i think there were some points this year where we rightfully criticized fox. i mean, the play calling in some games was horrible and sticking with jake for so long seemed ridiculous. however, with all of the injuries, and a new defensive coordinator, finishing 8-8 seems to me like a good job coaching. with all of the adjustments and lack of execution by different players at different times, one could argue that he actually did a better job coaching this year than last. don’t forget to look at how tough the schedule was also. so i think fox will stay and has earned it. six weeks ago, i said otherwise. and, really, who knew moore would play so well? many of us called for him to get the start, but that was based more on jake’s mistakes than true insight into how well moore would play.

i think pep will also be here. i don’t know if his ocntract was even discussed over the course of the season, but i think it would be foolish to let him go. i think it is a must that we keep him, and i think we will.

i think we can move forward with the same roster, everyone healthy, moore starting at qb, a 3rd place schedule, and tweaking the run/pass ratio and getting a new special teams coach…and we can win it all with that line-up.

i wanted jay cutler, and for good reason. i think this season was an anomaly for him, and he’ll get better. he had 27 tds to 26 ints. that’s better than 8 to 18. his qb rating was 75 to jake’s 59. i had no idea moore would do so well, and i do think cutler will be in the pro bowl a half dozen times while in chicago. remember what moose said, chicago is where receivers go to die. the whole offense up there has to change. but at this point, i’m satisfied without him on the roster. i don’t even know how fat his contract is either.

I give Jarrett a bye.
Based on Jake’s habit of only throwig to Steve Smith, I would say his lack of production was more to Jake never throwing him the ball. Matt Moore throws the ball around a lot more.
Jarrett came up with some decent stats in the last game.
Look at the full-time WR opposite Steve Smith. How many passes did Moose get?

It’s an uncapped year — eat Delhomme’s salary. He would just take away a roster spot from QB we could develop. Who knows, Jake Locker might slide into the 2nd round.
(1)Moore, (2) Locker,(3) McCown or Feely. LOL

Didn’t know Locker was coming back. My bad. But classless? That kind of thinking is why we lost so many games while Moore had a ballcap and clipboard.

he does get his guaranteed money, plus he may go somewhere where he could get a greater opportunity to start than he does here, he’ll be getting paid by that team as well and the team benefits by not having more cap room

but Big Cat wouldnt do it..never… hes a proper owner

  According to rotoworld Jake will receive 10 million of his guaranteed cash next season (he received 3 million this year) and that coupled with Fox’s return and no cap means Delhomme will do more then stay one more season with the Panthers he’ll start in 2010. If Delhomme tanks again then Fox walks on to another struggling franchise and becomes a winner / possible contender, the Panthers will have a high draft pick, Matt Moore will be given another year to develop and Delhomme will be given a very nice 7 million dollar going away gift. If not well its fun to be dead wrong but cheer for a winner.

However…

The better business move, and really the better football move, is to cut Jake now through the opportunity (what Al Davis did to Kiffin was a loophole tactic this isn’t) that the cap-less year provides take our chances with Matt Moore and our current draft slots filling in the few remaining holes. _Every _ WR and TE on the team played better with Moore under center, though the 4 games that mattered to the other team we were 3-1, even with 2 backups and a man out of place on the OL Moore out performed Jake. Every expert, coach, fan, personnel man, and bar fly will tell you to start Moore next season, but mark my words if Jake returns he will not be Moore’s backup, not under Fox.

It may not be classy, it may be on the south side of morally gray, but cutting Delhomme is the only way Moore or a better draft pick start next season. I don’t want Jake to be booted out of this club on a broken finger, and I don’t want the Panthers to been seen as a “just win baby” team, but what fans want and what happens are seldom the same.

James, I understand the sense of loyality to a guy who had some good years including a superbowl season but enough is enough. I was one of the guys at the end of last season saying how Jake was going to turn it around. Then reality hit this season when only JaMarcus Russell has a lower quarterback rating than Delhomme. 18 interceptions in 11 games.

Keeping Delhomme would make the management look worse than they already do.

Gotta eat the contract and wish him luck wherever he lands.

Some insurance policy he is as the 2nd to worst quarterback in the league. If it is because he knows the playbook and reads, so does McCown, Cantwell and Feely. All can make all the throws necessary but can you say the same about Delhomme? 18 interceptions not enough for you huh? You want to see another 8-8 or loosing season before you wake up?

It did sound like I was bashing Jake but I’ve just come to reality that he doesn’t have what it takes to lead the team anymore. I like my chances with in of the above mention QB’s as back-up to Moore (with preseason and practices) than Delhomme.

As for comparing to Russell, stats don’t lie:

Rk Player Team Pos Comp Att Pct Att/G Yds Avg Yds/G TD Int 1st 1st% Lng 20+ 40+ Sck Rate
1 JaMarcus Russell OAK QB 120 246 48.8 20.5 1,287 5.2 107.2 3 11 58 23.6 86T 10 2 33 50.0
2 Jake Delhomme CAR QB 178 321 55.5 29.2 2,015 6.3 183.2 8 18 100 31.2 52 25 4 23 59.4