davos

I think Stroud and Levis will be the ones that rise to the top. Just look at Stroud and his game, ignore the college he's at, he's what you want in the NFL: 6'3 218, natural leader, arm strength, disciplined footwork allowing for consistent mechanics, great pocket presence, quick with progressions, all-pro ball placement, high end accuracy, can move if he needs to. Now, take the school/system into consideration, it was clear what Haskins and Fields needed to work on. Fields has gradual, slow-mo progressions and a really poor feel for his blind side. And his intermediate balls don't lead enough. Haskins had a whole dinner's worth of weaknesses. School be damned, Stroud is legit. Size be damned, Young is legit. Has all of the above, but hasn't coalesced in games yet...Levis. I'd peg that in the order of fixable (1) Stroud (2) Levis (3) Young

Once it turns into the offseason, Levis is going to skyrocket in shorts, so watch for that. In a nutshell, the things stopping the other talent from being considered tops-- McCall: Not much I can see...so he's interesting. Does sail his throws a lot. Hooker: Age, Footwork, Mechanics on the run Penix: Jitters under pressure Ward: Footwork, Decision Making Hall: Age, Injuries, Arm Strength, Size McKee: Agility (Apparently runs a 4.68 but plays like he's 5.05)

Gameplanning, playcalling & QBs trump all. And we ain't got none.

He's super interesting. I like him a lot more than most of the generally accepted second tier.

Eason seems like a fun tank commander. A lot less insufferable than Darnold or

Young was really impressive against Tennessee. He took some major licks and stuck with it. The size no doubt is a concern but he consistently looks like a stud. I just get a good sense with Young, as alarming as his frame is. A team will gamble on him, his throwing ability is just too impressive. I have to admit, I don’t see many flaws with Stroud at all. He’s not what Fields was (saying this in a good way). The only thing that makes people iffy on him is the helmet he wears. If he was the Bulldogs or Tide QB, I think the decision would be easy. Levis is a classic case of hitting all the measurables but every time I tune in I’m waiting to see what the buzz is about. But still, he’s got a lot to love. I’d have taken all three in the top 10 last season. Penix, Duggan, Hooker, Hall, Ward, etc. have more season to make their cases. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t viewing most of them higher than the Ridder/Willis/Corral group. Still though, they aren’t close to the top 3, and it’s really even IMO

Probably a good guess

Wasn't previously well received but it's been true

Also don’t know why I’m dropping all the neighborhood references lol long week

Still rock my Ocean Beach Wonderland Panthers shirt on game days.

A firm pried me out of my Solana Beach gig and am in a hybrid Madison WI/Chicago setup. Wicker Park res.

Would be there for a SD-LA trip if I was still living in Normal Heights!

That's a weird observation--I quite love the dude. I am just very WR hungry and want a more dynamic arsenal. Never really had a targeted hate towards him so don't know where that's coming from. I just think we need more guys and don't think the team should rest on this idea that everything is in place but a QB and coach. I just don't buy it. The overall WR room is nothing special and I think it's become more important than ever when looking at (most) successful models right now.

CMC yes, I went a bit far. But we've never been a winning team with the guy and he's injured as much as he's played. We need someone need some life into this offense and it's more than a coach and QB from my view

DJ Moore is not a playmaker. He's a great piece, extremely high-end WR, but we do NOT have an offensive playmaker that can take the top off a defense. We just don't. And the Chiefs have been missing that this year and it shows in such a major way. Particularly in their Colts loss. We don't have our Hill/Devonta/Wilson/Chase/Diggs/Jefferson. We have Torry Holt-lite. CMC has never produced consistent splash plays, he is a workhorse mutli-use, football specimen that can be a huge focus on offense at the precipice of a consistently gigantic cliff of an RBs shelf life. I just want to try and play devils advocate here because I keep seeing such confidence in a roster that has simply not produced this season and isn't some well constructed group. Bits and pieces are there, a potential core is there, but we are not close IMO.

Highly disagree on the two bolded parts. Factor in the LB situation, maneuvering needed for the 2023 cap, given needs as noted in the OP, we are in fact not actually close. We are not far, we are "mehhh" Larry David motion level.

I'd re-read, you're not quite picking up what I'm putting down (Although it seems many aren't so maybe it's me with the huddle fatigue haha) In a nutshell: I'm just not buying the "we're close" talk. We don't have a HC, QB, true leader on D (closest thing is Woods & Luvu), have a huge hole in O-playmaker, our depth is subpar, & have holes on both lines. If we're missing the biggest things that make a team "close" then we're not close. We're close to being close.

I am asking the question. Are we "close"? What even is "close"? I just want to magnify this commonly expressed notion and put it to question. Whatcha think?

Post includes: (1) List of Needs (2) Min above average talent (3) Guys with potential but we just don't know yet, may be busts You can't operate under the assumption of ceiling being met, so I am focused on what we absolutely 100% for sure have. So again, I ask, are we really close? I have heard that narrative since Cam's 2nd year and think it actually gets less and less true.

Fowler had some cajones to ask what he did haha

I am asking if we're close and laying out what we have. So, are we close?

Absolutely ZERO trades unless they are players leaving and draft picks accumulating. NONE ZERO NOOOOOO

I keep hearing this. "We're close" I genuinely ask, are we? "We're close", "The roster is close", "We've got a great core", "we've got so much talent on defense" 2023 Contracted Players: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/carolina-panthers/cap/2023/ What we CLEARLY need: *GM (pending) Head Coach Offensive Coordinator Defensive Coordinator Franchise QB (Really, an entire QB room) +2 A RB (potentially a new RB room depending on CMC's movement) +1-3 A WR1 (overall, min 2 effective WRs) +2 A entirely new TE room +3 Center +1 Non-Rhule picked OL Depth +2 ~3 DLs +3 ~1-2 LBs +2 So yep, that's around 16 players, not counting what a new regime would cut the bait with for their own guys. And speaking to those cuts... POTENTIAL adios train: CMC *DJ Moore (I'd say this is 50/50, but want him here) Shaq Robbie Anderson CJ Henderson Pat Elflein Damien Wilson -- We for certain, not considering maybes/potentially good/booms/busts, have the following above-average NFL starters for 2023: (1) WR DJ Moore (1) DE/EDGE Brian Burns (1) OT Taylor Moton (1) OG Austin Corbett (I'm being nice here) (1) DT Derrick Brown (1) LB Frankie Luvu (2) CB Jaycee Horn, Donte Jackson, (2) S Jeremy Chinn, Xavier Woods Notable potential guys, but possible discard/busts: Icky - I am VERY hopeful YGM - Can't decide, he looks good one week, piss-poor the next Shi/Terrace - Almost just want to move on and see what else is out there Higgins - I mean, hard to really even know yet Keith Taylor - I've liked him but can he become a starter? Solid depth? Tremble - re:Taylor Corral Brandon Smith - Would like to see him eventually McCall ---the rest of the active 53--- So again, is this "close"? Sure seems like a tough as hell sell to me when I turnaround and look at some of these other rosters in the NFC. The defense, yes, there is some really promising talent. But it has no capacity for solid run D and the offense pretty much needs full construction minus a few OLs. Whatsayyou?

You can't change the owner. Hope he gets the next one right. Have no issue with his presser, he clearly wants to win and took a risk. He failed, and is eating it now. Lessons learned, moving on.