just three seasons ago but linebacker Thomas Davis believes the current iteration of the team may be even more talented.According to David Newton of ESPN.com Russell Color Rush Shepard Jersey , Davis was responding to an earlier comment from quarterback Cam Newton about the overall talent of the current Panthers roster. Newton had said it may not be the most talented team he’s been a part of while noting he felt the group was “meshing and linking up perfectly.”Davis elected to disagree with his teammate on the first part of his statement.“He’s been on a more talented team than this one?” Davis asked. “I’ve been around a lot of Cam teams, other than at Auburn, and they weren’t that talented down there either. But this might be his most talented team. I don’t know what he’s talking about.“From my observations, being a part of the 2015 team, athletically Julius Peppers Jersey , speed-wise, from that standpoint in particularly on the offensive side, this is definitely the most talented set of guys I’ve been around.”While the 2018 version of the Panthers already has more losses on its schedule than the 2015 version did all season long, the current version is still playing at a high level. Carolina has won five of their last six games and have scored 78 points over the last two weeks against Baltimore and Tampa Bay. The group may be more dynamic offensively than their 2015 counterparts as Christian McCaffrey, Curtis Samuel and D.J. Moore provide some offensive pop alongside Greg Olsen and Devin Funchess.However DJ Moore Color Rush Jersey , the current defensive group may not be quite as skilled. Davis is 35 years old and the entire starting secondary from the Super Bowl team is long gone. The 2015 Panthers ranked sixth in both yards and points allowed. The current group ranks 11th and 12th, respectively, in both categories.At 6-2 the Panthers have hung with the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South and still have both matchups with their division rival to come in Weeks Fifteen and Seventeen. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Utah defensive lineman Lowell Lotulelei says Michigan defensive lineman Maurice Hurst Jr. told him Saturday that he had been diagnosed with the same heart condition as Lotulelei’s older brother, Star.The comments came shortly after ESPN.com first reported Hurst will not be allowed to participate in drills.League spokesman Michael Signora confirmed that players can be held out based on certain diagnoses but that he believed Hurst was still in town.Jeff Foster, president of National Football Scouting James Color Rush Bradberry Jersey , declined to confirm details of what happened because of privacy concerns. But he did tell The Associated Press that six to eight players have been withheld from drills this year for reasons players were not aware of before their arrival.Foster said that number has stayed relatively consistent over the past 13 years.Hurst had been rising steadily on mock draft boards.The 6-foot-2, 280-pound defensive tackle had 59 tackles and 5 1/2 sacks last season. He also had 13 tackles for loss and has been considered one component of a deep class of defensive tackles in this year’s draft.Hurst’s father played seven seasons with the New England Patriots as a cornerback.Word leaked just after defensive linemen and linebackers started talking to reporters at the NFL’s annual scouting combine in Indianapolis.“I just found out in the NFLPA meeting that we just had. He just said, `Star was your brother?’ And I said yeah. He’s like, `Man, I just got the same thing that he did Ian Thomas Jersey ,'” Lowell Lotulelei told reporters. “Obviously I didn’t go through it, so I don’t really know what he’s feeling like. But I kind of understand the disappointment just because my brother trained just like he trained and you’re expecting one thing and getting another. I feel for him. It sucks. But I think he’ll be fine just like my brother was.”Five years ago, Star Lotulelei arrived at the combine as the expected first pick in that year’s draft.Things changed dramatically after doctors identified an “abnormal” test on his heart.Lotulelei then sought additional opinions, eventually was cleared to exercise and was taken by Carolina with the 14th overall selection in the 2013 draft. He has missed only four games in five NFL seasons.