Panthers sign DL Kentwan Balmer off waivers
by James Dator on Aug 25, 2011 4:25 PM EDT
Email
Print
NFL Network's Jason LaCanfora is reporting that while numerous teams placed a claim on former Seattle and San Francisco DT/DE Kentwan Balmer it was the Carolina Panthers who were awarded the young player based on last year's record.
Jason La Canfora
CAR awarded DL Kentwan Balmer on waivers. Multiple teams placed claims. SEA released Balmer Wednesday
Thankfully this adds a little more help on the line which has looked mediocre thus far, and was stretched when UFA signing Ron Edwards tore his triceps during training camp. Balmer (24) is definitely an intriguing player who was a legitimate 1st round draft pick in 2008, however he was never really able to adapt to San Francisco's 3-4 defense, but who improved greatly in Seattle's 4-3. We're not sure what happened to cause Seattle to cut him this year; regardless, this was an excellent chance to get a player with significant upside who could turn his career around with some more familiar scenery (Balmer is from Roanoke Rapids, NC). At 6'5", 315lbs it's unknown where Balmer will play for Carolina, but I intuit he'll at least get a shot to start next to Sione Fua at under tackle.
UPDATE: John Clayton confirms my suspicions the Panthers will try and turn Balmer into the under tackle
John Clayton
The Panthers, who have the top claim on the waiver wire, claimed former Seahawks DL Kentwan Balmer with plans of trying him at 3 technique DT
His career stats after the jump
Season
Team
Tackles
Interceptions
Fumbles
G
GS
Comb
Total
Ast
Sck
SFTY
PDef
Int
Yds
Avg
Lng
TDs
FF
2010
Seattle Seahawks
16
11
43
28
15
0.0
--
1
--
--
0.0
--
--
0
2009
San Francisco 49ers
11
0
12
5
7
0.0
--
0
--
--
0.0
--
--
0
2008
San Francisco 49ers
16
0
7
6
1
0.0
--
1
--
--
0.0
--
--
0
TOTAL
62
39
23
0.0
0
2
0
0
--
0
0
0
82 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Seems like a no brainer signing to me
When news broke that Seattle had released him, I expected that we would claim him. There is no reason not sign a 24 year old DT/DE that has potentially been playing out of position for the last 2-3 years. This is a teaching oriented coaching staff that can put Balmer on the straight and narrow in a place where he is more at home.
Good move by the front office, and I assume it won’t cost us much of anything.
This comment section has officially been Tater'd.
Beautiful
No risk at all to us then. That is less that 1/8th of our remaining cap space. Further reinforces why this is a good move.
This comment section has officially been Tater'd.
I completely agree with you tater
Even if he doesn’t work out, there’s absolutely no harm in giving him a shot. He’s shown some flashes and was out of position early on in his career, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be servicable. It reminds me a lot of Tyler Brayton, except this guy was able to get out of that organization.
Im excited...
But its mainly because I want to assume it was my comment and everyone elses on here that made the FO want to sign him lol.
by doug2626 on Aug 25, 2011 4:32 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Haha
I think I said it back when we picked up Olsen after all of us CSR fans talking about how much sense it made, but I’m still convinced one of us is working for the organization!
What would be even more nice
is if he actually pans out here to become a quality starting defensive tackle on a cheap contract.
SF must have seen something to pick him in the first round.
"I don't know whatchu came to do...but IIIIIIIIIIIIII came to praise his name, yeyuss!!
~Reverend Brown, Coming to America
I see two teams who wanted him to play DE in the NFL, but he’s not quick enough.
Time will tell if he can play the three-technique well
Height/weight distribution
315lbs over a 6’5" frame doesn’t give the low center of gravity needed for the position. It isn’t just how much you weigh, but how and where you carry it.
Sione Fua’s legs are like tree trunks to Balmer’s branches.
Maybe Fua could introduce Balmer to the Oreo Pizza? That would surely help add some pounds.
The truth will set you free, but not until it is finished with you. ~David Foster Wallace
Oh my God...it looks even better than I'd imagined.
Don’t tell BoBerry…but I think I may have found a new mistress.
The truth will set you free, but not until it is finished with you. ~David Foster Wallace
I'm hoping he has the same kind of impact Chris Canty did for the Giants.
Once they moved him from DE to DT, he really stepped it up.
I don't always fail, but when I do...
I do it awesomely.
by BusyBeingAwesome on Aug 25, 2011 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Good comparison.
Anything remotely close to that would be a huge win.
"I don't know whatchu came to do...but IIIIIIIIIIIIII came to praise his name, yeyuss!!
~Reverend Brown, Coming to America
He played a little 3-tech, but mostly LDE in Seattle. He filled in at LDE after Red Bryant was hurt mid-season. Carrol likes to play a lot of 4-3 ‘under’ looks, so LDE is almost a third DT, and is typically squared up with the RT.
He was better in nickel situations when they would move him to 3-tech. Not sure why he was cut, but I don’t think it was for having a poor attitude. Teams will often share information about guys with attitude problems, and those guys are often black-listed. So hopefully it was because Red Bryant is healthy, and because they resigned Mebane (IIRC), relegating him to a backup role, for which the deemed him too expensive.
"I don't know whatchu came to do...but IIIIIIIIIIIIII came to praise his name, yeyuss!!
~Reverend Brown, Coming to America
That's gotta be it...
When they re-signed Mebane and realized that Bryant was healthy, they didn’t want to pay a backup as much as he makes.
The truth will set you free, but not until it is finished with you. ~David Foster Wallace
Yeah, I’m just struggling to come up with any other reasons.
The also have 9 DL with 4 or less years of exp. I guess it just came to numbers (both personnel numbers and salary numbers).
"I don't know whatchu came to do...but IIIIIIIIIIIIII came to praise his name, yeyuss!!
~Reverend Brown, Coming to America
Great News
Lets stick him in the middle and see if he can produce.
I think everyone else played him out of position so this might unlock his potential
by CaliforniaPanther on Aug 25, 2011 4:37 PM EDT reply actions
I like this move.
It’s low risk, and has the potential to pay off big time. Hopefully we find that he was just a square peg being put into a round hole in SF and SEA, and he ends up being a solid DT for us.
The truth will set you free, but not until it is finished with you. ~David Foster Wallace
"(Balmer is from Roanoke Rapids, NC)."
Hell yeah…. its pretty cool to have a player on a professional team that lived in your home town (especially when its a small town like Roanoke Rapids)
by rscott94 on Aug 25, 2011 4:40 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Glad to see depth added to the DL
Hopefully, he stays healthy and can be a huge contributer to the team.
You get what you put in and people get what they deserve.
by Disciple of Carolina on Aug 25, 2011 4:42 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Glad to see depth added to the DL
Hopefully, he stays healthy and can be a huge contributer to the team.
You get what you put in and people get what they deserve.
by Disciple of Carolina on Aug 25, 2011 4:43 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
So we have first dibs of any player on the waiver wire right?
I didnt know if it was like that or if once you make a claim you go to the back of the line.
Yup.
We have first dips on errybody.
"I don't know whatchu came to do...but IIIIIIIIIIIIII came to praise his name, yeyuss!!
~Reverend Brown, Coming to America
Hurney's sitting in a corner wringing his hands and licking his chops, waiting for cuts to be made...
The truth will set you free, but not until it is finished with you. ~David Foster Wallace
I’m sure he’s got his eye on some guys, specifically. He needs to go to Detriot and use some Jedi Mind Tricks on Schwartz…
“You’d be better off without Ndamukong Suh”
"I don't know whatchu came to do...but IIIIIIIIIIIIII came to praise his name, yeyuss!!
~Reverend Brown, Coming to America
by ERL on Aug 25, 2011 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The plan...
Trade a 7th round pick to the Bears for Peppers, and then turn around and trade Peppers for Suh.
Genius.
The truth will set you free, but not until it is finished with you. ~David Foster Wallace
I just had a rostergasm.
"I don't know whatchu came to do...but IIIIIIIIIIIIII came to praise his name, yeyuss!!
~Reverend Brown, Coming to America
by ERL on Aug 25, 2011 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Now THAT is funny!
A rostergasm…I love it!
The only problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.
-Margaret Thatcher
by Panther Fan in GA on Aug 25, 2011 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions
turn it green!
hilarious, I love combining words with orgasm
Until the season begins we get first shot, that’s my understanding. As soon as the first game is played the current standing kicks in.
This makes sense.
The truth will set you free, but not until it is finished with you. ~David Foster Wallace
Great news!
When do the big roster cuts start happening exactly?
Great that we got this guy on the cheap, hopefully BAMF and Co. can make a quick assessment on him and pick up any other help we need off the waiver wire before the season starts.
I believe
First cuts (to 80) are by the 30th, then to 53 on the 3rd.
Unless It's Changed Since Last Year The Panthers Have 1st Claim Through The Seasons 4th Week
by PanthersRoar on Aug 25, 2011 6:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Even better. :-)
The truth will set you free, but not until it is finished with you. ~David Foster Wallace
Brilliant!
Low risk, high reward signing. If he turns out to be mediocre, big whoop his contract is peanuts. He could also unlock the potential that made him un selecion numero uno.
"If ya ain't first, you're last."
- Ricky Bobby's Dad
"There is no evidence that the tongue is connected to the brain."
-Frank Tyger
Did we have to cut someone in order to pick him up?
If so, I wonder who it was. Not all that important, but I’m certainly curious to see if we cut one of our undersized DTs or if it was another player.
Probably another player for now
There is a lot of camp fodder right now.
Wishful thinking but....
Can you imagine if this guy pans out AND Edwards pans out next year after he returns from injury.
Like I said, wishful thinking, but if Edwards and Balmer can play and we have Fua and McClain up and coming in the rotation could our interior line actually have some of the players of the future already on the roster?
Crazier things have happened!
We has 1st dibbs through week 4
James you might want to doble check but I believe we retain 1st rights on any released player from another team through week 4 regardless of current record. Nfl rules say after week 4 claims on the waiver wire become based on current record rather that the previous season’s final stamdings.
If this is true.... even better news
Gives us a bit more time to assess not only Balmer but anybody else we happen to pick up off waivers.
Looks Good!!
I hope he gets pressure on a QB throwing the ball the same way he gets pressure on a RB throwing it (jus judging from the picture)
I'm optimistic about this move, so you should be too!
Now if Fua can just play up to his size.
STEVE SMITH!
by southtunnel on Aug 25, 2011 5:25 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
glad we got him
anyone know we waved to get him?
No one yet...
We put Ron Edwards on IR, so Balmer will take his place.
The truth will set you free, but not until it is finished with you. ~David Foster Wallace
cool
i wish we could see him play tonight
by pantherpride on Aug 25, 2011 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions
To bad as well. Kinda liking the way we are heading with the DT position.
Proud Member of Cat Scratch Reader and coiner of the (minus Bowers) meme
Well considering the past few years we can only go up…I hope…
Proud member of the Panthers Mafia!
Saving The Environment One Green Comment at a Time
After last year, all we can do is go up! lol
Proud Member of Cat Scratch Reader and coiner of the (minus Bowers) meme
It wasn't so long ago we had a pretty great line...
Kemo and Lewis worked out very well for us til they were both dropped in 2010 with no one behind them.
anyone know of an fm station in the mooresville
Charlotte area that carries the game. Gotta work and 1110am isn’t coming in very well.
by braves&panthers4ever on Aug 25, 2011 5:57 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Hope this works out, will be an awesome pick up ifcan just hold some guys while CJ gets to the QB
Goddamn quebecios! It is 35 miles per hour, not 35 kilometers per... whatever is metric for hour.
I got some optimism for everyone if we go out and pick up some good DT's
Our linebackers will destroy everyone. if TD plays like this every game he will have 224 tackles on the year… since he had 11 tackles in 3 quarters… course beast will take some of those tackles away
Jamal Williams
I still say that we will make a move for Jamal Williams. He’s an BAMF guy from SD, so they have connections.
Coach Rivera, is a BAMF..
+1
I will take any veteran we can find at this point, Fua is decent but McClain just hasn’t gotten it yet and tends to give up on plays to quickly, doesn’t seem to be much of a battler at all vs. any Olineman. Behind those two we have nothing, and C. Irvin is trash just cut him seriously we already did that once and brought him back to the Ps squad a year ago. Man the R. Edwards injury still looms large again.
J. Williams, K. Balmer heck give me Ed. Johnson back better then anything we currently have I am sorry but keeping Landri for one more season would have made a ton of sense. An someone tell me why we still have Neblett and Hayden both of whom are trash. PLEASE SOMEONE EXPLAIN THIS TO ME !
by Holty_Panthers_Fan on Aug 26, 2011 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions
All help welcome ~ MORE TO COME I PRAY!
I know you all remember me bashing all UNC players a couple of nights ago and how Balmer and has never done much of anything etc… but man am I sorry. OUR DEFENSE SUCKS ~ A. DALTON BURNED us all night and our Defensive line couldn’t stop any RB they put in.
HEY E. BROWN can you please just go back TO FLA an do us all a favor. PLEASE !
As long as Balmer can stay home and stop any RB that comes his way we should be decent enough to get by. Still anyone thinks we are done they are crazy we need a #2 CB and hell more DT depth. I personally would cut Irvin, and Neblett, we should have kept Landri for depth if nothing else, the guy did nothing well but was at least serviceable.
T. McClain has shown nothing so far and may be better served to ride the bench for his entire first season, he tends to give up to quickly when engaged by any Olineman. As much talk as I have heard about Panthers defensive side of the ball last night was a freaking joke and lets not talk about how the offense looked like shit for the second straight week I don’t have enough space to type all those problems out.
by Holty_Panthers_Fan on Aug 26, 2011 5:21 PM EDT reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Cat Scratch Reader
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Former high-school star Brian Banks does serious time on trumped-up charge, now hopes for an NFL shot
- Former ‘idiot kicker’ Mike Vanderjagt in trouble after accosting junior-high heckler
- Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend
- UPDATE: Charlie Sheen didn’t buy Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring
- Alex Smith gets blown up by Jon Beason over Cam Newton comments
