Kris Jenkins is having one of his best seasons, dominating at nose guard and helping the New York Jets become a playoff contender.
The Carolina Panthers sure made a mistake trading the three-time Pro Bowl selection for third- and fifth-round draft picks, right?
Wrong. The move may be the biggest reason the Panthers (8-2) have the third-best record in the NFL.
By ridding themselves of a player who clearly wanted out, the atmosphere in the Panthers' locker room bears no resemblance to the past two years. It's not just that Jenkins and his high-pitched laugh are gone, so is the tension and individualism that took up even more space than the massive defensive lineman.
Players now are constantly joking and kidding. They give out awards to each other each week after wins, including a boxing glove that hangs from the locker of the player who made the biggest hit. They gather to watch Monday Night Football, go bowling and shoot pool.
New leaders have emerged on defense in budding star Jon Beason and Chris Harris. The talented but often mute Julius Peppers actually speaks in the huddle - and is getting sacks again, too.
