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Who should be the starting QB for the Panthers in 2010?
 
Younger, hopefully more energetic Panthers set to converge on Spartanburg E-mail
Written by Steve Reed   
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 6:46 pm
Brown

Second-year DE Everette Brown will be asked to step up this year. (Photo by John Clark)

   SPARTANBURG, S.C. – There should be no shortage of storylines this summer as a younger, less experienced Carolina Panthers team converges on Wofford College Wednesday for the start of training camp.
   After an offseason spent purging the roster of several veterans including starting quarterback Jake Delhomme, the Panthers are left with only one position player 31 or older and that’s wide receiver Steve Smith, who will miss most of camp with a broken arm. Only kicker John Kasay and punter Jason Baker have seen more birthdays than Smith.
   Heck, running back DeAngelo Williams, who recently turned 27 and is entering his fifth NFL season, is the seventh-older player on the roster. You get the idea. 
   In all, the Panthers will look to replace 10 starters from a year ago, including six on defense -- right defensive end, both defensive tackles, both outside linebackers and strong safety. On offense, the Panthers will start a new quarterback, wide receiver, fullback and right guard.
   It’s certainly not the veteran-laden roster coach John Fox likes to employ, but then Fox doesn’t have as much in the say in the roster given that he’s a short-timer. Fox’s contract is up after the season and there’s a good chance this will be the last summer he spends in Spartanburg. Even if the Panthers have a great season, Fox could essentially leave as a coaching “free agent” after the season.
   Fox, however, seems on board with the task of getting the Panthers back to the playoffs, saying his focus is on the season and not his contract.
   And, even though history has shown he prefers experienced players, he’s trying to view the major roster changes as a positive.
  “There’s no question we’re younger, but with that comes a lot of energy,” Fox said last month.
   For the Panthers to be successful, they’ll need youngsters like Matt Moore, Brandon LaFell, Tony Fiammetta, Mackenzy Bernadeau, Charles Johnson, Everette Brown, Louis Leonard, Tank Tyler, Dan Connor and Sherrod Martin to make the most of their potential starting roles.
   "We made difficult decisions with guys who have been here with us awhile and done everything we've asked of them,” general manager Marty Hurney said earlier this off-season. “I think the common theme is we have some young players who have shown the ability and potential to step up."