WUnderhill

Here’s a fun exercise. Apologies in advance for the formatting, for some reason the copy/paste came in with this black background. One of these guys is Brian Burns and cost $30m/yr. The other 3 are free agents that will cost significantly less. Where would you rather spend the money? STATS 25 Tackles; 7.5 Sacks; 0 FF; 15.5% Pass Rush Win Rate; 64.6 Run-defense Grade STATS 50 Tackles; 8 Sacks; 1 FF; 11.6% PRWR; 56.3 Run-D STATS 62 Tackles; 8 Sacks; 0 FF; 8.2% PRWR; 65.7 Run-D STATS 43 Tackles; 9.5 Sacks; 2 FF; 14.2% PRWR; 74.4 Run-D And as an added bonus, here’s a free agent who has already signed with a different team for less than Brian Burns, and if this doesn’t tell you the Giants got hosed I don’t know what does: STATS 83 Tackles; 16.5 Sacks; 4 FF; 15.8% PRWR; 61.5 Run-D

Call me crazy, but I’m not seeing the huge dropoff in defense. Here’s the moves so far: Luvu gone hurts a bit and I think we’ll miss him. Replaced with Jewell who may be an overall step down, however much cheaper and hopefully a little more well rounded. Luvu was terrible in coverage. Burns gone. 8 sacks can be easily replaced. We aren’t talking about replacing 12.5 sack 2022 Burns because that’s not the Burns we got last year or would get this year. We’re talking low effort, playing not to get injured Burns. DJ Wonnum had just as many sacks and forced fumbles in 2023 and won’t cost half as much. The team was right to get rid of Burns and use that cap space more wisely. Donte Jackson for Dane Jackson seems like a wash unless I’m mistaken, Dane Jackson officianados feel free to correct me. At least their numbers last year look near identical. Zero interceptions, 5 passes defended. Dane Jackson had less tackles but maybe that means he wasn’t thrown to as much. Adding A’Shawn Robinson is huge IMO. Legit set the los, run stuffing, 3-4 NT. I think this is the move that changes the whole defense. Our run D looked terrible at times last year. Our DL looks like it will be a major strength, which will make our LBs and pass rushers look a lot better. Getting Shaq back will help. He hasn’t lived up to the expectations of typical Panthers first round LBs, but he’s a solid presence in the middle who can coordinate the D. From what I’ve read, one of Jewell’s strengths is also coordinating the D, so we should have some strong voices in the middle of the field calling the plays and getting everybody on the same page. Vonn Bell and Jeremy Chinn were both low impact players for us last year and should be easily replaced. So overall, the losses should be easily replaced for cheaper, in some cases have been already, and the addition of A’Shawn Robinson will have more impact on this defense than Brian Burns did. They’ll add somebody to replace bum Burns’ 2023 production rather easily, whether Wonnum, Young, whoever. And if, big IF, Horn actually stays healthy for a season the secondary could easily be better than last year.

100% chance the writers for that site typed in something like “Predict Carolina Panthers as Super Bowl winners” so they could generate clicks. Either that, or they ran it over and over again until the AI predicted something controversial.

? So you saying you meant this in a positive way? Lol. Also, not just you, I did say a few posters and this post you made put you in that category. Again, what does Young’s size have to do with anything here? The clear implication you made is that the investment is based on Young’s size. Not based on OL being the worst unit on the team last year. Not based on helping the run game. Not based on helping any QB under center next year and moving forward. Not based on the previous personnel not being able to execute the blocking scheme of the new coach. Not based on both previous starting guards coming off back to back long term injuries. Not based on being able to move Christensen to swing tackle where he may be able to execute a wide zone blocking scheme better than Ickey. You specifically mentioned Young, and only Young, as a reason we had to make investments in the OL, with the implication it was a gratuitous and unnecessary investment that would not necessarily need to happen with a larger QB.

I too was leaning Stroud before it became clear the team was drafting Young, but I’m sure I would get painted in the Young fan category since I recognized the team was drafting him and admitted I was not a professional NFL scout so I looked for reasons to be excited rather than angry. I found myself having to defend the possibility of the team selecting Bryce Young against absolutely absurd takes like he wasn’t a legitimate first round prospect, he wasn’t the consensus #1 pick, the team didn’t know how much he weighed or how tall he was, etc. We all would have preferred to talk about other things, but it was all absurdity. There were one or 2 guys that would start a Bryce Young bashing thread with any random tweet from a joe schmoe they could find. Multiple per day. There was some CJ bashing, the Ohio State QB thing, S2 score, etc., but it was rarely as vitriolic as the Bryce Young size stans, and CJ was the majority favorite on the huddle. It was fairly clear what was going to happen. The Bryce hate even when everybody knew he was 95% going to be the pick was apparent. But they said “Oh we’ll be his biggest cheerleaders if the team drafts him, but until then…” it was all bullshit.

There’s a few people on this forum trying to paint signing OL as a negative because they don’t like the QB and it makes absolutely no sense. Last year was the worst OL I have ever seen and you are actually complaining about signing a top 10 guard and another starter. This forum as a whole has wanted the team to take more action in fixing the OL since Jordan Gross retired, back when we had a 6’6 Greek god at QB. Now we make completely necessary signings after the worst year we’ve ever had at OL and it’s all of a sudden a bad thing because certain people are absolutely deranged when it comes to our current QB. It’s not holding his water to point out that fixing the OL needed to happen regardless of who the QB is.

You didn’t want him. If anybody would have traded literally anything for him our GM would have jumped to get rid of his contract. I’m pretty sure he’s still available doesn’t look like anybody wants him.

I mean you might be right I don’t watch the Steelers I’m just saying he did nothing wrong in that clip and it has me wondering if the Steelers just called a bunch of comebacks and curls for him and that’s what you were seeing.

Huh? That can’t be what you’re talking about. He ran a comeback and made the defender miss.

Easier to just wallow in a pit of unending despair.

I’d put Center as a priority need. There’s no way Austin Corbett is plan A at center. If they don’t add one in FA they will definitely draft one.

It probably needs to be considered for inclusion in the next DSM.

So you want to rely on 2 guards coming back from back to back long term injuries. Corbett from ACL and MCL tears in back to back seasons who also looked terrible in the few games he did play this past season. Christensen from a broken ankle to a torn biceps in the very next game he played who has never been anything more than an average guard even when not injured. Yeah, no thanks.

I actually think he’ll probably have a pretty good season to prove the haters wrong or whatever motivation he’ll have. But, he wouldn’t have had the same season here if he had stayed. It would have been another mail it in season on the franchise tag playing not to get injured. Glad to have that bum ass attitude out of our locker room.

Did you watch our guard play last year? Marginally better and not better? What are you smoking?

Whether it all turns out poo or all turns to gold, at least it won’t be last year’s team. I’m happy so far. Got some much needed OL help, got an actual NFL receiver for Donte Jackson, added a starter at nose tackle. And fug Brian Burns and fug Scott Fitterer.

Or, and hear me out, no matter who the QB is or how big he is you need a competent OL to protect him and run the football.

We once had a guy who one coaching staff saw as little more than a punt/kick returner and gave him very few chances at WR. Then another coaching staff came in and gave him more opportunity and he took off. That man’s name… Brenton Bersin. Jk you know who I’m talking about.

We really need some sort of event where all the draft prospects can come together and get official measurements by unbiased third parties without shoes, etc. and then all the teams and fans can get the real official information. They could call it something like “The Compound” because it all happens in one designated place. Or maybe “The Merger” because they’re all coming together. Just spitballing, we can keep working on the name. Until then, I guess we’ll just have to keep relying on methods like this or waste up photos with female reporters to determine height.

Center

Great trade!

Not that last year wasn’t a dumpster fire across the board, but with the players nerfing practice reps at every cba they can no longer be fat slobs in the off-season and expect to come get in shape, perfect their craft, and iron everything out in training camp. If Ickey isn’t working on his fundamentals in the off-season, he won’t ever live up to expectations at LT.

You’re making some weird jumps. Why would my logic dictate they trade all their draft picks? Also, just giving examples of guards who were drafted in mid rounds and turned out good doesn’t mean it’s “easy” to find them. If the teams that drafted them knew they would be that good they would draft them sooner first off. And second, you’ve got to come with the data of total number of guards drafted and how many of them turned out good. I’d bet it’s a bit more of a crapshoot than you think. As for why the rush this year. There were times last year when the offense literally just could not play because of how bad the line was. 1st down run for no gain or loss of one if it’s up the gut or loss of 3-5 if trying to swing it outside. False start penalty or holding on first or second down backs us up further. Forced into passing situations and the DL gets three guys in the QBs face within 1-2 seconds rushing 4 and dropping everybody back into coverage. You can’t play football like that, and I’m not exaggerating that situation at all. Something had to be done.

Inside zone and wide zone are completely different types of blocking. Maybe you should google it… Last year, we incorporated a lot more wide zone, which is what Canales has been known for so far, and Ekwonu looked terrible.