Navy_football

Man if they mess around and draft Ladd at 39, I'm driving down to Carolina for every home game. I'll gladly give them my money and my time. I just really want to see the Panthers finally embrace the change in the NFL. O line and playmaking WRs are extremely important in today's NFL.

Come on LG. I could pull a bunch of those for every QB in the NFL. Even the second QB picked in last year's draft. Rookie of the year. Pro bowler. Second coming... Bryce's problem is that he didn't throw enough of those. He definitely needs to take more shots downfield.

Well now... that changes everything. Maybe Derrick Brown? Luvu? That's all I got. But new GM, new HC, new OC, new cap wizard. Things can change for the best.

Right. But there's football and there's real life. I can love a person as a football player, and hate him as a human being - and vice versa.

For the record, I really wanted Ladd McConkey. I think he's a Thielen 3.0. Not 2.0, but 3.0. But I can see their reasoning for going with XL. Schematically it makes more sense. But you WILL have to replace what Thielen and Johnson do too. And that day will likely come sooner rather than later. It's a true testament to Thielen's toughness that he caught 100 balls for 1000 yards at his age with no real threats to open things underneath for him. But you can't think he won't get injured at his age at that tick. Father time always wins.

Doesn't that fear of getting beat on 1v1s on the outside make the defense play different. As much as I've heard huddlers say defenders weren't afraid of BY's arm, I think it was more of the WRs speed, tracking, and ability to win at the point. If he goes out there and snags a jump ball or two 40+ yards downfield, you'll magically see defenses respect BY's too weak arm a little more. That'll open things up underneath where the route runners and TEs usually live.

Strato, does everything have to come back to Bryce Young and how he limits the offense? So who was the big, speedy, jump ball WR last season for Bryce to throw to? Who was the guy that could go get the ball if you just threw it up for grabs? Who was the 50/50 receiver?

Offensively. Hopefully that is changing as the NFL is changing their focus to scoring vs hard hits. Defensively, the Panthers have had a ton of guys reach their potential. Some haven't of course. But a lot have exceeded expectations.

Or he'll make a ridiculous catch high pointing the ball, and all of a sudden there are Moss and Metcalf expectations. He's gonna look good in practice going against our DBs. Assuming Horn will be injured.

He really is. I mean that's Bryce Young level bad situation.

First of all, Tepper has too much money to be confronting people like that. It's just too dangerous now a days. Folks are crazy! But I like his attitude of not taking ish from anybody and talking to people man to man. It's obvious that he doesn't come from money. He's a self made billionare and that's pretty rare. Probably a real straight shooter and I respect the heck out of that!

So... you don't agree?

Yeah, I don't think the trade up was worth it. I mean aren't you paying him more on his rookie contract because he was drafted in the 1st round vs the 2nd? Will the fifth year option will cover the difference in net present value? I think XL will be more exciting than Ladd or AD. At this point, I don't want exciting. I want consistency at the position. We'll see. Probably the better deep ball and jump ball option of the 3.

Just have realistic expectations for XL. Ladd and Mitchell will look better out the gate, but he does have the higher ceiling. He should have the better highlight reel as a rookie, but Ladd will have the stats. We'll see in 2-3 years if he was the right choice.

Ladd and AD are still available? Hmmm...

I mean worst case, he's an upgrade over Thielen, who just tallied 1000 yards this season. If Bryce trusts him, he'll force feed him every game. Diontae will get 1000 yards if he doesn't get injured. That'll be worth a HUGE contract next year.

So what was that about resigning Diontae Johnson next year? I was thinking around $20M a year. I may have grossly underestimated what he'll want. Draft WRs early and often.

Every mock is busted to Hell right now. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE!!!

I don't think the draft should be about filling holes. It's about bringing in talent for the future. The expectation that a rookie will start day 1 and be a pro bowl talent is not realistic. You want them to come in, play meaningful minutes, and improve throughout the season. That way you have options at the end. This WR corps is not proven in this offense with this HC and this OC. The only one that has consistently caught for 1000 yards is in his mid 30s now. Very good WRs will be available in the 2nd round on Friday. Don't take a fringe 2nd/3rd round CB or DE because the team needs one, when a WR that could have easily gone in the 1st last year is sitting there. Thielen, Moore, TMJ and Johnson could very likely be gone next season. And even if they are still here, that group doesn't exactly strike fear in the hearts of DCs - even if you add Mingo and ISM to the list. None of them were 1st round talents coming into the league. They were all developmental projects.

Really good point. I think we forget that defense (particularly secondary) can be schemed to hide weaker areas a lot easier than offense.

Bro, I've called for WRs on both second round picks forever. Ladd, Ricky then Van Pran would be my dream for the 1st three picks. I don't think TE is that big of a need. Thielen and Diontae could legit be gone next season. Why not get their insurance plans in a WR heavy draft? And even if Diontae comes back, he'll be trying to get 20M+ a year. Shouldn't the team prepare for that?

Ladd, Pearsall and SVP. But I'm admittantly an all offense draft proponent.

Maybe... Zay ran in the 4.4s at 5'9" and a buck nothing. Quentin ran in the 4.5s. Jordan barely broke 4.5s at 4.49. I just don't think they'd be that high this season. But I could be wrong.

If they draft Leggette, the thought process must be that he'd fit a scheme that Canales wants to implement. Thinking Canales plans to scheme him open more than put him in 1v1 situations all game. The Panthers have been taking that approach for as long as I can remember. You run your route, and you run your route, and if you beat your defender then you may get the ball. I don't think this team has ever had consistent route concepts that schemed guys open. I was hoping Frank would bring that here with the mesh concept, but I don't recall seeing much of that during the season.

I guess that's subjective. But where do you think Zay Flowers, Quentin Johnson, and Jordan Addison would be drafted in 2024? They were drafted in the 1st round in 2023. I think a guy like Ricky Pearsall would jump all of them and he's projected as a mid 2nd rounder this year. I think guys like Corley, Worthy, Malik Washington and Jalen McMillan would compete with them in the first last year, but they're fringe 2nd rounders, mostly 3rd round targets this draft.