Deangelo Williams may not be a Panther much longer

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/02/dave-gettleman-on-deangelo-williams-right-now-hes-on-the-roster/

 

Shortly after the draft wrapped up, Darin Gantt wrote that the Panthers made picks that gave them the flexibility to part ways with players carrying burdensome contracts down the road.

 

One of those picks was the selection of running back

Kenjon Barner in the sixth round. Running back wasn’t a particularly big need with Jonathan Stewart, DeAngelo Williams and Mike Tolbertalready on the roster and General Manager Dave Gettleman having said earlier in the offseason that he didn’t see why the team couldn’t hold onto all their backs, but Barner’s arrival led to another question about keeping Williams during an interview on The Fan 610 AM in Charlotte.

 

Gettleman stopped short of guaranteeing that Williams would be on the Panthers come September, saying that “right now, he’s on the roster” and pointing out with a laugh that none of us really know where we’re going to be tomorrow.

 

“You can never have too many good players at one position,” Gettleman said. “More often than not, nature will take its course. You might have an injury, you might make a move. Anything’s possible, the roster is fluid.”

 

If the Panthers were going to cut Williams, they likely would have done it by now with the June 1 designation that allows them to spread out the cap hit they’d incur over the next two years. Since they’ve swallowed Williams’ salary this long, there’s not much reason to believe they wouldn’t continue to live with it into the season.

 

There’s

been trade talk around Williams in the past, however, and Gettleman hardly sounds opposed to exploring that route should a team come looking to make a deal for Williams at some point before the start of the season. Such a trade probably wouldn’t be in the cards unless a team decided they didn’t like their crop of runners or lost one to injury, so Williams will likely be on the Panthers a while longer. Assuming, as per Gettleman’s warning, he’s on Earth at all.

 

Wouldn't want to trade for him because of his contract, but if he were to get released, I would love to see the Bucs take a good look at him.

 

 

[panfan4lyfe 4]

I can see us getting a nice draft pick out of him - probably a 3rd rounder - when the season starts and injuries start to pile up. He's a great back, but with our stacked backfield, along with the dual threat that is Cam Newton, and also the nature of our read option offense, we'd be better off trading him to a team that will utilize him more.

[Bucman 891]

I think the problem is his salary. Not sure many teams would wanna take that on.

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

Just his salary? I think he has looked pretty sub-par running the football as well. Tough to pay a guy so much to sit behind your starter.

[Thanatos 2,847]

Just as an update here, D-Will restructured his contract so its more given as a signing bonus, and less of a cap hit.

[Jackofalltrades 8]

His running ability wasn't the problem last year so much as the scheme the Panther's employed under Chud.

 

He, like the rest of the offense, got better as the Panthers went back to a traditional run game.

[monkey48 1]

He ran well last year, when the Panthers reverted back to a more traditional running game. He and Cam were both limited by the read-option that Chud tried to run, and I'm so glad that they discontinued with it. Personally I think that Stewart will get traded before next years draft. Then we can get a late-round HB (Maybe Zurlon Tipton from C. Michigan) to add t the rotation of Williams, Tolbert and Barner. With both Barner and Tolbert on the roster I'm just not sure that Stewart is needed anymore

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Did he take a pay cut at all during the restructure or was it just reallocating the cash given to him into bonus money?

[Jackofalltrades 8]

I believe it was a reallocation, he had all the leverage so I have a hard time imagining him just giving away a ton of money.

 

I really hope Barner gets some touches this year- I'd like to know where we stand at RB as we head into next offseason. I don't know who, but it's safe to assume with JStew or DLo will be elsewhere next season due to money, age, devaluing of the position, etc.

[monkey48 1]

I believe it was a reallocation, he had all the leverage so I have a hard time imagining him just giving away a ton of money.

 

I really hope Barner gets some touches this year- I'd like to know where we stand at RB as we head into next offseason. I don't know who, but it's safe to assume with JStew or DLo will be elsewhere next season due to money, age, devaluing of the position, etc.

 

I hope Stewart gets traded. We just won't need him with Barner and Tolbert on the roster and we could really do with some extra picks.

[DavethePanther 37]

ANYBODY that questions D'Will numbers obviously know little about football.

 

Deangelo is only the second player in NFL history to have averaged over 5 ypc in his first 1000 attempts.

 

The only thing that hold D'Will back was that Read Option B.S. It wasn't until this season that he dropped below that mark and that wasn't his doing. Chudz did him in. Watch and see him explode in 2013 with a traditional running.

[Thanatos 2,847]

So sorry, but that simply isn't true. I question D-Will. He doesn't have the ability to break tackles that Stewart does. I'm not sure which one I would want. If I knew both would remain healthy, I would take Stewart hands down. D-Will's best days are behind him.

[monkey48 1]

Williams is a better runner than Stewart at the moment. He may be older but the age difference isn't that big and Stewart has really struggled to stay healthy. Williams was badly affected by the read-option stuff early last year but showed how good he can be later-on in the season.

[Jackofalltrades 8]

DLo is very good if he can hit the hole right away. His burst isn't quite what it was a couple seasons ago, but he's still very capable of making would be tacklers look bad. People look at his age and his stats from last season and automatically assume he's on the decline.

 

I don't think he'll have a monster year this year, but I bet his YPC will be back above 5 and that isn't easy to do.

[Mike975 12]

The Panthers are lucky to have as much talent in the running game as we do, but it can also be a curse to an extent in how to balance out the carries. The Bills had similar struggles last season with Spiller and Jackson, on the one hand Jackson was their main man, but on the other Spiller was beginning to break out and show that he could be the next big time running back. This season their new coaching staff haven't shown their hand as to which guy will get the majority of carries, but having such problems to solve is always good for a coaching staff.

 

As for us, I think our running game has been good over the past two seasons, but I honestly believe that it can get better. In 2011 our running game account for well over two thousand yards and 25 TDs, and in 2012 the production was down to under 2,000 yards and 21 TDs. But in both years our running game presented a threat to the opposition's defense, though like I said, it was good, not great. The staff have made tweaks to this year's offense, and seem to be moving away from Cam having a ton of carries, to utilizing the other backs on the roster. If all stay healthy and perform to their ability, I can foresee D-Will and Stewart having great seasons because both guys can be potent threats on their day.

 

That being said, I don't think we will keep hold of both guys long term. I think the way to go is to have an experienced running back that gets the majority of the carries, and draft a young back that splits the remaining carries with Cam (and perhaps Barner?). Stewart has already proved that when he is healthy he has the ability to be a top running back. Last year was a big set back for him with injuries, but it is a misconception to say that he is injury prone. In 5 seasons in the NFL he has played in 16, 16, 14, 16, and 9 games respectively. Last year was the only year where he has missed a significant part of the season. Before then he missed two games in his third year. So that is hardly the record of an injury prone running back. If you want one of them look at Darren McFadden 13, 12, 13, 13, 7, 12.

 

If it came down to a choice right now in keeping D-Will or Stewart, I would probably keep Stewart because he's 26 years old and when healthy and given the carries he can be one of the best running backs in this league. For me, he has already proved in his career to date that he has the talent to be a thousand yard plus back, and that is without having been our go to guy. So I honestly think that if he is given the majority of the carries he can really break out and give this team perhaps half a dozen really good seasons. Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of D-Will, but at 30 he is at that age where backs tend to start to decline. He still looks lively and could still be a potent back, but when you have a back as talented as Stewart, I don't think you should get rid of that type of talent.

 

But that is just how I see it. I prefer Stewart at this point, but D-Will still has a part to play.

[DavethePanther 37]

The whole concept of Williams and Stewart was to allow them less carries and still be effective. It has worked. Both are quality backs and I would put big money on that fact that if we ever let one of them go. They would thrive at wherever they went.

 

Shula is old school and he is going to run the ball. Cam's ability to run or throw is going to make things better in 2013.

 

I don't want to trade either and you'll see why in 2013.

[CribbsForTheWin 117]

Running backs don't have a whole heck of a lot of trade value these days. DWill has been a solid back, but he is 30 now, the dreaded age for a RB. I don't believe the team would get better than a 5th for him.

[DavethePanther 37]

They aren't going to trade him.

[KempBolt 498]

They'd be foolish not to trade him if they receive a good offer. They have a better runner in house, they really need to find a way to get help at receiver and in the secondary, and he's a 30 year old running back. If some team is stupid enough to give decent value for him now, they need to take advantage.

Edited July 15, 2013 by KempBolt

[Thanatos 2,847]

If we get an offer like say, a 3rd rounder, you wouldn't trade him? Really?

[KempBolt 498]

If we get an offer like say, a 3rd rounder, you wouldn't trade him? Really?

 

That would be a slick move on Carolina's part. Spend a late 1st on a RB, get 7 years of production out of him, and get a 3rd back out of him on his way out the door.

[Dutch 874]

Panthers would be better off trying to find the successor for Steve Smith in the first round rather than getting a RB. The Panthers still have Jon Stewart and getting a quality RB in later rounds is becoming more and more prevalent.

Edited July 15, 2013 by dutchff7

[Thanatos 2,847]

Panthers would be better off trying to find the successor for Steve Smith in the first round rather than getting a RB. The Panthers still have Jon Stewart and getting a quality RB in later rounds is becoming more and more prevalent.

 

He's referring to where we drafted D-Will.

[Dutch 874]

He's referring to where we drafted D-Will.

 

Oh, I definitely didn't read that correctly. Not sure if a team would spend a 3rd on Deangelo though; personally.

Edited July 15, 2013 by dutchff7

[KempBolt 498]

Oh, I definitely didn't read that correctly. Not sure if a team would spend a 3rd on Deangelo though; personally.

 

Almost certainly not. I was just making the point that they'd be stupid not to if they could.