When he came to the Carolina Panthers in 1998, Sean Gilbert was supposed to be the defense's savior. Maybe it never will, but the Panthers are betting against that. In an off-season where upgrading the pass rush was the priority, the Panthers have surrounded Gilbert with talent. Reggie White, Eric Swann and Jay Williams. Sean is that type of player that he can do that.
Any defensive lineman needs other guys to make plays consistently.
We'll help him do great things. Greatness hasn't come for Gilbert the past two seasons, but it wouldn't be fair to say he's been unproductive. He's been in on 170 tackles and 8.5 sacks without having a lot of help around him. But the surrounding cast no longer is a legitimate excuse and that turns this into a critical season for Gilbert. His salary cap figure continues to grow in the latter stages of the contract and the Panthers are hoping the move finally pays off.