In an interview with WFNZ in Charlotte yesterday ESPN's Sal Paolantonio offered an extremely positive vision for the future of the Carolina Panthers while giving fans crucial information previously unheard. To begin, he gave a brief update on the CBA guaranteeing not only would there be a CBA within the next month, but telling listeners that there is no way the NFL will play any less than 16 games in the 2011 season- this was definitely a welcome sign from an NFL insider of renown like Sal Pal.
From here he went on to talk about Ron Rivera as a head coach calling him "one of the best young coaches in the National Football league". Sal said that he has known Ron since his playing time in Chicago, and on though his role as an assistant in Philadelphia.
More notes after the jump...
These are some quick hits from the ESPN Insider:
- The Carolina Panthers will have a very rough 2011 season, however, from there Paolantonio claims the Panthers will be a team who 'routinely' makes the playoffs year in, year out with Rivera and Newton at QB.
- He claims the Panthers will use the 'rule of 50' which Dick Vermeil first instituted for the Eagles. This follows the thinking that all Carolina will try to do on offense is get their total rushing attempts and Cam's completions at equal to, or greater than the number 50. For example: Williams and Stewart will run the ball 30 times combined, Cam will run the ball 5 times and from there all Newton will be asked to do in the passing game is complete 15 passes. Sal directly cites Ben Roethlisberger as being a player this strategy was used with.
- Paolantonio says there is no way the Panthers will pursue Plaxico Burress.
- He says that acquiring Vincent Jackson is 'possible'.
Overall it was a really nice interview and I definitely recommend you listen to it.