David Carr’s arrival in Carolina creates an interesting situation to watch at quarterback.
Jake Delhomme remains the starter going into training camp and likely into the regular season, but is now under a lot of pressure following a subpar year in 2006. With Carr now in the picture, the Panthers have an experienced backup the Panthers can turn to if Delhomme struggles again this season.
Delhomme has always brought a spark to the Panthers’ offense, but struggled trying to do too many things without much support around him.
Carr was also looking closely at signing with Seattle, which could have been a better career option for the long-term.
Carr could likely have an opportunity to start at some point this season in Carolina, but will be faced with similar problems in Carolina like he was in Houston. The offensive line situation is a little better in Carolina, but they face some uncertainty with a couple starters coming off serious injuries including left tackle Travelle Wharton.
The running game is a huge question mark with durability questions surrounding Deshaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams. And they lack ideal depth in the passing game behind Steve Smith. That means Carr could be in the habit of forcing plays again in Carolina without great support.
If Carr would have gone to Seattle, the only chance to start is if Matt Hasselbeck goes down with an injury again. But Carr would have been in a better long-term situation with Seattle. Carr needs to take a step back and rebuild his game. His mechanics have always been a little sloppy and he’s developed some bad habits working in a tough situation with Houston. He needs time to clear his head. That’s why I believe working with Mike Holmgren in Seattle for a year or two would have been a great situation for him. Holmgren does a tremendous job working with quarterbacks, which would have been invaluable to Carr for the long-term. Holmgren would have worked on cleaning up some bad habits with Carr and show him how to fit within a good offensive system.
In Carolina, Carr may start at some point this season and struggle like he did in Houston, which further damages his stock for the long-term.
With suspect play of Delhomme and the struggles he had all last year Carr is a logical backup for Carolina. Carr has the ability and the panthers have a better o line than houston and will have a better running game this year. Bet that if Delhomme struggles again he is pulled.
This is a great move delhome was terrible eating all that bojangles chicken and biscuts..I have always liked carr and he is a soldier on the field look at what he went threw in houston you had to be strong to get threw that. He is mobile and is kind of simular to Brett Farve gun slinger arm motion..With keyshawn and Steve as weapons jake will have to put on his a game to stay a starter point blank!!!!
There's no question that I believe this was a good move for Carolina. This gives them a much needed backup with starting experience. A change of scenery will be good for Carr, but there are a lot of questions in Carolina this year in terms of personnel. How much does Keyshawn have in thank, can they generate a strong running game, does Drew Carter step up? Can the OL bounce back? Those are a lot of questions.
I think Carr made a great choice. Jake is well into his 30's and there is no other QB on the roster to challenge for the starting job once he retires.
Also, Carr will be more conservative with the football than Jake so it is possible he might ascend to #1 even before that. Carolina needs to draft another good WR and a TE, but if they do the offense could be much improved by the time Carr winds up starting for them around 2009.
Excellent choice for both Carr and the Panthers. I still think Carr is a big time/blue chip QB who has not had all the tools the Tom Brady's,and Peyton Manning's of the NFL have enjoyed starting with Offensive Line!!!
Carolina has a guy who has proven he can get it done. David Carr is eye candy. So many people are still drooling over Fresno State, but I fear that the fans in Carolina will find out like we did in Houston some things you can't fix.
Though Carolina is greast in the short-term, Carr must think long-term and the only answer was Seattle. I mean he's a great QB, I'm not doubting that, what I'am doubting is that he's on a team with all the same problems he had to in Houston, fine the Panthers are in a marginally better position, but surely in Seattle, they have all the tools a QB could dream of.
a great O-Line (sure not quite the same since you know who went you know where), a great RB (Alexander was beastly in 2005), a great WR-corp (I mean bringing in Deion Branch, MVP for the 2005 Superbowl might I add), and don't get me started on Mike Holmgren, I mean Green Bay, Brett Farve, 1998 Superbowl... need I say more?
Ok, so Hasslebeck has a lot-a lot left in the tank, but surely Carr would learn how to be on a winning team, a consistant team, a team going north, not south. This just proves my point that some players are about the now, not the future, the only ones that come to mind seem to be the whole New England Patriots team roster.
Things in Houston you cant fix??????
Thats right, taojones.
In particular, the swinging gate that has been the Texans O-Line. I think John Fox needs to declare open competition in training camp for the starting qb job. If Jake wasnt such a good leader, there's no way he'd still be there in Carolina. The guy's got a used dish rag for an arm.
People need to remember Carr was the #1 rated QB about half way through the season even with the O Line like swiss cheese.
He has the skills and had 4 teams interested. He could have went to the Browns and had a chance be the starter entering the season. In Seattle he would have sat and Miami would have been the revolving QBs. Carolina was a good choice.
I think if you put Carr behind a good O Line.. he can take a team far.
look Carr has the tools, he made a good choice in going to Carolina. he has a better chance to start there then in seattle. I wish the Cowboys would of picked him up!!!! i don't trust Romo and car would give Romo the competetion he needs!I think he will be fine I think he will build confidence up as time goes and I think may push Jake for the Job!!!
People forget just how Delhomme has turned that team around in Carolina! Before he became the starter the Panthers had maybe one or two winning seasons! Then they have one bad year and everyone is calling for Carr to be the Starter! Please he has never even made the playoffs! In 4 years the Panthers have been to 2 NFC title games and one Super Bowl under Delhomme! Get a running game and an O-Line and that is a possible Super Bowl team!
If it was Peyton Manning or Tom Brady coming in yeah I can see everyone yelling for them to be the Starter! But Carr isn't better than Delhomme! Jake is a better leader on the field and a better QB! Get an All-Pro Running back with a great line and people will be talking about how good Jake is! If you have no running game in this league you can't win! Even Peyton always has a 1,000 yard back behind him every year! No Running Game=Bad passing Game!
Friends, let me explain something to you all. The reason for David Carr's failure in Houston had nothing to do with the fact that he was sacked 249 times in his career or any other such nonsense. David Carr's downfall was due to his lack of leadership. He was always more concerned about being liked than being a leader. He has been observed on numerous occasions with a big smile on his face after throwing an interception. Something similar to a kid who just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Can you imagine Peyton Manning or Steve McNair doing that? Believe it or not, David Carr once stood up in news conference in Houston and announced to the world that his wife was in charge of him. Sorry Carolina, you are going nowhere with Davette at the helm
carr made a wise move.1 back-up on a proven contender.2.could start by mid-season 3.has a proven ground-air attack. have quality guys in key positions,will not have to draft and wait for them to start producing. still young enough to make a difference,oh! yeah! have beaten better teams when they not suppose too. in the play-off with carr calling the plays.some people need to have support to become a teamleader,all qb's are not the main guys to lead. play selection,play timing and having agood game plans makes and breaks players. peppers#90,every play i want you to blitz the qb. will you stop the cut backs,screen plays or make any tackles or make all-pro. no qb sacks then what is your problem?
i don't think he should be the starter..... but there is no qb in this league that could win behind that houston line. I think he will push Jake..... jake has skins on the wall and deserves to start but look at qbs that in the past were leaders on the team then lost it....... it doesn't hurt to have somebody there that has started in the league. Carr was in a bad situation in houston and I feel badd For Matt shaub he wont win as long as the line is the same!!!!!!
There's no question the offensive line in Houston waa attrocious, but that is not the point. David Carr exhibited no ability to lead his team under adversity. No NFL team is flawless. Some want to believe with an o-line David Carr would be great. However, any QB in the league would be great with a great offensive line and running game. Honestly, with a great O-line and Running game you could bring old and craggity Doug Flutie out of retirement and win in the NFL. David Carr lacked certain leadership intangibles that make great athletes great. I think one of the previous bloggers made that point.
Its kind of funny, Fresno State's O line was better than any line the Texans ever had and as far as Carr being a leader, I can speak from first hand knowledge, he is. I went to Fresno State and was actually in a class with him. He might be quiet but don't think he doesn't get a team pumped up on game day.
I'd like to see Tom Brady or Payton Manning win 6 games with the Texans O line. Is Carr in their class.. no way, but I would like to see the numbers he does put up without being sacked every other down.
I, for one, am glad to see Carr leave the Texans. This is the only way he was going to get a fair chance to show the talent he really has. Time after time, Houston has had a chance to improve their o-line and offensive weapons, but ignore that need for others.
Houston moaned and groaned when the Texans didn't pick Vince Young. Let's see what they have to say when Carr shows himself to be the quarterback he truly can be
as a panther fan i think this is a great move for both carr and the panthers,,he's a really tough but good q.b. and they need someone for the times when jake stumbles...which was too often last year. where do you find these "pundits?"
i've never understood WHY??? Jake Delhomme was a starting QB. i have always thought he was DECENT at best and totally OVERATED. with CARR they will get a QB with the tools to actually lead on a consistent basis, not a wishy washy QB that left everyone unsure who would show up on game day. starting over with CARR will allow the Panthers to take their team to the next level.
Sorry the idiots in houston let you go DAVID, now go show the fools what you were capable of doing had you had some help on the field. Good Luck and I wish you nothing but success!
carr just wanted to keep his jersey #8, which would have been taken had he gone to Seattle. You just have to look a little deeper to see the real reasons free agents choose locations. :)
David Carr needed a change of scenery. He does have the skill sets to succeed in the NFL, this allows him to come in and not have to worry about 'being the guy', with Delhomme there. Remember that Jake also came into Carolina without the pressure to be more than he had shown in the past, and he grew into the position. With an average NFL run attack, this team will move forward, and the organization needed to get someone in that can run an NFL offense in the event that Jake has health issues. Carr gets to take a step back, work on the minor issues physically he needs to tune, and watch a QB that has had success in the league prepare and play, which he did not have in Houston.
I think they are both mediocre moves for Carr. I think that Oakland would have been a prime position for him. He would have been the guaranteed started. Oakland actaually has a nice reciever corps with Moss and Porter, and with the aquisition of Fargas and Rhodes the RB positions are bulstered up as well. The line would need help but with a good draft position that could be solved.
I'm a big panther fan. Ive defended Jake through all his bad passes and crutial interceptions over the past, but im very excited to have a very good backup to turn to if and when Jake struggles this upcoming season. I hope Jake starts every game, but to be realistic, see you on about week six David Carr. I know you are way better than stinky weinke.
He should have gone to the Vikings, who desperately needs a QB with experience. He would have started, they have a pretty good o-line and running game too, just in dire need of pass defense and WR help (which they could get by packaging their 7th pick in the 1st and a high 3rd to get Calvin Johnson).
If not the Vikes, then I think Seahawks would have been a better fit for the reasons mentioned previously.
I'm a big panther fan. Ive defended Jake through all his bad passes and crutial interceptions over the past, but im very excited to have a very good backup to turn to if and when Jake struggles this upcoming season. I hope he starts every game, but to be realistic, see you on about week six David Carr. I know you are way better than stinky weinke.
i honestly think had Weinke been given the chance he would have won the job out-right from delhomme, and no i dont consider Weinke's 1st year much of anything, what did they win 1 game? the kid can play so i hope he latches on with another team who will give him a legit chance to show the fans what he can do and what he has had to keep bottled on the sideline.
Weinke will never start another game in his career, the panthers coaches lost confidence in him so much he didnt hardly throw a pass in the last two games of the season.
I think Carr must be figuring Delhomme is going to be out as a starter a lot sooner than Matt Hasselbeck. That's a good bet. If he had gone to Seattle, he'd be in Huard's position by the time Hasselbeck's retired and few teams, including Seattle, would be interested in making him their starter when he would have only a few years left.
If he couldn't find a good starting job this year, Carolina is a good choice. The Panthers organization is good at putting together a good team and he can expect he won't face the nightmare on the field he faced in Houston where he was usually way behind and the opposing D knew he was going to pass.
thank goodness carr is gone from houston. as an avid texan fan who has a fair understanding of the game of football, know this well carolina. in five years playing every game, except when he got benched for lousy play, he never had a breakout game. he is immature and lacks any serious leadership skills. good luck panthers. you're going to need it. ( i hope he starts when they play houston this year!)
I'm a Houstonian and a big Texans fan. Having watched EVERY pro game David Carr has ever played, I had to comment on his signing with Carolina.
I'm glad to see David land on his feet with a decent organization and a good opportunity. I like the Panthers and was rooting for them to upset the Pats in SB 38 here in Houston. The Panthers are getting a class guy and a great addition to the community. HOWEVER, I think there are some misconceptions about Carr's tenure here in H-Town. Yes our O-Line has been terrible, but David caused a lot of his own sacks. Even when there was a "pocket" to step up into, Carr would often step right into the direction the OT's were pushing their men. The guy has even run out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage on numerous occasions, resulting is sacks, when he could have easily thrown the ball away. His 3/4 arm-slot delivery resulted in numerous passes getting batted down at the line when his protection did hold up. I've seen this happen too many times to count.
David has never really shown good poise or feel for the passing game as a Texan, and he's not the field general that some Panther fans think they're getting. He's actually had time to throw on many occasions, but he can be very indecisive and horribly slow with his read progressions. He has ball security issues just receiving the snap, and he's almost averaged a fumble per game for his career. Panther fans are going to notice many of the same shortcomings in David Carr that they have griped about with Delhomme. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I state the truth.
Teron said it. Carr has just made another bad decision, as he will continue to do. The poor guy has the misfortune to have a good arm and good speed around the corner. It makes you think he's a QB. But he ain't. He makes bad decisions and is mentally SLOWWWW. A backup QB is the best job he could have.
David Carr for Carolina or Seattle? Maybe. But the team who should have made a move for him, and where he had opportunity to make an immediate impact, was with the Cleveland Browns. Sure Cleveland has the opportunity to pick up Brady Quinn but by picking up Carr, they would then have the opportunity to pick up another franchise player in RB Adrian Peterson. With the front line they have (strong) and the addition of Jamal Lewis and Adrian Peterson, Carr would have the benefit of great blocking and the complement of an awesome running game. Cleveland has made some great Free Agency moves and stands to be a real contender for their division and the playoffs. Browns snoozed, and they lost this opportunity. That being said, Carr should have gone to Seattle not Carolina. Hopefully Carr will get the front line he needs to demonstrate the true talent I believe he's been deprived of developing and showing.
All of you Carr lovers who never actually saw him play last year don't know what you're talking about. His stats were padded with late 3rd and 4th quarter passes given up by prevent defenses. In his second to the last game he had net -5 yards passing. In the one game where he was yanked by Kubiak for 3 straight turn-overs in a row, his backup against the exact same defense threw for 3 TDs and almost got the win. Those 3 straight TOs were on 3 straight plays, not 3 straight drives but 3 straight plays. He's a shell-shocked QB that locks onto 1 receiver and tries to force it into 5 man coverage, literally, or dumps it after stuttering in the pocket for 1.5 seconds with no immediate rush to the RB behind the line of scrimmage. His "Record Setting" performance at home of 22 straight completions finished off with fully 7 completed passes behind the line of scrimmage. For the record, of his 68+% completions right at 70% were thrown on attempts under 10 yards and roughly a third of those behind the line of scrimmage.
I'm a Texans' season ticket holder and I was going to put the entire season on Ebay if we had him on the roster again this year. He's arrogant and I don't understand why he didn't go back to California. He was never a Texan.
How can some of you Carolina fans complain about Jake? He is good, he got your team to a Super Bowl. Saying David Carr will start six weeks into the season is just sad. I am a Saints fan and we would've loved to have Jake start over Aaron Brooks when he was here. Carr may be a great prospect for when Jake retires. He gets to learn under a proven veteran and possibly get those bad habits coached out of him. I just think Jake needs to be given more support than I've seen on these posts, he was good and still is. One bad season doesn't erase those previous seasons of the Panthers at the top of the NFC South. Carr is good for the future when Jake retires, until then support your great QB.
Despite what the media attention mongors are trying to conjure up, there is no QB controversy in Carolina. Jake was key in Carr's signing and Carr was made aware that Jake is the unchallenged starter. Carr only starts if Jake goes down. Jake was a minor cog in a bad offense last year. No running game, suspect protection, dropped passes, poor TE play and worst of all, Henning's offense were all major factors in the stagnant offense. How convenient it is to forget all this when looking for a scapegoat. In times like this, fans make me sick.
pbskk or pbs####(you should be called) jake delhomme is a backup.he didn't start in new orleans because he sucks.they should have went to the championship game. he had a play maker like steve smith and a decent line. the panthers would have been 10-6 this year. if he wouldn't have thrown so many back breaking interceptions. jake delhomme will lose a game for you than win it.
David Carr was here yesterday (confirmed sighting), but I don't think there was any really serious interest in signing him as a backup. Seneca Wallace signed a one year extension, and has indicated that he is happy as a backup for at least that period of time, and his contract isn't all that outrageous moneywise. It was probably more of a courtesy visit than anything else.
We're still waiting to hear contract terms with any up front $ and Salary Cap impact.
Let's find out if this is a pure 1 year contract to back up Jake.
I think that David Carr is EXACTLY what the Carolina Panthers need. In my opinion, Carr is Jake Delhomme, WITH TALENT.
As a lifelong Colts fan, I've watched Carr play twice annually against one of the great teams in the NFL. The Texans never have been able to match up with the Colts, and it's not only at the quarterback position. In all those games, I've only seen him win once. But in ALL those games, I saw him grin and bear it. I saw him fist pump on key completions and TDs, and encourage team-mates on the side-line. And in ALL those games, David Carr made plays that made ME nervous as a Colts fan. I don't see where anyone can question his heart, motivation, or God-given talent.
So my prediction is that Carr will come off the bench there, for one reason or another, and will provide that spark that Jake did once. The only difference? David has the SKILLS to stick. Time will tell, but that's my take.
Yes, it was the right move for Carr as he gets to earn $3 million a year sitting on the bench resting his abused behind.
No, it wan,t the right move for the Panthers.
Carolina needs two decent WR's to complement Steve Smith and take some triple-coverage off his back.
I believe in the right situation David Carr is a better QB than Jake Delhomme. He is more mobile, younger, and this season alot more accurate. Carr will come off the bench and thrive, and Delhomme will find a new home next season or pull a Plummer and retire.
Brian DeLucia has been a widely respected NFL Analyst for several years including six-years on FOXSports.com
Brian analyzes players, coaches, and personnel guys from a unique front office perspective. You can email Brian DeLucia at bjd@enter.net
If Carr would have gone to Seattle, the only chance to start is if Matt Hasselbeck goes down with an injury again. But Carr would have been in a better long-term situation with Seattle. Carr needs to take a step back and rebuild his game. His mechanics have always been a little sloppy and he’s developed some bad habits working in a tough situation with Houston. He needs time to clear his head. That’s why I believe working with Mike Holmgren in Seattle for a year or two would have been a great situation for him. Holmgren does a tremendous job working with quarterbacks, which would have been invaluable to Carr for the long-term. Holmgren would have worked on cleaning up some bad habits with Carr and show him how to fit within a good offensive system. 
