There’s a very wide spectrum of emotions flying around as various fans and media outlets process the report that Thomas Davis will not be re-signed by the Carolina Panthers for the 2019 season. Understandings of the reasons are as diverse as the flakes of a cold winter snowfall Julius Peppers Jersey , but most people share one common emotion... sadness. Players who have lived the caliber of career and life that Thomas Davis can claim are priceless in their rarity, and my belief is that they are only getting rarer. Davis embodies the spirit of the game, and we were very fortunate that he shared it with our team for the vast majority (and possibly all) of his career.However, it is possible to both mourn the departure of a team legend and understand the move at the same time. This isn’t our first visit to this rodeo, and it also certainly won’t be the last one. The business side of the NFL is hard to mix with the raw emotion many fans feel for their team and certain players, this is just the latest example.A General Manager changing his waysBefore getting to on-field implications, I think we should start discussions with the fact this move is further proof that this Marty Hurney isn’t the same one we saw during his first tenure. Telling a fourteen year veteran star, one that he drafted himself back in 2005, that he won’t be re-signed is a major shift in expectations from what we’ve seen in the past. While general managers are constantly walking the popularity lines based on their latest moves, since his return to Carolina, Hurney has had more to brag about than regret. Never. Forget.Denny Medley-USA TODAY SportsWe should all remain skeptical, but at least he has shown some propensity to learn and grow from experience.A future plan with significant investmentThe real reason that the Panthers have to move on from Thomas Davis is the future of Shaq Thompson. I think there was a pretty high degree of certainty that this would be Davis’ final season, and the team planned accordingly by exercising the fifth year option on Thompson’s rookie contract to give them flexibility heading into 2019. The notion that Davis might be playing again next year really started fueling about a month ago, but the team knows it absolutely has to hand the reigns over to a younger player, get a complete season of evaluation on him DJ Moore Color Rush Jersey , and sign a long term contract based on that.Make no mistake, there are absolutely locker room politics at play here. Thinking that Thomas Davis, if re-signed, would really be asked to play a reserve only role on a team he’s lead for so long is foolish. Not only would Davis himself push for more snaps, I think Ron Rivera would happily give them to him. Nothing about his history regarding preference for veterans says otherwise.Meanwhile, you have to consider the pride of an athlete like Shaq Thompson. He’s publicly taken the whole process in stride, but behind the scenes, you’re talking about a former first round pick looking to truly make his mark ahead of signing his second NFL contract. He knows that with Thomas Davis around, his share of the spotlight will continue to be dim, and it is likely to hurt his value. If you re-sign Davis, you risk a scenario where Thompson is going to opt to chase money somewhere else regardless of his home team offering him a deal, due to him being disgruntled. If Davis retires then, well, you’ve wasted everything and have to start over.A season of change2019 is already shaping up to be a pivotal year in the history of the Carolina Panthers, and that is before any major transactions are made and draft picks are selected. You’re going to have a head coach sitting on the hottest seat he’s occupied in years balancing a house of cards and praying for a lack of wind. As of now James Color Rush Bradberry Jersey , Cam Newton is not well, and there is worry that he may never quite be the same again. Your franchise G.O.A.T. at tight end, Greg Olsen, may have to call it a career due to a chronic foot injury. Your offensive line is hamstrung by a bad deal by a former general manager, and your defensive line is not performing to standard for various reasons. There’s a lot of optimism in certain areas as well, but the general situation is very volatile. If you’re team management, you control the fires that you can, and that has everything to do with what I spoke about in the previous section. You have to ensure the team has a future, even if that means making a hard decision about a beloved player. In the end, there isn’t a single person connected to the Panthers that feels good about the fact that Davis might play somewhere else next year. PICTURED: One of the few people happy to see Thomas Davis go.This is a guy who deserves a bronze statue of himself outside the stadium, so the thought of him finishing things up like Jerry Rice or Brett Favre is unsettling. Hopefully it will all work out for the best, but I sure know we are going to miss his presence. Thanks for everything, Thomas Davis, you’re one in a billion. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Panthers offense has been downright terrible in the preseason.But Carolina coach Ron Rivera downplayed his team’s lack of production Ian Thomas Jersey , and doesn’t seem worried about the doldrums carrying over to the regular season.“First of all, you have to take into account who is playing — that’s probably the biggest thing,” Rivera said Monday. “If we went off of that, I think maybe we can all calm down, take a breath and see what happens.”Rivera has taken an ultraconservative approach to the preseason this year — much more so than in the years past — resting his starters to limit the risk of injury.Cam Newton, running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end Greg Olsen were held out of the first two preseason games. They only played three possessions (or 11 plays) in a 10-3 loss to the Patriots last week with Newton leaving with a mid-foot sprain.“To me it’s always about playing the games that count,” Rivera said.While Rivera doesn’t seem worried, at least one veteran player struck a note of caution.Olsen, one of the team’s captains, said even though it’s the preseason it’s still important to produce.“In this league you just can’t all of a sudden turn a switch and say we are going to be good now,” Olsen saidBut the goal now for the Panthers is to get Newton healthy enough for the regular season.The 2015 league MVP threw passes on the side during practice Monday in sweats and Rivera remains optimistic his ninth-year QB is on pace to play Sept. 8 against the Rams. Newton is also coming off arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder, but his arm strength appears fine.Newton and the rest of the team’s starters will not play against the Steelers on Thursday night.That means more of Kyle Allen, rookie Will Grier and Taylor Heinicke, three quarterbacks who have two career NFL regular season starts between them.That lack of experience has been evident in the preseason.The Panthers managed a paltry 99 yards and seven first downs against the Patriots last week. That came one week after Carolina was limited to 258 yards and one late-game touchdown in a 27-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills in a game that wasn’t even competitive.“The young guys can focus in on what they need to, and quite honestly it gives Cam a little more rest Curtis Samuel Color Rush Jersey ,” Rivera said. “Things are going great with Cam’s shoulder, so now he’s getting a chance to rest a little bit. We’re looking at it that way.”Allen, who has been working as Carolina’s No. 2 quarterback, has been particularly underwhelming. He completed just 3 of 16 passes for 16 yards against New England and failed to generate any momentum on offense.“Disappointed, but not discouraged,” Allen said of the offense, echoing the coaching staff’s message to players.On paper, the Panthers would appear to have a solid corps of weapons including Newton, McCaffrey, Olsen and speedy wide receivers DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel. But with so little playing time, it has been difficult to get a read on where the Panthers are as the regular season approaches.“I know everyone on this offense is confident that we can have an explosive just like last year,” Allen said.Notes: Graham Gano has yet to kick in the preseason while recovering from an injury to his plant leg. Rivera said he hopes to know more about Gano’s status in the next couple of days. Backup kicker Joey Slye has been a bright spot during the preseason making all six field goal attempts.