As I saw James Dator's live mock draft going on over at National Football Post I couldn't help but notice the number of DTs that flew off the board right in a row late in the first: Still (20), Ta'amu (24), Brockers (25), Poe (26), Cox(27). That would seem to support a Panther trade back to still net a DT instead of going with one at #8 like Mel Kiper is mocking:

Carolina Panthers Record: 6-10

* Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

The Carolina defense in 2011 wasn't helped by injuries, but the result was a unit that couldn't stop the run, but also had a tough time generating consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. It starts up front, where the Panthers simply need to add talent. Brockers is a high-ceiling defensive tackle, a player who will thrive in any scheme, but could be particularly effective as a penetrator in the 4-3. The Panthers had to make do rotating a pair of rookies on the defensive interior last season, and really need to add talent and depth. The offense is going to be there -- they have to find some stoppers.

The statistics tell us that one of those first 5 (or more) is going to be a bust. So do you trust Kiper in this regard? ;) One thing you can say about Mel is he sticks to his guns which I guess in this business you have too or you look like an amateur. I mean, Jimmy Clausen could still develop into a good NFL back-up right?

It's Tuesday Panther fans and that means we have Cat Scratch Radio tonight 10pm EST. We got all things Carolina Panthers to discuss but first here is how you can join the fun & mayhem:

1. Follow this link to listen, chat or even join the conversation through the Talkshoe platform. You'll need a headset with a mic to talk though if you don't dial in via land (see below). A cell phone will work but usually the quality of the call presents a problem.

2. Dial in via land line at (724) 444-7444 ...Call ID: 94648 to just listen or talk as well. You can also follow the chat at the same time through the link above. If you join the chat please take time to include your user name.

All Callers Welcome!

On tonight's docket, not necessarily in order of discussion or importance:

• Breaking Panther-related News
• Scouting Combine
• Free Agency & Rosterbation
• Best of CSR for the last week

Hat tip to Panthers FTW for being the first to post this on CSR via fanshot

John Clayton has been crunching the numbers and says the Panthers have some work to do just to get under the projected team salary cap:

Four teams still have to get under the salary cap by March 13. They are the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have redone three contracts to be $11.7 million over, the Oakland Raiders($11 million over), the Carolina Panthers ($9.6 million over) and the New York Giants ($7.3 million over).

Please note he does say the final numbers will not be released for another week but they are imminent. $9.6M over! Wow...now look at how much two of our division rivals have available:

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, thanks to $23.519 million of carryover cap money, have the second-most cap space with $60.496 million...The 2011 playoff teams in good shape are the Denver Broncos ($50.735 million of cap room), San Francisco 49ers ($39.33 million), Atlanta Falcons($30.6 million) and New England Patriots ($20 million).

Plenty of money out there for Peyton Manning obviously for the Redksins, Broncos or Seahawks. Sorry to be a bummer but we should not expect any big signings this offseason and instead look towards the draft and lower level special teamers. I expect a number of cuts and a couple surprises when the new league year starts, So how might be out the door?

We know Dan Conner is certainly gone. Clausen right behind him. Shockey too but there is still a chance he stays though slight. More likely though is some re-structured or new deals for guys like Travelle Wharton, Thomas Davis, Jonathan Stewart and Jeff Otah. Even that might not get us to a $9.6M reduction. GM Marty Hurney has to work his magic.

Though we don't even know if he will attend yet I think RG3 should throw at the combine. If Cam Newton is the measuring stick for Griffin then you should recall that Newton had a so-so combine performance last year:

I think Cam Newton did help himself in several ways at the combine but I don't think it was enough to be considered the best player in the draft. Does that mean another team won't offer the Panthers a kings ransom to move up to #1 to select him? No it doesn't but I'm still thinking its unlikely.

Let's start with the good stuff. Newton started off my apologizing for the 'icon' statement earlier in the week. Was an apology really necessary?

So the point being even if Griffin doesn't throw well he could still go #2 overall. More likely to happen is teams see he is a smaller Cam Newton-type athlete who is faster and more importantly, more accurate in the passing game at this point in his career. Am I saying Griffin will be better than Cam? Surely you jest! For the record I'm sticking with my forecast he ends up in Cleveland, but at #2. They will outbid the competition.

Here's a list of combine invitees if you are curious and RG3's Scouting Report on MTD. We can usually assume all but the top players or those still recovering from injuries will attend. The only guy I think who should not attend at all is QB Andrew Luck. He has absolutely nothing to gain by attending and should stick to just the Pro Day (maybe he has already said that?)

SBN has posted the Pro Day schedule which I have copied here and bolded some of the key dates from a Panther standpoint. I've got the rest after the jump...Of course March 22 we get to see how many teams spurn Andrew Luck and instead go see RG# at Baylor.

• March 1: Missouri
• March 2: Cincinnati
• March 5: Alabama-Birmingham, Hawaii, McNeese State
• March 6: Alabama A&M, Arkansas, Auburn, California Lutheran, Clark, Georgia Tech, Rhode Island, Sacramento State, UCLA
• March 7: Alabama, California, California-Davis, Colgate, Fordham, Fort Valley, Kent State, Louisville, Northern Colorado, Oklahoma State, Southern California, Texas A&M, UTEP, Wisconsin, Weber State
• March 8: Buffalo, Clemson, Colorado, Miami (Fla.), Mississippi State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio, Syracuse, Tulsa, Utah State, Washington, West Texas, Western Kentucky

Continue reading this post »

This time last year we had every pundit in the land telling us why Cam Newton will not succeed in the NFL. A year and many records later these same pundits are using the same 'reasons' to justify RG3 being better than Cam. First up, we have the pro-style offense justification:

One of the likely reasons for the statistical edge is that the Baylor Bears' offense had more pro-style tendencies than the run-heavy spread offense Newton played in at Auburn. That allowed Griffin to attack defenses in a wider variety of ways than Newton was able to and should help reduce his pro transition time.

So RG3 is going to have a shorter transition period than Newton? Let's see it took Newton how many games to throw for 400 yards? One. How many quarters until he threw his first 70+ yard touchdown? Two? Good luck having a quicker transition Mr. Griffin.

Continue reading this post »

Hat tip to jcbouche for being the first to post this on CSR via fanshot....

So do you think that rather than returning to Carolina, as he has said he would do, do you think Jeremy Shockey mighty instead end up playing for the Giants? There is at least one Giants fan that likes the thought:

I have been thinking about this for about the last two-to-three hours and I’m torn. Shockey was my favorite Giant when he played with

the team. I know him and Eli had their problems. But times have changed. Shockey has grown up and significantly matured and well we know Eli is now a top five if not a top three QB in the league. If Eli, Shockey, and Coughlin can sit down and have a productive meeting and the price is right (a one year deal for deal for the 2-3 million range) I say bring him back.

I have to admit if I were Shockey I would consider any offer from the Giants. They certainly need a pass catching TE and will be a good team again next season. Of course I like to think the same of the Panthers and I hope his good vibe with the team is strong enough to keep him here for a decent price.

Here's my latest batch of Paw Prints starting with some 2012 predictions that in my view do not measure up:

First glance at 2012 playoff teams - NFC South Blog - ESPN
The Carolina Panthers are predicted to go 7-9. Again, that’s possible. But let’s remember, Carolina has an explosive offense with Cam Newton and linebacker Jon Beason and defensive tackle Ron Edwards will be coming back from injuries. Add a few more pieces to the defense and the Panthers easily could jump over the .500 mark.

That's a timid prediction in my book, a single game improvement from last year. I think I like this bold prediction much better:

30 Bold NFL Predictions for 2012 | Football Nation
The Carolina Panthers will win 11 games

I would add "Cam Newton will account for 40 TD's in 2012. That's only 6 more that he accounted for in 2011, a performance now labeled a defining moment in the 2011 season:

Newton wastes no time - Defining Moments of the 2011 NFL Season - Photos - SI.com
The No. 1 overall pick needed one week to prove he could play quarterback at the NFL level. And if a rookie-debut record 422 passing yards in Week 1 was not enough for skeptics, Newton topped himself the following week with 432 yards. The Panthers' quarterback threw for a rookie-record 4,051 yards this season. Newton tossed 21 touchdowns and ran in 14 more.

Continue reading this post »

Hat tip to Tim Long our Social Media Czar for linking this on the CSR Facebook page. If you have not 'Liked' the CSR FB then you need to get on it!

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The Panthers announced a couple things yesterday sure to interest some of you. They notified their PSL owners no increase in ticket prices will occur for the 2012 season:

The Panthers say they have informed permanent seat license (PSL) owners they will not raise season ticket prices for the 2012 season.
There was a spike in interest in Carolina following the arrival of No. 1 overall draft pick Cam Newton, The Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Apparently the Panthers have this hot shot rooke QB that generated a lot more attention to the team in 2011. Maybe you have heard of him? I'm being facetious obviously. So guess how much Panther TV viewership was up last season?

Consequently, television numbers were up in North and South Carolina with the team experiencing a 25 percent increase in viewership. The average weekly telecast was seen by approximately two million people.
The Panthers have sold out 93 consecutive home games and Carolina director of ticketing Phil Youtsey says "that's a tribute to our fans."

25% is a pretty big jump but is still no surprise to me. The kid is just getting started...

As we discussed on Cat Scratch Radio last night I was not impressed with this year's line up of Super Bowl commercials. I found a couple to be 'chuckle' worthy but that was about it. While I did like the Clint Eastwood spot I prefer by SB commercials on the humorous side so that's my focus with this poll. There was no horse passing gas or frogs croaking in unison. Instead it was a fat dog, Seinfeld, Stamos, a baby and believe it or not a car that a guy thought was a hot chick. So here's a link if you haven't seen the videos and my top 7 to pick from:

1 - Happy Grad - Dude thinks his parents bought him a sports car instead of dorm fridge he is looking past. Pretty funny celebration fail

2 - Fat Dog - Dog gets stuck in dog door trying to go outside (supposedly to chase a car)

3 - Speed Dating E-Trade Baby - The 'speed dating' line in the hospital new born room at the hospital is a good chuckle

4 - Hot Chick is a Car - This one had me guessing til the end, the coffee cream on the lip had my interest

5 - The Tease - Seeing Stamos get head butted for being a douche is good TV

6 - Seinfeld Wants a Car Really Bad - Soup Nazi reference was good

7 - Think Fast - Dude saves his boss using his car

So take the poll if you choose!

The kick off to Super Bowl XLVI is eminent Panther fans. I'll be at a friends house enjoying the festivities which could only be improved if the Panthers were playing...

This is now a Super Bowl Open Thread

I typically pull for the NFC in the Super Bowl and this year is no exception. The Patriots are favored of course since of course Tom Brady is the QB. His wife is doing some Brazilian mind control ritual to insure the Patriots win. Or maybe she's just get getting a shave? Not sure...

Not speaking of Brady, is it still possible to live vicariously through your QB:

Katy Perry gets her flirt on with Cam Newton | CharlotteObserver.com & The Charlotte Observer Newspaper
Perry playfully flirted with co-presenter Cam Newton, saying: "You'll be the first straight man I've had a photo with in a long time, so live up to it."

Come on Cam...she's begging for a straight man, the bar isn't set very high if you know what I mean (no offense to the gay guys she's been hanging with). Blink twice if you hit that last night cause I gotta know!

Speaking of getting gronked, the key player for the Patriots offense should be able to contribute:

NFL.com news: Patriots coach says Gronkowski going to play in Super Bowl

Gronkowski was seen Saturday walking limp-free during a Super Bowl photo shoot. On Friday, the tight end was listed as officially questionable for Sunday's game. On Friday, Gronkowski took part in the team's walk-throughs. He was listed as a limited participant Thursday and Friday after not practicing Wednesday.

So the Giants are getting 3 points yet the only SI pundit going with the Giants is Peter King:

Super Bowl XLVI Picks, Crystal Ball by SI.com NFL contributors - NFL - SI.com
Why the Giants will win: The only thing I know is it'll be a two-minute-warning kind of game. One team's going to have a chance to win this one late. It comes down to the Giants' terrific pass rush, and whether Matt Light can hold up for 60 snaps against the dangerous Osi Umenyiora. I say Umenyiora makes a few decisive plays. The Super Bowl MVP will be... Osi Umenyiora In honor of Dr. Z, predicted length of national anthem: 1:5

Continue reading this post »

Panthers QB Cam Newton officially won the Pepsi Rookei of the Year fan vote tonight. Here's the official announcement from Pepsi:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAROLINA PANTHERS QB CAM NEWTON NAMED

2011 PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Newton Wins Fan Vote On NFL.com/rookies

Carolina Panthers QB CAM NEWTON is the 2011 PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, Pepsi and the National Football League announced today.

Newton set the record for most passing yards by a rookie in a season (4,051), surpassing PEYTON MANNING's previous record of 3,739 in 1998. He set the single-season quarterback rushing touchdown record with 14. He is the first rookie to throw and rush for 10 touchdowns in the same season, and only the second player to pass for more than 20 touchdowns and rush for more than 10 touchdowns in a season. He is the first player in NFL history with more than 4,000 passing yards, 500 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in the same year. Newton, who started all 16 games, finished his first season with a 60.0 completion percentage and 21 touchdowns. He amassed an additional 706 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. The Auburn product was the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and was nominated for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week 11 times, winning three times.

Continue reading this post »

We are on the eve of the Super Bowl, the oysters, beer and drink is purchased. Various dip recipe ingredients have been purchased.

What are you doing for the Super Bowl Panther fans?

This is Now an Open Thread!

I realize this is a little off topic and more suitable for TMZ but what else do we have to talk about? You might recall just yesterday it was announced a doctor had cleared Peyton Manning to play football. Today we find out the ever clever Jim Irsay saying 'Not so Fast!":

"Peyton has not passed our physical nor has he been cleared to play for The Indianapolis Colts. Team statement coming on Friday," Irsay posted on his Twitter feed early Friday morning.

He's not cleared to play for the Colts nor has he asked Mr. Irsay, in a very nice manner, if he can play!...lol Stay tuned for Manning's response via Facebook.

Seriously, I'm sticking with my Manning to the Redskins prediction. I think Synder would love to nab Manning and try to stick it to Irsay (and the rest of us for that matter).

As an update, I'm sticking with the Flynn to the Dolphins deal as well:

Pack can't afford to franchise Flynn
For all those who think the Packers can put a franchise tag on QB Matt Flynn and then trade him, consider that the Packers would have to fit in the $14 million one-year tender by releasing players. They also would need to have a deal in place with Finley so that he could not walk away an unrestricted free agent. So, to do the Flynn maneuver, they'd have to sign Finley (and the others) AND find a way to clear $10 million to $14 million off their cap. It's not going to happen.

From Green Bay to Miami..I'm sure Flynn's family will be happy!

It looks like the towel on the head thing is gonna pay off. Cam Newton just landed a sponsorship for Gatorade and he actually has a reason for doing so (other than the stew):

"I have used Gatorade since I started playing football and Gatorade products have been an important part of my training and competition regimen for as long as I can remember," Newton said in a release. "As I look to improve my game, what I put in my body is extremely important."

Hey I can't blame the kid for raking in the endorsements as much as he can, at least for reputable products like Gatorade. He certainly found a good use for it in college (link). Soooo...when we going to see Cam in a Bojangles commercial?

It's February 1st and the Super Bowl is upon us. We've had close to a month of offseason but little has been resolved regarding the Panthers offseason priorities and it won't get resolved until the new league year begins. At this point though there remain some clear 'issues' needing resolved regarding the Panthers roster. The issues might require a tough decision by management or they could simply be ignored all together. Here's the top 5 I see right now:

Issue #1: With RB Jonathan Stewart entering the final year of his deal do we offer him a new contract now or wait and see how the 2012 season goes first?

Both options warrant consideration based on the benefit to risk ratio. The risk is having so much $ invested in the RB position that other positions suffer. I can't see how his 2012 performance, whether good or bad, brings any additional leverage to the Panthers short of an injury to Stewart. They certainly wouldn't bank on that scenario. My preference is to go ahead and lock him up since I'm very happy with the double trouble tandem. I'm not positive but I think the Panthers feel the same way give his ability to rush and receive.

Issue #2: What do we offer LB Thomas Davis to return in 2012?

Davis has made it clear he wants to return to Carolina after suffering his third ACL injury in two seasons. The conventional wisdom is the Panthers will bring him back but at a lower salary, much lower I bet. Given the injury history I can't imagine many other teams making a serious run at Davis. The key will be the team medical evaluations in the next couple weeks. I've gotten conflicting reports from 'Davis' rehab is on schedule' to 'He has plateaued in his rehab'. I wouldn't count the guy out but I can't see the Panthers taking a lot of risk in the form of guaranteed salary for Davis. The risk is alienating one of the your team leaders, whether intentional or not, which we have seen how that can turn into a locker room cancer.

Continue reading this post »

These Paw Prints really have nothing to do with the Super Bowl as it turns out, just a reference to the week. We don't have anything earth shattering so far this week but I do have an absolutely hilarious video of the five Panther players and HC Ron Rivera singing a song to say thanks to a Panther fan. Jordan Gross and Ryan Kalil singing soprano is just too much:

NFL.com news: NFL presents its fans with a big 'thank you'

Words alone cannot express how the NFL feels about its fans. So, the league, some players, owners, mascots and cheerleaders conveyed their gratitude through the powerful medium of song.

American singing idols they are not...as Bad Ass MF Football models they rule!...It seems the change to the Panthers logo has caused quite a stir if you use the number of comments on Scott Fowler's blog as a measuring stick. No worries about a change to the uniforms though:

Scott Says ...: Panther uniforms won't change in 2012
"I don't anticipate any changes at all in the uniforms," Charlie Dayton, the Panthers' team spokesman, said Tuesday.

Hence your investment in that Cam Newton #1 jersey remains the same...

Continue reading this post »

It's Tuesday Panther fans and that means we have Cat Scratch Radio tonight 10pm EST. We got all things Carolina Panthers to discuss but first here is how you can join the fun & mayhem:

1. Follow this link to listen, chat or even join the conversation through the Talkshoe platform. You'll need a headset with a mic to talk though if you don't dial in via land (see below). A cell phone will work but usually the quality of the call presents a problem.

2. Dial in via land line at (724) 444-7444 ...Call ID: 94648 to just listen or talk as well. You can also follow the chat at the same time through the link above. If you join the chat please take time to include your user name.

All Callers Welcome!

On tonight's docket, not necessarily in order of discussion or importance:

• Breaking Panther-related News
• Pro Bowl Recap - Highs & Lows
• More prospects announce for the draft
• Free Agency & Rosterbation
• Best of CSR for the last week
• Super Bowl Preview

Coming into the 2011 season there were many Panther fans wishing to see more of the Panthers power back with sprinter's speed. In many ways they got their wish. Coming off a bit of a down year yard per carry-wise (4.3 vs. 5.1 in 2009) and scoring-wise (2 vs.10 TDs) Stewart packed a lot of production into fewer rushes in 2011.

Stewart's career rushing totals:

These numbers put Stewart at #25 in rushing in the NFL with 761 total yards on a career low 142 carries. Another positive: 1 fumble; Zero lost.

Continue reading this post »

After spending a week at the Senior Bowl new Panthers defensive backs coach Steve Wilks says this class is one of the best:

"From what I've been able to gather so far, it's probably one of the best classes they've had in years as far as corners and safeties," Wilks said. "As coaches, we're all selfish and feel like you can never have enough players, particularly with the way the game is today and how much passing there is. You want to have as many DBs and corners on your roster as possible, so I'm always lobbying for more guys."

With pass rushers at a premium I'm starting to back off of taking a CB early and instead look to the later rounds, maybe even the 2nd round, for a CB. One of the top DTs or DEs though I'm not unhappy with our current group. Brockers, Still, Coples or Ingram should get long looks.

Wilks also likes what he has on the roster right now:

"It's still a little early," he said. "But from afar, I feel like Chris Gamble is still one of the top corners in the National Football League, and there are also two good safeties here in (Charles) Godfrey and (Sherrod) Martin. I'm excited about a lot of the guys we have and am looking forward to working with those guys."

One player he didn't mention is already on the Wilks-train, CB Captain Munnerlyn:

"From talking to him, I'm ready to play now," Munnerlyn said. "Hearing some of the stuff he's going to have us doing, I'm ready to play. He's a great guy."

Well there you have it. Wilks is excited to be here; the players are excited to have him. He's excited about the DB draft class; I'm excited to who the Panthers add to the secondary.

Below is the Super Bowl Preview press release I received from NFL.com this morning and of course I like to share this info...so in it's entirety.

PRESS RELEASE:

On Sunday, February 5, the New York Giants and the New England Patriots will meet in Super Bowl XLVI (6:00 PM ET, NBC) at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It marks a rematch of Super Bowl XLII, when the Giants defeated the Patriots 17-14 in one of the most exciting Super Bowls in history.

"It’s a great chess match with two elite quarterbacks and two teams with great traditions and great histories," says NBC’s AL MICHAELS. "It should be a terrific matchup."

Super Bowl XLVI is the first Super Bowl in which both starting quarterbacks have won a Super Bowl MVP award. New York quarterback ELI MANNING passed for 255 yards and two touchdowns – including the game-winning 13-yarder toPLAXICO BURRESS with 35 seconds remaining – in Super Bowl XLII and was named the game’s MVP. New England quarterback TOM BRADY has been named Super Bowl MVP twice (XXXVI, XXXVIII) and is one of only four players in NFL history to win the award multiple times, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers JOE MONTANA (XVI, XIX, XXIV),TERRY BRADSHAW (XIII, XIV) and BART STARR (I, II).

"I expect greatness from this game," says NBC analyst CRIS COLLINSWORTH.

Continue reading this post »

I'm sure this game didn't go as Newton imagined it would when preparing on Saturday. Newton threw three INTs and was harassed in the backfield constantly by a AFC defensive line that wasn't supposed to be pass rushing. His perform led to some bloggers saying things like this:

Steve Smith was raving about Cam Newton before the game, and he showed why in the third quarter, catching a 55-yard pass from Newton, which traveled all 55 yards in the air. Sometimes Newton makes it look so easy, putting it on the money halfway down the field with just a flick of the wrist.

The sometimes he looks like, well, a rookie. Despite what was probably a better roster of talent (completely subjective observation, of course) the NFC ran out of bullets once Rodgers and Drew Brees took to the bench. That led to a Newton vs. Dalton second half in which Newton showed his inexperience, misfiring on a number of throws, including three interceptions. He definitely heard it from the crowd, too.

In the end, Dalton outplayed his rookie counterpart, finishing seven of nine for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Newton finished nine of 27 for 186 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

What isn't mentioned here and I think is very key to what happened is the AFC got ticked off at the on-side kicks and the fake punt, things that also aren't supposed to be done in the Pro Bowl, though I don' think expressly written like other things. So though I'm not absolving Newton of his bad throws he certainly had more pressure to deal with than he two predecessors.

Let's just add this game to the wild ride of Cam Newton's rookie season. Besides, I still think the kid had a lot of fun though I bet he remembers the surfing longer than the final score.

Though the game itself left a lot to be desired there were several players that helped themselves including some I would consider Panther prospects. Let's start with the report from SI's Tony Pauline and and the big kahuna in the middle of the South defense:

Alameda Ta'amu/DT/Washington: If scouts were hoping to be wowed by Ta'amu, all they need to due is watch the Senior Bowl game film. The big defensive tackle was dominant every time he lined up and was a constant nuisance for opponents. He collapsed the pocket on several occasions, overpowering opponents to make plays behind the line of scrimmage or force the action. His quarterback pressure at the end of the first half ended what looked to be a potential scoring drive for the South. In the second half the South was forced to double team Ta'amu in the attempt to slow him down.

Sounds like the next Kris Jenkins to me. It'll be interesting to see how much he moves up draft boards because DTs like him usually don't get past #20... Rivera and Hurney will have to look long and hard at this guy:

Quinton Coples/DL/North Carolina: Coples flashed brilliance during the game, looking like a man among boys at times. His athleticism is incredible, as Coples beat opponents with quickness, speed and power. On several occasions he had Kelechi Osemele flailing in an attempt to slow him down. When he could not get to the quarterback, Coples got his long arms up to swat away passes. When he's on his game Coples is a difference-maker up front. The problem for scouts is determining how often Coples is willing to play at his highest level.

He has warning flags but the continuing questions about work ethic still scare me...Maybe this next guy might be there at the top of the 2nd:

Vinny Curry/DE/Marshall: Curry continues to impress scouts with his ability to get penetration across the line of scrimmage. He was constantly in the backfield and his quarterback pressures in the first quarter caused a lot of problems for the South. On one occasion Curry bull rushed the much larger Zebrie Sanders into the pocket which resulted in a loss of yardage. Curry has significantly improved his draft stock this week and a good combine workout could secure him a spot in the late part of Round 1.

Now the offense and a RB that I would want for his punt return skills:

Continue reading this post »

The Pro Bowl kicks off shortly at 7pm EST with Panthers Ryan Kalil, Steve Smith and Cam Newton on the National Leagues roster. This game usually ends up boring the crap out of me but since we might see some Cam Shenanigan's in the 4th quarter I'll try to stick it out all the way.

If you are watching as well or just want to talk Panthers then...

This is Now an Open Thread!