top dawg

Well, I've already said that we need to draft some Bryce insurance this draft, but a whole lotta people seem to disagree. I'm with you though. Being reactive as opposed to proactive would be absolutely understandable (even from a suspect draft class).

If you're suggesting that what NFL execs were saying regarding Bryce during this past 10 days is not interesting, then say it's not interesting to you.

Perhaps within the context of a dumpster fire, but highly unlikely considering that Bryce has played football since he was wee high...well, he's still wee high, but you get what I'm saying.

It's certainly more interesting to consider that NFL execs are more thoughtful about what Bryce Young may still have to offer than a bunch of numbskulls on a message board.

We were a dumpster fire, even more than we probably realized, just a fire as hot as Hell. And according to some NFL people, there's no way Bryce could've succeeded in that environment. David Newton took notes at the Combine this year. Let's get to the meat of it: Does that mean the Panthers made a huge mistake in trading two first-round picks (2023, 2024) and top wide receiver DJ Moore for the right to draft Young? Not according to NFL executives, coaches and scouts at last week's combine. "It's too early,'' said Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht. "You can't take anything away from Stroud. He had a great year. Unbelievable. "But it's still too early to tell. It wouldn't surprise me, as good as Bryce was in college, if he rebounds and has a helluva year this year.'' MOST WHO WERE interviewed believe if Stroud had ended up in Carolina, he would have struggled, and if Young had gone to Houston, he would have succeeded because the Texans were set up better for success. "Houston had an absolutely phenomenal offense that would have fit Bryce perfectly,'' said one NFL executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "It fit CJ perfectly. There wasn't as much to manage at the line of scrimmage. There were a lot of guys running wide open, and not because they are great separators. "It's a lot of scheme.'' Most agreed that Carolina's spread offense -- orchestrated by coach Frank Reich, who was fired after a 1-10 start -- lacked the personnel, from offensive line to tight end to wide receiver, to be successful. Multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation also said there was dysfunction in Carolina because of a difference in philosophy between Reich, offensive coordinator Thomas Brown and offensive line coach James Campen. Several with knowledge of the situation noted the pistol formation used prominently in the season opener wasn't implemented until the week before, an example of not having Young properly prepared. "That's how little of a plan there was,'' said one source with knowledge of the situation. "Bryce really didn't stand a chance,'' said another source with direct knowledge of what was going on. "They put way too much on him,'' another source said. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39675345/did-panthers-make-mistake-trading-take-bryce-young-cj-stroud There's more (so hopefully what I've posted is fair use), but I'd say that this is plenty for discussion and that which is most pertinent to why Young is being given the benefit of doubt by those whose jobs are to make those types of decisions.

I certainly don't see it as an impossibility. He has to support his family just like anyone. And if you're implying that he was all-in on every decision that Fitterer ever made, I think that's really unrealistic if not unnatural. At the end of the day, we'll likely never know what he was for and against. We don't exactly know what he would've done had he been the man in charge. I think, at best, he was the second person on the Panthers totem pole during his time here. That being said, he was never the final decision-maker. As such, I'll be judging him based upon what he does as the man in charge.

I mean, people go along to get along in lots of arenas in life, especially in an employer-employee, boss-underling relationship. But just because you do that as an underlying, that doesn't mean you agree with everything that's done at the end of the day.

Are you sure Lock is B tier? To me he's JAG! He's not a higher end backup like The Red Rifle. Lock is anything but a lock, he's an open door to pure mediocrity. And Bryce is still a small man among big men. He went largely unscathed his rookie year---hell, damned durable---but let's not act like he's Superman out there, and even if he is, there's Kryptonite everywhere and the potential for him going down remains. Our backup QB may have a higher probability to play substantial minutes.

2D (Dan and David, not Dumb and Dumber)---let me start again: 2D moves when 3D strategy is required. Damn it, man, I'm sick of it. All these tweets have to be a lie. There a lie, I tell ya. It's the lying season (although I can't figure out why they'd lie about it). No! It can't be! It's all a lie! Help me!

I didn't want to say it.

Juan makin' it rain on the Huddle this morning.

Da fúck is this?

Well I'd say the tanking half-tanking thing is out the window if this report is true. But I gotta see how all this is going to work with the cap presently as it is. Talking about some cap-ologist type o' sh¡t. That man better have some Jedi-mind tricks for somebodies. That and what sounds like some can kicking (down the road).

Well, I guess we have to do something to try and help Bryce with the limited resources we have at the moment. It's all about one's perspective...

Well, that's what we'd actually be tanking for: the opportunity to draft high in every round next season (but the second ), including the highest rated QB. Now of course, the QBs are suspect... Your last sentence sounds too akin to QB Hell.

The tea leaves are screaming...We really should extend Brown this offseason.

I would say 3rd and beyond. As to your point, why in the world would Saquon want to come here? I imagine that he's going to go to a place where he can help a real contender get over the hump, not come here and help us struggle to be barely competitive. It's going to be his choice. He's already been linked to the Chargers. Saquon's brain: Chargers vs Panthers San Diego vs Charlotte Harbaugh vs Canales Herbert vs Young Is it really a choice? Really?

Yeah, we might be fúcked now...I hope not, but we might be. Burns still has youth and durability on his side though. His expectations must come down!

Grok may be a bit too "rebellious" to the point of just saying sh¡t. Wouldn't that be something though? People would be like:

That's all fair and one way to go about it, but for me the clock has started. Admittedly, I may give him less of a honeymoon period because of who he was, the Assistant GM of the worst period in team history, but I will also probably give him a little more grace because of who he is, a notable, hard-nosed ex linebacker for the home team also. For me, his past ties to the organization are the only reason that I didn't declare "foul," upon his hire. So, admittedly, my gaze is upon him and my ears piqued as to his every movement. The first major thing he has done is tag Burns. It's easy to say that was the right move, but we must admit that it has basically destroyed this year's cap, and it wasn't really a courageous move (most GMs would likely have done it). But now, what's the plan that goes with it? What is plan A, B and C if things go south? Time may reveal, but in the meantime the clock has already begun.

Now Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack may present a problem...

I don't expect him to get 30 mil a season, and I've said aplenty that I don't think that his play has warranted that, but I do believe that his play and upside is better than a second, and certainly more worth than a third (which is ludicrous) and a much better than average payday. Add in the fact that he's young, is durable, has a high motor, and can easily bookend across from someone that is near-equal or better, then someone might be willing to pay more than what some of you are thinking. Moreover, we're a broke-boy team at the moment largely due to the tag, and we're not going anywhere fast. Other teams have more cap (or can make more), so might be more willing to spend more for Burns' services. And, believe it or not, there may be two or three teams that are a Brian Burns away from getting over the hump.

I mean, it's going to take excelling as the Panthers GM to excite me. I don't think that's an out of the ordinary expectation on my part.

Like I said in the other thread, I'm still waiting on a watershed moment. Thus far, I haven't really seen enough to delineate between the way Morgan has done things and Fitterer did things. I'm not saying that it won't come, but it's likely going to take more time and more opportunities. I mean, cycling in and cycling out glorified bench warmers is very ordinary, and tagging a star player is not groundbreaking. I probably gotta see an obvious break from the status quo before I praise or cuss Morgan, and draft results and other acquisitions may or may not be part of that equation.

All that's great, but let's stop acting like we know that Smitty was told to dial it back. We don't. Moreover, It was actually great for ratings. Smitty likely listened to some of his peers (like Keyshaun and Michael Irvin) who put something on his mind, and after thinking about it and analyzing the situation, Smitty changed his tune (and, yes, that is personal growth). As far as whether he was right about what type of receiver Jeudy is, I'm going to take Smitty for his word: if he did more analysis and came to a more thoughtful conclusion, I'm going to take him for his word. He's not a bullshitter and never has been (job or not).