If I were the GM- Carolina

2009 was a tale of two different teams for the Panthers.  They didn't find themselves until they switched quarterbacks from Jake Delhomme to Matt Moore.  The Panthers offense was more effective, and less turnover prone with Moore at the helm.  Still, their strong finish didn't merit a contract extension for Coach John Fox.  I think this is a mistake.  He's a good coach, but, perhaps a tad too loyal to Delhomme.  Also, it was foolish of Carolina management to grant such a lucrative extension to Delhomme, when he was showing clear signs of regression, not to mention his recent Tommy John surgery.  

This team is very close to contention with their many strengths.  Their running game was one of the best last season.  They had not one, but two rushers (DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart) run for 1100 yards.  That's the first time in NFL history in which that feat has occurred.  Not only do they have talented backs, but their line is terrific.  They lost both stud tackles Jordan Gross and Jeff Otah for extended time, and didn't miss a beat.  It is a nice luxury that guard Travelle Wharton can swing over to play effectively at the tackle position.  Center Ryan Kahlil is the best in the league, which I've mentioned numerous times in this blog- especially in the Pro Bowl section.  (I'm glad he made it as a replacement, but he was robbed by not getting it initially.)  Wide receiver Steve Smith is one of the best in the business.  Middle linebacker Jon Beason leads a talented linebacking corps.  And free agent defensive end Julius Peppers had another solid season.  The defensive backfield is a tad underrated, especially cornerback Chris Gamble.

There are places where this team needs to improve.  As I hinted above, they should move on from Delhomme.  He's done a lot for the franchise, but is too much of a liability to start anymore.  They should give Moore a shot at starting 2010.  But is he the answer?  The only way we'll know is giving him an opportunity to play.  With that in mind, they should think about drafting acquiring a quarterback.  Their biggest needs are in the passing game.  They need another receiver opposite of Smith, and have for years.  Mushin Muhammed doesn't strike fear in defenses anymore, and may retire.  The Panthers also need a consistent tight end.   If Moore is the guy- which he might be- they need to give him a safety net.  Jeff King, Dante Rosario, and Gary Barnidge are nice role players, but they need a bigger threat at the position.  As I mentioned earlier, Peppers is a free agent, and they traded up in the second round last year to select Everett Brown, as a possible replacement.  But losing a player of his caliber, will most likely need multiple players to replace their production.  Also, the defensive line as a group needs to get younger.  I mentioned that their defensive backfield is tad underrated, but they could use some more depth as well.

The first move they should make is a decision on Peppers, which appears they have.  By not extending the franchise tag to him, they are essentially announcing they are cutting ties to him.  With the likely change in the collective bargaining rules, I wonder if they could and would be willing to use the transition tag on him- at least get some compensation for his departure.  Their move to acquire Brown made sense for a potential replacement standpoint, however, I don't agree with trading this year's first round pick to get him in the second round.  That's a move I don't like- trading a future number one for a current number two.  It's too desperate, and can have consequences.  This year's draft is brimming with talented linemen, but the Panthers won't get their first crack until half way through the second round, due to last season's trade.  A move they could make is trading DeAngelo Williams for picks.  Stewart proved he can be an every down back this season, and has less ware on him.  Mike Goodson showed signs of promise in the preseason, and could prove to be a capable backup.