Panthers Set To Kickoff 2008 Preseason

The Carolina Panthers open their preseason schedule Saturday night against the Indianapolis Colts, hoping to improve on last year’s seven wins when they became the first team since 1998 to have four different starting quarterbacks record at least one win.

Carolina will welcome back Jake Delhomme for the first time since Week Three last year when they take the field at Bank of America Stadium Delhomme, who underwent elbow surgery last October, will be behind a revamped offensive line when he lines up behind center. The Panthers will have three new starters and all five starters at different positions when they host the Colts. Jordan Gross and Travelle Wharton are the only two returning starters and both have switched positions with Gross moving from right to left tackle and Wharton from left tackle to left guard.

The rest of the line will have new starters in second year center Ryan Kalil, rookie left tackle Jeff Otah, and either Keydrick Vincent, Toniu Fonoti, or Milford Brown at right guard. As a group the line is considerably bulkier than the one that finished last season for the Panthers.

“ We have a lot of new people as well as returning players at different positions, so there is going to be a period of adjustment,” says head coach John Fox. “ H o w e v e r, we like what we have seen of the new players and think the group has the potential to develop into a good line.”

Like the line, there will also be a new look at running back Saturday night with first round (13th overall) draft selection Jonathan Stewart joining DeAngelo Williams in the backfield. Williams rushed for 717 yards and 5.0 yards per run in a back up role to starter DeShaun Foster (now with San Francisco). S t e w a r t ’s training camp play has been monitored as a result offseason toe surgery after rushing for 1,722 yards and a 6.2 yards per carry average.

The receiving corps for Delhomme will be different, yet familiar with the return of Muhsin Muhammad to join Steve Smith and newcomer D. J. Hackett.

Muhammad is the Panthers career leading receiver and returns to Carolina after three seasons with the Chicago Bears. Smith is second to Muhammad while Hackett will be playing his first season in Carolina after four years with the Seattle Seahawks. Also competing for playing time are second year receiver Dwayne Jarrett and Ryne Robinson, who could miss the preseason opener with a knee i n j u r y, and Jason Carter. ”

Delhomme will not be the only Carolina quarterback coming off an injury as Brett Basanez will play for the first time since last year’s preseason when he sustained a torn ligament in his wrist. In addition, second year free agent Matt Moore will try to build on last year’s impressive debut. Moore started the last three games of the season and led the Panthers to two wins while compiling a quarterback rating of 86.1.

“ We have been pleased with Jake’s progress, but it will be good to see him under game conditions,” says Fox. “We saw last year just how much he means to this football team. Brett was making good progress before he was hurt and Matt Moore played extremely well under difficult circumstances.”

On defense, the Panthers will have quite a different look along the line where Julius Peppers moves from the left side to right defensive end and the Panthers will be without the retired Mike Rucker for the first time in nearly a decade. Ty l e r Brayton, Charles Johnson, and Stanley McClover are all competing for Rucker’s old spot while Damione Lewis and Maake Kemouatu are starting at the tackles after the trade of Kris Jenkins in the offseason. Regardless of how the line shakes out, the Panthers will be looking to improve on the 23 sacks recorded last season.

The starting linebackers look to be the same as last year against the Colts with Jon Beason anchoring the middle, but Na’il Diggs and Thomas Davis have flipped sides. A number of newcomers will also get their first look as Panthers with Landon Johnson playing his first game since signing from Cincinnati and third round draft choice (74th overall) Dan Conner making his professional debut.

C a r o l i n a ’s other third round choice (67th overall), Charles Godfrey, will be making his debut as a starter at free safety along with Chris Harris at strong safety.

Rounding out the secondary are cornerbacks Chris Gamble, Ken Lucas, and Richard M a r s h a l l . “ We have a number of young new players throughout the offense and defense and we are anxious to see how they hold up against a very well established team,” says Fox.

One place Carolina will not have newcomers is in the placekicking and punting games where John Kasay remains the last of the original Panthers and Jason Baker returns for this fourth season with the team. However, who handles the kickoffs is uncertain with Rhys Lloyd bidding to win the job in the preseason.

UP NEXT

P a n t h e r s- at Philadelphia, August 14, 8:00 pm EST

I n d i a n a p o l i s- at Atlanta, August 16, 7:30 pm EST

Courtesy Carolina Panthers

-- Jesse Jones, CAPE FEAR SPORTS REPORT