Thursday, February 27, 2014

Panthers Owe Steve Smith


Respect is something that isn't given. It's earned.

There are few guys in the NFL whose hard work earns them respect from not only their teammates, but from other teams as well. The Carolina Panthers' all-time leading wide receiver Steve Smith is one of those guys.

Throughout his career, Smith has played with a chip on his shoulder. At 5'9", everyone told him he was too small to play wide receiver and be effective. He started out as just a return man. He's now cemented himself as one of the best receivers in the league.

However, at almost 35 years of age, Smith sure has lost a step. He's nowhere as fast as he used to be. So it would make sense to consider cutting him, wouldn't it?

Not if you really knew Steve Smith.

Smith is one of the few players to have literally given his blood, sweat and tears to his organization, sticking with them through thick and thin. Any other receiver of Smith's caliber wouldn't dare waste his prime years with the likes of Jake Delhomme, Matt Moore, Jimmy Clausen, and a few other terrible quarterbacks throwing him the ball.

But Smith is special.

Smith loves Carolina. He's given his all to this club, and has told everyone on multiple occasions that this is where he wants to stay until he's finally ready to retire, which could happen pretty soon.

So, if you're a Panthers fan, this situation between Smith, general manager Dave Gettleman and coach Ron Rivera has to worry you a little.

To summarize, Gettleman and Rivera have been pretty vague on Smith's status with the team. At the NFL Combine last Thursday, Gettleman, when asked about Smith's future with the team, told the media "None of us are here forever. He's part of the evaluation."

Smith told WBT he thought there was no question about his return next season. Smith is under contract for three more years with the Panthers, and it's unclear whether or not he'll be able to play that long.

However, how long Smith can play isn't the concern here. The concern is his future with the Panthers. But, like Smith said he thinks, there should be no question about his return.

Like I said, Smith is someone who has literally given everything he can and more for an organization that has failed to get one of the best receivers to ever play the game a Super Bowl ring. Dave Gettleman and Ron Rivera shouldn't be worried about the "business" aspect of this situation. Smith is not only a guy they need, but someone that deserves to stay. He certainly deserves more than the vagueness he's getting.

I can say this: if Gettleman decides to let Smith go, I'll be EXTREMELY angry and disappointed with him and the team.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

A Great Opportunity


Hey guys, just letting you all know that I'm now writing for a website called grandstandu.com. Grandstand helps college students who are looking to go into sports journalism by allowing them to write articles on sports topics.

I've already written one article on Jordan Gross' retirement, if you want to check that out, here's the link: http://grandstandu.com/2014/02/25/impact-jordan-gross-retirement-will-carolina/

Go check out other people's articles on there too! Everyone who writes for Grandstand does a great job and it is a great opportunity for us college students.

If you're a college student looking to go into sports journalism, email them at GrandstandU@gmail.com. You can contribute to the site.

I'll still be doing my blog on just the Carolina Panthers, but I'll be expanding my writing to other teams and sports on Grandstand.

Thank you all for the support, make sure to support Grandstand too!

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Jordan Gross to Retire


I'll be honest. I'm in shock.

The Carolina Panthers' all-pro left tackle Jordan Gross told the team on Tuesday that he would not be returning for a 12th season and instead would be retiring.

Gross, 33, was a first-round draft pick for Carolina in 2003. He's not only been a three-time pro bowler, but he has become one of the top offensive linemen in the NFL, as well as a leader to the Panthers. His speech before the game against the Minnesota Vikings helped the team soar to new heights, as did his phenomenal performance on the field during the course of the season.

Last season, Gross restructured his contract, which voided the 2014 season that would have been his final year.

Gross has started in 167 games, the most in team history. In his rookie season, he helped Carolina reach the Super Bowl. This past season, his last, he reached the Pro Bowl for a third time.

"I've played a lot of football, and I've seen a lot of guys come and a lot of guys go," Gross said. "Sometimes it ends well for guys, and sometimes it is not the ending they were looking for. I knew that this was the time for me to step away - happy, healthy, and thinking fondly about my experience."

I've said before that Carolina will either take a wide receiver or offensive lineman in the first round of this year's draft. With Gross retiring, this makes me think the Panthers will take a lineman in the first or second round. The only player who could step in as Gross's replacement is Byron Bell, and he's struggled.

The bright side of this is that this frees up a little more cap space for the Panthers, giving them the opportunity to either test free agency or resign more players.

However, Gross has been a leader to this team and an anchor to the offensive line. This loss hurts.

There was a lot of speculation that Gross would return for a final season and perhaps a Super Bowl run. Carolina was in position to do so, considering the roster. However, this loss definitely hurts their chances.

Gross has been a great asset to this team, and as a Panthers' fan, I think I speak for all of us when I say that he will be missed greatly.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Receivers Impress at Combine


It's no secret that the Carolina Panthers are in dire need of another go-to receiver.

The overall performances of wide receivers at the NFL Combine yesterday had to impress GM Dave Gettleman and coach Ron Rivera.

Sammy Watkins of Clemson has been called the best receiver coming into this draft by many analysts, and he proved yesterday that he is. According to ESPN's John Clayton, Watkins "reminds him of A.J. Green of the Bengals." Green has become a top five receiver over the past few seasons, so such a comparison should not be taken lightly.

Unfortunately for the Panthers, Watkins is a top five pick. Many think he could go to the Cleveland Browns as the number four pick. Carolina has the 28th pick in the first round. 

However, as luck would have it, this draft is one of the best wide receiver drafts in a long time. Along with Watkins, Mike Evans of Texas A&M, Marquise Lee of USC, Jarvis Landry of LSU, and Brandin Cooks of Oregon State are only a few of the many wide receivers that could make a huge impact on any team, especially on the Carolina Panthers.

If the Panthers take a receiver in the first round, who do you think it will be?

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

No Need to Worry About Newton


If Carolina fans weren't already head over heels in love with QB Cam Newton, they should be now.

On Monday, Newton said on the "Dan Patrick Show" that he won't hold out for a contract extension.

"I'm not worried about contract discussions right now. My main focus is just becoming the better player I can become."

It's no secret that the Panthers are in a bit of a mess with their salary cap right now, with 21 players set to become free agents, including DE Greg Hardy, who has already said he wants a lot of money. It isn't likely Carolina will dish out the money Hardy wants, simply because they can't afford to.

Newton is entering his final year of his four year rookie contract. He is eligible for a contract extension, but the Panthers also have the option to exercise a fifth-year option on his contract, meaning he'd still be under contract after the upcoming season.

Although both GM Dave Gettleman and Head Coach Ron Rivera have said Newton is their franchise QB, there has been no indication to get Cam an extension.

If you're worrying about Cam leaving, don't.

In an interview with the Charlotte Observer, Newton said "My agreement with the Panthers, it's not something that you can just say off the top of your head. My relationship with (Panthers owner and founder) Mr. (Jerry) Richardson runs deep. Hopefully I will be able to get that long-term deal because Charlotte is a place I can call home."

The fact that Newton has stated his main focus is becoming a better player and that he wants to stay with the Panthers is not only a testament to how much he has matured since being drafted number one overall in the 2011 draft, but it should give Panthers fans plenty of hope and get rid of any worries of Cam walking out on the team.

The simple fact of the matter is that Newton is Carolina's franchise QB, but Carolina does not have the ability to give Newton the extension he deserves. After this upcoming season, however, expect the Panthers to lock Cam in for a while. They'll have more money to work with. Right now, thanks to former GM Marty Hurney, the Panthers have a bad situation on their hands due to so many players becoming free agents and not enough money to re-sign all of them. Some shouldn't be re-signed, such as QB Jimmy Clausen. Others, like LT Jordan Gross, were pivotal to the team's success this year.

Because GM Dave Gettleman is a genius, he'll figure out a way to re-sign the players that Carolina really needs, along with finding some players in free agency and the draft. There may have to be many players that restructure their contracts, but if this team hopes to make a Super Bowl run, there will have to be sacrifices.

All in all, let's not worry about Cam. He's not going anywhere.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

The Miami Dolphins' Bullying Scandal Now Involves Carolina


We've all heard about the Miami Dolphins' bullying scandal by this point, and I'm sure most of us are tired of hearing about it.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we'll be hearing the end of it anytime soon, especially since it's now involving the Carolina Panthers as well as the Dolphins.

Ted Wells, the lawyer of Jonathan Martin who recently released his report about this whole fiasco, included in his report that Andew McDonald, a player who was recently signed to a "futures contract" by the Panthers, and joined the Panthers' practice squad in October, was "Player A" in the report.

According to the report, McDonald, along with Jonathan Martin, was a target of harassment from Richie Incognito, Mike Pouncey, and others in the Dolphins' locker room. He was also allegedly harassed by the Dolphins' offensive line coach Jim Turner.

According to several people interviewed by investigators, Turner gave McDonald a male sex doll as a gag gift. However, McDonald's agent, Brett Tessler, has said in a statement that McDonald has no problem with the team, is disappointed by the fact he's now involved in the scandal, and wishes to focus on the future, not the past.

I think we all share McDonald's wishes.

There have been plenty of articles speculating on this situation, especially on ESPN, so I'll refrain from giving my two cents about this entire mess. All I'll say is that I'm ready for this to be over with.

What's your take on this situation?

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Free Agency Looking Good For Carolina So Far


With free agency only 25 days away in the NFL, its shaping up quite nicely for the Carolina Panthers.

Carolina is in desperate need of a good wide receiver. There are plenty of good wide receivers not only coming into the draft, but set to be free agents as well. Coincidence? Maybe. Either way, it's a turn of good luck for the Panthers. Perhaps Carolina will sign a FA receiver, perhaps not. But its interesting to think about some of these guys in a Panthers uniform.

So, lets take a look at some receivers who are set to be free agents:

Eric Decker (Denver Broncos)
Jeremy Maclin (Philadelphia Eagles)
Hakeem Nicks (New York Giants)
Anquan Boldin (San Francisco 49ers)
Julian Edelman (New England Patriots)
Riley Cooper (Philadelphia Eagles)
Golden Tate (Seattle Seahawks)
Dexter McCluster (Kansas City Chiefs)
Mario Manningham (San Francisco 49ers)
Jacoby Jones (Baltimore Ravens)
Santana Moss (Washington Redskins)

That's not even close to how many receivers will be entering free agency, but you get the idea. The Detroit Lions announced today that they were parting ways with WR Nate Burleson, who could also make an impact somewhere. Carolina has Brandon LaFell, Ted Ginn, and Domenik Hixon all set to become free agents as well, and with so many other Panthers set to become free agents, the Panthers have to figure out what to do with these three.

The New Orleans Saints have cut four of their defensive starters that were key in helping them win the Super Bowl a few years ago. They cut DE Will Smith, LB Jonathan Vilma, S Roman Harper and CB Jabari Greer. This should give Carolina a slight advantage over their division rivals.

So, with the mix of WRs that could be available, along with the Saints having to get rid of some starters, the Panthers have to be smiling. Free agency is shaping up quite nicely.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Carolina Panthers' Strength of Schedule


Last season, the Panthers had the toughest strength of schedule in the NFL and still finished 12-4, winning the NFC South.

It'll be a tough road to the playoffs once again, despite their strength of schedule for this upcoming season.

The combined records of Carolina's opponents? 120-134-2, for an S.O.S. of .473 that ranks 22nd toughest in the league.

That seems like a huge difference from last season, when Carolina had an S.O.S. of .543 that ranked toughest in the NFL. But it isn't going to be easy.

The Panthers' opponents for the 2014-15 season are as follows:

Home: Atlanta (4-12), New Orleans (11-5), Tampa Bay (4-12), Chicago (8-8), Detroit (7-9), Seattle (13-3), Cleveland (4-12), Pittsburgh (8-8).

Away: Atlanta (4-12), New Orleans (11-5), Tampa Bay (4-12), Green Bay (8-7-1), Minnesota (5-10-1), Philadelphia (10-6), Baltimore (8-8), Cincinnati (11-5).

The main reason their schedule is weaker this season is because they play Atlanta and Tampa Bay (who finished with a combined 8 wins) four times. They're also facing off against the NFC and AFC North, and both those divisions only had one team above .500. They will only be playing against six teams that had winning records.

But that doesn't mean that the Panthers should breathe a sigh of relief. The Falcons and Packers should both be significantly better this season. The Buccaneers will probably be tougher as well.

One thing is for sure: there are going to be some very entertaining matchups this season. Outside of the NFC South games that are ALWAYS fun to watch, we've got Green Bay, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and a rematch with the Super Bowl Champion Seahawks. There are sure to be at least three primetime games this season.

Which matchup are you looking forward to most?

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Potential 1st Round Draft Picks - Offensive Linemen


Before we begin, let me apologize for not being active on the blog these last few days. I've been very busy with school and family.

On the last article, I discussed potential 1st round draft picks for the Carolina Panthers. I've narrowed it down to two positions - wide receiver and offensive lineman. I've already named off potential wide receivers, so now I'm going to discuss some potential offensive linemen that the Panthers could take in the 1st round. Just like last time, I'll only be naming off candidates that I believe will be left once Carolina's pick comes around, not necessarily the top players at that position.

La'el Collins, LSU - Collins is one of the top run blockers in the draft, as he found more success in his game after being moved from guard to tackle this year. Although he is a big guy at 6'5" and 315 lbs, he has good agility and quickness. He has quick feet and would be a huge asset in Carolina's run game, blocking for Williams, Tolbert, Stewart, and for Newton when he takes off. His biggest issue, however, is that he doesn't have much experience at the tackle position. If he were to play tackle for the Panthers, he may find himself struggling, especially with faster rushers. He's also an average pass blocker at best, and he'll need to improve that aspect of his game if the Panthers pick him up to keep their franchise QB in Cam Newton protected. However, Collins is a top ten OL in the draft, and whatever team picks him up may choose to move him back to guard.

Zack Martin, Notre Dame - Although he's been overlooked for other prospects, Martin is another top ten OL who has been consistent throughout his entire college career. Playing at the tackle position, Martin is intelligent, tough, and rarely gets beat by the defender. Defenses found it difficult to get by him, as he utilizes his strength and leverage near flawlessly. Some people have claimed that Martin would have more success at the guard position, but the truth is that he could play all five OL positions and still be successful. His biggest issue is his size. He's 6'4" and had the shortest arms of any non-center offensive lineman at the Senior Bowl. He makes up for this with his intelligence. If Carolina is looking at linemen, they have to be taking a good, long look at Martin.

Antonio Richardson, Tennessee - Richardson may be the best OL left when Carolina's pick comes around. Even though his nickname is "Tiny", he's the biggest of these three that I've mentioned at 6'6" and 332 lbs. Richardson has the strength and consistency to be a top linemen for years. He does well in both the pass and run game, which would be vital to any team's offense, especially the Panthers'. Richardson went up against the potential number one overall pick, Jadeveon Clowney, and won, keeping Clowney from creating chaos in the backfield. Richardson's biggest problem is his inability to move his feet at times. He relies too much on his hands. However, Richardson is very smart, and has been working on this. If he's still around when its Carolina's turn, they'll be very fortunate.

Who do you think Carolina will take in the first round?

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Who will the Panthers take first in the draft?


As of today, the NFL draft is 91 days away.

The Carolina Panthers will have the 28th pick in the first round of the draft, and the first two positions they need to address are on the offensive line and at wide receiver. The receiving core for Carolina was their achilles' heel on offense, with their most productive wideout being TE Greg Olsen. Steve Smith is still playing, but is getting older and has lost a step. Brandon LaFell and Ted Ginn Jr. haven't proven to be good number two or even number three options in the passing game, and it's highly doubtful that either will land the number one receiving job when Smith retires. Meanwhile, the offensive line definitely needs some help as well. Every Panthers' fan is crossing their fingers, hoping that Jordan Gross will stay, as he's the top offensive lineman and a leader to this team.

Fortunately for Carolina, there are plenty of highly-rated receivers and offensive linemen coming into this draft. Unfortunately, the Panthers pick 28th, which means many of those receivers and linemen could already be snatched up by other teams.

With that being said, let's take a look at some potential picks. First, let's look at wide receivers.

Kelvin Benjamin, Florida State - Benjamin is 6'4", much taller than the 5'9" Steve Smith. Although Smith is the Panthers all time leading receiver, he'll be 35 come May, and isn't the receiver he used to be. Benjamin, with his height, will bring great athleticism to whichever team takes him, as his jumping ability and size are great assets to his game. However, Benjamin isn't the fastest receiver, and his effort has also been called into question. Taking Benjamin could be a risk that Carolina can't afford to take.

Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt - Matthews is another receiver that would help Carolina have a height advantage. Being 6'3", Matthews is a great route runner. Despite being the only weapon that Vanderbilt had in the receiving game, Matthews is the SEC's all time leading receiver. He has great hands and is unafraid to take hits, which would be vital in Carolina's run game as well, as he could get downfield to block for Newton, Williams, Tolbert and Stewart. One of the biggest cons is that Matthews isn't the best athlete, as he lacks the speed needed to get past corners. While he isn't explosive, he is consistent, something that Carolina will definitely be looking at.

Marqise Lee, USC - Although the shortest of these three wideouts at 6'0", Marqise Lee could be the best receiver left when the Panthers' pick comes around. He brings the speed, athleticism, and explosiveness that few others can. Although primarily used in the short passing game, his ability to explode at the line and get down the field quickly makes him a deep threat as well. His biggest problem is dropping passes, which could wind up being a big problem. Drops are LaFell's biggest problem and the reason he probably won't be Carolina's number one wideout one day. Carolina needs a guy who can take over for Steve Smith one day, and Lee could be that guy, but he has to work on holding on to the ball.

This article is much longer than I thought it'd be, so tomorrow, I'll go over the top offensive linemen in the draft that Carolina could potentially take.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Which Carolina Panthers team had the best defense?

The 2003 Super Bowl team or this year's surprise team?


With Seattle's recent domination in the Super Bowl, they proved that defense really does win championships. In an offense-oriented league, the NFL's top defense stepped up and shut down the top offense.

After the Super Bowl, I got to thinking, "Carolina has almost always been a defensive team." This led me to wondering which Carolina Panthers team had the better defense, the 2003 team that reached the Super Bowl, or this year's team that shocked everyone.

It's difficult to say which was better, especially when you factor in how different the league is nowadays with the rules changing to favor the offense, along with the strength of schedule for that season. So let's take a look at some numbers.

Points Allowed - 2003: 304 (19.0 per game), 10th in NFL. 2013: 241 (15.2 per game), 2nd in NFL.

Yards Allowed - 2003: 295.3 per game, 8th in NFL. 2013: 301.3 per game, 2nd in NFL.

Passing Defense - 2003: 188 yards per game, 19 TD allowed, 16 INT, 40 sacks, 9th in NFL. 2013: 214 yards per game, 17 TD allowed, 20 INT, 60 sacks, 6th in NFL.

Rushing Defense - 2003: 107.6 yards per game, 10 TD allowed, 8 forced fumbles, 5 recovered, 11th in NFL. 2013: 86.9 yards per game, 4 TD allowed, 5 forced fumbles, 2 recovered, 2nd in NFL.

Takeaways - 2003: 16 INT, 10 fumbles, 26 total, tied for 18th in NFL. 2013: 20 INT, 10 fumbles, 30 total, tied for 7th in NFL.

From a statistical standpoint, it seems that this year's defense was superior to the 2003 defense, allowing less points, forcing more turnovers, getting more sacks, and ranking higher in nearly every category.

When you factor in strength of schedule, it actually swings in the favor of this year's defense. The Panthers entered the 2013 season with the toughest strength of schedule in the league of .543. The 2003 Panthers entered that season with a strength of schedule of .523, the 10th toughest of that season.

If you include the fact that today's NFL is much more offense-oriented, due to rules changing to favor the offense, you still have to give the edge to this year's team. Even with the rule changes, they still allowed less points than they did in 2003.

The only thing that I would say gives the 2003 team an edge is the fact that they actually got to the Super Bowl, whereas this team lost in the divisional round of the playoffs.

So, with all of this in mind, which team do you think had the better defense? My vote goes to this year's team. With LB Luke Kuechly winning Defensive Player of the Year this year (to go along with his Defensive Rookie of the Year award last year, I might add) and "Riverboat" Ron Rivera winning Coach of the Year, Carolina's young and hungry defense is nearly unstoppable.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Welcome to the Carolina Panthers News Blog!

My name is Glenn Lewis, and welcome to the Carolina Panthers New Blog!

As the name implies, this blog will give you Panthers fans news about your team. Please be patient with me, as this is my first blog and I'm new to this whole thing!

I'm a current college student who wants to major in broadcasting and journalism. I figure that doing this will give me some experience on writing sports articles and columns. My goal is to one day work for a national sports media such as ESPN, writing articles, columns, reporting, analyzing, all that jazz.

If you have any questions, or want to give me some feedback, my email is firstandglenn@gmail.com. If you're reading this, I encourage you to give me your opinion, I can handle constructive criticism!

Now, as we all know, the NFL season just recently ended with a less-than entertaining Super Bowl. But I'll be following the offseason closely, watching for any news of the Panthers releasing or signing players. I'll also be discussing the upcoming draft every now and then.

Well, this is the end of my first blog. Thank you for reading, and have a great day!