The Enigma That Is Jake Delhomme

Jake Delhomme may be aging—he turned 34 on Saturday—but I don’t believe his career will be over within the next year or two.

Health is no excuse for him to quit the game. He underwent complex reconstructive elbow surgery and spent the entire offseason getting his arm and elbow back to tip-top shape. He would be foolish to walk away before 2010. 

Inadequacy is no reason for him to retire, either. He may not be the best passer in the NFL, but he is one of the best leaders and his leadership style fits the Panthers perfectly.

In addition, even though he and his receivers looked like they were playing together for the first time in their lives, he still has an uncanny chemistry with Muhsin Muhammad and Steve Smith. He’s also developing rapports with Dwayne Jarrett and DJ Hackett, along with a couple other potential pass catchers.

You saw what happened when the Panthers tried everything they could think of to fill the gap Delhomme left last year, when he missed almost the whole season after injuring his elbow so badly he simply couldn’t bear the pain anymore.  It was painfully obvious that then-starting QB David Carr and Smith, in addition to any other Panthers receivers, were never on the same page.

So should Jake Delhomme be under center when the Panthers kick off their 2009 regular season?  Absolutely.

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