Cat Scratch Reader

Carolina Panthers 2012 Position Preview: Linebacker

2012-05-25T17:45:06Z

This is where it starts to get a little dicey, folks. With MLB Jon Beason and OLB Thomas Davis coming off major injuries, the Panthers jumped at the chance to draft another linebacker who happened to also be the best player available at #9.

Enter OLB/MLB Luke Kuechly. With Kuechly and OLB James Anderson in the fold, the LB corps--almost regardless of what happens with Beason and Davis--will at least be serviceable in 2012. But if Beason, Davis, Anderson and Kuechly are all healthy for 16 games, this group should be dominant.

We've heard some chirping from fans about how the Panthers should play a 3-4 defense since they have four capable LBs with a mediocre defensive line. Two things make this unrealistic to someone capable of tying his/her own shoes...

First, you are working under the assumption that all four LBs will stay healthy all season long. One of them had his achilles snap in half last September and another popped the ACL in his right knee for the third time. It would probably be wise to afford them some rest during games by putting only three of them on the field at the same time.

Second, Ron Rivera and Sean McDermott are 4-3 coaches. Marty Hurney is much more familiar with 4-3 personnel and the Panthers have signed a 4-3 DE to a $72 million contract. Like it or not, this defense will be a 4-3 defense for the foreseeable future.

It actually kind of works. The Panthers have four LBs who must fill three starting spots. The extra man allows for some rotation without any drop-off in play. Aside from the top four LBs on the depth chart, the Panthers will probably keep another four LBs who will be injury insurance and special teams regulars.

Let's examine what might happen with the top four LBs (Beason, Kuechly, Anderson, Davis) and then take a stab at predicting how the roster shakes out with LBs five through eight.

The first four...

Jon Beason

Beason is recovering nicely from an achilles injury. In April, a video of him doing sprints and agility drills surfaced on YouTube. It was incredibly impressive to see him running around like that just eight months after his injury. An achilles used to be an 18 month ordeal, at least for the mortal man. On Thursday, May 24th, a report surfaced from the Charlotte Observer explaining that Beason is being held out of live drills until training camp, when he is expected to be a full-go.

Let's be honest, Beason is the undisputed leader of this defense. He is the heart and the soul--two elements that appeared to be lacking in his absence. It appears that Beason will be healthy for the 2012 season. If so, there is absolutely no way that Beason gets moved outside for performance issues. Again, if healthy, Beason will likely play every defensive down in 2012.

Chance of starting at MLB: 100% (Percentages based on top four LBs staying healthy.)

James Anderson

Anderson, the forgotten man, was the sixth leading tackler in the league in 2011. Part of the reason for this was because no one else could make a tackle, but that would be taking away from Anderson, who has developed into a terrific linebacker.

He is not great in coverage and he gets swallowed up by lineman, but if he can run free Anderson can be a difference maker. Ron Rivera has praised Anderson for taking on a bigger leadership role while Beason and Davis were on the shelf.

Look for Anderson to contribute more on early downs when the opponent is more likely to run the ball. He is the second-best blitzer (behind Davis) in the LB corps, so he will probably be on the field for the Panthers' more aggressive packages.

Chance of starting at an OLB spot: 75%

Luke Kuechly

Kuechly is being called the 'Brian Urlacher to Beason's Lance Briggs.' If the two 'backers can put together a run like Urlacher and Briggs, then the Panthers defense should be respectable if not dominant for years to come.

Kuechly is big, fast and instinctive. He is excellent in pass coverage and very good against the run.

If there is one aspect of his game that is under-developed, it is his pass rush. At Boston College he was asked to patrol the box from sideline to sideline. With the Panthers, he will be called upon to rush the passer from time to time. While asking a more experience pass rusher (Davis, Anderson) to go get the QB would probably be the smarter move, the defense, like the offense, cannot be too predictable. So this is an area of Kuechly's game that must improve. And as much of a natural as he is, surely he'll pick it up in no time.

Look for Kuechly to pair up with Beason in the nickel defense, each player taking a half of the field to cover the short and intermediate routes.

Chance of starting at an OLB spot: 75%

Thomas Davis

In what is probably his last go of it, Thomas Davis has decided to make one more comeback attempt after tearing his right ACL for the third time in the span of 22 months. He is now able to move around a bit, and he is at OTAs with a large knee brace on.

The Panthers are taking it slow with Davis, too. They know that if he injures the knee again, that's going to be it. There is hope for Davis, though. During his last procedure, doctors took a tendon from his other leg and used it to rebuild his knee. So instead of tearing a thrice-torn ACL again, he would be injuring a tendon for the first time. It makes the idea of a full comeback a bit more likely.

Davis is still fast for a LB. He runs under a 4.6-40 yard dash even after three knee reconstructions. He is also a great blitzer, so he will likely be in most of the blitz packages. Davis could come in fresh to rush the passer. That could be more or less his role in 2012. Think of a Von Miller in Denver. Davis isn't Miller, but if he can boost the pass rush he could still play a key role the Panthers' defense.

Chance of starting at an OLB spot: 50%

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The other guys...(calculating their chances of making the roster)

Five men, four spots. That's how the remainder of the LB corps looks to shake out. We'll start with the 'safest' players and move down the line:

Jordan Senn

A valuable special teams player and spot-duty LB. Senn can play a game or two without a noticeable drop-off. Combine that with his speed, tackling ability and toughness and Senn is almost a lock to make the roster.

Chance of being on the roster week 1: 90% (Again, these percentages are if no one gets hurt.)

Kenny Onatolu

The Nebraska-Omaha Maverick turned Minnesota Viking is entering his 4th season as a pro. During his time in Minnesota, Onatolu was known for his special teams prowess. He is not the biggest of players, but neither is Senn. In a way, they are much the same player.

Ron Rivera brought Onatolu in to help a punt coverage unit that allowed the highest return average in the league in 2011 (not to mention three TDs). You probably don't sign a guy to a four-year deal if you plan on cutting him in camp.

Chance of being on the roster week 1: 90%

Jason Williams

Williams is a bigger linebacker, at 6-1 and 244lbs. Not much is known about the 26 year-old from Western Illinois, but he has proved to be a serviceable backup in spot duty with the Panthers. In the two games he played a significant role on defense, Williams finished with 7 and 8 tackles. The former third round draft pick of the Cowboys is more of a plugger, so he is not going to contribute as much on special teams as the speedier Senn and Onatolu. Still, he is a solid player who could play the strong-side should something happen to Anderson.

Chance of being on the roster week 1: 50%

Jason Phillips

Waived by Baltimore in September, Phillips appeared in four games last season for the Panthers before being placed on IR with a calf injury. The promising young player is more of a box linebacker, like Williams, but he did play on most of the special teams units in his four games last season. The Panthers signed Phillips to a contract extension in February, so he has a decent shot at making the team as a backup.

Chance of being on the roster week 1: 50%

Kion Wilson

Wilson, a former Charger (who would have guessed?), was signed as a free agent on November 16th. He was on the Panthers' practice squad for about six weeks prior to being singed to the active roster. He contributed six tackles--two of those on special teams.

Wilson will likely be the odd man out if the Panthers do decide to keep eight linebackers. His saving grace might be his experience at inside linebacker. The Panthers don't have any ILBs besides Beason and Kuechly, but Williams and/or Phillips would probably be capable.

Chance of being on the roster week 1: 20%

There you have it. The 2012 Carolina Panthers linebacker depth might look something like this:

Beason, Anderson, Kuechly, Davis, Senn, Onatolu, Williams, Phillips.

Discuss...

Poll

Who should be on the sideline the first time the defense trots out onto the field?

Here's a short promo vid that has a cool ending. Love it!

2012-05-25T16:36:21Z

Here's a short promo vid that has a cool ending. Love it!

Beason Jumps to Cam Newtons Defense

2012-05-25T15:30:23Z

This is probably not worth an entire story but it is the offseason and this is just too funny not to discuss. It seems 49ers QB Alex Smith decided to use Cam Newton in his defense of having low stats, essentially saying Newton had great stats but no wins to show for it:

"I could absolutely care less on yards per game," Smith said. "I think that is a totally overblown stat because if you're losing games in the second half, guess what, you're like the Carolina Panthers and you're going no-huddle the entire second half. Yeah, Cam Newton threw for a lot of 300-yard games. That's great. You're not winning, though."

I think anybody taking shots at this Panther team might now know Jon Beason won't stand for it quietly. Beason shot back earlier today via Twitter:

"Alex smith, don't hate on Cam Bc your stats would've gotten u cut if Peyton decided to come 2 San Fran.Truth b told..That's after a 13-3 yr," Beason wrote.

Wham! So yeah Alex, in spite of going 13-3 your team would have cast you off in a skinny second if the 34 year old QB coming off neck surgery had picked your team instead of the Broncos. That zinger goes from coast to coast! Sheeze, I'll bet Jimmy Clausen is feeling bad for Smith after that one. The icing would be for the 49ers to trade for Clausen this preseason. Smith would be competing with the 3rd stringer behind Newton.

I would say Beason now plays defense both on and off the field!

Carolina Panthers 'Turning Points'- Bill Polian

2012-05-25T14:50:10Z

"What if Jerry Richardson and Bill Polian parted ways amicably?"

Fans of the Carolina Panthers have a lot to thank Bill Polian for. Jerry Richardson and his PSL plan depended on generating early hype and excitement to support the adoption of the franchise by potential fans. To this end it was Polian who was charged with executing this plan, and he did so to a tee. This is what brought in Kevin Greene, Sam Mills, Wesley Walls- some of this franchise's best players were acquired during this initial push to win the hearts and minds of fans in the area.

Even fifteen years later we're not sure how things soured, but we know there was a power struggle and a falling out between Polian and Richardson. From what we can piece together it seems that Polian wanted more control over the organization, and JR (like most business owners) didn't want to relinquish it- this was coupled with personnel upheaval and drama that caused things to go badly quickly. In 1997 Bill Polian left the Carolina Panthers to join the Indianapolis Colts where he got full power over football operations, and played a major role in the financial direction of the franchise.

Despite the early success it was time for Polian and the Panthers to part ways- that much is known, and there was a good chance this could have ended amicably because of the Colts' offer that was on the table. Now as we reflect on this breakup there's one thing that stands out... the Panthers could have had Peyton Manning.

More after the jump

A few months ago Scott Fowler wrote a ‘what if' regarding Peyton Manning and the Panthers. He recounts Polian's continuing allegiance to Kerry Collins at the time, and the Panthers near-desperation to make a deal in the 1998 draft to move up and select the Tennesee QB.

Carolina offered Collins, other starting players, draft picks- whatever the Colts wanted if they could move up for Manning, but the sides couldn't come to terms. While it's possible Polian saw in Manning the player he became, realistically if you go back to the period prior to the '98 draft you'll see that analysts weren't completely sold on Manning, and the Colts were listening to deals from other teams too... so why couldn't they reach terms with the Panthers, who were offering the world?

Like most things the answer is pretty simple- a grudge. Sure, it may seem childish to let a grudge get in the way of business, but even today on ESPN you'll see Polian be especially harsh on the Carolina Panthers, recently calling Robert Griffin III "Cam times 10", continuing to refrain from giving Newton credit for the 2011 season that broke his own draft pick's records.

Had Jerry Richardson and Bill Polian shook hands, parted ways, and remained friends there's a good chance a trade could have been worked out that gave Polian a QB he still believed in, Kerry Collins- as well as more draft picks.

That part is easy. Seeing the progression that lands Peyton Manning in Carolina is simple, but the ramifications of a move are much more difficult. The continuation of the ‘win now' movement brought in George Seifert and led the Panthers to a mostly bad place. The players brought in to start the ball rolling got older, and the culmination of bad front office moves was the trade for Sean Gilbert- a move we'll definitely be looking at down the road.

Even though the Panthers found a Pro Bowl QB in Steve Beuerlein, it was always a short-term union. Seifert's mismanagement of drafting process, and making insane trades ultimately led to the 1-15 season. It's unclear whether Peyton Manning could have averted this, so I'm working under the assumption the Panthers still fell from grace; Though it's obvious that a 4,000 yard QB wouldn't have made the fall so hard.

So what would have happened if John Fox and Peyton Manning were united in 2002 instead of 2012? The Carolina Panthers had the offensive line, they had the receivers, and with Fox's personality they brought in the running backs. There is no doubt the Carolina Panthers win the Superbowl in 2003, and possibly get another one in 2004 with Peyton at QB.

I say this with such surety because of the Panthers defense. Indianapolis was only able to win one ring with Manning at the helm due to a consistently mediocre defense. Some label Peyton as ‘choking' in the playoffs, but he was asked to completely make up for the defense his entire time in Indy. Give an All-Pro QB the Carolina defensive line that generated turnovers, give him Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad and Stephen Davis and the Panthers win a ring.

If Peyton leads Carolina to a Superbowl they aren't going to allow the offense to break up, and pony up the big money for Muhsin Muhammad instead of him leaving for Chicago. Give Peyton the Panthers offensive line and he doesn't get hit enough for his neck to deteriorate.

Let's assume that something happened that caused the Panthers to still go 2-14 in 2010, and have the #1 pick in the 2011 draft. Now things get even crazier. You've been warned, this requires a little suspension of disbelief.

The Carolina Panthers were looking to hire Jim Harbaugh as their new head coach. The organization can deny it, but there's credible evidence that they had targeted him. However, Harbaugh was close to Polian and the Colts organization. This surely impacted his decision to rebuff the Panthers. In turn, Peyton advised Andrew Luck to stay in school one more year. That's right... there's a reasonable chance that if Polian and Richardson remained close that Harbaugh and Luck could have left Stanford as a package deal to arrive in Carolina.

What happens if Polian and Richardson parted way amicably?

... at the very least it's likely the Panthers wind up with Peyton Manning after offering a generous offer to former GM Polian who builds the Colts around Kerry Collins and his other pieces.

... at the most the Panthers get Manning, potentially win a Superbowl and years later Jim Harbaugh and Andrew Luck come to the Carolina Panthers instead of Cam Newton.

Carolina Panthers 2012 Position Preview: CSR Managers, Editors and Authors

2012-05-24T23:50:22Z

hehehe..... I hatched this little nugget of an idea whilst bored on a night shift. We fans are keen to review and critique players, offer criticism where we feel appropriate and even defend Matt Moore to the death on some occasions.... well one or two of us. With that in mind I thought it might be fun to review the brains and heart of this community..... those who have the power to put PT on the naughty step, those who wield the ban hammer, those who keep us informed on all things panthers....... THE MANAGEMENT. 16 people are charged with maintenance, upkeep and keeping the peace (sometimes harder than others *cough* *cough* Matt Ryan) on this site and obviously to review them all would take hours of my time, therefore I will be looking at a few of the regulars who rule over the rest of us peons to give the new bees an idea of who they are going up against. Who you say?..... Find out after the jump I say.

Obviously this article is tongue in cheek so as usual take nothing I say seriously. My favourite aspect of CSR is that we reguarly take the piss out of each other and return to fight another day with a smile on our faces.

Jaxon - The Big Dogg himself. Having only been a contributing member to this site for roughly a year I honestly don't know who started up CSR, but maybe it was Jaxon. For the purpose of this article I'm going to say it was. He is one of our leaders and we are his disciples, spreading the good word of CSR and trying in our infinite mercy to save as many poor souls from the ranks of the Charlotte observeras possible. As with all the Managers and Editors on this site, the amount of work and time he must put into this site boggles the mind, then on top that there's Cat Scratch Radio.... Sir I don't know how you find the time or effort to do what you do... for free. We salute you. From what I've seen, Jaxon doesn't get involved in arguments like some of the editors that lead to 900 comments on who is the best quarterback in the NFC south... but he does author the articles that lead to said arguments. Chance of making the team next year 100% Chance of him banning me for writing this article 25%

James Dator- How best to describe the myriad complexities of this man. A lexicon of thought, reason and brewery knowledge? CSR's Occam's razor at the manager position? A man whose opinions transcend the superstitions of lesser users, leaving them baffled, befuddled and potentially incontinent? All of the above? It would take a greater man than I to label the second Manager of our beloved site. All I know is that I can enter a debate with James and during the conversation my thoughts will some how change and i'll see my argument burning down in front of me. You know it wouldn't surprise me to hear James say.... ''These aren't the droids you're looking for'' Chances of him making the team next year 100% Chances of us all coming away from his next 'sir pour' article thirsty and in dire need of a thesaurus 90%

BW Smith - certainly one of the most involved editors on the site BW insnt afraid to role his sleeves up and get involved in an argument Those who have been here for a while know that bw loves his bojangles and is generally alight hearted guy however for those new bees out there i have dark and troubling news BW is the head of a notsosecret group of Gestapo esk terror known collectively as the grammer Nazi's always on hand to correct even the slightest in grammatical errors (even if they are in Latin) like a lynxin the mountains waiting to pounce on his unsuspecting prey More recently BW has enjoyed a troubled relationship (no homo for you Americans out there) with our very own PantherTrain Like a mentoring father figure trying to guild a disturbed pupil (I was thinking more star wars references but can anybody really see PT as Darth Vadar??) bws patience whilst not limitless has brought much amusement to me and others and whatever you do..... remember to pay your dues Chance of making the team next year 100% Chance of his annoyance at my lack of grammer in this paragraph leading to editorial changes 75%

Derek Leazer - It would be remiss of me not to tip my hat to Derek, whose format for this article I have clearly stolen. Derek is one of our newer authors and has penned a number of articles on potential hidden jems for late round draft picks and free agents. More recently his position review articles have been met with critical CSR acclaim. Quickly establishing himself as an active and informative author Derek has opened my eyes to many players I would not have considered pre draft. Thank you very much good sir. Chances of making the roster 100% Chances of an internal promotion to editor - I'm not important enough to know such info

Finally - Son of a newton- I had to mention S.O.A.N (not to confused with metal band S.O.A.D.) because he was one of the few, certainly the only editor to share my belief that Quintin Coples will be a success. Now that he's been drafted by the jets we have tried to make as little noise about QC as possible, in the vain hope that it will all go away and be forgotten. BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE if QC is a mega star you best pay me and S.O.A.N our dues because we were die hard to the end. Ivan I dont even want to hear it....... One particular article stands out for me from S.O.A.N. - a fantastic piece on defensive ends that's well worth a look and fully displays S.O.A.N's ability to break down football into simple chunks for the likes of me. Chances of making the roster 100% Chances of Coples being a mega star 50%

well folks that's enough from me. Thanks for listening the the insane ramblings of man awake at 00:40 BST. Most of all thanks to all the team here at CSR for building this community and increasing my panthers knowledge ten fold. You don't get enough thanks and you certainly don't get enough money.

Hat tip to the other editors and authors involved.... Cyberjag, Little King, Rick Bates, Revshawn, ERL, bylinebrown, TLong, Cam2SmittyAllDay, BrandonBecker. Peace out

The Schedule's Out, Now Which Game Are You Most Excited For?

2012-05-24T21:35:04Z

The Swamp Panther's typical seat location.

via t3.gstatic.com

The 2012 schedule has been announced and just like all fans of this great sport, we've all spent time dissecting it. Which are the easy games, which ones are a challenge, how do primetime games factor in, what will our final record be? These are all questions that naturally come this time of the year. I'm looking at two more questions myself, what game will be the most intense and which game(s) will I be trying to attend?

Certainly our one home primetime game will be the most popular choice. Not only do we play the defending Super Bowl champions but there is just something about a night game in an outdoor NFL stadium that is special. If you haven't had the opportunity to experience it I suggest trying to get tickets. I'm actually looking forward to one game in particular this year, one that I would gladly pass up the Thursday Night Game to attend. Which game and why after the jump...

Sunday, September 16th the Saints make their return to Charlotte, NC and I will be there. This game could arguably be the most intense game of the year. It's one of those games where you plan ahead and take a vacation day from work Monday because you will have lost your voice. It's one of those games where you show up early to make sure everything is perfect for your tailgate so you won't miss a second of the first quarter. It's not just the fans that will have this day circled on the calendar and for good reason.

Let's start with the worst of it; the Panthers are on a four game losing streak to the Saints. It doesn't matter that it took two straight years of losses for them to even the series at 17-17. This streak needs to end and I plan on being there when it does.

There is nothing worse than watching an amazing play where one of your two great running backs makes the block of the year to free up your rookie QB to throw up a bomb to the greatest Panther of all time who soars over a defender to snatch it out the air, stiff arms his defender to the turf and races into the end zone only to be blindsided by a cheap shot from Roman Harper. One of, if not, the best highlights of the year tarnished by a dirty team. The Saints narrowly escaped with a 3 point lead and in my opinion cemented themselves as our new regime's most hated foe. This led to one of my favorite Ron Rivera quotes, "You’re coming into our place and you’re going to come after one of our guys? We’re not going to take it," Rivera said. "That’s just the way it is. This is our house. You come in here, you’re not going to shove us around. I’m glad it happened the way it did. People need to know: We’re going to hit you back."

However, what has me the most fired up for September 16th is the fact that this team placed a bounty on our Rookie of the Year, Cam Newton. The Saints managed to pick up three roughing the passer penalties last year while trying their best to end a young man's career before it took off. For what? For what would in essence be pocket change to the average Joe. For bragging rights, or spending money or because they viewed him as a legitimate threat to their season Saints defenders were willing to inflict serious injury on a 22 year old man. Football aside, they had proven intent to cause injury to this young man. As I type this I get fired up and I haven't played a down of football in over a decade. So what type of intensity do you expect his teammates, our Panthers, coming into Bank of America stadium for their home opener against the team who did this? I think this may be the hardest hitting game of the year.

Yes, Panther fans, I will be at Bank of America Stadium in my seat at 12:45 p.m. Sunday, September 16th when the Saints come marching in and I will be in my seat at 4:15 p.m. when they go crawling out with their tails between their legs as well. So let's hear it CSR faithful, what home game are you going to try your best to attend this year?

Panthers OTA Media Day Wrap-Up

2012-05-24T20:52:59Z

Anybody can stand around and view what is happening, but we like to take it a step further here on CSR and give fans analysis, not just observation. Today in Charlotte was a chance for the media to take a look at the Carolina Panthers, a witness the seeds of the offense and defense being installed. Across several different sources we got a good look at the 'what' was going on, but nothing about the 'why' or 'how'... so we're here to fill in the gaps.

Brandon Hogan getting second-team Reps behind Captain Munnerlyn at corner.

- Joe Person

Ron Rivera said as much leading up to the OTAs, and he's a man of his word. It's important to note that as the day went on Hogan began taking first team snaps. We're discussed it a lot here, but Munnerlyn is a natural nickel back and can still thrive in that role, whereas Hogan is much better in man coverage, and a more naturally athletic corner. You'll also note that Darius Butler didn't figure into these 1st team reps, so for now it looks like it's Captain's job to lose, and from early perception it seems Hogan could very well take it from him.

Jeff Otah working second team behind Byron Bell at RT. Rookie Amini Silatolu working first team at LG between gross and Kalil.

- Steve Reed

Nobody will mistake Byron Bell's talent level for Jeff Otah's, but nobody will confuse Otah's health with Bell's either. This is an example of how the team is run under Rivera. Every player, even the most talented will need to earn their spot on the team. With Otah in a contract year he'll need to show up, earn the job and stay healthy if he's to remain in the NFL beyond his initial deal. Also noticeable is Silatolu indeed playing LG as projected. The pulling guard role is the best spot for him, and it makes the left side of the line very solid in the running game.

More after the jump

Kuechly, Beason and Anderson working with the first-team linebackers.

- Joe Person

This was to be expected. The Panthers were really easing Beason back into the fold- a welcome change from the rapid return of Thomas Davis in 2010. When Beason sat out Kuechly slid over to MLB, and while he made a couple of rookie mistakes, per Jordan Gross- the veteran also said he "sure can cover a lot of ground". This is welcome news for those concerned he had the lateral speed to play sideline to sideline at the OLB position.

During Thursday's OTA, LaFell dropped three of four during a passing drill.

- Jeff Hawkins, CBS

When he first entered the league LaFell showed hands of stone, then they softened up and he looked reliable. The old excuses of 'he'll be good on game day' wont fly with Rivera as coach, and as such #11 will need to ensure he stays on top and keeps working hard if he plans to keep the starting job across from Smitty. These are early days, and certainly no cause for panic- but any time you hear about a veteran struggling it's worrisome.

Chris Manno play of day. One hand.

- Tom Sorensen

With the influx of rookies many have slept on Chris Manno- the WR brought in prior to the draft who had experience working with Cam at IMG academy. He's a tireless worker, and that kind of attitude will go over well in Charlotte. It's easy to write off the scores of WRs brought in as desperation, but if the plan is to light a fire under those currently on the roster, then it's a guy like Manno who could push a veteran.

Finally, the quotes from Cam are most encouraging and give us some insight into the locker room. These courtesy of The Drive:

It's been great. We've had full participation which is a good thing, it's a good start. Everyone has come out here with a mentality to work hard and get better and that's all I can expect right now. All the nicks and bruises have passed and everybody is ready and energetic to be out here. We need the leadership of those guys that were injured, the likes of Thomas Davis and Beason. They are doing an unbelieveable job. Theres nothing like coming out here for OTAs and to get to talk to your coaches & get reps, whether they are mental or physical.

It's too early to tell if things are slowing down but I am hard at work. I'm trying to get the logistics down and I still have a lot to learn from this past year still. Last year there were some good things & some bad things, but even with the good things I think I could've done things alot better. Coach Chud and Coach Shula have been doing a great job with the QBs we have, me, Derek, Jimmy. Everyones just here to help.

Everyone's being held accountable, the playmakers are going to have to make plays & the leaders are going to have to lead. Its already a given who the leaders are on this team and your going to have to hold yourself accountable, on the field and off.

Humble, understands he hasn't arrived yet, preaching accountability... if you have a young QB this is all music to your ears. The Panthers now close off the OTAs again, and the next time we'll get a good look at the players is in Spartanburg.

Carolina Panthers 2012 Position Preview: Safety

2012-05-24T17:31:37Z

Can you see the invisible player that Martin is tackling behind Kevin Smith? Me neither. The cover picture would be funny if it weren't so sad. This image really is a glimpse of the season as a whole for the Panthers starting safety tandem. To say that the back line of the Panthers defense was abysmal in 2011 might be an understatement. Every game seemed to be rife with fundamental mistakes. If Martin wasn't missing tackles, he was inexcusably getting beat on a last second first half touchdown. If Godfrey wasn't taking the wrong angles in both pass coverage and run support, he was dropping easy interceptions. There is no doubt that the first two lines of defense weren't holding up their end of the bargain and our safeties were pushed to the limit more than they ever had been before, but that is no excuse for completely falling apart at times.

I guess it wasn't all bad because they individually and collectively had their moments. A late interception against Indy to seal the game may have been the finest moment of the season for starting free safety Sherrod Martin, but overall, he regressed more than anyone else on the team last season. Godfrey, the Panthers veteran strong safety, played better than Martin, but that isn't saying very much. They may have started over the past several seasons, but they will have their work cut out for them if they want to keep that streak going. After the jump, we'll take a look at some of the newcomers who will get a chance to supplant the incumbents.

Let's take a look at the seven current safeties on the Panthers roster, two of which were recently signed as free agents and one that was drafted.

DJ Campbell- At 22, this 2012 seventh round draft pick will have his work cut out for him when it comes to vying for any playing time on defense in his first season with the Panthers. His bread will be buttered on special teams just like it was at California before emerging as a viable starting safety during his final college season. By my estimation, Campbell has a 40% chance of making the 53 man roster .

Jonathan Nelson- If you aren't familiar with Nelson, let me introduce you to this sleeper pick for an increased role with the Panthers this upcoming season. He was originally drafted in the seventh round of the 2011 draft by the Rams, but he was unable to make it past the final cuts just before the season started. A couple of months later, the Panthers signed him to their practice squad, and five weeks later, he was promoted to the active 53 man roster. Approximately twenty-four hours after being called up, Nelson was starting in his first NFL game against the Bucs, and, to his credit, he played surprisingly well. He recorded seven tackles and made an interception after a pass was tipped up in the air by James Anderson. With that being said, he isn't a lock to make the roster, especially after the Panthers went out and signed some guys who could make some noise of their own at the strong safety position. I give Nelson a 40% chance to make the 53 man roster.

Jordan Pugh- At 24, he is already entering his third season as a back-up strong safety. Although he showed some promise early on during his first NFL training camp, he hasn't been able put it all together up until this point. That's too bad, because our very own Beast was 'very impressed' with him after some of their initial practices together in 2010, and even took his praise a step further by saying that Pugh reminded him of Chris Harris a little bit. Maybe this is the year the light bulb comes on and he becomes another one of the Panthers sixth round picks who went on to overachieve. I'm not counting on it with our influx of recent safety signings. He's got a 40% chance of making the team.

Reggie Smith- After spending his first four seasons in San Francisco, Smith will be vying for a starting position at strong safety, but I'll be surprised if he is able to wrestle it away from Godfrey. As a former third round pick, Smith has certainly underachieved up until this point. Maybe a change of scenery in a different defensive scheme will be the catalyst to jump-start his career here in Carolina, but I wouldn't count on it. I'll give him an 60% chance of making the team and a 5% chance to start.

Haruki Nakamura- Here's another sixth round safety who will be trying to win a starting position outright for the first time. His chance to start certainly went up when he chose to sign with the Panthers this offseason. After backing up free safety Ed Reed in Baltimore for the past several seasons, he will undoubtedly give Sherrod Martin a run for his money. I'll give him a 95% chance of making the team and 50% chance of earning that starting spot.

Charles Godfrey- Although our starting strong safety slightly regressed last season, I don't think he will lose his starting job to newcomer Reggie Smith. But there is no question that he will need to step up and earn that gaudy extension he signed in 2011, or he might be on the chopping block next offseason. He has a 100% chance of making the team and 95% chance of starting.

Sherrod Martin- Did Martin have a downright despicable 2011 season? Of course he did. Will he be able to retain his starting free safety spot? I'm not so sure, because I absolutely expect the battle to be fierce between he and Nakamura come July and August. With that being said, I'll give the incumbent Martin the same odds as the newcomer from Baltimore. 95% chance of making the team and a 50% chance of starting. If Martin loses, he will be cut.

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