Update: Panthers Keep Gross; Improve O-Line Through Free Agency or Draft?

I certainly wouldn't hate going after Gross. Even though he will be 29 when the season starts don't forget OL can often play into their mid 30s at a very high level. So you could easily get a good 5-6 seasons out of him no problem.
Just like how all of our lineman now are playing at a high level into their mid 30s? Some guys can do it, but not all of them. We really need some youth on our o-line.

LMAO. Today Clayton says Gross is the answer. We go through with it and two years from now Clayton will say our problem is we don't build through the draft and our guys are aging, which is what everyone else will say too btw. We pick at 13... sure i'm afraid all the top 4 OTs will be gone by then but nothing is for sure and we ought to build a franchise tackle out of this draft.

Clayton is nuts.

If Carolina doesn't franchise him then Gross expects to be highest paid LT in the game, Good luck!! Next!

....don't forget OL can often play into their mid 30s at a very high level......
That's what we WERE banking on......:)

I pass on Gross, Carey for less $$$ and build through the draft this year.

That's what we WERE banking on......:)

I pass on Gross, Carey for less $$$ and build through the draft this year.

Same thoughts.

I think the Panthers may have a deal in place with Gross within the next few days, or so I'm told.

I agree we do need to adress the o-line via free agency, and the draft. But we need to do this in a resonable fashion. Gross is just too expensive, but we do need someone. Either Vernon Carey or Andrews for sure. They would be cheaper, and they're both used to playing on the right side.

Our line stinks except for Samuels and Kendell, so the 1st thing I would do is resign Kendell for at least 2 more years, then sign Carey(who is a lot younger then Gross, and he came out of The U), then focus on the draft, to maybe use our 3rd round pick on another o-line man.

The way I look at it is that at pick 13, the big 4 will all be gone. We can't count on our 1st pick to be one of those 4. There is a strong need for o-line by every team before us. We need to adress our o-line immediatly, so we could go into the draft with ease, knowing that we can take the best player available, like Raji, or Curry, or Orakpo, or even Laurinitas(who I would love to have). Or just rade down and get more picks.

I agree we do need to adress the o-line via free agency, and the draft. But we need to do this in a resonable fashion. Gross is just too expensive, but we do need someone. Either Vernon Carey or Andrews for sure. They would be cheaper, and they're both used to playing on the right side.

Our line stinks except for Samuels and Kendell, so the 1st thing I would do is resign Kendell for at least 2 more years, then sign Carey(who is a lot younger then Gross, and he came out of The U), then focus on the draft, to maybe use our 3rd round pick on another o-line man.

The way I look at it is that at pick 13, the big 4 will all be gone. We can't count on our 1st pick to be one of those 4. There is a strong need for o-line by every team before us. We need to adress our o-line immediatly, so we could go into the draft with ease, knowing that we can take the best player available, like Raji, or Curry, or Orakpo, or even Laurinitas(who I would love to have). Or just rade down and get more picks.

First off I would say that overall samuels is our best olineman everyone else should be worried if they're jobless come next year which I know one or two of them will be... And I would definetly PASS on laurinatis, every time I watched him play in college he looked slow, and looks like he waits for the ball carier to come to him... He is not even on the same level as maualuga or curry...3rd round sure since he's so hyped... Now back to the gross thread

I was listening to ESPN radio the other day and heard Joh Clayton mention that we need to shore up our offensive line (duh, no wonder he makes the big bucks) and one free agent he mentioned in particular is Jordan Gross. What do you guys think?

John Clayton gets a little crap for his looks, but the man has a massive football IQ, if he says to go after Gross, I'm on board!

I'm obviously in the minority here, but I would go after Gross if he's not franchised. I'd love to see a starting OL of (from left to right) Gross, Kendall, Rabach, Jansen, Samuels with Thomas, Heyer and Rhineholt as backups with a mid round draft choice to be named in April. I know this would put Jansen and Samuels in new positions but I think they would be better in the new positions and we would have a really great OL.