Panthers Homers (1 Viewer)

[footballman_696969]

Last year Foster was given the ball 15 times a game, and averaged only 3.5 yards per carry. DeAngelo Williams carried the ball 9 times a game and averaged 5 yards per carry. In the offseason the Panthers get rid of Foster. Then they go out and draft J.Stewart in the first round of the draft. It seems to me that Stewart will be taking over Fosters' job this year.

My question is this:

Why did the Panthers go out and spend a first round pick on a RB when they have Williams, a guy they took in the first round a couple of years ago? Do they not feel he can carry the load for the team? Is it because of durability issues?

 

[comfortably numb]

Last year Foster was given the ball 15 times a game, and averaged only 3.5 yards per carry. DeAngelo Williams carried the ball 9 times a game and averaged 5 yards per carry. In the offseason the Panthers get rid of Foster. Then they go out and draft J.Stewart in the first round of the draft. It seems to me that Stewart will be taking over Fosters' job this year.My question is this: Why did the Panthers go out and spend a first round pick on a RB when they have Williams, a guy they took in the first round a couple of years ago? Do they not feel he can carry the load for the team? Is it because of durability issues?

Not a homerNot smartDidn't even stay at a holiday Inn ExpressWith that said, I think CAR (Fox) could be at the end of the leash, and made the move to get a RB to pair with DeWill to make a run in 08.I think Fox wants to go into 08 knowing he doesn't have to worry about RB, taking a top RB assures that.The last 2 years we have seen a RB get drafted to a team that already had a starter (Bush/ADP) and they were instant playoff contenders.So short answer. I think it was a short term solution

 

[PSULions]

Last year Foster was given the ball 15 times a game, and averaged only 3.5 yards per carry. DeAngelo Williams carried the ball 9 times a game and averaged 5 yards per carry. In the offseason the Panthers get rid of Foster. Then they go out and draft J.Stewart in the first round of the draft. It seems to me that Stewart will be taking over Fosters' job this year.My question is this: Why did the Panthers go out and spend a first round pick on a RB when they have Williams, a guy they took in the first round a couple of years ago? Do they not feel he can carry the load for the team? Is it because of durability issues?

I would be happy to answer that question for you.....Back in January, Jerry met with Coach Fox and Marty Hurney at his lake house over the weekend to discuss their game plan for the Panthers getting back into the playoffs. There were a few quotes from the paper regarding this meeting and basically, they indicated that they felt like the Panthers had lost their way about being a power running team. Fox likes to run the ball effectively and control the clock and last year it was very evident that we could NOT do that as we had many 3 and outs and the D kept going out on the field. They would run out of gas late in the 3rd and 4th quarters and were blown out more than once over the course of the season.In March, when FA period started the Panthers started collecting several very large OGs to bolster our OL after Hartwig and Wahle were released and the Panthers signed T. Wharton with the hopes of sliding him over to LG and moving Gross to LT. The Panthers were also looking to grab a top OT in the draft so I had thought that we would go for either RB to compliment DW or OT to continue to re-built our OL. The Panthers like DW, but my guess is that they do not see him as a power runner no matter how much they like him. The Panthers team doctor was the surgeon that worked on Jonathan Stewart back in March and the Panthers did their homework on him and they felt like he was their best option at #13 so they grabbed him to help him push the pile and move the chains with his ability to run between the tackles. They stunned me with their trade with the Eagles to grab Otah and give up their 2nd, 4th and their 1st rounder next year to continue to re-make the OL to get the road grader they were hoping to land. It was a huge price to pay, but the OL is now shaping up to me much bigger and stronger this year and with Stewart, likely to be the starter with DW as a change of pace back the Panthers should be much better offensively this year and take some pressure off S. Smith as defenses will now have to contend with Stewart and DJ Hackett.My best guess at this point is that Stewart will see 20-25 touches per game, while DW will get about 10-12 per game and provide much needed insurance if Stewart goes down for a longer period of time. I really like what they did on Saturday, but not too happy that they sacrificed the 1st rounder in 2009, but if the Panthers miss the playoffs for the third straight year, missing the 2009 1st rounder will not be Fox's and Hurney's problem.Hope that helps.

 

[css2373]

Last year Foster was given the ball 15 times a game, and averaged only 3.5 yards per carry. DeAngelo Williams carried the ball 9 times a game and averaged 5 yards per carry. In the offseason the Panthers get rid of Foster. Then they go out and draft J.Stewart in the first round of the draft. It seems to me that Stewart will be taking over Fosters' job this year.My question is this: Why did the Panthers go out and spend a first round pick on a RB when they have Williams, a guy they took in the first round a couple of years ago? Do they not feel he can carry the load for the team? Is it because of durability issues?

Not a homerNot smartDidn't even stay at a holiday Inn ExpressWith that said, I think CAR (Fox) could be at the end of the leash, and made the move to get a RB to pair with DeWill to make a run in 08.I think Fox wants to go into 08 knowing he doesn't have to worry about RB, taking a top RB assures that.The last 2 years we have seen a RB get drafted to a team that already had a starter (Bush/ADP) and they were instant playoff contenders.So short answer. I think it was a short term solution

I agree, they need to win this year and can in that division, the only real comp will be NO who struggles doing what? Stopping the run.

 

[switz]

My question is this: Why did the Panthers go out and spend a first round pick on a RB when they have Williams, a guy they took in the first round a couple of years ago? Do they not feel he can carry the load for the team? Is it because of durability issues?

Williams is a dancer, he sometimes explodes for big plays, but often he is indecisive. Also, the Panthers prefer bigger runners. To be honest, I never understood why they drafted Williams in the first place.

 

[perry147]

Last year Foster was given the ball 15 times a game, and averaged only 3.5 yards per carry. DeAngelo Williams carried the ball 9 times a game and averaged 5 yards per carry. In the offseason the Panthers get rid of Foster. Then they go out and draft J.Stewart in the first round of the draft. It seems to me that Stewart will be taking over Fosters' job this year.My question is this: Why did the Panthers go out and spend a first round pick on a RB when they have Williams, a guy they took in the first round a couple of years ago? Do they not feel he can carry the load for the team? Is it because of durability issues?

I would be happy to answer that question for you.....Back in January, Jerry met with Coach Fox and Marty Hurney at his lake house over the weekend to discuss their game plan for the Panthers getting back into the playoffs. There were a few quotes from the paper regarding this meeting and basically, they indicated that they felt like the Panthers had lost their way about being a power running team. Fox likes to run the ball effectively and control the clock and last year it was very evident that we could NOT do that as we had many 3 and outs and the D kept going out on the field. They would run out of gas late in the 3rd and 4th quarters and were blown out more than once over the course of the season.In March, when FA period started the Panthers started collecting several very large OGs to bolster our OL after Hartwig and Wahle were released and the Panthers signed T. Wharton with the hopes of sliding him over to LG and moving Gross to LT. The Panthers were also looking to grab a top OT in the draft so I had thought that we would go for either RB to compliment DW or OT to continue to re-built our OL. The Panthers like DW, but my guess is that they do not see him as a power runner no matter how much they like him. The Panthers team doctor was the surgeon that worked on Jonathan Stewart back in March and the Panthers did their homework on him and they felt like he was their best option at #13 so they grabbed him to help him push the pile and move the chains with his ability to run between the tackles. They stunned me with their trade with the Eagles to grab Otah and give up their 2nd, 4th and their 1st rounder next year to continue to re-make the OL to get the road grader they were hoping to land. It was a huge price to pay, but the OL is now shaping up to me much bigger and stronger this year and with Stewart, likely to be the starter with DW as a change of pace back the Panthers should be much better offensively this year and take some pressure off S. Smith as defensives will now have to contend with Stewart and DJ Hackett.My best guess at this point is that Stewart will see 20-25 touches per game, while DW will get about 10-12 per game and provide much needed insurance if Stewart goes down for a longer period of time. I really like what they did on Saturday, but not too happy that they sacrificed the 1st rounder in 2009, but if the Panthers miss the playoffs for the third straight year, missing the 2009 1st rounder will not be Fox's and Hurney's problem.Hope that helps.

GReat posts thanks for the insight.