unicar15

DJ is odd man out. Calling it right now. They’re gonna let him test FA and roll with Marshall and Robby then draft a replacement. Marshall has all the talent in the world to be a #1 just needs opportunities. If that guy is on the roster you don’t tie up cap space with a top 5 paid receiver. Which is what DJ will want. Marshall was drafted for a reason.

If Cams arm is healthy then this isn’t going to be PJs job for long. PJ has some serious limitations with accuracy getting the ball downfield. That was super conservative playcalling. Not saying that’ll change a whole lot with Cam. But the threat of the run and potential deep balls over the middle will at least be there.

That’s assuming he’s good and it’s not dangerous for him to play at his weight.

Barring a run to the NFCC and a good performance by him I see this as an 8 game (plus playoffs if we make it) deal. You better believe that they’ll still be in the mix for Watson if he looks like he’d be ready to play. Say the (near) impossible happens and we make a run deep in the playoffs and he plays well al year…I could see a voidable 2-3 year deal while we look for a rookie. Im happy he’s back. But don’t kid yourself. This isn’t 25 year old Cam. This is 30+ year old Cam playing about 30lbs off his normal battering ram playing weight. Which means that things he hasn’t been good at historically (not getting hit, ball placement, not throwing picks) will be crucial to his success. I think there is a chance we go to the playoffs (50/50 if the EVERYONE stays healthy). But it’s not gonna be bc Cam is all of a sudden an MVP. It’ll be bc of a historically great D and a running game.

It’s only a matter of time. If he was lights out Idt he’d be on the bench. He also made some seriously questionable throws in the ATL game when he got in. Almost cost us the game by throwing across his body into the end zone running the other way. I’m not buying PJ stock long term.

Yep. Bc Cam was definitely going to sign a 1-year deal with the team he had been with for a decade in a “prove it” scenario on a bad shoulder. People need to stop looking at this situation as the same as 2019.

The problem with Teddy is that he’s a JAG. He doesn’t have any elite attributes to make anyone think he’s going to lead a team in the playoffs. His arm is mediocre. His speed is mediocre. His decisions are mediocre. His ability to stay healthy was mediocre. He’s mediocre….I don’t think the staff was going to settle for that so they moved on. For all of Darnold’s SIGNIFICANT faults. He moves better than Teddy and his arm is stronger. I think we got a glimpse of that in the first three games. The problem is he couldn’t bounce back from losing CMC and Darnold. Then he got injured. I think If he had kept one of those guys he’d still be the starter. But no..I’m not sad we got rid of Teddy.

Any NFL staff that isn’t in “win now” mode is a few months from getting fired. Coaches want to win. GMs want to build. I actually think the trade for Darnold was a “win now” move in theory. Darnold just turns out to be terrible. The OL piece of this puzzle from the start of FA and draft night has always been a known disaster. I would be you that if Fitt knew he’d be able to trade for Gilmore and Henderson that he would have gone in a different direction. But….hindsight is 20/20 and nobody could have predicted those availabilities.

Who cares what Shaq thinks? He’s on defense. The O is going to be fired up and when it translates to wins Shaq get on board…

Tepper wants to win. The end. He’s trying to put a good product on the field and isn’t going to be ashamed to admit a mistake. It also helps that he’s the richest owner in the league and is self-made. Who’s gonna try to chest bump that dude?

Yeah. Unfortunately for him we’re probably the only ones.

So I would generally agree with this but there aren’t many impact UFA on this team. Jackson, Carter, Luuvu, Reddick and Gilmore are really it. Jackson is probably gone no matter what. Luuvu may or may not be but I’m not sure he isn’t replaceable in Snow’s system. Carter (not sure it matters if he leaves). Reddick is a Rhule guy so Idt he’s leaving bc of Rhule. Gilmore is at the tail end of his career and the cats kinda already out of the bag that his family wants to be in Charlotte. As long as we pay him what his market demands Idt he’s leaving bc of Rhule. So I just don’t see a whole lot of FA muscle being flexed when everyone else is under contract. Getting a real QB solves ALL of these problems.

With the Darnold injury I think he gets one more year regardless of outcome. I think Brady is done unless the backup QB comes in and the O performs. Tepper is going to give Fitterer marching orders to do what he thinks is best as far as the QB situation. Try to acquire Watson, Wilson, Rodgers, etc first….draft second. If we swing and miss on an impact QB then I think the writing is on the wall for Rhule and he’s gone after 2022-2023. He won’t win with another bad QB and Tepper won’t tolerate 3 losing years.

I’m not sure it’s our only hope but I think Tepper has had enough and Rhule is gonna get himself fired if he doesn’t win next year. So you’re either gonna gamble that you’re a QB whisperer (hasn’t been the case) and take a rookie or you’re gonna break the bank for Watson.

Probabaly…But he would win more games than PJ Walker and Matt Barkley.

Swallow your pride and sign Cam or beg Rivers. You can still make the playoffs with this D if you do the right thing at QB.

Trading back for a QB would be the only move for this team at this point. I guess you could make the argument to stay put at our likely top 5 pick if there is a LT available.

You mean like Appaloosa capital and it’s annual holdings of $13 billion. I hear that organization was started by someone involved with the Panthers.

Focus on what can change. Can’t change the owner. Also….gonna say the smartest guy in the room who makes calculated decisions for a living isn’t the issue. There is a difference in making the right decision and everything going wrong around it and making the wrong decision. I don’t believe hiring Rhule and Fitt were the wrong decisions. The evidence for that: 1. The defense is still really good. They need an O to stay on the field. 2. ST is improving 3. Gilmore was a good trade 4. Horn was the right pick or at the very least one of the two right picks if you want to split hairs with Slater. Horn is a pro bowler as a rookie if he doesn’t get injured. 5. Our entire 2020 draft was basically a Rhule draft. Lot of key contributors in that class The problem is the combo of Brady and Darnold and as far as I can tell Tepper has been the most outspoken voice in favor of trading for a legit veteran QB and not stockpiling draft picks and worrying about cap. He’s watching LA and seeing that in order to win you make moves. If there is anything that he’s pissed about it’s probably that his decision makers haven’t been aggressive enough.

When Horn comes back from injury and is the best corner in the game and Jones/Fields are mediocre (maybe just flat out bad) these “Horn was a bad decision” takes will be funny to look back on.

Fitterer basically made one bad call (Darnold) and everyone knew it was a low risk, high reward proposition. Thinking he can’t evaluate bc of that deal is foolish. The Gilmore trade could turn out to be a coup. The jury is still out on Henderson. He’s a second year player who’s playing behind a heck of a lot of talent in the secondary. If you think you’re getting more than that out of a 3rd round pick then you’re dreaming.

The “Tepper is the problem” takes are so bad. If you didn’t see on draft night that he’s a hands off owner when it comes to personnel then idk what more you need. This isn’t Dan Snyder or Jerry. He’s letting the football guys run the team and right now they’re sucking. My guess is Brady gets axed and Sean Ryan gets play calling responsibilities to try and salvage Darnold so that maybe he isn’t a lame duck asset in the off-season. I think people MAY be coming to the realization that if you’re calling an offense with Burrow, Chase, Jefferson, and Edwards-Helaire you’re probably going to be pretty good in college.

It’s not exactly the same BUT I’m a State fan and I remember when we hired Dave Doeren. He went 23-4 at NIU…supposed to be building a program. Comes to NCSU and frankly I thought he sucked. Mediocre at best results. Couldn’t ever get over the hump. Teams looked careless. But he did SOME good things. Fast forward last couple years…when healthy and playing his best players State is pretty good. Players matter and nobody is more important than the QB. Rhules teams have done SOME good things. The defense is good (but can’t be on the field all game). The running game has been solid. The ST is coming around. The elephant in the room is the offense as a whole and the offense isn’t going to o function without a QB. Doeren found a QB. Rhule needs to as well.

There is actually probably more luck involved in successfully running a football team. Unlucky teams - No QB. Lucky teams - Good QB. He’s trying to force the luck…which kudos to him. I’d rather have an owner who is trying to force the issue and win than an owner who sits back and accepts 8-8 after 8-8 after 8-8…and occasionally makes the playoffs. He’ll get the formula right eventually. When it happens we’ll find the QB and we’ll roll.

The off-season veteran QB we were all hoping we’d get isn’t coming. Not with this staff. Tepper has a mess on his hands. He is either going to have to continue to wait it out and hope his instinct with Rhule and Fitterer is correct. Or he’s going to have to fire Rhule and get Fitterer to bring in a vet coach that a vet QB will want to play for (aka Arians and Tampa). There isn’t an in between imo. I don’t see a vet QB signing with or OKing a trade to this squad right now. Im actually at the point where I think bringing Cam in is the right move to try and salvage Rhule’s credibility and trend the trajectory back upward. Can’t believe I am saying that. The other option could be Rivers but Idt he’d want to come back to play for CAR. A call needs to be made tho or the season is over.