top dawg

I mean, you can say that this one or that one has been better, but there are just so many angles that have to be included within the context that I just have a hard time saying that this one "has been" better, and even if they have been we're only talking a few games at the beginning of their rookie years. The online ones that I would say have personally been markedly better are Josh Downs (who I'd have to get), Tank Dell, and Rashee Rice who has flashed. That being said, they've had more opportunity to flash as well, whether it be by situation (including play calling) or playing with QBs that are better prepared to play the game. Downs has markedly better numbers playing with Gardner Minshew, Rice is playing with Pat Mahomes, and Dell is playing with Stroud who is a great pure passer and is being coached very well--as well as the whole team. Our play calling has been somewhat uninspired and disjointed in pertains to the passing attack. Now, of course Mingo has played a part in that, but at the end of the day receivers don't develop at the same speed. And, ultimately, It's just too early to draw conclusions.

Outside of his alma mater, people just don't seem to like Jim. https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-likely-won-t-be-safe-harbor-for-michigan-hc-jim-harbaugh-from-potential-ncaa I'd still hire him.

But, what's your point? TMJ looks to be traded and Mingo is a rookie. They're both really the same type of receiver, and there's nothing indicating to me that Mingo's not going to meet his potential with more experience. I believe that he can be a very adept possession receiver one day.

No, but I remember the usual fluff material put out by the Panthers social media team.

I'd also add that play calling absolutely matters in terms of receiver separation. The few inches that you gain with pre-snap motions and play action plays could be the difference between a catch made and a pass break up, or a busted play or a big play. All this stuff makes a difference and works together (or not).

Man, I told you before: in this game of inches, nine inches of separation is huge. That's a big deal. Don't minimize it. And, sure, it's average, but that is not the standard we're shooting for. I'd guess that the top tier teams have even more than nine inches. We need a better TE, or at least to start throwing to TEs.

I agree to a point---some may take it a little too far---but Burns deserves some criticism here because he's taken his contractual expectations too far. He was offered a fair contract commensurate with his worth to the team and his production relative to other EDGEs in the league. In my opinion, I think he's just being greedy, but that's his choice. His head got a little inflated due to the Rams offer. Burns is good, maybe even "really good" at times, but he's never been great. If we pay him like he's great, then the only way that we'll be able to "fix" it is to draft (or luck up on) a player who actually is great so that we can exploit his rookie contract at the same time as being hamstrung by Burns' contract, because this hypothetical player would ironically be the very thing that helps Burns to raise his game to a point where he appears to be great. But, of course, finding that player would be difficult, and we might not ever do it. In the meantime, we'd just be stuck with an overpaid rusher who is almost what you want sometimes. I just don't want to be in that situation.

SMH. WTF is going on here?

The way that you phrased it sounds like more than a concern. Just saying.

How can a play caller help if a QB really has an inability---your word---to throw deep? No magic or even masking is going to help that.

The pass average and lack of TDs stick out like a sore thumb. This is where play calling will hopefully have a profound effect. The interceptions are simply due to lack of experience and will hopefully improve with time.

I don't think that we can afford to keep him.

Verbatim from Anthony Rizzuti: On Monday, head coach Frank Reich explained why his offense took more deep shots under backup Andy Dalton than they have under Bryce Young—and it’s not because the rookie is gun shy. “I wouldn’t say that that was the case,” he replied when asked if Young hadn’t taken the same openings Dalton did on Sunday. “I probably called a few more. And there were one or two things that Andy specifically asked for, which I don’t wanna go into detail on. But there were a couple things that he specifically asked for.” https://pantherswire.usatoday.com/2023/09/25/panthers-seahawks-week-3-2023-frank-reich-andy-dalton-bryce-young-deep-balls/ The more I read that, the more I really get nonplussed by Reich not spelling out what the other differences were.

The NFL is so full of sh¡t! It seems like they'd rather take some reasonable money rather than no money. But that's on them. There are always free alternatives...

Yeah, but... injuries are a motherfuger. I'm not gonna jinx it, but at least in that respect, I suspect our guy to eclipse them both (not that Boldin was horrible).

Late round picks mean about as much as signing a UDFA. They're akin to the bin items at Goodwill. We'll over half of them end up with as much value as the peanut shells people toss on the floor at Logan's Roadhouse. For me, player acquisitions, regardless of when they happen, are all about value.

Signs of life.

I hear all the noise, but I just picked up Mingo on the off chance that Brown gets us in gear and rolling these next 11 games.

Boldin's first couple of years were fine, but they weren't OBJ-esque. Let's keep some perspective here.

That first one is immortal. Thanks for sharing.

Cool.

Well, I'll guess I'll comment... I don't know how much I believe this, because it's kind of at odds with a guy that likes to deal. Something is being left out. Perhaps Fitterer doesn't like the offers he's getting. I'll be surprised if Burns isn't traded, but won't be shocked. This isn't a fire sale.

That would be excellent. He is a tough receiver. He showed that on one of his first few catches.