KembaWalker wrote:Nicks isn't coming to Carolina, not that it would even be exciting if he did at this point. He's worse than Smith anyway.
Carolina won't sign anyone of note. We've got 7 draft picks that will net what, 2 starter level players and a couple backups. And about 12 holes in the roster to fill. This is basically a rebuild. Probably the last thing you want to start with Cam Newton free agency coming up. Dudes probably half way out the door already and I wouldn't blame him. Might not seem so bad now but wait till the talking heads start blaming him for cutting Smith and blaming him when the team is ass next year.
Several points:
1. At this point in his career, Nicks is better than Smith. If he can rebound to his superbowl season form then he is a top 10 WR in the NFL. Smith is a slot specialist now.
2. I doubt Cam leaves. Every other team in the NFL would have passed him up from where we drafted him. He is part of our culture, and he has to know that.
3. We have 7 draft picks. We have a tendency to hit on our 1st round picks, and this year should be no different. This draft is super deep, and it wouldn't be hard to find a difference maker in the 3rd or 4th rounds. The top 3 OT's in this draft all rank above the #1 OT in last years draft, and the WR depth isn't even comparable. Unlike most other teams, we won't be trying to grab a QB or a DE. We might bite on a CB early, but that is it.
4. Free Agency isn't over, and it isn't like the Panthers to be big spenders early on. In fact, in years that we have spent heavily in free-agency we tend to tank hard the following year. I think we are trying to avoid the honey pots right now. Rumor has it we are watching James Jones- a solid WR- and Hakeem Nicks (who if he returns to his potential would be the 2nd best WR we have ever had).
5. There is still plenty of depth at CB, OL, and WR left in Free Agency. CB Josh Wilson is solid, WR Denario Alexander is a beast when healthy (and would sign on a cheap contract), Jacoby Ford is young and has potential (and would easily replace Ginn), Mario Manningham is one of Gentlemen's boys- and would sign cheap, .....
The list goes on and on. This year has a deep crop of FA and Prospects. As long as we do SOMETHING we will be fine.
Remember, last year people thought we had the WORST secondary in the NFL coming into the season. Thomas Davis was supposed to be dead. Ted Ginn was a joke. And our O-Line looked suspect. Despite the losses we have sustained, we are no worse off then we were last year at this time.