Carolina Panthers 2008/2009 Season

[HopHead]

Well, don't look now but Mike Trgovak the defensive coordinator is opting out of a 2 year contract extension offered by the Panthers, although he has had no firm offers from other teams yet. This comes after several assistant coaches have left for better jobs across the league including the quarterbacks coach and the linebackers coach.

I am worried about some of this. When your star defensive player and your defensive coordinator both inexplicably quit within a week of each other it makes you wonder what the hell is going on there. Is this a sign that others are going to jump ship before it's all said and done? Or, could possibly, if the Panthers brought in the right defensive minded coach that likes the idea of having a 3/4 instead of a 4/3 keep Peppers around for a couple more seasons? It looks to be a very intriguing offseason for the Panthers.

[Charlotte_native]

Our defense let us down more than anything else this year.

[atlrvr]

I really hope Lucas goes.

I'm not sure I'm a fan of the 3/4, especailly with Peppers wanting to be an OLB. He's got great athleticism, but I just don't think he has the endurance and pure speed needed for the position.

I can't stand that the Panther's don't safety or cornerback blitz, especially considering how successful they are when they do it. I suppose its a lack of confidence in the defensive backs to not get burned. I'm happy with Chris Harris at strong safety, but he could do a lot more damage if Godfrey and Lucas were upgraded.

[Charlotte_native]

I really hope Lucas goes.

I can't stand that the Panther's don't safety or cornerback blitz, especially considering how successful they are when they do it. I suppose its a lack of confidence in the defensive backs to not get burned.

[queensguy06]

Come on guys, you can't put this all on the secondary. They have missed some big plays sure, but they are a pretty solid secondary if you look around the league.

The reason the secondary looked not as up to par is because of the front four and even in instances the front seven. When you give a guy like Kurt Warner all day to throw from the pocket, don't you think he is going to hit his receivers a lot of the time? There has been very little pressure on any opposing quarterback this season, with the exception of a few games like KC and Denver. This D-line is nothing like the D-line when Ruckers was on one end and Peppers was on the other with Jenkins in the middle. That was part of the problem this year - they didn't have the big threat in the middle of the line. No one really filled the void that Jenkins left. It's like they say, you can't defend the perfect pass, and when you have a good 4-10 seconds to throw from the pocket, that's like an eternity.

[Commoner]

I agree with those who think that a couple of weaknesses in our secondary have taken safety blitzes out of our defensive repertoire. I also think that Lucas is our main backfield liability. Is Richard Marshall not a viable alternative? If not, would the Panthers even consider trading Lucas? I think that's tough to do after his response to the preseason incident - not to mention to signal it sends (break facial bones in a couple of teammates, you're ok; forgive the player who sucker-punched you, you're gone).

[swampfox43]

Well, don't look now but Mike Trgovak the defensive coordinator is opting out of a 2 year contract extension offered by the Panthers, although he has had no firm offers from other teams yet. This comes after several assistant coaches have left for better jobs across the league including the quarterbacks coach and the linebackers coach.

[queensguy06]

^Very interesting article. Makes you wonder why Trgovak took a demotion over a two year contract as def. coordinator. Also, Dom Capers? Really? I thought after his horrendous stint with the Panthers and then another atrocious attempt at head coach in Houston that he was gone from any big coaching position.

[HopHead]

Good news out of Panthers camp today. They were able to sign Jordan Gross to a contract and put the franchise tag on Peppers. Now hopefully we can send him off somewhere that we can get some high first round pick in this year's draft. The thought of him only wanting to go to 4 specific teams, one being the Cowboys, just irks me. I will be glad to see this guy shipped off elsewhere... I'd get a kick out of seeing him in Oakland, haha!

[Charlotte_native]

Now hopefully we can send him off somewhere that we can get some high first round pick in this year's draft. The thought of him only wanting to go to 4 specific teams, one being the Cowboys, just irks me. I will be glad to see this guy shipped off elsewhere... I'd get a kick out of seeing him in Oakland, haha!

[Guest]

I am very unhappy with Peppers, which is hard for me because he was one of my favorites. Because of this I feel absolutely betrayed. At this point in time Pepp is to The Panthers and the City of Charlotte as George Shinn was to the Horrnets and the City of Charlotte. I am that unenthused about his sass.

[queensguy06]

I am sorry, but to me it sounds like there are some bitter (and even downright scornful) responses to Peppers wanting to go. The guy has played here for how long? He is the highest paid D-end in the league, and honestly after the past couple seasons I think the money could be spent better elsewhere. Peppers is a great defensive end, but let's be honest, he doesn't make the D-Line up. They lost the D-Line when Ruckers retired and they traded Kris Jenkins to the Jets. And you can say that for the price they were paying Jenkins he should have been traded, but as far as I saw this year they couldn't find anybody to fill that gaping hole in the middle of their run defense. And Jenkins had a pretty damn good year for the Jets. To pay a defensive end that much money for a defensive squad that was mediocre at best is laughable. Peppers has done his time here, if he wants to leave, let him; why chastise him for wanting to move to a 3/4 where he thinks he can do better?? That's what the NFL and especially free agency is about, letting players have some sort of say in what they want to do. And saying he will only go to one of four teams - good. He (and his agent) know what his value is worth and I guarantee one of those four teams will pick him up. That's what being a star in the league affords you. To think that just because the Panthers drafted him he should stay here for his career is ludicrous. He was a great player for our team and we should recognize him for that, not be spiteful because he chooses to leave after seven seasons. That's the nature of the game. Let's move on and try and find a good replacement instead of being upset. And don't forget being able to put the franchise tag on him will get us a great deal...even a first round draft pick in this draft, which we don't have. Our first pick is something like 28th in the second round.

[HopHead]

Rumor has it, and this just a rumor I read on some numerous sports related message boards, that the Patriots are looking to trade either Cassell or potentially Brady. The orgnization is not happy about the way Brady went about his surgery and rehab. He basically rebuffed their requests to use their doctors and used his own in CA--among other things. So it may be a long shot, and I think the Pats would be the one AFC team that Peppers would want to go to, but what about a Brady for Peppers trade? We'll probably have to throw in a 2nd or 3rd rounder to make that happen as well... but man can you imagine having Brady throwing to Smitty??? Don't get me wrong, I hate the NE organization but I'd welcome Brady down to Charlotte in a heart beat. Also, the Pats are very old on defense so even though Peppers will be 30, he's definitely younger than what they have now.

[atlrvr]

I mentioned a Peppers for Cassell trade a month or so ago. I don't think the Pats trade Brady if he has a chance at being 100%, on the other hand, I doubt they trade Cassell if there is a chance that Brady is less than 100%. Timing is working against that deal, but I agree, that either Cassell or Brady is an upgrade.

[tiblerbrit]

I'm not sure how the rules work exactly, but the Patriots franchised Cassel, so unless we give a 1st round pick (which we don't have) we might not be able to get him. However, if you can trade franchised players, without trading or giving up 1st round picks, then it could happen.

[queensguy06]

The first round pick doesn't necessarily have to be for the current draft; it could be for the 2010 draft if the deal suited both clubs. And they don't even have to give a first round draft for a franchised player, it is a pretty negotiable trade. The League rules state that if a team makes a contract offer to another club

[queensguy06]

The Panthers turned loose Ken Lucas yesterday after 4 years with the team. Also, with the Panther's draft picks it's a pretty good bet that they were intending to try and draft a few good DBs this year. I don't think it's a huge loss by any means (to loose Lucas), but I guess time will tell.

[Charlotte_native]

The Panthers turned loose Ken Lucas yesterday after 4 years with the team. Also, with the Panther's draft picks it's a pretty good bet that they were intending to try and draft a few good DBs this year. I don't think it's a huge loss by any means (to loose Lucas), but I guess time will tell.

[queensguy06]

There has been some rumors regarding the Panthers/Peppers saga. It sounds as though the Patriots and the Panthers are in talks about a trade that would at least include a second round draft pick this season (the one the Pats got from the Chiefs for Matt Cassel).

This one stings for me. I am not a Pats fan in the least. I like Tom Brady, and Belicheck is an excellent coach - I just hate the franchise as a whole. Not as much as I hate the Cowboys, but still, it stings to know that we are probably loosing Peppers to the Pats for a second rounder. I figured they would at least get a first round for him. I guess we will see...

[Guest]

^^^Its just a rumor...