After vocal receiver Steve Smith had been released this spring, the more ‘professional’ Jason Avant moved into his locker.
Tuesday, Avant’s locker wasn’t cleared out, but he was. The veteran receiver was released two days after he questioned the Panthers’ play-calling near the end of their 19-17 loss to the Falcons.”Guys, I have no idea what he said,” head coach Ron Rivera claimed, shortly after announcing the move. “This had nothing to do with it. And that needs to stop right here.”What Avant said to the Charlotte Observer was this:”I’ve been in the league a long time. I know two things. You never want to give a team a chance to win a game, with how much time was left on the clock. And asking a kicker to make a 50-yard field goal with the game on the line is rough sledding.”If that’s the only option, yes. But if it’s not, you want to get as close as you can and think score and play to score a touchdown. Because I’d rather the team have to score a touchdown to win the game than to have to kick a field goal. It’s just a lot different. It’s a 30-yard difference.”Avant may have had a point, and the timing makes the Panthers look potentially petty, but the truth is Avant couldn’t run anymore. He couldn’t create separation. The Panthers desperately needed someone to stretch the field, and they believe Philly Brown is ready to fill that role.”This had everything to do with what we see in Philly and the potential in him,” Rivera said. “When you have veteran guys who play a lot in front of younger guys that have potential, sometimes you stunt their growth. This is something we felt we needed to do to give Philly an opportunity to be on the field more.”Brown, an undrafted rookie, scored his first receiving touchdown on Sunday when he caught a 47-yard bomb from Cam Newton. It was the first time a Panthers’ receiver not-named Kelvin Benjamin hauled in a go-route this season.“He adds that speed factor, he can take the top off. He does similar things that Ted Ginn did for us last year,” receivers coach Ricky Proehl said Tuesday. “I’m still trying to figure out why [Brown] wasn’t drafted because when I went and worked him out, I liked him a lot. Good speed, good quickness, has a good feel for running routes.”The Panthers wanted to get Brown more involved in the offense after he had seven receptions filling in for an injured Jerricho Cotchery in Week 3. But Brown only caught four more passes after that, and then he suffered a concussion in the 3rd quarter of a Week 7 loss in Green Bay. He then missed the next three games before returning against the Falcons.”Philly was a little more explosive than we’ve seen, and we’re excited about seeing him get increased opportunities,’’ Rivera said.”Philly does some things Jason doesn’t do.’’Avant was active for all 11 games this season, but he caught just 21 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown. He had never put up big numbers his previous eight seasons, but he was playing the role of a No. 3 wideout in the Panthers’ offense.Mostly, Avant was a good locker room guy, but the Panthers knew what kind of production they’d get with him. What they don’t know fully is what Brown can do.“[Avant’s] a brother for me, I knew him before he got here, and I knew what he would bring to this locker room, and he did all of that and more,” Cotchery said.“Young guys are going to have to step in and make some plays. Philly showed he could do that the other day, so I know Philly’s ready.”[vc_raw_html]JTNDYmxvY2txdW90ZSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydHdpdHRlci10d2VldCUyMiUyMGRhdGEtY29udmVyc2F0aW9uJTNEJTIybm9uZSUyMiUyMGxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUzRSUzQ3AlM0UlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZCbGFja0JsdWVSZXZpZXclMjIlM0UlNDBCbGFja0JsdWVSZXZpZXclM0MlMkZhJTNFJTIwU28lMjB0byUyMHJlY2FwJTIwQXZhbnQlM0ElMjBMZXQlMjBnbyUyMGluJTIwUGhpbGx5LiUyMEZpbGwtaW4lMjBpbiUyMENhcm9saW5hLiUyMER1bXBlZCUyMGZvciUyMFBoaWxseSUyMCUyOEJyb3duJTI5JTNDJTJGcCUzRSUyNm1kYXNoJTNCJTIwSm9yZGFuJTIwTWNDdW1iZWUlMjAlMjglNDBNY0N1bWJlZSUyOSUyMCUzQ2ElMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0d2l0dGVyLmNvbSUyRk1jQ3VtYmVlJTJGc3RhdHVzJTJGNTM0NzY0NTY0ODAyNzE1NjQ4JTIyJTNFTm92ZW1iZXIlMjAxOCUyQyUyMDIwMTQlM0MlMkZhJTNFJTNDJTJGYmxvY2txdW90ZSUzRSUwQSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMGFzeW5jJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyJTJGJTJGcGxhdGZvcm0udHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZ3aWRnZXRzLmpzJTIyJTIwY2hhcnNldCUzRCUyMnV0Zi04JTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc2NyaXB0JTNF[/vc_raw_html]
Panthers Release Jason Avant to Get a Better Look at Philly Brown
Posted on Author Bill VothCategories NewsTags Cam Newton, Falcons, Jason Avant, Jerricho Cotchery, Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers, Philly Brown, Ricky Proehl, Ron Rivera, Steve Smith, Ted Ginn
Uncle Bill, do you think the Panthers special teams are getting a pass amid all the wreckage?
Brown’s muffed punt killed any chance of a comeback against the Steelers. The Bengals returned a kickoff to tie the game late in the 4th quarter. Sproles went untouched for a punt return. And Gano misses two FGs to win the game against the Falcons. It’s not necessarily the volume of special teams mistakes, it’s the timing.
Uncle Bill, do you think the Panthers special teams are getting a pass amid all the wreckage?
Brown’s muffed punt killed any chance of a comeback against the Steelers. The Bengals returned a kickoff to tie the game late in the 4th quarter. Sproles went untouched for a punt return. And Gano misses two FGs to win the game against the Falcons. It’s not necessarily the volume of special teams mistakes, it’s the timing.
I like how Proehl says he can’t believe Philly went undrafted like the Panthers didn’t have 6 or 7 chances to take him themselves. Since I’m sure he doesn’t have a lot of say in who gets drafted other than WR’s, does that mean he’s questioning the scouting department or management? Fire him (sarcasm).
I like how Proehl says he can’t believe Philly went undrafted like the Panthers didn’t have 6 or 7 chances to take him themselves. Since I’m sure he doesn’t have a lot of say in who gets drafted other than WR’s, does that mean he’s questioning the scouting department or management? Fire him (sarcasm).
So yeah, the other week I spoke about Rivera possibly not having a great handle on the locker room and suggested that part of what may be evidence of that is that some players in the past have called the coaching out in the media under Rivera’s tenure. I got flat out opposed by I think three people. Well, here it is again. And don’t tell me Rivera solved the issue by cutting Avant; that’s just a band-aid but if one player was willing to say it publicly, you better believe a dozen more were wanting to say something publicly but didn’t. An undisciplined team. Players criticizing coaching publicly. Questionable situational coaching. What more do you need before you say Rivera isn’t a good coach? At least people have jumped the Shula ship, but we need to go a step further.
So yeah, the other week I spoke about Rivera possibly not having a great handle on the locker room and suggested that part of what may be evidence of that is that some players in the past have called the coaching out in the media under Rivera’s tenure. I got flat out opposed by I think three people. Well, here it is again. And don’t tell me Rivera solved the issue by cutting Avant; that’s just a band-aid but if one player was willing to say it publicly, you better believe a dozen more were wanting to say something publicly but didn’t. An undisciplined team. Players criticizing coaching publicly. Questionable situational coaching. What more do you need before you say Rivera isn’t a good coach? At least people have jumped the Shula ship, but we need to go a step further.
MattG125 all good points. and yes, perhaps we are giving them a pass.
MattG125 all good points. and yes, perhaps we are giving them a pass.
We should let Bersin return punts and Fozzt return kick offs. Bill if Shula gets fired who is someone you think would get the OC job because we know Rivera will have atleast one more year.
We should let Bersin return punts and Fozzt return kick offs. Bill if Shula gets fired who is someone you think would get the OC job because we know Rivera will have atleast one more year.