A PANTHER MOVE!!!! & Draft Preview….kinda

The Carolina Panthers FINALLY made some news in this year’s offseason and that is………. Sign Jake Delhomme to a 5 year extension?

The Panthers locked up Jake for the remainder of his career and he will more than likely retire a Panther now. Mixed reviews on this decision based on Jake’s 5 interception performance against the Arizona Cardinals in last years playoffs. But if you put that 1 game behind you it makes sense as he had a fantastic season, plus another offseason of strengthening his arm after his surgery. If nothing else if he doesn’t pan out Jake’s fire can lend a hand to the development of his predecessor, so I think it is a good move to keep him apart of the fabric of this team. I would like to hope after the disaster against the Cardinals last season that the coaching staff has learned that the win or lose with Jake only philosophy will be abandoned and they will not be scared to go to their bullpen in the event he falters this season.

Draft Preview

For a team that got eliminated in the NFC semi’s last season you would think they would look to upgrade but instead they have done some puzzling moves. They slapped the disgruntled Julius Peppers with the franchise tag and now have to pay him $16 million plus a season not sure on what kind of production they will get out of Peppers? Plus they let Ken Lucas leave for greener pastures and they signed???? Nobody!

To add insult to injury they have an insane schedule for the 2009 campaign and don’t pick until the 59th spot in this weekends upcoming draft. Now unless they pull some blockbuster trade for picks with Peppers this will be an uneventful night for the black and powder blue. The Panthers are targeting Utah’s Defensive End Paul Kruger if he drops but at the 59th spot it is hard to forecast anything. They will need to fill the huge hole left with Ken Lucas’s departure and possibly draft another QB for the future?

So why have the Panthers stood pat? Well offensively they are still in great shape and if not for Jake’s nightmare performance against the Cardinals who knows what could have happened last season. I for one truly thought that the Panthers were going to the Superbowl last season with the way they were playing at the end of the year. So they gave the ultimate vote of confidence to this team. “ONE MORE SHOT” boys is the message they sent to the team and possibly John Fox. They still have a solid offense with a great running duo in Williams and Stewart, a great offensive line that has another year under their belts and a great receiving core. If they focus on defense with this years draft and draft another guy to complement Peppers on the line it could be just what the doctor ordered.

I for one am a little surprised but when you look at the roster and the shocking end to last years season then it does make some sense. The big test is the schedule which sees’s them starting at home against the Eagles, going on the road to Atlanta then a Monday night game against the Dallas Cowboys in their spanking new digs! The first 3 weeks to say the least will be quite testing for the Panthers this season. I for one will not be following the draft closely unless of course I get a text that Julius Peppers has been traded for some picks!!!

Jayson Saikaley aka Jersey Jay

Carolina Panthers 2009 Season Schedule

Sep 13

PHI @ CAR

Bank of America Stadium

1:00 PM

Sep 20

CAR @ ATL

Georgia Dome

1:00 PM

Sep 28

CAR @ DAL