Defensive line used to be a strength for Panthers

By Darin Gantt - daringantt@carolina.rr.com

CHARLOTTE -- As hard as it might be to believe at the moment, the Carolina Panthers used to be the envy of the league when it came to defensive tackle help.

But since enduring some injuries and never properly replacing Kris Jenkins, they've been scrambling to fill the middle of their defensive line.

Think back to 2006, when the Panthers said goodbye to Brentson Buckner and signed Maake Kemoeatu to start next to the talented but disgruntled Jenkins.

Damione Lewis was added to provide pass rush from inside on third down. That gave them a solid corps, with high-effort Jordan Carstens in reserve, along with Tony Brown and Kindal Moorehead to start the regular season.

But then Jenkins quit working, ballooned to more than 400 pounds and created enough of a stink that they traded him to the Jets the following offseason for draft picks. Then Carstens fell victim to a kidney disease, cutting his promising career short.

Brown was cut during the 2006 season when they needed help at other positions, sending him to a productive career as a starter in Tennessee (where he starts alongside Jovan Haye, another Panthers cut).

As much of a mess as that's left them now, there's less certainty to what the defensive tackle position's going to look like in the future.

Lewis and Kemoeatu are signed through 2014, but not really. Both their contracts were restructured this offseason with massive roster bonuses ($9.3 million) to activate the future years. When those bonuses aren't paid, their contracts will revert to the original terms, which run through 2010.

It makes sense to keep Lewis, who is still productive and a trusted leader. Kemoeatu's career was thrown into doubt with his Achilles tear in training camp, as the rehab for a man his size makes it no certainty that he'll be ready to play or that the Panthers would want him to.

Louis Leonard, acquired in a trade with Cleveland but lost to a broken ankle two games into his time in Charlotte, will be a restricted free agent, and one the Panthers will likely keep around.

Same with Nick Hayden, whose rights they control for two more years. They also have 2009 third-round pick Corvey Irvin on injured reserve after a preseason knee injury. He showed some flash as a pass rusher in camp but was redshirted with an injury that was measured in weeks rather than months.

Hollis Thomas is on a one-year deal, and at 35 is, at best, a short-term fix.

They also have some big filler, with Antwon Burton under contract through 2010, and Terrance Taylor on the practice squad. Taylor, a 2009 fourth-round pick by Indianapolis, fits the profile the Panthers want from their nose tackles, and could have a future with the team.