AU-panther

pure speculation on my part Does the Bozeman signing provide a clue? After the Corbett signing I was thinking an O-line like this: LT(pick 6), BC, Elflein, Corbett, and Moton. Was actually pretty happy about this. After the Bozeman signing though maybe the line looks like this: BC, Elflein, Bozeman, Corbett, and Moton. What is the chance we have convinced ourselves that BC is "good enough" that we can now use the first pick on a QB? Showing progress with a rookie QB would definitely be one way to keep your job, and they have definitely spent some resources on the O-line to help whatever QB succeed. Like I said this is all just speculation, maybe they just move Elflein to a backup job, maybe the line will be LT(pick 6), BC, Bozeman, Corbett, and Moton.

not to mention all of these moves being made might be to help the QB drafted this year succeed

we didn't get a top-5 pick this year with one of the worst O-lines in the league. he was here this past year also and we didn't get a top-5 pick with the earlier mentioned terrible O-line. I'm not saying we are a playoff team, also drafting a LT this year and maybe a QB next isn't a terrible idea but counting on a top-5 pick is a bit foolish, or at the very least risky.

even if it isn't meaningless there are more things to consider. Cleveland just released Tretter, who by most accounts is a top-10 center, for cap reasons. His salary this year was going to be around $8m. #6 pick is going to cost $8m a year, why would you use an $8m pick to draft a guy that at best saves you about $8m in free agency. If he turns out average you are losing value. A top-10 LT or edge will cost you $20m in free agency, if you draft a LT and he turns out just average you are still adding value at $8m. People get caught up with this idea of importance, you also have to look at replacement cost. Positional value relative to winning and losing on the field isn't the same as positional value relative to cap dollars. another way to look at it: Lets assume Cross and Linderbaum both turn out good. Draft Linderbaum for Center and sign Armstead for LT, total cost will be around $28-30mm Draft Cross for LT and sign Tretter for Center, total cost will be around $16-18m. You just saved $10m that you can spend on another player.

like I said earlier, there is no miracle involved. With a basic understanding of the cap and simple math it was all predictable. Also there are other teams over the cap also, who will also restructure and cut players to get under the number. TB is still $21m over and I'm sure next off season there will be other teams over the cap at some point who will have to restructure players. As Panther fans we tend to notice the Saints. Looking back some of the early teams that DG had were some of the most leveraged teams I've every\ seen. There was literally almost nobody left to restructure or cut to create cap space. Basically the credit cards were maxed.

If they are talking about Davis, he is a 340lbs DT who ran a fast 40 at the combine and tested unbelievable well, limited snap guy in college though. People are hoping he becomes Vita Vea. Before the combine was considered more of a late 1st type of guy, not #6 overall. His teammate is actually moving up draft boards somewhat and might go a lot higher than a lot of people think Travon Walker Draft and Combine Prospect Profile | NFL.com

Personally I would like to find a LT, but this idea of "one of the top 3 tackles" might be a bit overplayed by us fans. There is a very good chance that the Panthers or any team for that matter might have a gap between OT2 and OT3. Board could be something like OT1 >OT2> DE2> CB1>>>>OT3. In theory in that situation you would try to trade down if you are determined to fill that need but trading down is easier said then done.

nice work^ and like you said you can easily add 2 voidable years. 3yr/28.5m can easily be turned into a 1st year cap cost of around $4m

They could still restructure/cut guys like Jenkins, Davis and Roby and come up with another $20-25m

agree, this idea that Loomis is some genius that can do things that no other GM can is ludicrous. They are doing the same thing other teams do and to be honest its simple math, most fans just don't want to take time to figure it out, same could be said about the media. When everyone was reporting them to be 50-60 million over the cap and wondering how they were going to get under you could look at their books and predict the moves. Even without cutting players most teams usually have a few players in the current year with large current year salaries that can restructure. For example Roby has a $9m salary this year, they could easily convert it to a signing bonus and free up $8m this offseason if they need it. Also fans have a habit of seeing what they want to see, they see the Saints adding certain players but they don't notice the guys that the Saints have had to release or let go over the years. They don't notice the amount of dead money that the Saints carry at times. What has helped the Saints more than anything over the past 5 years was their 2017 draft class, which might go down as one of the best draft classes ever that didn't include a QB. Lattimore, Ramczyk, Williams, and Kamara were all good players on really cheap rookie deals. Even Hendrickson who didn't play much early, started games during his 4th year and then signed a good size free agent deal last year which will now get the Saints a 3rd round comp pick.

It does matter what position you pick because the #6 pick averages $8m a year. If he turns out to just be average you just lost value because centers are cheap on the open market. Look at Tretter being released by the Browns. What makes more sense? Draft a center and pay him $8m a year and sign Armstead to play LT at $20m a year in free agency. Draft a LT and pay him $8m a year and sign Tretter to play center at $8m a year in free agency. You just saved $12m you can spend to upgrade your team at a different position.

Why would you spend $8m a year on a player who might become a good center when a proven good center just hit the market because he was a cap casualty because he was due around $8m? Another way to look at it: Pay Armstead $20m to play LT and draft Linderbaum to play center at $8m or Pay a FA like Tretter around $8-10 a year, or less, to play Center and draft a LT such as Cross to play LT at $8m a year. You basically just saved $10 to $12 million that you can spend on another free agent.

and this is why you have to be carefull about drafting a center at #6. Jones is one of the better centers in the league and just got a deal for $7m a year. The #6 pick will get a deal at almost $8m a year, if you draft a center that high he better be elite or you just lost value on a cost controlled contract.

there is a large contingent around here looking for a sure thing, that might never happen

and this is why this idea of drafting a QB when it is convenient, for example after you build the rest of the team, is a stupid idea. Do the math people, how many good QBs are there in the league? 10-12 How many years have some of them been playing? 10? 15? Of all of those QBs that have entered the league over those years we only have how many good ones? That doesn't mean you force a pick, if you don't draft one this year because you feel like none of them are worth drafting that is a valid thought process, but if you think you are going to build the team then magically find one when we you decide you are ready you might be disappointed.

did I say anything about trading the farm for Watson?

Ron also had prime Cam Newton for most of that time, and never had back to back winning seasons. That might actually be more impressive (in a bad way) than Rhule starting out with 2 losing seasons.

Sounds good to us fans but why would the current coach do something that would end hurting his chances to keep his job?

I would pay both and quit giving out these 4-6m deals to replacement level players

That is actually really good news for us if we want a LT. Also the fact that Hutchinson had an outstanding combine should help.

He might have only had 2 games but he also had 2 years in their system, at their practice and in their building. GB spent a very high draft pick on him for one reason and one reason only, to replace Rodgers, the fact the are resigning Rodgers to the biggest contract ever tells you exactly what they think of Love, and they should know Love better than any team out there. If they had any hope for Love they could have easily traded Rodgers for a haul, but they didn’t.

Some of those same things were said about Sam. There is a reason Green Bay had no leverage and made Rodgers the highest paid player in the league.

If we do a deal with Moore I’m guessing most people here will be shocked at what he ends up getting.

and that is probably part of the problem. The good teams that might look at CMC are probably drafting at the end of the round. They probably don't want to give up a 1st but their 2nd is too late to entice us, hence the reason you hear about us wanting a 1st, very good chance someone has already offered a 2nd. At this point everyone is just trying to bluff each other. If I'm Buffalo and I'm thinking win now I could make the argument that CMC has a bigger chance of helping me get over the hump than any player I can pick at 25. Same could be said about Green Bay, with the contract they just gave Rodgers they are definitely looking to win now. CMC or a rookie at 28? Who helps more next year?

this is what people lose sight of. They see these deals in the 4-6m and think they are small because we get use to the $20m+ deals that some of the top players get. In fact any deal in that range is actually the exception, not the rule. Look at the Rams, which most people think of as a "bought" team. As of now they only have 10 players with cap hits larger than $3.2m on their books for next year. Los Angeles Rams Salary Cap | Over the Cap You give out enough of these mid level contracts to replacement level players that prevents you from paying guys who are actually above average, someone like Reddick or Gilmore. As far as the actually contract goes, one of the best ways to judge a contract is to look at the per year cost if the player doesn't make it to the end of the contract. Fact is a lot of times players don't make it to the end. If Thomas is cut after one year he will consume $8.3m in cap space for an average of $8.3m per year. If Thomas is cut after two years he will consume $11.5m in cap space for an average of 5.75m per year. If Thomas plays all 3 years he will consume $16.95m in cap space for an average of 5.65m per year. Very good chance it ends up being a 2yr/$11.5m deal for an average of $5.75m. By the third year he will be either playing well and wanting an extension or playing bad and not worth the $5m salary.