What next for the Panthers?

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What next for the Panthers?

By Damon Ford – January 4, 2010

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There wasn’t much suspense in the Carolina - New Orleans game, especially with Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Brees sitting on the bench, but Panthers fans had to feel good about the 23-10 win.

Carolina (8-8) began a promising year with three straight losses but fought through a variety of injuries to its starters and problems at the quarterback position to finish on a three-game winning streak, which could be the foundation for a much better season in 2010.

While the Saints (13-3), who lost their third game in a row, move on to the postseason as top dogs of the NFC, Panther players will be meeting with coaches and cleaning out their lockers this week.

More important, Carolina has some decisions to make before training camp opens next year. Here are my thoughts regarding some of the key issues they face:

Head Coach
Yeah, I know the team decided not to fire John Fox or any of his staff, but that doesn’t put an end to this story. Fox, who has only a year left on his contract, could leave for a better opportunity. Word on the street is that he’s well respected around the league and, according to reports from the Charlotte Observer, he has not committed to coaching next season.

A part of me says, let him go and get new leadership. But unlike the situation that unfolded with the Washington Redskins, with players openly expressing their desire for a coaching change, we haven’t heard one dissenting remark from a Panther about Fox during this up and down year.

They seem to like playing for the guy, and obviously he never lost control of the locker room despite the mounting losses. I can’t be mad at that.

Not to mention, Carolina has two 1,100-yard running backs. Fox built this team to run, and they do it well. If management didn’t make a coaching change during the season there’s no need to switch up now, so they should do what they can to keep him.

Quarterback
Oh, this is simple…Matt Moore is the man.

After that horrible opening game by Jake Delhomme against Philadelphia, it took only 10 more games and an injury to Delhomme for Fox to finally pull the trigger on starting Moore, who responded well, finishing the season with a 4-1 record, eight touchdowns and two interceptions (none in the last four games).

But I wouldn’t just hand the offense over to him. Moore and some other rookie quarterback the Panthers draft should be front and center to compete for the starting job. Carolina doesn’t have a first-round selection, but they need to do something to make sure they get a quality signal caller from the collegiate ranks. If all else fails, grab another veteran quarterback.

So what’s up with Delhomme….do you keep’em or cut’em?

Remember when Carolina signed him to that big extension last April? Well, they owe him too much money (more than $12 million) to just let him go, and if Fox decides to come back as coach it is pretty much a given that Delhomme will get a chance to redeem himself.

He’s done a lot for the team, so he deserves a chance. But in my mind, the starting job is Moore’s to lose.

Wide Receiver
The No. 2 position has been an area of contention this season, but the solution is easy: It’s time for the Panthers to commit to starting Dwayne Jarrett. His numbers in three years aren’t eye catching, but it’s clear that he simply needs a real chance to start and he’ll respond.

In this last game he had five catches for 68 yards and his first career touchdown. Mushin Muhammad, the incumbent at this position, has been good for the team and the Charlotte community, but he just finished his 14th season, and he’s not getting any younger. This is the perfect time to make the transition.

Defense: Julius Peppers
Let’s just cut to the chase. Peppers did have 10.5 sacks and was named to his fifth Pro bowl in eight years, but it still seemed like he was underachieving this season. Maybe I’m expecting too much. Maybe I want him to be Superman when he’s really Batman…still a superhero but a human who can’t leap tall buildings or run faster than a speeding bullet.

But when you make $1 million a game, high expectations, even unrealistic ones, come with the territory. That said, there’s no way I could make Peppers the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL, which is what he wants to be.

He’s got the leverage to demand it, but sometimes you just have to let go. It’s been a good run, but bye-bye Peppers.

Wait a minute…I wouldn’t just let Peppers walk into free agency next year, though. I’d have to get something in return, which could lead to a first-round draft pick or two. But this is where it gets sticky. The Panthers would have to place the “franchise” tag on Peppers again and hope that another team is willing to make a deal for him. If not, Carolina risks paying him $20 million in 2010. It’s dicey but I couldn’t just let him go that easy.

Damon Ford is a public relations professional who has worked in the public and private sectors in Charlotte. He finished the season 9-7 in predicting Panthers games.