For a moment, the Panthers had a gaping hole in the middle of their defensive line when Star Lotulelei left in free agency for the Buffalo Bills.
Quoth Marty Hurney, “Nevermore.”
Terrible poetry puns aside, the Panthers made a huge addition to their defensive line on the second official day of free agency, agreeing in principle to a deal with 346-pound nose tackle Dontari Poe, who played all 16 games and just under 75% of the snaps with NFC South rival Atlanta Falcons last season.
With not much cap room left for the Panthers and multiple holes left to fill, many thought that Hurney and the Panthers would be shopping at Dollar Tree for the remaining weeks of the offseason, but they evidently had something up their sleeve, undoubtedly making their new defensive coordinator Eric Washington, who was just promoted from coaching the defensive line, extremely happy at the prospect of a starting line of Mario Addison, Poe, Kawann Short and Julius Peppers, who was inked to a one-year deal yesterday.
While Poe doesn’t fill up the stat sheet (he only has 15.5 sacks in his six-year career), the former 11th overall pick fills up the middle of the field, specifically on run plays; Poe’s size allows him to be a mismatch for smaller interior lineman and his quickness and athleticism makes him a nightmare for guards trying to come off the ball and keep him out of the backfield one-on-one; much like Lotulelei before him, Poe will eat up both blockers and space and allow those around him, specifically Kawann Short, Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis to excel.
Poe’s signing also allows third year tackle Vernon Butler to stay a rotation piece and play his more natural position behind Kawann Short instead of lining up over the center like Poe and Lotulelei; between Poe, Short, Butler and Kyle Love, the Panthers defensive line stays one of the strengths of the team.
Oh, and the Panthers may have filled another hole in their roster as well: short-yardage running back.
In 2015, Poe rumbled into the endzone from a yard out to convert a fourth-and-goal for the Chiefs against their division rival Chargers; the next season, he became the heaviest player to throw for a touchdown as he ran what Andy Reid referred to as the “Bloated Tebow Pass”, throwing a two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Demetrius Harris.
I hear what you’re saying. Space eating run-stuffer who can rush the passer, score short-yardage touchdowns and throw passes is nice, but can he catch?
