CHARLOTTE, BUT HEADED NORTH — How are you going to send them back to the farm when they've seen the bright lights of Canton? And yet, we press on.
This week has provided a real swing, from the Pro Football Hall of Fame to training camp to the airport to go to a preseason game tonight. We've lived quite a life in the last five days. And what a life it has been.
While I reserve the right to say more about the Hall at my leisure, I promise you I'm not being flip when I call it the Happiest Place on Earth. I genuinely believe this. People at Disney are miserable, mostly the parents. It's expensive, you get stuck in long lines, and there is a very small chance of showing up wearing a Julius Peppers jersey and having Julius Peppers walk by, as a couple of Panthers fans enjoyed Sunday morning. Moments earlier, three Broncos fans in screaming orange Randy Gradishar jerseys stopped Randy Gradishar his ownself on his way to put his bust on the wall. Gradishar had a place to be, but shrugged and said, "Sure," and took a picture with them. It was surreal. And in Canton, that happens a lot.
At the Hall, no one is angry. None of the bad stuff in the world crosses the Stark County line. If you're there, you're celebrating excellence. Who doesn't want in on that? We even got to poke around in the basement, and there are some real treasures down there, like original commissioner Bert Bell's desk (complete with cigar burns), a box of hair one recent enshrinee sent because he thought the Hall might like it (OK, cool), gold jackets in dry-cleaning bags, and a game-worn Luke Kuechly jersey which could come in handy soon.
For all those reasons and more, I am currently exploring vacation properties in the greater Canton region (they even have a Bojangles, right off Everhard Road). And the people are warm and friendly and welcoming, and you can eat in the very same restaurant the founders of the league ate at after doing their business in Ralph Hay's Hupmobile dealership. Is it Manhattan or even Charlotte? It is not. But it also has a cozy airport (CAK was voted the No. 1 airport in Categories II-IV by the TSA), and the walk from the farthest gate (Gate 9, not E9, just 9) is breezy and filled with light, and they have a machine that dispenses free short stories you can read on a CVS-receipt-sized piece of paper. Your rental car could be anywhere between 20 to 50 feet from the airport door. Again, no one is angry there.
Now, we're traveling to New England for a preseason game during a hurricane. Wish us luck. We've been to Canton recently, so perhaps some of the magic remains in our luggage to speed up our travels through Charlotte-Douglas International.
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I hate it when the Panthers are disrespected. It shows just how insignificant small-market teams are in the NFL ecosphere. On the other hand, I love it when the Panthers are disrespected because, in my mind, it should light a fire under the players. So I have two disses to rant about and hope that the players take note.
1) Derrick Brown didn't make it into the top 100 players? He only obliterated the record for tackles by a defensive lineman. He only had one of the best run-stop rates in the league. What more does he need to do? Maybe if our offense had been mediocre last season DB would have had more pass-rushing opportunities and been able to stack more stats that people notice, like sacks.
2) What the hell, NFL? We get our first DRAFTED Hall of Famer in Peppers, a guy whose legend began and ended here, who accumulated most of his HOF stats here, and they showcase him in a BEARS uni? He spent less than 25 percent of his career there but they get the glory? It's insulting. Completely insulting. (On a side note, I really enjoyed reading all the stories about Julius. Great job, as usual, OG.) — Chris, Greensboro, NC
I'm sure he might have popped up in a Bears uniform a bit on television maybe, but the vast majority of the imagery in Canton was of Peppers in your familiar black and blue.
From the cover of the program to the two-story banner on the front of the Hall itself to the signage in the Canton-Akron Airport welcoming fans, it was all Carolina Julius. As it should be. There were similar complaints from Saints people when Sam Mills went in two years ago, and the big banner featured him in a Panthers uniform. He spent the same amount of time in New Orleans and Charlotte and played longer there, but he became mythological here.
I wouldn't worry about that one, though. Pep is from and of the Carolinas, even though he lives in Florida now. You get to claim him. He is yours.
That Derrick one, boy I don't know.
The easy answer is it's a boneheaded list that players vote on, but not many take it very seriously. When the NFL Network tweeted out the guys in spots 101-110, he didn't even make that, a year after setting a record for tackles by a defensive lineman.
And it usually lags a year behind reality unless you play for the Cowboys or a New York team. I mean, Aaron Rodgers was a lifetime achievement selection, and he played four snaps last season.
Put it this way: if there was a draft of every available player in the NFL, Derrick Brown would not be a fourth-round pick.
And rest assured, he is aware of this. Consider it filed away.
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Which former and current Carolina Panthers members attended Julius Peppers' enshrinement? I know that John Fox was there. — Laura, Huntersville, NC
A load of them. Seriously, you couldn't swing a dead cat in Canton without hitting one of his former teammates or coaches or co-workers.
Off the top of my head, I know that Fox, and assistants Mike Trgovac, Sal Sunseri, Rod Perry, and Brian Baker were there, along with Steve Wilks. There were a ton of players, from linemates Mike Rucker and Brentson Buckner, to Kevin Donnalley, Luke Kuechly, DeShaun Foster, Will Witherspoon, Brandon Short, Dante Wesley, and many more (his party offered a lot of throwbacks — is that Hannibal Navies? I think it is) Former team president Mark Richardson was there.
And as Peppers was careful to include in his speech, there were equipment guys, athletic trainers, PR people, the whole building was represented. Julius remains a man of the people.
You know who else was there who got name-checked in the speech, but kept a low-profile and left the party early? Former general manager Marty Hurney.
Hurney's been hard to reach in these parts since leaving for the second time, and didn't always feel particularly appreciated. But all those guys I mentioned, he either drafted, signed to a contract or put around Peppers. You may have noticed he was practically the only member of the front office who wasn't quoted in our piece about the 2002 draft. It was not accidental. It was stubborn, but that's him.
But here's the thing: He wasn't a bad GM; he was a very good GM. Built the guts of two Super Bowl teams. Hit after hit in the first round of every draft he was involved in, from Peppers to Derrick Brown. When the worst of them was Jeff Otah, the starting right tackle on a dominant running offense in 2008, you know it's a pretty good list. And there are people who like to rip Hurney by saying he made bad trades, but Greg Olsen, JJ Jansen, Chris Harris, Al Wallace, and Colin Jones disagree. He once got a good punter (Jason Baker) and another thing by getting rid of Todd Sauerbrun. And for those who contend he wasn't good at drafting except in the first round (apparently forgetting that many GMs aren't good at that), I would suggest that Ryan Kalil, Charles Johnson, Foster, Witherspoon, Travelle Wharton, Geoff Hangartner, Evan Mathis, Geoff Schwartz, Captain Munnerlyn, and some guy named Josh Norman would disagree.
That's a long way of saying, get off Marty Hurney. He did a good job here for a long time. Julius agreed. That's why he personally invited him to Canton to share in his moment and called him by name in his speech.
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I enjoyed your retelling of your trip to Canton on the last Happy Half Hour. If I remember correctly, you were a Hall of Fame voter in another life. Can you share what goes on in the room as you decide the fate of these nominees? I know there are some things you can't tell us, but can you describe the atmosphere? Share all you can. — Omer, Wilkesboro, NC
Appreciate you Omer, as you can tell, I could tell old stories and Hall of Fame stories all day long. (And I might. I'm not proud. Or tired.)
And yes, I remain a voter on the selection committee. The Hall asks us to keep conversations in the room confidential so that they can remain frank, but the one thing I can tell you is that our discussions are robust and thorough.
Players are discussed one at a time, with a brief introduction and discussion around the room (there are 50 voters, mostly writers, with a group of Hall of Famers including Dan Fouts, James Lofton, Tony Dungy, and Bill Polian added in recent years. The roster is here. It's a fantastic day of debate, and we look forward to resume conducting it in person after the pandemic and an ice storm last year forced us to use Zoom the last few.
If it's a no-brainer like Peyton Manning, a presenter might stand up, say "Peyton Manning," and sit down. Was tempted to treat Peppers that way, but felt like there were a few other things I wanted to mention about his career in case anyone forgot. Nevertheless, Julius was not discussed for long. He didn't need to be, and he became the 90th first-ballot selection among the 378 members.
It's a responsibility, and one the voters take seriously. It's also a demanding process, which the product deserves. And I will humbly serve as long as they'll have me.
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Thank you for your format. No question, but if you could pass on to anyone about the free tickets for practice that have sold out, at Wofford it was easier and more convenient without tickets. Hard for a working family to plan weeks in advance to go to a practice. It was really nice and family-oriented. Thanks for listening. Good luck. — Lee, Saluda, NC
Sorry you feel that way Lee, but I can let you in on a little secret. There are a limited number of walk-up tickets available each day of camp, so there's a good chance you could get in. And the tickets are free.
And I don't say this because they pay me to, I truly believe it — I kind of dig camp here. Wofford had its charms (I recently made the mistake of looking up my Marriott history, and I've spent more hotel nights in Spartanburg than any other city on the planet. Makes you think). But so does Charlotte. It's accessible by public transit; it's walkable, the bleachers are in the shade, there's stuff to see and do, and there's an area for kids to get autographs. It's different, and people are resistant to change (you should see my closet), but sometimes different can be good.
And if you can't make it between now and the end of camp, I can at least make you this week's Friend Of The Mailbag, and get the appropriate honorarium on the way to you soon.
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Last year, several of the Panthers' position groups were in the bottom five or 10 in the league. This year, more of our position groups seem to have moved into the middle groupings of teams. We still have a few that need reinforcement, but we have improved. That gives me hope that we can finish in the 6-to-10-win category. Part of my optimism comes from being in the NFC South, but we also play a 'last place' schedule. Barring key injuries to our better players and the structure put in place by the new staff, what do you see as our optimal win total? — Bob, Aurora, CO
I hesitate to wade into the prediction waters because they get deep fast. However, the one thing that seems apparent from watching two weeks of training camp is that the floor seems higher. A year ago, injuries to the offensive line that caused them to play seven left guards and eight right guards torpedoed the entire offensive process. Now, there's more talent on the starting line, and the second line includes guys with significant starting experience.
They should be able to run — by personnel and by intent. There are more receiving targets, and Diontae Johnson has developed a quick rapport with Bryce Young.
The defense looks more stable, and run defense could be a legitimate strength. The personnel deficiencies at outside linebacker and cornerback are well-established. But it's also the first year of a new project. It's not unlike what camp looked like in 2002 and 2003, where they had to clear things out before they built things up.
And they're not where they need to be. But they're at least more normal than they were this time last year, and normal is a highly underrated place to be.
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Good football season! As you always mention, training camp is an exciting moment at the beginning of the season, and we, as fans, can only dream of great Sundays to come. Please give us more insight into how our new draftees, Trevin Wallace, Ja'Tavion Sanders, and Michael Barrett, are performing in training camp. For some reason, I am really optimistic about our LBs and TEs this season as a strong group for our team. — Kevin, Middletown, DE
As it turns out, those guys have gotten more time than you might have ordinarily expected. With Shaq Thompson on the sidelines and a plague of locusts descending upon the tight end room, the rookies have gotten plenty of reps and should get game time tonight.
Wallace is fast and active, and I'm looking forward to seeing him in the game. He's got some vets in front of him to learn from, and how quickly he picks up will determine how well he potentially replaces some of them. I'm guessing he's a good special teams player this year, at least. Barrett's a harder read at the moment because he's further down the depth chart, and he doesn't have the same kind of size-speed advantage as Wallace. But he looks like a guy who knows where he's supposed to be. You don't say that about all of the seventh-round picks.
Sanders is a natural mover with gigantic hands, and with the lack of healthy options at the position, he's gotten a chance to shine. As a receiver, he's what you're looking for. The rest of the game will take him a moment to develop. But he's created the most highlights of this group so far, though that's largely because of availability.
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Seen a lot on the starting O-linemen, obviously, with all the changes it's expected to make this season. Excited to see them in action. However, no football team survives without depth at that position. How are the backups faring? I've only seen that Brady Christensen might be struggling to shine.
Also, someone took a picture of Bryce Young doing crunches after practice when everyone had left. I applaud the work ethic and determination from him, though I do hope he doesn't overdo it. Have you noticed any difference in how he is approaching this season from a mental standpoint? Have you seen any other players going the extra mile this season? — Chris, Charlotte, NC
Not sure who told you that about Christensen. He looks to me like what I've become accustomed to seeing him look like. Adult. Professional. Athletic. Aware.
With Yosh Nijman still on the physically unable to perform list, he's gotten more work at tackle in recent weeks after taking most of his spring work at center and guard. He has all the requisite skills to be a good center, but he was a left tackle in college, so he has more reps there.
Until Nijman is ready to roll, you can consider Christensen the top backup tackle on both sides and probably the first guy off the bench inside. Chandler Zavala has looked better at guard (and has gotten work with the ones when Damien Lewis was out), and Cade Mays remains the reliable backup who is at center now. He's like a heavier-handed Christensen with four-position flexibility.
If you're into this kind of thing, keep an eye on Badara Traore and Ricky Lee tonight. Those backup tackles have opportunities, so let's see if they grab them.
As for Bryce doing supplemental core work after practice, he's been doing that since the day he walked in the door. The difference is that he used to be able to sneak into the Atrium Health Dome to do his planks and crunches where no one could see him. Now, it's out in the open. But he's committed to the work.
Speaking of extra work, nobody puts in more than Chuba Hubbard and Tommy Tremble. I have the utmost respect for Hubbard because he's turned himself into a starting-caliber NFL back by sheer effort. He used to struggle to catch flying things, and now he's actually pretty good at it. Spending an extra 30 minutes a day on the Jugs machine will do that for you. He works like a man with 10 kids. They'd love to have a dozen Chubas, and I didn't imagine saying that two years ago. (It's also instructive that when there were June workouts after OTAs, you saw Young, Hubbard, Brown, and Thompson. There's a reason those guys are in positions of respect.)
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A challenge for you, my friend! Compile a list of all the players who have worn the Panthers uniform throughout the history of the franchise. Pick both starting offensive and defensive teams. Pit your Panthers Dream Team against the teams on this year's schedule and beat the bookies ....... how would the Panthers' season turn out, all else being even? This should be a fun exercise for you and a lot of fun for us fans to read about! It's Kickoff Time, so get to work, Darin. You get to be a magician, General Manager, and Head Coach all at the same time! KEEP POUNDING! — Jim, Timberlake, NC
I'll stay away from the bookies, Jim, because gambling's illegal at Bushwood, and I never slice. You would never run me afoul of the league's gambling policy intentionally; I know that.
This is an interesting exercise, for sure, that requires time to be considered properly.
I promise I'll submit an answer in the coming bags, but I will open the floor to suggestions. We'll have to start with a common language before we begin, though. Send me 27 names total: 11 starters on offense and defense, a kicker, a punter, a long snapper, a punt returner, and a kick returner. But only 11 starters. If you want a fullback, don't send me three wide receivers because that doesn't fit. Your defense can be a 4-3 or a 3-4, but it can't be a 5-5.
This is fertile ground for discussion on something that we can be civil in disagreeing about. May it be the start of a movement.
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As a previously chosen Friend Of The Mailbag (I was the one with the address mixup and still haven't received the shirt), I was wondering: We have heard Dan Morgan talk about churn at the bottom of the roster. Is it fair to expect quite a bit of waiver claims over the next few weeks and at cut-down time? Which positions could they specifically be focusing on? — Andy, Grand Forks, ND
Apologies Andy, that went out in the mail earlier in the spring. If you see a particularly stylish mailman in your neighborhood, you'll know what happened. I'll connect offline and we'll straighten this out.
As for waiver priorities, the answer is yes. They're first in order until Week 4, and I expect them to exercise this right. They did it this week with former Broncos safety Caden Sterns, but I expect them to look at everything. There aren't many spots where they don't need depth (safety is probably one of the deeper positions on the roster, and they went there). It's about the player rather than the position, but in general, they're going to be eyeballing every pass-rusher and corner that comes across the wire. But there aren't many spots they won't be looking to upgrade. That's just good roster management.
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And on that note, let's go lightning round, brought to you by the patron saint of the lightning round Jeff from Fuquay-Varina, to close it out this week.
Hey, it's Miles again. I live in Chicago now, but don't worry, I'm not a Bears fan. Still Carolina proud. So look, I would love to be super-optimistic about this upcoming season, but let's say that it does not go great. What's the plan from there? Not trying to be a bummer, but let's say we're placed last again. Should we use the first overall pick to take Shaduer Sanders, or should we give Bryce one last chance? Not saying this will happen because I truly believe Bryce can do good, but what's your take? — Miles, Chicago, IL
My take is you're way too young to be this cynical Miles. Too soon. Let's let this season breathe. You said it yourself, you think it'll work out. Don't borrow trouble in life, it will find you.
Good afternoon, Darin; I was so excited to be named FOTM in your 7/19/24 edition! I appreciate you recognizing my love for your articles and the Carolina Panthers. I have been eagerly waiting for an email to provide you with my address for the T-shirt! I know it typically takes a couple of weeks, and I am patient; I just wanted to touch base in hopes I could be expecting it sometime soon! Thank you, sir, and I look forward to hearing back from you! — Chase, Greensboro, NC
Speaking of let it breathe. Sorry, Chase, behind on my mail, as well as my laundry. Mixing a Hall of Fame trip in with training camp is a logistical challenge. But since you're polite, I'll work on that when I get home.
As another old guy and fan of the column, can I have Shane's old traded in FOTM merch? — Randall, Branchville, SC
You'd have to take that up with Svelte Shane. I don't think he'll be needing that 3X anymore.
Hello Darin. Are we the fans overreacting to bad snaps when Corbett is learning to play center in the NFL against Pro Bowler Derrick Brown? Or is it a little bit worrisome as it is affecting the rest of the O-line from gelling together? — Edwin, Fairfax, VA
Probably. But overreacting is what football fans do. (Except when they're in Canton.)
I'm from Spartanburg and miss the Panthers training camp being here, just seems strange it not being here. Anyway, I always like interesting facts. Did you know that Xavier Legette's high school nickname is the Mullins Auctioneers? Thought it was an awesomely original name, what about you? — Jamie, Spartanburg, SC
I fact-checked this, and it's real, and it's spectacular. I would pay some of my own money to hear XL auction something, especially after hearing him do the weather. Seriously, I love that almost as much as I love Canton.
