CHARLOTTE – Greg Hardy and the Panthers' defensive line were a team strength last season.
As for what's to come in 2013? Allow Hardy to explain his monstrous expectations.
"This year? Complete domination, savage, ruthless, all out Kraken type stuff," Hardy said during the first day of minicamp. "It's going to spread. We are about to come out with a nasty attitude. It's going to be some monsters."
Monsters Inc., to be exact. That's the nickname Hardy has chosen for he and his fellow D-linemen.
Hardy is the Kraken, of course. Defensive end Charles Johnson is the Loch Ness.
The rest of the monsters are yet to be determined, but Hardy is excited about the unit's potential to terrorize offenses this fall.
"We're getting stuff we didn't get the last two years. We've got guys that understand stuff that I wasn't even in a position to understand the last two years," Hardy said. "I feel like we finally have a full D-line.
"The (rookies) came in and contributed. They are whooping up on the O-line. I'm impressed."
After missing four OTA sessions due to personal reasons, Hardy was back on the practice field Tuesday and he confirmed he'll report for the start of training camp.
"I'll be there bright and early," he said.
Hardy is aiming to build on a breakout 2012 season in which he recorded 11 sacks and 61 tackles.
He reiterated his desire to be the best at what he does as he enters his fourth season, and he's confident he can't be stopped.
"Nobody can stop me," Hardy said. "I give 100 percent and make sure my 100 percent is better than the next guy's."
So how many sacks is he shooting for in 2013?
"50? Why shoot low, right?" Hardy said. "That's the goal for this year. Why not?"
Hardy is certainly setting the bar high individually, and he conceded he loves the individual attention.
But he's eager to share in the fun with his fellow linemen when quarterbacks drop back to throw this fall.
"Everybody winning," Hardy said. "If the (defensive) tackles are getting it, that means they have to block them now. And while they're blocking them, I'm sneaking in the back door and I'm taking everything.
"We want everybody to win – the young guys, the new guys the old guys… Just breeding confidence into all the defensive linemen, knowing they can win."
