Under The Radar FA Options for Panthers Defense and ST

I really like Lawson and Sims. I don’t know if we’ll go after a player of Lawson’s caliber because JR seems to really like TD coming back. I think we’ll look for a rotational player to spell Davis at that spot.

And also, I’d almost be more surprised if we didn’t get Gregory than if we did. Just makes too much sense.

I really like Sims & agree that Gregory could be an obvious signing to compete with Martin. Terrell Thomas would be awesome as well though it really all depends on what they decide to do in the draft. After last night I think Dre K looks like a great choice at 8/9. There will definitely be some roster shake-ups added this offseason. Rivera has already shown he will do whatever he has to in order to keep the intensity and get the most out of his guys.

Just imagine if the Panthers signed OLB McIntosh, CB Thomas and DT Pat Sims. Now what is your perspective on the draft?

I am curious, is there any talk of restructuring a couple ofcontracts to free up some money?

Hurney basically said straight out “No big name FAs” but these 2 guys shouldn’t come with an over welming price tag and they would open up many options. Both of these guys could start. Thomas would take the #2 spot with our CB corps looking very strong with Gamble and Thomas out side and Hogan, Munnerlyn, and Butler competing for Nickel and Dime spots. Sims would take over at NT (what Edwards was supposed to do last year) with him there McClain and Neblett could compete for the other spot. Edwards could either be cut or stay as a veteran NT rotational player. Fua and Shirley would compete for backup NT. With just these do guys we could really open up our draft board. our 2 biggest needs (CB & DT) are filled and we can put our draft focus much more heavily on BPA. Thomas has even more benefit when you add in the special teams implications. With Munnerlyn no long in the starting role he can become a fulltime special teamer, he is a beast in special teams and would really help out kick and punt coverage.

good post . I feel better about the DT postion after seeing some of our guys step up, plus some good options are available at an ok price. I personally didn’t believe we would go that route in the draft anyway. Hopefully we can bring in one of those safties to at least open up some competiton. I will be very interested to see what is done at linebacker, even though a lot of it seems to depend (as always lately) on how much 3-4 we want to mix in next year. I would be nervous about taking a corner just coming off of injury since we already have one of those (albeit unproven).

Okoye would be an interesting one as well, although something tells me someone is going to splurge a bit on him (not ridiculously, but more than what his production would merit) based on his age and physical skills. Thomas would be nice but I doubt he hits the market, ditto for Lawson. I used to like Mcintosh a bit when he played for the Skins, but towards the end of his tenure there his lack of real top end speed got exposed more and more, so I don’t think he’d be an upgrade over what we already have. I’m going to take a wild guess and say Fox doesn’t let Bunkley leave unless its for some outlandish amount of money, considering he’s been such a huge piece on the interior of that line…

Isn’t that what we tried this season? If we are going to go with other teams back up players, we may as well stick with our starters and coach them up in this off season. By our starters, I mean players like Bell, Fua, McClain, the rookies we drafted to play those spots. If you’re talking about bringing back up players to play back ups, then I am all for it. I just think if we plan to use the guys we drafted we need to coach them and let them play with the first team to get up to speed with the first team.

Why don’t we wait till next year and pick up Casey Barth… The younger option and he’s pretty much a clone of his brother

Would love any of the guys to shore up Special Teams.

Man, if we could figure out a way to pick up Lawson, Breesus would have to think twice before throwing to Teddy Grahams. I know Davis will be shutting him down if healthy, but I don’t think that we should gamble on that leg holding up. I want him on the team as long as he wants to be here, but I can’t imagine he would get upset if we hope for the best but plan for the worst.

Doubt Bunkley will be on the market though as much as I’d like him. Broncos only traded for him this year.

Gregory, I think we can realistically sign. He would provide an adequate starter at Safety with Godfrey, and I think we could sign him for cheap.

Thomas is probably my favorite player on the FA market, but I still think it would take the big bucks to sign him away from New York.

Sims would be a great addition to our defensive interior, and realistically, I think we could sign him to a medium sized deal and bring him in to start next to Neblett.

Manny Lawson… simply because I graduated from EWHS… and because he could help the team out.

I really like Manny Lawson’s versatile game. He’d be the perfect replacement for TD and would be a great fit in McD’s defense. Dude’s a beast. McIntosh isn’t a bad consolation prize at all. Solid player who quietly goes about his business and does his job.

Of course there’s Akoye. Pat Sims is just what the doctor ordered for this defense though. Bungles let J. Joseph walk last year, perhaps they slip up again? I doubt the Broncos let Bunkley go, though I’d love to have him.

Gregory would be a great sign too. Come in and know the defense and give us another option in the defensive backfield; Sherrod, ughh. Thomas could be a steal and he played great last year (if I have a second team, the Giants would be it). Should be all ready for training camp too considering he tore up his knee late in preseason/first game of the year, don’t really recall which.

If we don’t sign any of these guys though, we need to get some gunners in here ASAP! Would like to see Shaw back in the black and blue. Of course, getting people healthy and adding a little depth/a starter here or there will go a long ways towards fixing our woeful special teams. Cap’n, Barnidge and Senn should provide a boost.

Awesome list of “realistic” signing for the Panthers. Though I would love to see them pluck Cliff Avril, Carl Nicks, Brent Grimes, it probably isn’t like with Carolina’s FA history and current salary cap status.

Of your list, like Sims and Lawson the most, if indeed Lawson was good at shutting down TE’s (gotta find a way to slow Jimmy Graham, Tony Gonzalez, and Kellen Winslow). Feel like McIntosh got killed when Carolina played the Redskins, so I’m not very high on him.