CPantherKing

I'm sure Reich will be democratic about it. Matt Corral - Tepper guy; wants him developed Jacob Eason - Reich guy; been developing him for 2 years Davis Cheek - Fitterer/Morgan guy; keep bringing him back and want him developed Aqeel Glass - Senior Advisor/Advisor/OC/QB coach guy [Tom Moore/Clyde Christensen/Jim Caldwell/John Defilippo]; been working with him since last year and have him going into the USFL. Nick Foles - a veteran fall back that Reich would like to have on his roster if the Colts release him. My guess is there will be no QB drafted with this class, and Reich will focus on developing his QBs. He will want to focus more on drafting offensive weapons and defensive players. Likely 2 TEs and 2 LBs in the draft. Reich and Ballard saw more value in waiting for a UDFA in the draft last year and this class is weaker than last years. Would that be disappointing?

Trading up for a QB in the draft is a death blow for the current HC. If they find a franchise QB, chances are better that the QB stays when Reich is fired and the next coach inherits a developed QB they can build around before a championship is won. Expect a decade before a move like this pays off in the Panthers current situation.

Foreman did not replace CMC or will the Panthers to the door step of the playoffs (he disappeared in 36.4% of his games this season). Losing CMC hurt. Replacing Elf with Bozeman was the big boost to the run blocking up the middle. You never want to lose an elite receiving RB. Foreman is easily replaceable. A CMC or Faulk type RB is not. This is mediocre team thinking. Championship level discussion includes making sure you have a receiving threat coming out of the backfield that can run between the tackles at RB in today's NFL offense.

Drafting a 1st round QB may bring hope for the fan base (the mythical 1st round savior), but remember that drafting a 1st round QB in the top of the 1st round is the end for that coach. Since 1990 and the start of modern free agency in the early 90s, only 1 QB has led the team and coach that got him in the draft to a SB championship - Eli Manning. 63 QBs have been drafted in the top 15 picks. Mahomes and Roethlisberger were 2 successful QBs that won the SB in 1/2 seasons, but they were dropped into a team that was already established to contend with their coach. Free agent signing or drafting a QB later in the draft is the best way to go for a new HC. Trading for a QB is just as risky as drafting a 1st round QB. Inheriting a starting QB by a new HC has also been successful for a few coaches, but this can take a decade to accomplish after replacing the coach that drafted and developed that 1st round QB. Stay away from a 1st round QB unless his last name is Manning. I would like Reich to succeed and not have to wait for the next HC to win a SB with Reich's 1st round QB.

Reich thought he could solve Wentz's problems. I could see Reich brining Foles with him, but I don't think Reich goes with Wentz as a starter again. I could see him taking on Wentz as a backup. Reich is likely ready to move on to focus on developing a new QB. Who could that be? Reich has a history of going with QBs he has chosen in the past and developing them with a passion. Rivers, Wentz, and Foles all followed him to the Colts. Reich wanted Foles with the Colts when he became a free agent following the 2018 season. Foles chose to follow Reich's QB coach with the Eagles, Defilippo. Foles went with Defilippo from the Jags to the Bears, and with Defilippo choosing to take a year off from coaching, Reich finally got Foles in 2022. I expect Foles to be in a Panthers uniform as soon as the Colts part ways with the QB. Reich is invested in developing Eason. Seems someone in the organization likes Davis Cheek as a developmental QB. It just so happens that Davis Cheek was brought on to be developed under Reich's Eagles QB coach as a back-up to Defilippo's chosen starting QB Aqeel Glass in the USFL 2 weeks ago. Defilippo had his back-up QB in place with Zach Smith, so this late addition is unusual. We may see Defilippo hired in some capacity with the Panthers following the USFL season to assist in developing the QBs and passing game. We also may see Clyde Christensen hired in an advisory role following his coaching retirement. Mike McDaniel was going to hire Christensen with the Dolphins, but the Bucs blocked it last year. Christensen and Defilppo are invested in Aqeel Glass. I am expecting to see Matt Corral, Jacob Eason, Davis Cheek, and Aqeel Glass (especially if he lights up the USFL under Defilippo - Glass trains with McNabb and Fields) in training camp. I could see Nick Foles in the QB room too if he is released from his contract with the Colts. In 5 years with the Colts, Reich has favored mid to late round QBs or trading for 1st round vet QBs. I would expect Reich to favor building up a defense and offensive weapons with the draft picks.

64 QBs have played in a SB. 33 have been 1st rounders. 19 1st rounders have won. 14 1st rounders have lost. 13 1st rounders have won for the team that drafted them. 12 have lost the SB for the team that drafted them and never won a SB. 7 6th round to undrafted QBs have won the SB. It's interesting when you see all the numbers. 1st round picks get a greater percentage of franchise QB opportunities handed to them. These opportunities go longer than they should when they fail to produce. No matter which QB a team gives the franchise opportunity to, 85% of franchise QBs make it to the playoffs - favoring the 6th to undrafted (82% 1st rounders; 85% 2nd-5th rounders; 91% 6th to undrafted). When it comes to drafting QBs to win the SB, only 8 (7.7%) 1st round QBs have won it all with the coach and team that drafted them. 4 (5.8%) 6th round to undrafted QBs have done the same. 3 (4.1%) 2nd to 5th round QBs have done the same. 19 SB champion QBs have been inherited from a previous coaching staff, signed in the offseason, or acquired in a trade (only 2 of these SB QBs) by their SB winning coach. Drafting a QB is highly overrated. Drafting a 1st round QB in the top 20 is a complete waste of resources. These QBs take away from building a team, lose a lot of playoff games, and get many coaches fired. Finding a QB should be a patient and widespread search that saves draft capital and pairs a QB with the offensive genius of the coaching staff. A GM should draft a QB selectively, conservatively, and purposefully.

This is a myth. Always focused on QBs that talking heads whisper in our ear about while they are average at best. Meanwhile, we forget about the quarterbacks having more success but never being talked about in the media. Anyone who paid attention knew about Purdy and saw how well he performed in games post collegiate showcase games. I doubt very few people could list 57 first round QBs who have won in the playoffs over the past 57 seasons. I know no one could list 90.

Rhule should have thrown Robby Anderson under the bus for not be able to execute a bubble screen. We all know Robby Anderson could do no wrong in Rhule's eyes.

I don't think the point was about Arnold being an All Pro TE. This was about Fitterer not realizing the pass catching TE is very important to the development of a QB. Wesley Walls > Jermaine Wiggins > Jeff King > Dante Rosario > Greg Olsen > Jeremy Shockey > Gary Barnidge > ??? BTW Manhertz and Arnold were both TEs that Fitterer dumped for what? I don't care for Baalke, but he is doing a much better job than Fitterer. Fitterer is just giving Baalke value in exchange for players Baalke sees no long term fit for a division winning playoff team. I'm sure Darnold would have enjoyed Manhertz and Arnold over Thomas and Tremble. There have been some good TE options available too and Fitterer just passes on them. This draft has a few more TE options that will get teams that receiving TE they have needed. Will Fitterer make it a priority or does he think he got it right in Tommy Tremble?

Fitterer is pulling from the Jets on how to build a franchise. This perpetual rebuild every season since 2020 has been the weakest rebuild in Panthers' history. We've been through the 1995, 2002, and 2011 successful builds and after 2 years of those GMs the Panthers were set up to contend with the best in the NFL. The 1999 rebuild started off strong and stalled (with a defensive championship coach, the Panthers should have given the rebuild 3 losing seasons before reset). There was not any rebuilding in 2013 (if anything, the team was terribly maintained and then slowly deconstructed from 2014 to 2017). 2018 was not a true rebuild; more like internal struggles during transition beyond the team on the field with no direction from either ownership group. After 2 years of Fitterer, the team needs to be rebuilt and he has done little to nothing to add value to the franchise. The team needs a reset which means bringing in a GM and HC together who want to work with each other like the Bills did with Beane/McDermott, the 49ers with McVay/Walsh, the 49ers with Lynch/Shanahan, and the Chiefs with Dorsey/Reid.

Team Kafka since 2020

No QB is worth that trade

Steichen has relied on facing the worst defenses in the NFL, leaning on one of the better defenses in the NFL, and scoring 20+ points in the 2nd quarter while being shut out consistently in 2 to 3 quarters per game. The Eagles offense from a coaching perspective is extremely volatile. It looks a lot like the Mike Shula offense that ran up the score in 2nd quarters to go 15-1 during the season, and went flat as soon as that offense hit a good NFL defense in the playoffs. Are we hoping Steichen is the best of Rob Chudzinski, Mike McCoy, Anthony Lynn and Norv Turner? A coach that is the product of the Seifert, Fox, Rivera and Wilks coaching lines? It's no wonder the Eagles offense resembles the Panthers 2015 15-1 offense. An offense that can pile up the points on a weak defense in the playoffs and then struggles when the buzz saw that is a top NFL defense gets in the way.

If you liked Terrell Davis and want the same kind of value that translated to the NFL, then this is your RB. His work ethic, power, agility, quickness, patience, instincts, blocking, and leadership are all there. He can tight rope a sideline while bulldozing LBs. Pushes the pile and has a powerful lean that a single defender struggles to stop. I doubt he would light up the combine, but put him on a football field and he will score TDs and get 1st downs. Best redzone RB in the draft. Best blocking RB in the draft. NFL ready. Mo Ibrahim Highlights Performance after injury Performance before injury Breakdown

The Eagles offense struggles against good defenses and they are lucky to put up 20 points and 20 first downs against a top defense. The 49ers will be the best defense they have faced all year. The Eagles defense has allowed offenses like the 49ers to put up 30+ points on them multiple times. The 49ers have put up 30+ points in 5 of Purdy's games (including a defense on par with the Eagles defense) and they went with a ball control game plan against the Cowboys. The coaching favors the 49ers. The Eagles defense has struggled with WRs on crossing routes, TEs who can stretch the seam, and RBs who can catch out of the backfield. They are going to struggle to stop Kittle and CMC. The Eagles LBs and safeties allow 70% receptions. It will be interesting, but it appears the Eagles are outmatched in coaching, on offense, on defense, and in playoff experience.

Realizing the importance of a coaching tree is critical to success. Champion coaches develop champion coaches and champion players. You won't find a SB Champion QB who has left their team to pair with a rookie coach or failed coach and turned them into a championship coach. The coaches that win the SB have all studied under championship HCs and had a part in developing championship QBs. Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells are the only 2 coaches to blaze their own path without a championship mentor. The other 33 have all come from championship coaches. 34 if Taylor, Shanahan, or Sirianni win the SB. Sirianni is the least studied under championship mentors. He comes from Philbin (SB champ OC) and McVay (SB champ HC). As for QBs, they get developed by these coaching lines and the legends of Montana, Unitas, Brady, Mannings, Bradshaw, Elway, Favre, and now Mahomes are forged. If these same QBs were with the likes of Matt Rhule, Urban Meyer, Dom Capers, Nathaniel Hackett, Matt Eberflus or Kliff Kingsbury there would be little to no development and no legend. Good coaches utilize their players better than other coaches to take a team to the playoffs. Good QBs are coachable, protect the ball, and produce clutch GWD in big games/playoffs. It does not matter where the QB is drafted. A good coach just needs a QB with average intellect and athletic instincts in the pocket.

Mitchell gave the Cowboys a chance. Shanahan wishing he handed it to CMC

Good QBs make bad coaches look better. They do very little to make a good coach look any different than they are. You can win a SB without a 1st round pick. You can win a SB with an average QB. You can't win a SB without a good to great coach. Every SB HC has never been carried by a QB. They have come from coaching staffs that have been SB winners/contenders (at the very least they see a conference championship). The offensive minded HCs have developed the best QBs in the game with other teams and make the most of the QB they take to the SB.

Will Kafka bring in Bieniemy as an OC? Bieniemy likely will be a HC or OC anywhere but KC next season.

Absolutely! Too many views on how it takes 5 to 10 seasons to develop a team. The coach needs to win coming out of the gate and maintain that winning culture. Must be competitive to contend for the SB by year 3, and win a SB by year 3 to year 5. Picking a different QB every season for 5 years means you are just a farm team for the rest of the league. QB must be able to demonstrate they can produce GWD every year they are in the NFL and be connected with the HC/OC. Just need a good HC and an average NFL QB. Use the draft capital to build around the QB. Maybe the team gets lucky and lands a Manning or Mahomes, but that should never be part of the plan. The SB can be won with Mark Rypien, Brett Favre, Kurt Warner, Tom Brady, Brad Johnson, Rich Gannon, Jake Delhomme, Matt Hasselbeck, Drew Brees, Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson, Nick Foles, and Jimmy Garoppolo. You can beat 1st round QBs like Jim Kelly, John Elway, Steve McNair, Donovan McNabb, Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan, and Patrick Mahomes with the previously mentioned QBs. What you always need is a new HC (not a SB winning HC coach who has already made the media rounds after they left their previous team) who has at least been to a conference championship game, but would rather have them be a coach from a SB winning staff. Could also be a coach who spent half a decade learning under a dynasty proven HC, and has been to the playoffs for at least 3/4 seasons. This HC is a must. The 1st round franchise QB is a bonus if the moons align. A 1st round QB is not a necessity. Get it right and enjoy the journey!

You keep putting your false narratives out there trying to make people believe you and not look at my comments. Never said Ekwonu was a bust. He is an ALL PRO guard playing LT as a waist bender being used out of position. Give me poo for saying he is not an ALL PRO LT worth the 5th pick, but a bust he is not. As for Glass, you like to leave out he was on my list with Ridder, Purdy, and Coan. He is a developmental QB that is still in NFL circles waiting for his opportunity. Developmental QBs "suddenly" appear after 3 to 5 years of working and waiting. I have no doubt he would win more in the NFL than Darnold and Walker. You should talk about how I'm wrong about Steichen or how he can be paired up with a young QB in the draft to have SB success in 3 to 5 seasons with 2 or fewer losing seasons up to that SB. Yes, Derek. I keep typing David almost a decade in to Derek's career. Carr would be a good fit for Kafka and Payton.

A young OC as HC and a good young QB who is not clutch does not make for a dynasty. They have to win the SB in 3 to 5 seasons. There have only been 2 OCs who have not been to a conference championship game and won a SB. They did however study under championship coaches for over half a decade and have been to the playoffs consistently. Steichen has been to the playoffs 1 time as a coach. He has never been to a conference championship game. He has not studied under a championship HC. Gruden and Gibbs are the successful examples and they both needed 30 year-old QBs in Joe Theismann, Rich Gannon, and Brad Johnson to achieve that success as young OCs. Young drafted QBs paired with successful older OCs who have been to a conference championship have not happened for championship teams. The closest you get is drafting Aaron Rodgers and sitting behind a HoF QB for multiple seasons. McCarthy was 6 years older when hired and 10+ years deeper in coaching experience with a conference championship game under his belt. Steichen needs more time if he does not come up big in the playoffs this season. Otherwise, he is just using the Panthers HC position as a stepping stone for his 2nd chance in the NFL. Even if Steichen becomes the HC, you will want to pair him with a QB who has proven he can win and go to the playoffs on the NFL level - like a David Carr.

In the SB era: 48% of HCs last 5 or more years in one spot. 41% of HCs get at least 2 opportunities. 56% of HCs get their team to the playoffs. 42% of HCs win a playoff game. 13% of HCs win a SB. Finding a HC is more important than finding a QB, and it's easier to find a good HC who can get you to the playoffs than it is to find a good franchise QB who can win in the playoffs. A good HC can have success with a broader range of QBs. A good clutch QB must have a good HC to make it to the playoffs.

It's not Daboll. It's Kafka and Tierney. Kafka has been riding Tierney ever since The Alabama national championship in 2017. Brought him to the Bills and had him work with Allen. When Culley left Daboll wanted Tierney as QB coach, but McDermott wanted his guy in Dorsey. Kafka is the next in line from Brown > Walsh > Holmgren > Reid on that coaching tree. Tierney will be the better coach, but he needs a couple seasons as OC. I am hoping Kafka can bring Tierney in as his OC. Giving the Panthers the best offensive minds and QB developers in the NFL. Finally, people are on the Kafka train. Wish you were all with me on this train 3 years ago when I touted Kafka over Rhule. The Tierney train will be the hot one in a few more seasons. Kafka HC, Tierney OC, and Fangio DC is playoffs year 1 and a likely dynasty.

Win a SB with a HC who has already won a SB with another team? Good luck with that. The last time he won a SB was 2009. If he was good enough with his coaching philosophy to win, he would have done it multiple times in a single decade. At least, he would have gone back to the SB as a HC to lose it if he was better than the majority of SB winning coaches. Stay away from this trap.