After an exciting 2011 season, the Panthers front office has to be thinking that they are on the right track to making this team a legitimate Super Bowl contender for the next decade. Below are a list of the 2012 free agents. I want to hear from you the fans on your takes on who is a potential realistic choice for the Panthers target in free agency. I know we don't have tons of cap space but there has to be a player or two that we can get that will help take us to the next level. If you can give a good reason why this player will be targeted then please put it in your comments. Sound off Panther fans! PLAYOFFS 2012 here we come!

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I know so far Cam has been Newton's nickname but what if we took a name an epic name from a popular TV show like another monstrous player. If Calvin Johnson is Megatron then Cam Newton should be Optimus Prime! It maybe cheesy but I think it describes him very well. He definitely has transformed the Panthers into a football team again! The Autobots could always depend on Optimus when things got tough! Plus he has got his right hand men in Steve Smith (Bumblebee), JStew( Ironhide), DWIll (Jazz). 

Also I think the Panthers need a new nickname. How about the Thundercats!? CAm Newton HOOOOOOOO!

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A new season is just around the corner with only one pre-season game left. From what we have seen so far it’s like Jekyll and Hyde. The New York Giants pre-season game showed what the Panthers can and will be one day. A potent offensive and defensive team with above average play that will contend for the playoffs year in and year out. Cincinnati and Miami showed us the complete opposite spectrum. A defense with glaring holes and an offense that sputters worse than that 1970 Volkswagon you can never seem to fix! But fear not because James Dator made a comment on the Monday Morning Optimist Friday edition 8/26/11 that rings true…

"I hope the last two games have exemplified this team playing to their weaknesses intentionally to see how bad it can be, but when the real plays are rolled out that use this team's strengths then everything will get better." –James Dator

I believe this coaching staff is intentionally putting the team in certain situations to see how they perform. They have to evaluate the roster with limited time this season to practice and do other things due to the lockout.

For one Cam Newton has been throwing a lot of passes ( for his short stints on the field) this pre-season. Of course this is to be foreseen because he needs to develop better mechanics and accuracy. But let’s be honest here, do you really think Ron Rivera during the regular season is going to let Cam Newton air it out with his current accuracy? No. Maybe 20 passes a game. Most of them will be to the tight ends, running backs, and Steve Smith.  The coaching staff is smart. They will put Cam Newton in a situation to succeed. They don’t want their new and shiny toy to be tossed in the junk pile the way Jimmy Clausen was. The offense will be geared to Newton his strengths not his weaknesses.

What we can expect regular season is a healthy dose of the run game.  DeAngelo. Stewart, and Goodson are going to be pivotal for us this season. A good run game is a rookie QB’s best friend (see Andy Dalton vs. the Panthers. Guy looked like an All Pro). When Cam has a clean pocket he can make the throws needed to move the chains. The last thing we need is for him to revert to his Auburn days and feel he has to run every play eventually leading a bad injury.

The concerning thing is how our O-lines and D-lines have played. Gross is playing gross. Bernadeau is a turnstile. Charles Johnson is being doubled team, which he isn’t used too, and Everette Brown looks like he is acting out a live action rendition of Finding Nemo.  

We need to shore up both lines. We are being manhandled on both fronts which brings down other areas. We saw that flash of brilliance vs. the Giants. The pass rush was much better allowing the corners and linebackers to make plays. Offensive line gave Cam and Jimmy some time and they made enough throws to keep us in the game. Anyone remember when Hollis Thomas came through and helped stabilize the defense? Once Otah, Schwartz, and Hardy return and we get a decent DT, who I hope his name is Kentwan Balmer and play to our strengths offensively and defensively, the team will play much better. We have to remember that these guys are learning new schemes, coaches, and plays. It won’t happen overnight but it won’t take a century either. Look for a bumpy first half of the season with a decent finish the 2nd half.  Remember becoming great is like collard greens. They just started cooking! Can’t eat ‘em raw!

Now before you totally crucify me, hear me out. Plaxico Burress is scheduled to be released from the upstate Oneida Correctional Facility on June 6. Plaxico Burress was once a really good receiver. And still has the potential to be one. Yes he shot himself in the leg and has been out of football for two years. Those are legitimate concerns. But with Front Office and new coaching staff taking chances on players such as Brandon Hogan, Jeremy Shockey, and Cam Newton. Character and the Panthers, while still important, may not hold as much value as it did. Especially when you are 2-14 and in the hardest division in the NFL.

Plaxico could be another boom or bust project. Yes he is 34 and probably out of football shape but the talent is still there. Since Plax hasn't played in two or so years he probably has a little more gas in the tank then guys that have gone through the grueling 16 game plus seasons at his age.

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Steve Smith. when you say the name you think intensity. Fiery. Incendiary. He has been our playmaker for the last decade and helped make Carolina relevant in the football community. Though times have changed and so have the Carolina Panthers. Our mercurial 5'9 receiver seems ready to hang up the black and blue. As fans, we are torn by this. As a Carolina fan, its hard to see arguably the best player in franchise history leave. I too was in shambles for a few days when I read reports of his soon speculated departure. But as I really looked over the roster and Carolina's new philosphy, is it necessarily a bad thing that Smith is leaving? I mean Smith is soon to be 32 and will decline soon. Carolina could trade him for drafts picks or a pretty decent player. There are both pros and cons to Steve staying or leaving. 

              Pro:

• Provides Veteran receiving target for rookie or Veteran Quarterback.
Smitty has always been a reliable target and will continue to be for a little bit longer. He stills displays the quickness that made him so dangerous. The Panthers would not have to worry about  acquiring  a new #1 receiver for at least a year. Smith would be able to bring a sense of stability to a young and relatively inexperienced receivng core. Also Steve would definitely get his fair share of balls thrown his way. He would be our new QB's best friend.

            Con:

• Steve takes reps away from younger players and keeps them from valuable on the field experience
We all saw what the veteran purge did to our team. But it also gave a lot of players valuable experience and allowed players to blossom. Who would think Charles Johnson would post 11.5 sacks. Captain Munnerlyn be a possible competent #2 cornerback.  Or David Gettis and Brandon LaFell be solid starters. If Smith leaves then players will have to step up.So the glass is half full. We could see one of our young receivers breakout( Kealoha Pilares anyone) or acquire a young stud like Sidney Rice. If Smith leaves, it isn't the end of the world.  More Steve smith analysis after the jump...

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If you ever get a chance to go to Jordan Gross's Charity kickball tournament, go because its so fun! The players are very fan friendly and you can get lots of upclose cool pictures and autographs. Here are a few things I picked up on while I was there...

• Clausen and Newton were both wearing number 2. I thought that was interesting...Wonder how that will turn out. 
• DeAngelo and Cam exchanged numbers. Hope to talk about how to make the Panthers offense better.
• Steve Smith can play kickball! Kicked 2 homeruns and almost a third one. 
•  Cam Newton has this strange aura about him. Very charismatic. I mean even his teammates gravitate to him it seems.  If this guy pans out he could be a true superstar!
• Jordan Gross and Ryan Kalil are hilarious!
• Matt Moore's arm must be feeling better because he was throwing some footballs. 
• Armanti threw a bullet today, I mean perfect pass.. Better than Clausen and Moore. ...Jordan commented on the mike that he should play some QB. Everybody in the stadium went wild. Coaches seriously need to consider some wildcat for him.
• Armanti has some wheels. The guy outran the ball while someone was trying to tag him out. It was impressive!
• Jordan Gross kept getting the crowd to show Steve SMith love. He emphatically admitted to wanting him to stay in Charlotte as a Panther. Steve seemed a little torned today with all the fans screaming for him and begging him to stay.I have pictures of the event but they wont upload at this time. Maybe I can post them tomorrow.

Take a moment and think about a time when you took a risk. How did it turn out? Risk taking is a part of life. Every one takes one. Some risks are good. Some are bad. The 2011 Draft is different from others due to all this CBA tension. No one really knows how the new CBA will affect the 2011 draft class. This makes every player, especially high 1st round picks, risks. Of course every player is a risk. I am sure many teams can say they thought they had a sure player but then they ended up being a bust (Ryan Leaf, JaMarcus Russell, Dwayne Jarrett, you see where I am going).. So team’s try to curve the uncertainty of picking a player by doing extensive research, background checks, etc. But in the end even with all that time and effort put into scouting players, a team just sometimes needs to gamble.

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The NCAA tournament reminds me of our situation with the no.1 pick in the 2011 draft. You have a fews teams that are talented enough to win it all, your wild card teams, and your Cinderella story. Well recently Ron Rivera stated that their were 8 potentials with our first round pick this year. Personally I believe unless there is a trade, there are really only 4. Recent history tells us when a team has the no. 1 pick in the NFL draft, there are a few things that are almost certain. Let's look at some of these to help us determine who the"Final Four" are.

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If you haven't been reading Carolina Growl.com lately, you should! Steve Reed is doing a five-part series entitled the "State of the Panthers". It seems Carolina is coming out of the shadows with the media and revealing some of the things the team will do to improve. In the past Carolina would have never revealed the style of offense they would employ, especially after a major coaching overhaul. I guess the cloak and daggers act has been lifted for the time being. Of course, the team woon't reveal everything they are doing, but its nice as a fan to have more information than "just day-to-day" or "it what it is". Sorry had to get a Foxism in there somewhere. Take a look at the article from Carolinagrowl.com.  below after the jump (I also interject some commentary in there as well.)

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The Panthers are on the brink of a new frontier. . There are so many directions that this team can go in. The Draft has done nothing but complicate the situation. We have 4 players that are graded high and could each be the no.1 pick. Of course we could use all of these players in one way or  another, but which one would help us the most? Who is that impact player that will help cornerstone this new legacy of Panther football.   Let’s look at the pros and cons of each of these players after the jump.

Nick Fairley, DT

Pros:

• Non-stop motor guy that doesn’t take plays off
• Could be a dominant penetrator in a 4-3 scheme
• Long arms, wrap up tackler
• Quick feet
• Shoots gaps quickly

Cons:

• Rumored as a "dirty" player
• Decent closing speed; tends to lose footing when getting to the backfield missing tackles
• Solid but not amazing strength
• Needs work on stunts and getting around another defensive lineman

Summary:

Nick Fairley is considered by many to be the consensus no. 1. He played and outstanding game during the National Championship and was critical to helping lead Auburn to a National Title. Defensive Tackle is a high need on the Panthers list. Nick Fairley would be a safe pick for the Panthers. He is an instant starter and would help tremendously against the run. He would provide that inside presence we have not seen since Kris Jenkins. With Charles Johnson, Everette Brown, Greg Hardy, and Andre Neblett (I think he was pretty decent last year), that D-line could easily turn into one of the best in the league. With Rivera being a defensive guy, Fairley makes sense as the Panthers first pick. As Peppers was with Fox, so could Fairley be with Rivera.

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As fans of the Carolina Panthers we all know something we are notorious for.....Conservatism...Lack of Creativity...Cheap ownership. While all of those are true to an extent, I think there are a few problems that the Carolina Panthers will have to change in order to be successful in the future. More after the jump.

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A new era in Carolina Panther  history begins this week. Training Camp will be the most interesting one to date. There is competition everywhere. Competition breeds hunger. And I don't know about you guys, but I get the feeling that there are a lot players on this team that are hungry. Hungry to win. Hungry for big paydays. Hungry for a shot at a starting job. Heck, hungry just to make the roster.

Sure we know that we will run the rock but their is a new concept in the Panthers huddle this season...passing! OMG we are going to pass! Four wide receiver set!? Is that in the playbook?

With that said, who will these new Panthers be? Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith turned us into the Cardiac Cats. Personally, this team isn't like the quote unquote "old" team. From the games I saw near the end of the season, this team was playing to win rather than not lose. Of course there are outside variables that come into play such as coaching, game plans, playoff contention, etc. It seems when they got an opponent down they stepped on their neck! The Giants and Vikings are great example!

Usually the Panthers would sit on their lead and bow out with enough points to win it or lose the lead and squeak out a win by the skin of their teeth. The Panthers humiliated one playoff team and spoiled playoff contentions for another with mostly backups! And they did in awesome fashion! So Panther fans what do we call this new team. What's their moniker? I like the "Young Guns". What's your nickname for the "new" Carolina Panthers?