA's they need to get this done to clear the cap room.

Some non-Panther news I thought I would comment on:

Belichek Gushes over Traded LB Mike Vrabel

Wow, if he felt this strongly about the guy it makes you wonder why they traded him in the first place.

"When Mike arrived in 2001, we knew we were adding a solid outside linebacker," said Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick. "But where Mike took it from there exceeded our highest hopes. Mike Vrabel epitomizes everything a coach could seek in a professional football player: toughness, intelligence, playmaking, leadership, versatility and consistency at the highest level. Behind the scenes, Mike's wit and personality is one of the things we have all enjoyed about coming to work every day. The toughest aspect of my job is the day I stop coaching people like Mike, who did everything in his power to contribute to team success. Of all the players I have coached in my career, there is nobody I enjoyed working with more than Mike. In the same way people recognize guys like Troy Brown, we appreciate and thank Mike Vrabel. He is one of the very special Patriots champions.

We’ve seen a lot of big-name veterans being cut by their respective teams, players like Marvin Harrison, Fred Taylor and the above mentioned Vrabel. Each has spent their entire career with the team that drafted them but are now in search of a job. I can’t help but feel that I’ve been overly critical of our own Julius Peppers because of his lack of loyalty to the team for wanting to leave. Would the Panthers show Peppers the same lack of loyalty at the end of his career? I don’t think I’m going to answer that question.

One last point on Vrabel, it made me think of something I read from the combine and an interview with LB James Laurinaitis (sorry I couldn’t find the link). It went something like this:

Scout speaking to LB Laurinaitis:

"Name me one LB from Ohio State in the last 20 years that’s been worth a shit!"

Supposedly they are trying to shake the interview process up a little. Would a good answer have been "Mike Vrabel"? Maybe. AJ Hawk? Nah!