Chemistry Test
Posted March 26, 2006, 10:36 AM ET

Who says the Carolina Panthers are boring?

The front office combo of Hurney & Fox have been wheeling and dealing since their blowout loss in the NFC Championship game in Seattle.

Everybody has been active in the off-season...Owner Jerry Richardson was the point man in the new NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement. While the "Big Cat" helped orchestrate the owners' plan to pay players more money, he also decided to raise ticket prices again. PSL'ers should be thrilled with the news.

Marty Hurney and John Fox continue to tweak the roster, hoping to find the perfect mix to bring a world championship to Charlotte. You have to admire their style in not accepting the status quo, but will the big moves pay big dividends in the 2006 season?

The Panthers have quietly added to their team, filling holes in the defensive line. The pick-ups of Maake Kemoeatu (Ravens) and Damione Lewis (Rams) should have an immediate impact. On the offensive side, center Justin Hartwig was signed to replace Jeff Mitchell, and DeShaun Foster was given a fat contract to stay in the Carolina backfield.

Hurney and Fox have really done a nice job in the past few years of upgrading and maintaining the team in the off-season.

But for the first time, maybe ever, the Panthers have added a new player that brings a huge unknown element to the team....

....and his name is Keyshawn Johnson.

On paper, this looks like a great move. Johnson fills the void as the "second wide-receiver" to perfection. He has size, good hands, experience, blocks well, and he has been a part of a world championship team. His presence seems to be a huge upgrade over the combo of Keary Colbert, Ricky Proehl and Drew Carter.

He also has a reputation for trouble....and God knows the Panthers know all too well about this stuff.

There is no question that Steve Smith has developed into one of the best wide receivers in the game. The guy is a joy to watch and he plays full-speed. Steve also knows that his competitive nature and will to win get him into some binds.

Smith and Keyshawn will be critical to the Panthers' success in 2006. They will have to co-exist and understand that there is only one football.

Both Steve Smith and Keyshawn Johnson called my radio show last week, and on the surface everything appears great and wonderful. Smith stated that anything that makes the team better and allows them to be successful, then he's all for it. But it is only March...let's wait and see what happens when the boys are wearing pads and catching the pigskin.

Marty Hurney said that he investigated Keyshawn's past and talked with a number of people that had dealings with him...and all he received was "positive reports". That sounds great, doesn't it? I worried when I read that news from the Panthers GM...if Keyshawn is such a great team-guy, then why does he bounce so often from team-to-team?

I wonder if he talked with Tampa Bay Bucs coach, Jon Gruden? If Gruden was upbeat about Keyshawn, why did he let him go following a Super Bowl campaign? Plus, Gruden faces the Panthers twice a year, and if he did promote Keyshawn in a positive light to Hurney, I would be worried if I were the Panthers.

My guess is that Hurney didn't talk to the Bucs' boss.

The bottom line is that nobody knows how Keyshawn will co-exist with Smith, and vice-versa. The only time we'll get a handle on this saga will be during the season. And I hope for Hurney, Fox and the Panthers, this is a good move.

But as of this blog, there are three "givens" at this time of the year:

#1, On paper, the Panthers look to be improved.

#2, They have become a much more interesting team on and off the field since losing the NFC title game in January.

And finally, Jerry Richardson will be able to offset the rising cost of doing business in the NFL by sticking it to his fan base one more time.