SB Nation - Jeff Otah

New York Jets Run Defense vs. Carolina Panthers Run Offense

John B — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:15:40 -0000

by Patrick Semansky - AP

Like the Jets, the Panthers own one of the best rushing attacks in the league. Unlike the Jets, they lean on two different backs instead of one. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart might be the best tailback tandem in football. Williams has 982 yards, 7 touchdowns, and a 5.1 average. Had the Panthers not snatched him up in the 2006 Draft right before the Jets went on the clock, there's a chance the Jets may have grabbed him instead of Nick Mangold. Stewart has 509 yards, 6 touchdowns, and a 4.6 average. Williams is the complete package as a runner. Stewart only really lacks breakaway speed. Stewart has been battling an Achilles injury but participated in practice fully on Friday and should be ready to go.

The Panthers are a great run blocking team. Ryan Kalil fights with Nick Mangold and Miami's Jake Grove for the title of best run blocking center. Sione Pouha and Howard Green will have their hands full. David Harris and Bart Scott had better be comfortable working in traffic. The Jets have shown more four man fronts since the Kris Jenkins injury. I wouldn't be surprised to see that trend continue. Carolina will miss Jordan Gross on the left side. Travelle Wharton represents a major downgrade at left tackle. The rest of the Panthers line is full of solid blockers from Jeff Otah to Keydrick Vincent to MacKenzy Bernadeau.

Carolina also has an excellent lead blocking fullback, Brad Hoover, although they do like to run a lot of three receiver and double tight sets so Hoover, who is battling an ankle injury may not see much time. It's going to be really important for the secondary to assist in run support. Muhsin Muhammad in particular is an excellent blocking receiver. Lito Sheppard might be called on to get off a block and make a key tackle when the Panthers send Williams outside.

Arizona Cardinals vs Carolina Panthers: Who Has the Edge?

Andrew602 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:49:40 -0000

In last week's segment, the New York Giants held the edge, 7-5 and that was rightfully so. Not many Cardinal fans expected them to go to New York and play the way they did. That's where predicting outcomes becomes difficult. This week, predicting who has the edge shouldn't be a challenge, but the Cardinals also shouldn't get ahead of themselves. The Panthers can be a dangerous team, and DeAngelo Williams is always a threat to break a long run. Let's take a look at who will hold the edge.

Pos.	Edge	Analysis
QB		This one should be a no-brainer. Jake Delhomme has already thrown 13 interceptions while Kurt Warner has put together another solid season. This is the key to the game on Sunday.
RB		Although the Panthers have had their problems this season, the one bright spot would be the duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The combo could give the Cardinals problems on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are barely starting to put together a rushing attack
WR		The Cardinals passing attack hasn't been as explosive as it was in the past, but you can never underestimate Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston. The Panthers have struggled getting the ball to Steve Smith, something they must do to be successful.
TE		Jeff King and Dante Rosario have more receptions, yards and touchdowns then any one of the Cardinals tight ends combined. Delhomme hasn't been good but he has found these two in the end zone.
OL		Jeff Otah is a young tackle that Cardinal fans wish we could swap with Levi Brown. The Cardinals offensive line has improved the last two ames, but Carolina's line can produce good rushing lanes for their running backs.

Pos.	Edge	Analysis
DL		The Cardinals continue to remain the best rushing defense in the league. Even with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, they didn't allow over 100 yards. The Panthers have faced injuries and inconsistency. Julius Peppers remains a force on defense, as he has 6 sacks on the year.
LB		The Panthers linebackers are one of the bright spots on the defense. Jon Beason and Thomas Davis lead the defense in tackles and interceptions(1). Although the Cardinals linebackers have blitzed more and have done better in coverage, they'll need to more consistent while doing so.
CB	---------------	The Panthers do have the top pass defense in the league(150 YPG), while the Cardinals are 29th(258 YPG). However, opponents have thrown the least amount of passes(151) in the league at the Panthers. They also allow a 6.6 YPA(13th), a 65.6% completion(27th), and a 91.3 QB rating(24th). The Cardinals have had 226 passes thrown at them(10th) with a 7.2 YPA avg(20th), a 57.5% completion(9th), and an 82.1 QB rating(13th). The Panthers 1st ranked pass defense can be misleading, and the Cardinals stats are skewed from the rough start. Split.
S		Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle proved last week that they are the best pair of safeties, at least in the NFC. They confused Eli Manning and were at the end of 3 turnovers. As stated earlier, the Panthers pass defense is good, but is not on the level of Wilson and Rolle.
ST		This one was close, but the Cardinals have the Panthers beat in almost every statistical category. They're also in top 5 for opponent return yards allowed. So far this year, the Panthers have done nothing that warrants them to have the edge over the Cardinals on special teams.
Coach		John Fox's commitment to Jake Delhomme proved to be disastrous for the Panthers '09 season. Meanwhile, Ken Whisenhunt has the Cardinals on a three game win streak and in 1st place in the West
Edge	Result	Analysis
	7-5	The Cardinals have the edge this week for obvious reasons. They're coming off a three game win streak and a huge win in New York. They'll also be at home, a place they haven't been in two weeks. The Panthers decided to start Delhomme again this week, something that may be costly after Sunday.

The Cardinals get to be on their home field this Sunday, another factor in the game. They hold the edge at most positions, but must have the edge in the mental game as well. Buying into their own hype or becoming too confident could cost the Cardinals the game. What are your thoughts? Are there any positions that you don't agree with?

Panthers vs. Bucs: Blogger Q&A

Jaxon — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:37:49 -0000

More photos » by Mel Evans - AP

2 months ago: Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Johnson (11) is sacked by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Chris Gocong (57) in the first quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

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It's Wednesday Panther fans and that means its time to move past last weeks game and onto the match-up at hand. This week the Panthers travel to the Big Sombrero that is Tampa Stadium, home of the Buccaneers. The blogger team from SBN’s Buc ‘em blog joins us this week for the next installment of blogger Q&A. Providing the answers to my five questions is Niko, BucWild and UNFNole who blog quite robustly about the Tampa Bay Bucs. Be sure to check out my answers to their questions over at Buc em.

If you should have a question or two as well feel free to post it in the comments and we’ll see if we can get one of the guys to come over and answer it by the end of the week.

Let’s get this party started:

Question 1: We might as well start at the top. So what is your impression on new HC Raheem Morris at this point? Is there anything about him that has surprised you? Still happy?

Buc ‘em: I'm one of the people who actually knew about Raheem Morris before February of 2009. When he came back from one year at Kansas State, he immediately repaired a great deal of damage from the 2006 secondary, which became a fantastic 2007 defensive backfield. Has Morris made mistakes? Yes. The Training Camp, OTAs, Preseason battle between McCown and Leftwich, all wasted. The Offensive coordinator shambles, and perhaps even the choice of defensive coordinator, which we won’t know for some time if that was a mistake. Cutting Derrick Brooks and his leadership could be another one. There are many Bucs fans who want him removed ASAP. But the knowledgeable football fans understand that the real problem of the Bucs is a lack of experience and talent. Instead of retooling, Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen repaired holes with band-aids, aging veterans and castoffs that are no longer in the league.

It doesn’t sound an ideal first season for the Morris regime.

Question 2. So is your offense now a passing offense or are you still a running offense? Which should the Panthers plan for the most?

Buc ‘em: It depends on how fast and much of a lead you get on us! The Bucs have been passing a lot because they have fallen behind a lot. Also, they have run the ball well at home. You can expect a heavy dose of Cadillac and Ward, but if you get 14 points spotted on us early that might change that prediction. Or if you’re able to shut down the run like Philly Was, that too could put the ball more in Josh Johnson hands.

The Panthers will certainly want to force the Bucs to play catch up and throw the ball. SS Chris Harris has a big match-up with TE Kellen Winslow.

Question 3. Tell us about the QB situation. Are you happy with Josh Johnson at QB? Do you expect rookie QB Josh Freeman to get a start soon?

Buc ‘em: Josh Johnson has really shown remarkable improvement in just the two games he has played in so far. Bucs fans know Josh Freeman is supposed to be the future of this franchise, but Coach Morris has said this is Johnson's team until Freeman is ready. Freeman has the physical tools to be successful, but Johnson has the ability to stretch the play with his feet, and has a quick release and accurate/ strong arm. As long as he is not part of the problem, Bucs fans are cheering for JJ.

For those Johnson fans it sounds like this kid could become available in the future. He is just the kind of player the Panthers would target in free agency.

Question 4. How have the big Free Agent acquisitions RB Derrick Ward and TE Kellen Winslow met expectations? How do you rate those moves so far?

Buc ‘em: They came after the failure to secure arguably the biggest prize in free agency, Albert Haynesworth. They were met with immediate applause, which turned to some little boos as K2 got a contract extension and did not show up for all the OTAs. However, with his 100+ yard game last week, Bucs fans got to see that K2 can be Josh Johnson's best friend in the passing game, and Derrick Ward simply hasn’t had a chance because quick 14 point deficits have had the Bucs offense more in passing mode. When he has gotten the chance, Ward has made the best of it, and Bucs fans know that no matter what, the running back position is the deepest on the team, and not a major cause for concern.

We know that Derrick Ward and Warrick Dunn can hurt us so there’s even more emphasis on getting an early lead.

Question 5. Has perennial Pro Bowl LB Derrick Brooks been adequately replaced? Who's your defensive MVP to date?

Buc ‘em: There is no way to replace a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer like Derrick Brooks. You just try to do your best to refill in the position. Geno Hayes was Brooks’ protégé last season, and still gets text pointers from ESPN's newest member. Hayes, like Brooks, is considered a little on the small size, but what Hayes mostly lacks is the experience Derrick brought to the position. One such example is the Slow It Down play you can see on our site from Wednesday. Brooks would have sniffed that play out; instead the Eagles used it to trick Hayes. Defensive End Jimmy Wilkerson had three sacks vs. the Eagles, and has been the lone standout on the Defensive line which needs a complete overhaul in the offseason.

I’m still surprised Brooks hasn’t landed somewhere else. I’m also surprised to hear the DL needs an overhaul. It sounds like RT Jeff Otah may have his hands full with Wilkerson.

Score prediction:

Buc ‘em: Probably a close game as most Carolina/Tampa Bay games seem to go. Probably not a whole lot of defense, nor offense either for that matter. 50 total points seems about right any way you want to slice them up. 23-21 should be the score, and for the last time this season, I will pick Tampa Bay.

I'm thinking its more like 31-17 Panthers.

Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers Open Thread

Dave the Falconer — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:00:16 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

Let's see Ovie Mughelli catch another touchdown! (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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You know, 2-0 sounds pretty great. Think we can make it happen?

The Falcons are staying put this weekend and taking on the stalwart Panthers, who are looking to bounce back while the dudes in the throwback uniforms look to keep rolling. Unfortunately, I won't get to catch any of it due to (what else?) work, so I expect you guys to run comments up well into the triple digits without me. Pour out a little Falcohol, too.

Personally, I think this is a very winnable game if the Falcons can muster the same defensive effort they did against the Dolphins. Here's to what should be a great game to watch, though like last week, I wouldn't complain if the Falcons just absolutely trash the Teal Cats. Enjoy!

Let's break it down to the atomic level.

Who? Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. EST

Where? Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Weather? Confucius say "man under dome roof not worry about rain."

Injuries? S William Moore is still questionable, but will likely get a few snaps this weekend. It'll be nice to see how helpful he can be against a quality running game. K Jason Elam and DT Peria Jerry are probable, but I fully expect them both to start and be effective, particularly because Elam has something to prove after a subpar performance Week 1.

The Panthers have listed S Chris Harris as doubtful and DT Nick Hayden as questionable. A few other players are probable, but the biggest effect on us would be if second-year T Jeff Otah or RB Jonathan Stewart were at all limited.

Odds? Atlanta over Carolina 6.0, O/U 44.0

Foe? Your friends and mine over at Cat Scratch Reader. You know the drill by now: Stop over and comment, but be polite. And comment more here. Don't embarrass me in front of the Panthers fans.

GO FALCONS! Let's reduce these cats to kittens!

Regular Season Week 1: Panthers Offense vs Philadelphia Defense

Revshawn — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:15:30 -0000

On Sunday afternoon at 1PM, The Panthers face off against the Eagles at home in Bank of America Stadium to start the season. No more preseason, this is the real deal now. The depth charts have been set, the fields painted, and on Sunday the start of the 2009 Carolina Panthers season will finally begin.

However, the Panthers have many questions going into Week 1. How effective will our new 3rd receiver Kenny Moore be? Whom will be the punt and kick returners for the Panthers now that Steve Smith and Chris Gamble's names have been thrown into the competition? How will the Panthers recover after a 0-4 start during the preseason? All of these questions will finally be resolved.

There is a cause for hope. There is a cause for faith in our team. I believe the Panthers starters held back during the preseason. I believe the coaching staff called very conservative plays with loose coverage in order to keep the defense healthy. I believe that the players were instructed not to go all-out against their previous opponents, hence all the missed tackles. That is what we have to hope after a 0-4 start during the preseason. In addition, Linebackers Jon Beason and Thomas Davis among our other starters were lining the bench to keep them from being injured during the cursed offseason. They will be back. Safeties Chris Harris and Sherrod Martin were nursing injuries right up into this very week before being declared good to go for Week 1. Besides our players on IR, the Panthers are healthy going up against the Eagles this Sunday.

Expect for the full fury of our defense to be released on game day. Like I said, you cannot judge the Panthers for their preseason. They calling a conservative game in order to minimize contact and prevent injuries to our players. The Panthers will change that on Sunday. Expect Panthers to blitz like crazy and carry a 4 man D-Line rotation in order to account for the losses of Corvey Irvin and Maake Kemoeatu to IR. The Panthers may have a huge weakness at DT, but our linebacker core are one of the strongest in the league. They will not, and cannot let us down.

And let's not forget the injuries of the Eagles as well. They lost their starting MLB early this year to IR. They throw Omar Gaither in there and he's a capable fill-in. But his backup, Joe Mays, is done for the game due to shoulder injury. The LB core of the Eagles are one injury away from a major disaster. That's bad news for an Eagles defense trying to discover how to stop a star running back like DeAngelo Williams and to prepare for a playoff run.

In addition, the Eagles lost two key cogs in their O-Line with their starting LG and RT out. That's going to hurt their offensive line and help nullify a weakness the Panthers have at our DT Position. On top of that, Westbrook is coming off an offseason ankle surgery, has hit the magical age of 30, and didn't practice the entire preseason. We all know that when RB's hit the downturn of their career, they hit it hard. Will he still have the game changing speed that he has had in the past? Is it time for him to hang up his cleats and retire? These are all questions that will be answered on Sunday.

Now let's move on and see how our offense matches up against the Philadelphia defense.

Introduction

The Eagles have fielded one of the most dominant defenses in the league the last couple of years. However, a big cause of that success was the brilliance in their former defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, whom has sadly passed away to cancer. This year the Eagles struggled defensively during the preseason, giving up 30+ points in their last couple of preseason games to the Jags and the Jets. Don't be surprised if you see an entirely new defense under Jim's successor Sean McDermott.

With the final game in 2008 in mind, the Eagles are going to blitz until Jake Delhomme proves himself in the passing game. They are going to stack 7 and 8 players in the box until he can start feeding the ball to Smith, Moose, and Moore. If they start pulling that stuff on the opening drive, I wouldn't be surprised if they gave Jake Delhomme the ball to prove himself the first drive after a horrible game against the Cardinals in the postseason. Then they can go on to call a balanced offensive game, have a good day, and the Panther fans can return to their homes victorious and looking forward for the rest of the season.

Jake just needs to keep from turning the ball over.

Jeff Otah vs Victor Abiamira

For the past three years, Juqua Thomas has been a good starter at right defensive end. He's gone for 5 and 6 sacks a season, and the Eagles find that they depend on him down the stretch. Yet during the offseason, the Eagles have decided to go with the 2 year veteran in Victor Abiamira, a 2nd round pick from the university of Notre Dame from the 07 draft. He's never played extensively in a game before, so it'll be up to Jeff Otah to be able to give him a very rude welcome into the league. Victor Abiamira should be able to be a good player in the league, but Jeff Otah should be able to delay his success for at least another game.

Jordan Gross vs Trent Cole

The star on the Eagles D-Line is unquestionably LDE Trent Cole. Two years ago in 2007 he made it to the Pro-Bowl for the first time in his career. He had 12.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 49 tackles, and was consistently a threat for the QB to keep an eye on at all times. However, he will be going up against another star in Jordan Gross, whom made it to the Pro-Bowl for the first time in his career just last year. Needless to say, it will be an interesting battle going on along both sides of the D-Line today.

Jake Delhomme vs Eagles D-backs

Jake will need to come out and prove himself once more after his horrendous play during the Cardinals game last year. This match-up could very well be renamed Jake Delhomme vs himself simply because the fans need to learn to believe in him again. At the same time, the coaching staff needs to not overly depend on Jake Delhomme like they did during that game. Call a balanced game with a mix of run and pass, and acknowledge that Jake Delhomme is not Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, even though he's being paid like it.

Jake also needs to be more effective on 3rd down, which has traditionally been a struggle for the Panthers with him under center. He has some help with year with Moore providing a better 3rd WR than Hackett or Jarrett last year. If Jake spreads the ball around, our offense should have a good day.

Brad Hoover vs Eagles LB's

DeAngelo needs to pick up where he left off last season and start breaking off those huge runs we all know and love him for. He is the star on our offense, and if he and Stewart suddenly fled to Canada our offense would not be effective at all.

So Brad Hoover needs to get out there and have a good game in the second level, blocking and fighting to give our backs room to run. He's coming off a year where he blew a few key assignments last year on special teams that led to a couple of blocked punts. A good performance by Hoover in taking away that extra LB up the middle would do wonders for springing DeAngelo into the backfield.

We have a special running game in Carolina. Williams is always a threat to break free at any time. Stewart makes for a good power back to keep him fresh, and Mike Goodson could be a brilliant, speedy change of pace back if he can cut down on the fumbles and the Panthers choose to utilize him. They are the reason I'm pumped for the start of the regular season. The Panthers running game is close to unstoppable.

And behind the scenes, the Hoov will do all the dirty work in helping them be that great.

Game Prediction

I look into the future, and I see a high scoring game by both teams. The defenses stand strong during the 1st and part of the 2nd quarter, but they completely collapse during the stretch. It will come down to the Panthers running game against the Eagles passing game, and DeAngelo Williams will not disappoint. The Panthers win 38-28.

Robinson Is the Panthers Biggest Loser

Jaxon — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:11:38 -0000

In a short interview with Andrew Mason Panthers rookie G Duke Robinson shares his weight loss success (down to 332 lbs) and admits he is loving his new job, so much so he wakes up wondering if its all a dream:

"I knew I was going to get it down, but I just feel great," he said. "I can move better. I'm better aware. I have a better mindset."

Shedding a baker's dozen of pounds wasn't something he was cajoled by others to do, Robinson said. The motivation came from within -- specifically, his desire to keep and eventually excel at his dream job.

"Sometimes I still wake up and can't believe that this is my everyday job, because this is what I love to do," he said.

Your not in Oklahoma any more Dukey! On a serious note this is just the kind of attitude and results you want to hear and see from a rookie who came to camp with something to prove. His work ethic was in question before the draft and the kid seems out to prove all those teams that passed on him made a mistake.

Robinson arrived at camp weighing 345 lbs so dropping 12 lbs over six weeks may only be 3.5% of his body weight...but it was the fattest 3.5%.

"(The weight loss) was more on me. This is my job; this is what I chose for my profession. Nothing is promised to me, so I've got to do everything I need to do to get the job done, and getting my weight down was one of the things I needed to do to be the best that I could be."

So he's moving well at 332 lbs huh? Just imagine when he's starting next 335 lbs Jeff Otah. That is some serious, mobile beef to run behind. Though I've written some of this post tongue-in-check I have to agree he's pulled pretty well and gotten out into the flat.

Panthers 17 Dolphins 27 Preseason Game Analysis

Jaxon — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 05:03:07 -0000

Saturday nights loss to the Dolphins represents the perfect preseason paradox of good vs bad. Even though the Panthers lost they overall performed much better than the previous game. Yet anytime I start to feel too good I think of the injury to LB Jon Beason and it sours. The 1st team offense finally put some points on the board with a nice 1st quarter strive. Both RB DeAngelo Williams and QB Jake Delhomme looked sharp. They also eliminated the sloppy turnovers from the previous week. That unfortunately resurfaced on special teams. The defense played better against the run but still gave up big plays. The wildcat formation the Dolphins use periodically also presented some problems too. Hopefully the Panthers saw enough to better prepare for the formation in the regular season.

Looking at individual performances a number of players stood out and helped themselves.

LB James Anderson had a team high 7 tackles and seemed to be all over the field. After last season I thought we had seen the best of Anderson but now I find myself wondering how we can get this guy on the field.

QB Jake Delhomme (5 for 7 for 49 yds, 89.6 rating) had a couple errant passes but he also looked very sharp on others. More importantly he demonstrated the fire and leadership qualities that the rest of the offense thrives off.

RB DeAngelo Williams (5 yds/carry) again looked more than ready for the season. Fox could sit him down now until the Eagles game and I wouldn't have a problem.

TE Dante Rosario had 3 receptions for 54 yards but more importantly he made some nice blocks. The highlight was a decleater on LB Channing Crowder that sprung Williams on his TD run.

Rookie CB Captain Munnerlyn showed us his best and hopefully his worst. His 58 yard punt return was one outstanding individual effort. He perfectly split the coverage and broke two tackles to break into the clear. He followed that up with a muffed punt that he literally stole back from a Dolphin who clearly had posession of the loose ball before Munnerlyn strong-armed it from him. Since the whisle never blew it wasn't reviewable.

LB Dan Conner looks very capable to fill in for the injured Jon Beason for a couple games. Beasons leadership will be missed but Conner looks ready.

RB Decori Birmingham had a few nice touches but I still doubt there's room on the roster for him.

When RT Jeff Otah left the game briefly after getting dinged Geoff Schwartz redeemed himself to a degree. He did much better in pass protection as he defended the speed rush better.

Outside of the Munnerlyn punt return special teams were a mess. JJ Jansen had his first (and hopefully last) bad snap on a FG. Throw in three muffed punts (1 lost) and it was forgettable.

Top 5 Panthers Training Camp Storylines

Jaxon — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 04:06:07 -0000

As the Panthers training camp kicks off I thought we would recap some of the story lines we can expect to develop in the first week. Some of these we have been discussing extensively the past few weeks so I'll keep them short.

1. Will the team embrace disgruntled PB DE Julius Peppers? All of the off-season comments from the team and coaching staff has been positive so I would expect the answer is "warmly" but I'm sure questions still linger. Let's see if Pep goes out of his way to smooth things over.

2. Will the defense embrace DC Ron Meeks and the other new coaches? All of the feedback from OTA's was positive about his high energy and focus on players "flying" to the ball. I've heard of that style getting old with other teams but given its new no danger of that yet. One thing to watch for is whether all this 'high energy' results in more scuffles as offensive players take offense to the defenses' 'enthusiasm'.I have to admit the fights always spice things up in TC.

3. Does the team still trust QB Jake Delhomme? Again based on the offseason comments its a resounding 'yes' but TC has a way of amplifying minor things. What if back-ups McCown and/or Moore shine in preseason? What if Jake doesn't? I don't expect a full on QB controversy this early but it could be the start of a storyline that builds into the season.

4. Will the Panthers avoid another distraction in TC like the Steve Smith - Ken Lucas brawl last year? Imagine if you are a rookie CB facing up Smith as you are trying to win a roster spot. Think he'll be talking any smack (the rookie that is)? Maybe by talking smack he is trying to show he has the balls to play in the NFL? What if Smitty talks smack to the CB, which he is known to do for sure. Will the rookie bite? If so, better keep you head on a swivel, even on the side line!...lol...I kid I kid. Honestly I expect Smitty to be on his best behavior. But I will be diappointed if I don't see at least a couple UDFA's slug it out a little at some point!

5. What rookie will make an impact in 2009? Both OT Jeff Otah and RB Jonathan Stewart played key roles in the Panthers 2008 success. If it happens again with this rookie class I'm betting it will be on the defensive side of the ball. Both DE Everette Brown and CB Sherrod Martin will have a chance to earn playing time. Or even DT Corvey Irvin could get early snaps. Who will make the most of it? Sure RB Mike Goodson made waves at OTA's but I doubt he will get the touches to make an impact. Something tells me at least one of the defenders is going to look like a brillant pick come January.

So what other story lines could we add to this list?

2009 Denver Broncos -- Breaking Down The Roster -- Offensive Tackles

Ted Bartlett — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:30:08 -0000

I commented last week on my breakdown of the Cornerback position that I was lucky to have drawn a position that Broncos fans can clearly feel very positive about. The offensive tackle position is in even better shape, and actually, is the strength of the team. Expect more great offensive-line play in 2009, and it will start from the outside.

During last year's reloading season, I spent a fair bit of effort in writing about the offensive line, which, at the end of 2007, was pretty lousy. Here and here I talked about my concerns, and why I advocated the selection of a Tackle in the first round in 2008 (which ultimately came to fruition with the selection of Ryan Clady.)

In 2008, the Broncos line was terrific, and it was the OT position which led the way. After the jump, we'll discuss the individual players at the position, and the prospects for further improvement in 2009.

Ryan Clady

#78 / Left Offensive Tackle / Denver Broncos

Height: 6-6

Weight: 325

Born: Sep 06, 1986

College: Boise State

Contract: 7/25/2008: Signed a six-year, $14.75 million contract. The deal includes $11.415 million guaranteed. Another $2.55 million is available through incentives. 2009: $2,141,250, 2010: $2,569,500, 2011: $2,997,750, 2012: $1.994 million (Voidable Year), 2013: Free Agent

You have to love it when the team gets it right, even if you personally had it wrong. I am hoping that is the case with Knowshon Moreno this season, as I didn't personally advocate for that choice, or love it when it happened. if you think back to March and April 2008, people on this site were HOT for Chris Williams and Earl Bennett from Vanderbilt. Both were drafted by Chicago, and both did absolutely nothing as rookies. The Broncos got Ryan Clady and Eddie Royal, who were two of the top 5 rookies in the NFL.

The best rookie in the NFL last season, to be clear, was Ryan Clady. He was the best offensive lineman in the NFL at age 22, and there is every reason to expect that he will continue to improve. Just to be clear, though, the degree of success which Ryan had in his first season, as a Left Tackle on a right-handed team, was essentially unprecedented. Joe Thomas was good the year before, and Jake Long and Jeff Otah were also good in 2008 (Otah on the right side), but none approached the two-way dominance of Clady.

At 6-6, 325 pounds, Clady has the foot quickness of a man who is 100 pounds lighter. He also has very long arms. He allowed one half of a sack in more than 600 drop-backs, which is incredible. The one stumble he did have was against the outstanding Richard Seymour, and he just got his feet tangled up on the play. You'll take that happening one in 600 times.

The thing that really sets Ryan apart from other good pass-blocking LTs is that he is also an elite run-blocker. Broncos fans will remember how devastating those runs around left end were last season, with Brandon Marshall cracking back on a DE, and Clady out in front hitting a CB. Offensive linemen don't consistently hit CBs (only Anthony Munoz ever did), and Ryan Clady did it all the time in 2008.

For this season, expect improvement from Ryan Clady, and expect him to get a lot of media attention when he dominates DeMarcus Ware in Week 4 on FOX, which will almost certainly be nationally televised, and called by Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Well, on second thought, neither of them would notice Ryan, so I may be reconsidering this. In any case, don't expect Ryan to be snubbed from the Pro Bowl again, or from first-team All-Pro recognition. He's on his way to Canton in about 15-18 years, if he can have a healthy career, because he has the greatest natural skill set the NFL has ever seen in a LT.

Ryan Harris

#74 / Right Offensive Tackle / Denver Broncos

Height: 6-5

Weight: 300

Born: Mar 11, 1985

College: Notre Dame

Contract: 7/25/2007: Signed a four-year, $2.75 million contract. The deal included an $805,000 signing bonus. 2009: $460,000, 2010: $550,000, 2011: Free Agent

I linked to something I wrote in April 2008, where I expressed that I wasn't too encouraged about Ryan Harris's prospects to become a starter. I was basing that on an absence of praise from Mike Shanahan, rather than anything I saw on the field, since he didn't play any offense in his rookie season in 2007.

It turns out, Harris was one of the best RTs in the NFL, and was certainly the best in pass protection. He was charged with giving up 2.5 sacks, which was tied for 6th in the NFL. If you take away the Cutler fumble/non-fumble against San Diego, which had absolutely nothing to do with Harris, he's tied for first with Ryan Diem, Jon Stinchcomb, and Ray Willis. He was named All-Pro by SI.com, with only Peter King voting, and based upon a recommendation from Mike Shanahan.

Harris is very cost-effective right now, but he's going to cost a bunch of money in an extension a year from now. He is definitely good enough to play LT somewhere else, and the Broncos will have to pay for that quality. In 2009, expect Ryan to deserve to go to the Pro Bowl, but not to get there, as RTs tend to struggle to make it. He'll always suffer for recognition with Clady on the left side, but he deserves to be known for how outstanding he is.

Tyler Polumbus

#76 / Offensive Tackle / Denver Broncos

Height: 6-8

Weight: 310

Born: Apr 10, 1985

College: Colorado

Contract: 4/29/2008: Signed a three-year, $1.177 million contract. The deal included a $22,000 signing bonus. 2009: $385,000, 2010: $475,000, 2011: Restricted Free Agent

Tyler Polumbus is a local guy from Colorado University, who acquitted himself well on offense in the preseason, and on special teams during the regular season. He is also very cost-effective, and I feel pretty comfortable with him as the primary backup to both Tackle positions. It remains to be seen if he could handle the best pass-rushers in the NFL one-on-one, but I think he could handle the job with a reasonable amount of help.

Brandon Gorin

#77 / Offensive Tackle / Denver Broncos

Height: 6-6

Weight: 308

Born: Jul 17, 1978

College: Purdue

Contract: Undisclosed

The Broncos signed Brandon Gorin in April to compete for a backup job. Gorin is a decent veteran role player, and could make the team, given his time with New England, and familiarity with Josh McDaniels. He has been a backup on some bad teams in San Diego, Arizona and St. Louis, and you clearly wouldn't want Gorin starting a lot of games.

Others

Stanley Bryant signed as a college free agent from East Carolina, and will probably compete for a spot on the practice squad. Clint Oldenburg is a third-year player from Colorado State, who was originally drafted by New England and saw action in two games for the Jets in 2007. Don't expect either to make a big impact on the field in 2009.

Position Outlook

The Broncos should field the best set of OTs in the NFL in 2009, a fair bit ahead of Tennessee (Roos/Stewart) and Miami (Long/Carey). Really, anything less than that would be disappointing. Michael Lombardi has said that he believes staying healthy is a skill for O-linemen, and if Ryan and Ryan can show that skill, the quality at the Tackle position will be a major factor in the Broncos' over-performance of 2009 media expectations.

Carolina Panthers Depth Chart Breakdown: Guard

Revshawn — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:00:15 -0000

First things first, I was on a radio show last week known as Cat Crave Radio, run by John White. Real good guy, loves his sports and doesn't back down from arguing with bloggers from other teams in the NFC South. Be sure to visit his radio show at www.catcraveradio.com where he runs his weekly podcast. It's an interesting listen every week and you can fill yourself with all the latest Panther news in two ways at once. While you're reading our articles, you can listen to his podcast. Double the information in half the time! Hurrah for the Internet!

And with that being said, onto the article!

The offensive line has been a position that most fans overlook. Let's be honest, most people in Charlotte are either ragging on Jake Delhomme, talking about Steve Smith, or boasting to other teams about the emergence of Double Trouble. And it's true, our running game was the thing that carried us through the year and helped us get triple the amount of wins over losses.

However, somewhere along the line someone has to do the dirty work to keep our running backs from being flattened by 300+ pound tackles. Though unwatched by a majority of the fans, they share a position that may be the most important of all. They are the Offensive Tackle, Guard, and Center positions that make up the offensive line. Today, I shall be reviewing the Guard position, and I shall list all of the players that have a chance to play in that position.

Travelle Wharton - Projected starter - 6,4 312 pounds ((6th year, South Carolina))

Travelle Wharton is a pretty big guy in the middle of the line. He's proven his worth time and time again, and he was rewarded in 2008 with a 6 year extension to lock him in till 2013.

The most important aspect that Wharton has in his game is the versatility to move around. He can play both tackle and guard, so if Jeff Otah was to go down from injury we could move Wharton over to tackle and throw Duke Robinson into the game and we'd be set to go. Sure, Wharton is better at Guard than tackle, but we don't take a huge dip in the effectiveness of the O-Line either. There are many teams in the NFL that don't have that luxury. The Panthers are not one of them. Barring injury, he will start.

Possibility of starting 100%

Keydrick Vincent- Projected Starter - 6,5 325 pounds ((9th year, Mississippi))

Believe it or not, Keydrick Vincent is a guy that went undrafted in the 2001 NFL Draft. He was picked up in UFA by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and a few years later he was able to win the starting job and play a full season at guard in 2004. From there, he was cut and spent years on the Ravens and the Cardinals squads before joining the Panthers in 2008.

Here, he lasted almost a full season before going down to injury in Week 15. One of the biggest knocks on him is that he's an injury risk. Once you count out 2004, he has never managed to start a full year. For the time he is on the field however, he is a capable player. And with the drafting of Duke Robinson in the 5th round, the aging veteran has a player to tutor under him. Vincent has a few years worth of football left in the tank, and he will contribute to a strong rushing attack this year.

Possibility of starting 80%

Duke Robinson - Projected Backup - 6,5 330 pounds ((Rookie, Oklahoma))

Duke Robinson has a good group of effective tools to use coming out of college. He hails from the college of Oklahoma, whom has created some of the best players currently in the league right now, including Minnesota's RB Adrian Peterson. After being projected to go as high as the late first-early 2nd round, the Carolina Panthers managed to grab him near the end of the 5th round. He has brilliant potential. A nice tall guy, good bulk on him. This year he's going to be a capable backup, and by next year he may be ready to start.

He does have a few knocks on him though. One of the reasons he fell so far was his lack of speed to run forward and take on blocks in the 2nd level. He has to get better. Let's say Ryan Kalil takes care of the DT while Jeff Otah pushes the DE wide and out of the play. If the linebacker is there, he has to be able to run forward and get a good block in order to give Diangelo Williams a decent lane to turn a small play into a big one. He also has that injury tag on him, that kept him out of the Senior Bowl and Combine.

But if he can improve his speed, there is no reason that Duke Robinson can't develop into a starting guard. He may have to drop a few pounds to do so, but he has plenty of weight to play already. Keydrick Vincent's contract expires next year, so don't expect to see him resigned if Duke proves he can handle the job. If his growth goes well, he will be indispensable piece to an already talented O-line.

Possibility of starting 20%, Possibility of making roster 100%

Mackenzy Bernadeau - Projected Backup - 6,4 308 pounds ((2nd year, Bently))

A 7th round pick for the Panthers in 2008, Bernadeau signed an uncharacteristically long 4 year contract to seal him as a player for years to come. He's on his second year, and judging by his contract he will probably make the roster as a project in development. He will continue his work in training camp and on the practice squad, training his skills enough so that perhaps he could take some time in games in the near future or prove to be a good backup.

The biggest thing he can do right now to help his case is continue to work out and put on some meat. He had a very fast 40 time, but some weight would do him wonders like it did to the rest of the O-Line. He's the first player to be drafted from Bently, and in Division II football he never really had that much of a challenge coming at him from out of college. He's pretty much a 'wait and see' player. The Panthers will need him this year for depth, and will probably keep him since he can also play tackle. Still, if he shows no signs to progressing into a capable backup or a starter, the idea of taking him off the roster in the final cut will cross their minds. His chances of staying on the team are just over a coin-flip. He could use a strong camp.

Possibility of making roster, 65%

Justin Geisinger - Suspected cut - 6,2 315 pounds ((4th year, Vanderbilt))

He is a player that has never started a game in his career. A 6th round pick out of Vanderbilt, it will be incredibly tough for him to stay on the roster ahead of Bernadeau. Like Bernadeau, he will need to have a strong camp to stay on the roster. And the Panthers have not invested anything in him other than a contract, so he will probably be cut at the end of training camp.

Possibility of making roster, 10%

C.J. Davis - Suspected cut Cut - 6,2 308 pounds ((Rookie, Pittsburgh))

With the loss of Hangartner, C.J. Davis was picked up as an interesting FA after the draft in order to serve and help players develop in training camp. Irregardless, it may be worth keeping an eye on him in training camp. He had eye-catching statistics during his stint with Pittsburgh, and he was projected as going as high in the 4th round in the draft before he fell like a log. Don't make any mistake, he was picked up as camp meat but he has the capability to perhaps find a place on the roster. He looks more like a center than he does a Guard, which contributes to him being placed at the bottom of this list.

If he has a strong first impact in training camp, he may have a chance especially with his versatility to play multiple positions. Otherwise, expect him to be cut during the first wave. He is a longshot, at best.

Possibility of making roster, 15%

Final thoughts

I imagine we can take one good injury and not have any worries if Duke Robinson is ready to start. However, we'll have to be careful this year to keep our line healthy. With the loss of Bridges, Hangartner, and Omiyale stretches our talent along pretty thin. However, our starting five guys are pretty solid. If they can remain healthy, expect the return of Double Trouble for another decent showing.