2005 Record: 11-5 (2nd in NFC South). Lost to Seattle, 34-14, in NFC Championship game.
2005 Rankings
Offense: 22nd (16th pass; 19th run)
Defense: 3rd (9th pass; 4th run)
Head Coach: John Fox (36-28, 5-2 in post-season); Entering 5th season as Carolina Panthers Head Coach.
2006 Draft Class
1.27 – RB, DeAngelo Williams (Memphis)
2.58 – DB, Richard Marshall (Fresno State)
3.88 – LB, James Anderson (Virginia Tech)
3.89 – OT, Rashad Butler (Miami)
4.121 – DB, Nate Salley (Ohio State)
5.155 – TE, Jeff King (Virginia Tech)
7.234 – OG, Will Montgomery (Virginia Tech)
7.237 – DE, Stanley McClover (Auburn)
Arrivals
Keith Adams, LB (Philadelphia)
Na’il Diggs, LB (Green Bay)
Justin Hartwig, C (Tennessee)
Keyshawn Johnson, WR (Dallas)
Reggie Howard, CB (Miami)
Maake Kemoeatu, DT (Baltimore)
Damione Lewis, DT (St. Louis)
Kevin Macadam, S (Atlanta)
Shaun Williams, S (NY Giants)
Departures
Idrees Bashir, S (Detroit)
Ricky Manning, Jr., CB (Chicago)
Marlon McCree, S (San Diego)
Tutan Reyes, OG (Buffalo)
Brandon Short, LB (NY Giants)
Dante Wesley, S (Chicago)
Will Witherspoon, LB (St. Louis)
Kemp Rasmussen, DE (Seattle)
Brentson Buckner, DT (released)
Stephen Davis, RB (released)
Ricky Proehl, WR (not re-signed)
Jeff Saturday, C (not re-signed)
Team Overview
Energized by two convincing road victories in the playoffs, the Carolina Panthers were predicted by many to make their 2nd trip to the Super Bowl in three seasons. Carolina, already playing without Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster, lost Nick Goings in the 1st half in the NFC Championship game, and Seattle became the first team all season to bottle up Steve Smith, as they easily defeated the Panthers, 34-14.
Carolina enters 2006 with some new faces on offense. Justin Hartwig was signed to replace an aging Jeff Saturday at center, and Keyshawn Johnson was brought to give the Panthers the sure-handed veteran receiver the offense lacked when Muhsin Muhammed signed with the Chicago Bears before the 2005 season. Steve Smith is coming off an incredible season, one where he shared the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award with New England’s Tedy Bruschi. The addition of Johnson, and the feeling that 3rd year receivers Drew Carter and Keary Colbert will become more involved in the offense, should make the Panthers less reliant on their ground attack.
After consistently losing running backs to injury, Carolina spent its 1st round pick in 2006 on DeAngelo Williams, a highly talented running back from Memphis. DeShaun Foster was re-signed in the off-season, but Williams should expect to see plenty of action in his rookie season.
Carolina made some changes to their 3rd-ranked defense. Ma’ake Kemoeatu, a free agent from Baltimore, was brought in to replace Brentson Buckner at defensive tackle. Will Witherspoon and Brandon Short left via free agency, so Carolina signed a pair of free agent linebackers (Na’il Diggs and Keith Adams) to replace them, and last year’s 1st round pick, Thomas Davis, is expected to move into the starting lineup.
The secondary wasn’t ignored, either. With Ricky Manning, the team’s nickel cornerback last year, signing with the Chicago Bears, Carolina drafted Richard Marshall out of Fresno State, and brought in Reggie Howard from the Miami Dolphins for depth. Shaun Williams, who played under John Fox in New York, was brought to man the safety spot vacated by Marlon McCree.
Most NFL observers are predicting a Super Bowl season from the Panthers. I’m not that optimistic. They’re a very solid team, and if they stay healthy, they should win their divisions or at least make the playoffs. Carolina has a very tough schedule, play in a very competitive division, so I'm not so sure their playoff path in 2006 will be much different than it was in 2005. And that's not a good thing for their Super Bowl hopes.
Three & Out
- The defense may not have lost one of its leaders, but it did lose its top two tacklers. Marlon McCree (88) and Will Witherspoon (81) both departed through free agency.
- One area the defense won’t be lacking production is QB sacks. Carolina posted 45 of them in 2005, and got impressive seasons out of reserve DL Al Wallace (5 sacks) and Kindal Moorehead (5 sacks). Julius Peppers is the model of consistency. You know that Peppers is good for 10+ sacks in any season he stays moderately healthy in.
- Ken Lucas was one of the best free agent acquisitions in the 2005 off-season. Lucas was coming off a career year in Seattle, and cashed in with a mega-contract from the Panthers. He rewarded them by having a 6-interception season, and deserved more Pro Bowl consideration than he ultimately received. He’s gone from marginal starter to sure-fire Pro Bowler in just two short seasons.
Fantasy Island
When Steve Smith’s 2004 season last just one game, it was unclear whether or not he’d get back to his receiving totals from his breakout 2003 season (88-1110-7).
Well, Smith shattered those numbers, putting up 103 receptions, 1500 yards, 12 touchdowns, and more creative end zone celebrations than anyone not named Chad Johnson.
Expect more of the same in 2006, even with Keyshawn Johnson stealing receptions from him. Smith is the heart & soul of this offense.
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