The 2008 edition of the Carolina Panthers should be an exciting thing to watch. The roster has been revamped, and young underperforming receivers have been placed with experienced veterans that are past their prime. The Panthers play in a very confusing division in the NFC South. The Buccaneers play like champions one week and are horrible the next…dido for the Saints. Julius Peppers is entering a contract year, so expect him to have a monster year as he will look to get paid after the season.
KEY ADDITIONS:
1) Jonathan Stewart – The running back out of Oregon will be called upon to take the place of DeShaun Foster and relieve DeAngelo Williams. Stewart will provide a great change of pace, and should help Jake Delhomme in his comeback. If Steve Smith can regain his form from a couple years ago, this offense could put points on the board with the best of them.
2) DJ Hackett – Hackett comes from Seattle where he caught just 32 passes last season. He will have to keep Dwayne Jarrett off his back if he would like to start along side of Steve Smith, but how Jarrett’s rookie year went that shouldn’t be too difficult. Look for Hackett to have upwards of 50-60 receptions this year.
3) Mushin Muhammed – Muhammed returns to Carolina after a stint in Chicago. Although underperforming in Chicago (which is probably more so the quarterbacks fault), Muhammed looks to resurrect his career in Carolina. He will push Jarrett for the third receiver, and most likely will act as a possession type of receiver in a 4 wideout set. Don’t expect huge numbers, but look for him to provide consistency and leadership.
4) Landon Johnson – The former Bengal comes to Carolina after recording 104 tackles and a sack last season. Having a motor that constantly runs at 100 mph helps Johnson in his quest for the ball carrier. Look for him to start at weekside linebacker, and should be able to record close to 100 tackles for the second straight year.
KEY LOSSES:
1) DeShaun Foster – Foster departs to the bay area to play for the 49ers this season. He will look to provide a change of pace to Frank Gore, and could be a successful third-down back in San Francisco.
2) Drew Carter – Carter was sent packing after underperforming in Carolina. Oakland picked up the receiver, and according to reports has been having a wonderful offseason. Carter may even look to start along side Javon Walker. This would allow Ronald Curry to shift to the slot where his skills are better utilized.
3) Keary Colbert – Colbert was sent packing with Drew Carter after a few disappointing seasons in Carolina. He signed with Denver, and hopes to get playing time along side Brandon Marshall. Denver has a strong armed quarterback in Jay Cutler, and hopefully Cutler can help the development of Keary’s game.
4) Justin Hartwig – The starting center last season leaves Carolina for Pittsburgh in the offseason. The 7 year player out of Kansas provided a solid starter for the Panthers for years, and will look to continue his success in Pittsburgh. At only 28 years of age, Hartwig looks to be entering the prime of his career.
5) Dan Morgan – Morgan departs to New Orleans after many reliable years leading the Panthers defense. Morgan contemplated retirement this offseason, but still has the desire to play football. He has been riddled with injuries in recent years, and hopefully he will be able to remain healthy and perform at a high level.
Key Weaknesses:
With the health of Jake Delhomme in question, the Panthers enter the 2008 season having serious questions regarding the most important position on the field. If Delhomme ends up getting hurt once again, Matt Moore will be called upon to lead this team to victory. The Panthers need to start thinking for the long-term and should look at picking up a quarterback to add competition to this committee.
Key Strengths:
The Panthers employ one of the most exciting receivers in the game in Steve Smith. They also picked up D.J. Hackett and have a young Dwayne Jarrett waiting in the wings. While there have been question marks surrounding Jarrett, if he is able to come into his own during his sophomore campaign, the Panthers will have a nice trio to alleviate some pressure off of Jake Delhomme’s shoulders.
2008 Predictions
The 2008 Panthers will be a hard team to predict. If the team wants to make the playoffs, their best bet is to win the division. With likely wildcard spots coming out of the NFC East and probably the NFC North, a wild card birth would be a challenge. If Julius Peppers can take over the game on a consistent basis, this team could find a way to challenge the Bucs for the division title.
The Panthers play in the strangest division in football. The Bucs, Saints, and Panthers can all look like playoff contenders one week, and the next could lose to the Falcons. That makes predicting victories a little difficult. Expect the Panthers to sweep the Falcons, and split games with the Bucs and Saints. A 4-2 divisional record is a strong possibility for the 2008 Panthers.
As for the rest of the games, victories against Chicago, Atlanta, Kansas City, Arizona, and Detroit are possibilities. A final record of 9-7 is possible, as well as a possible division title. The Saints appear to be a little ahead of the Panthers in the division, and Carolina could be one year away (and assuring they sign Julius Peppers to a long term contract) from the playoffs.
