Camp Preview: Defensive Line

Kemoeatu (6-foot-5, 345 pounds) and Damione Lewis (6-foot-2, 301 pounds) are the old faces inside absorbing a tweaked defensive scheme that allows them to attack opposing quarterbacks in a more freewheeling manner than recent years.

"I kind of look forward to the challenge, to the freedom and powers they've given us up front to be a little bit more creative," Lewis said. "I like it. I'm getting into what we're doing and the defensive calls and stuff like that, trying to see how I fit in with it, move with it and just feel it out, because it's completely different."

Kemoeatu started 13 of the Panthers' 16 games at left defensive tackle last year, while Lewis managed to lead the defensive line with 3.5 sacks in spite of starting just two games in 2007.

The adjustments up front could help Lewis -- who signed a three-year contract extension this offseason -- cement his role.

"We're doing more attacking up front. More blitzes," he said. "A lot of them are going to seem the same to our opponent, but I think it will give us an advantage, because they won't be able to read what we're doing by how we're lining up. That's basically it. It's really not too much more complicated than what we were doing last year."

(Panthers.com)