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closeSPARTANBURG -- Because he's so quiet, or perhaps because he makes it look so easy, there are moments when it's easy to forget about Chris Gamble.
But when you notice him, it's usually because he's done something that few others can do.
The Carolina Panthers' fifth-year cornerback glides through the game rather than attacking it, which often obscures the fact he's so good at it. That spotlight's apt to find him more often now that Ken Lucas is out for a few weeks with a broken nose, but those who watch him daily offer up a quick assessment of what Gamble can be.
"He has a lot of talent," secondary coach and former NFL corner Tim Lewis said. "He's fast, he's strong, he's big, he's smart. He's instinctive, he's got good hands, he will tackle. Really, all the things you really look for, when you're evaluating corners, he's got.
"At some point or another, he'll have that breakout year, and put it all together and everybody will say 'Wow!'"
That point wasn't last season, when a broken thumb limited his effectiveness to the point he was benched in favor of Richard Marshall late in the season. With the big cast on his right hand for the latter part of the season, he was essentially out there one-handed, and made his only interception of the year with his club-like cast.
"It was kind of hard playing with that cast," Gamble admitted. "Not being able to use that other hand, it was kind of hard for me. But I just tried to stay focused and play through it.
"I don't let injuries stop me. I love the game with a passion. I just want to go out and play the game, even without two hands, just go out and try to help the team."
What gets lost with Gamble is what he's done before, and what he's capable of.
The Panthers' 2004 first-round pick had 16 interceptions in his first three seasons, a hint of what he can do. But with him, there's always a "but."
Sure, he's lithe and graceful, probably one of the three or four best pure athletes on the roster. But he's not a big tackler. Sure, he's created turnovers at rates like few others, but he's rarely mentioned in discussions of the team's top players. Sure, he can get himself into impossible positions to make plays, but the ones that get away gall fans.
Remember Cincinnati in 2006, when he was draped all over Chad Johnson on a fourth-down play, but forgot to raise his arms? Carson Palmer still had to make a perfect pass (which he threw 32 yards downfield into the wind knowing it would fade back), but Gamble was so close to breaking it up, it was maddening.
But for every lapse like that play, there are moments in camp when he proves what he's capable of. Last week, there was a snap when Steve Smith soared through the air for a high pass. An explosive leaper, it's how he's made many of his plays. But the 6-foot-1 Gamble matched him inch for inch, something few can do.
Part of Gamble's problem may be that he's not a big talker. As former safety Mike Minter proved conclusively, being good with the media and in the locker room can help your image more than your talent alone might suggest. And fair or unfair, Gamble's reputation took a hit when he scored a nine on his pre-draft Wonderlic test, on which 50 is a perfect score and 20 is considered average. He suffered further (through no real fault of his own) because of his participation in the ill-conceived fake punt return that cost the team a win in Minnesota two years ago.
Lewis said Gamble picks things up quicker that many corners he's worked with, which combined with his effortless ability, makes him a dangerous player. Coaches, like teachers, have to mold their instruction to individual pupils. For Lewis, he said showing Gamble the videotape is the quickest way to deliver the message, and he usually doesn't have to spend much time rewinding and replaying.
"He's a simple learner," Lewis said. "He's a very instinctive guy. He feels the game. He sees it. I think playing receiver (in college) helps him as a corner. He understands the angles and the leverage of how people try to set him up and what they're trying to do.
"He's a one-time guy. I show him one time, and he gets it."
Lewis said it's clear that all the tools are there for Gamble to be a great one. And when asked what he's struggled with the most, the first words out of Gamble's mouth are "just consistency."
"I think each and every day in practice I try to make plays and just stay consistent," Gamble said. "I feel way more comfortable. I'm older, going into my fifth year, just going out there trying to make plays and have fun.
"My goal is to make the Pro Bowl, and now I've got to start every day in practice, making plays and grinding it out."
Gamble also knows what comes along with such status. He's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this year, potentially hitting the market when cornerback salaries are going through the roof. Deals exceeding $9 million a year are being thrown around like compliments these days, and with a big season, Gamble could be next in line.
"I could be that next DB, but it starts first on the field," he said "I've got to make myself go out there and just have fun and make plays like I know I can. Then everything will happen for itself. When I see that, it just puts a smile on my face that I could be one of those guys.
"Every other day (in the offseason) somebody else is getting signed and it's a DB. So it's like, 'Man, my time could be up next.' I just try to blank that out and think about this year and what I've got to do."
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