vorbis

yeah the shitstorm rages on. we'll see how sticky the Panthers' brass "Teddy is an ultimate pro" stance is. methinks we haven't seen the last of the back and forth.

maybe let's just update this thread with the Cole Spencer news https://www.washingtonfootball.com/video/meet-the-scouts-cole-spencer-20363618

not sure if you were around, but this place was originally called Panthers Huddle years ago, and the Panthers got in touch with Igo to get him to change the name.

I'm most optimistic about the way the front office is being built out, with the express organizational vision to build the team in alignment with the coaching staff's purported strengths of developing and getting the most out of players. I think if they can get this kind of conveyor belt setup going with drafting of rookies with potential, who then develop into starters and difference makers, who then go on to sign second contracts (in Charlotte or elsewhere) at a rate notably higher than the average NFL franchise, thereby leading to continual compensation draft picks from year to year, then you've got the makings of a consistent winner over a 5-7 year period.

Y A W N

it's Daviyon Nixon. Bravvion Roy is already on the team as of last year's draft.

tbh this sounds like someone who's close to those particular players getting told they were in consideration in the next few rounds AND that the Panthers were thinking of trading down in the 2nd. not necessarily that they were the primary target at any particular spot. if the Panthers are considering trading down to pick a specific player rather than from a range/short-list of players, then they are going to play themselves. if you have one player in mind, just pick them. trading down with the idea of getting a specific player will get you in trouble very quickly. something tells me the Panthers have a better plan than that.

Farley is a ridonkulous athlete. he'd threaten getting drafted in Patrick Peterson/Jalen Ramsey territory if it weren't for his back. and his back is a massive concern. I just don't see the value for him lining up for the Panthers to take him. he's not lasting to their 2nd pick, and there's no way you take him at 8 when he could legitimately play like 15 games in the league.

if the Panthers take Fields at 8 and then either he or Darnold works out to be a long-term starter, or even a pro bowl caliber player, then 5 years from now nobody will care that both players were carried on the roster for a period of time. it's only if neither of them works out that this will be seen as a failure. and even then, the failure will have been in the evaluation of Fields AND Darnold independently, not the decision to take two big shots at the position.

for the record, Fitterer said they had talked to five teams about trading down at different points in the draft. so not necessarily 5 options to move down from #8. though I imagine they’ll be able to find 5 options there this week before it’s said and done.

imagine trading all that SF traded to get up to pick 3, and not being completely sold on your pick when you do it. for the record I feel like they know damn well who they're going to pick, but they want to leave open the small possibility of moving again on draft day or something. or, John Lynch has made a huge mistake and the 9ers will either get really lucky or Lynch will get thrown out on his rear end in a season or two.

Rhule is drinking heavily from a big coffee during the press conference. rubbing his eyes and stuff. I think he was just really tired. I doubt there's anything else going on. this time of year is extremely grindy for head coaches.

it's the easiest thing in the world to say X NFL prospect is going to bust, because chances are, most of them will. it's also easy as hell to take an unfinished college product and say they are doomed to fail or never develop, because so few players actually do. it's also easy AF to knock players and predict calamity for their careers when you are not accountable for developing players, and you weren't really accountable for their development during your career as a scout, either. the harder thing to do is to look at a field of players, a certain percentage of whom are going to succeed in the NFL, and point out the ones who will. or the ones who you think will benefit most from the coaching you and/or your organization have to offer.

I've seen several scout types say that Lance has unequivocally the best arm in the draft class, so for this scout to be so definitive about his lack of arm strength relative to other busts... I dunno. it felt personal to me. certainly did not come across as impartial. far from it. proceed with caution.

there's a big difference between "not worth their contract" and "bad player." Shaq to me fits in the former category (good for him getting his bag, though) but definitely not the latter. man I would love me some Zaven Collins as a linebacker with big time size and thump who also isn't lost in coverage. if they are able to get him in the 2nd round or something like that, I'm a happy guy.

Scott Fitterer, in his first press conference as the Panthers GM, stated that it was a general philosophy of his that, unless the Panthers are picking in the top 15 or so picks, he's going to try to trade back to get more picks. so this is not exactly breaking news, guys. being at #8, he still has room to trade back and stay within that top 15 or so, if the value is right.

I feel like this discussion is getting way off track. if you want the real analysis that gets to the heart of the issue, look no further:

I would say that his arm is great. like, great great. not best-in-the-league great like Cam's was when he first came on the scene, but noticeably strong, and he can make touch throws and laser beam throws at all levels. operative word being can. it was plain as day that he got rattled by poor protection and maybe being hung out to dry by a bad offensive coaching staff. the scheme seemed fine but the players were so often not on the same page at all. but yeah, the arm is great. definitely better than Bridgewater's. if he fails, it won't be because of his ability to throw the ball.

for the "Panthers have plenty of weapons already" argument: their unquestioned best 3rd down threat last year has moved on to WFT. Robby Anderson's deal expires after this upcoming season DJ Moore has a 5th year option due next season, and a big contract negotiation somewhere around the corner McCaffrey's deal expiration lines up nicely with a 2021 rookie deal. every other skill position player is either unproven or is a complementary piece at this point. I think all 3 of the prospects listed in Voth's poll would be a good pickup at #8, for the record.

I think Pitts is a better prospect at TE than the others are at T. and I think Pitts is a safer bet to hit his potential than the others are. I like all three prospects a lot but I take Pitts and figure the rest out with other picks.

I think the dribbling out of the new cases has been strategic on Buzbee's part. and as sleazy as Buzbee may or may not be, he 100% knows better than to take these kinds of steps if he doesn't have some legit evidence to make his case. what might have seemed like desperate publicity-seeking in the first day or two of this story may turn out to be Buzbee putting the leverage squeeze on Watson, because he knows he's got him by the short and curlies. I also think it's not out of the question that Buzbee is still very prepared to settle. in his mind, he may even think the settlement number is extremely reasonable, and something Watson should accept ASAP. or even that Watson should have accepted in the first place (see: "Attention-seeking plaintiff" "Six-figure settlement offer" "But this isn't about money for me, it's about clearing my name" from Watson's only statement so far) but instead all he's done by not taking Buzbee seriously is make him go public with accuser #1, then 2, 3, 4, 5-11, 10 more on the way, and so on. there's zero percent chance that this is all fabricated, IMO. but what's strange about this story is that whether you believe Watson is innocent or guilty of this, to the very last detail, you're being asked to concoct a pretty insane narrative, based on the facts presented. either this super high-profile athlete with an up-til-now decent moral reputation is a serial offender, finally being exposed by a cartoon lawyer, and really bungling every step of this process... or idk, what's the best I can do here? someone is leaning on all these women to force them to drum up otherwise innocent instagram handies into sexual assault charges to sully his name as he tries to force his way out of town? yowsa. both of those are pretty crazy outcomes! and I'm not sure how much room there is in the middle for it to shake out any other way. fascinating times.

much better fit for this young defense than Tahir "Last Stop Before The Rocking Chair" Whitehead

well, I'm glad the lawsuit was actually filed and has concrete details. if this is true then everything I said about it not being assault is obviously out the window, and the incident described in the complaint would definitely be assault. and it would certainly rise above what would otherwise be "gross/inappropriate/unprofessional" conduct and into another realm entirely. this incident is alleged to have happened in March of last year, which doesn't do much to allay questions about the "timing" of the lawsuit, if one is inclined to think conspiratorially about this. but really that's all the speculation I'm comfortable doing at this point, now that we have the text of the complaint. it's a matter for the courts to decide now, or, more likely, a settlement of some sort. but for Watson to have put himself in a position where this kind of complaint could be levied against him is already Not Great, and if the details in this complaint are accurate, I'd certainly think a lot less of him as a person, much less a leader, and I'd not be interested in him playing for the team I like.

to be clear, asking a masseuse to massage an "inappropriate area" is very, very not cool. it's not even borderline or in some grey area. it could be construed as coercive in certain circumstances. but it's certainly not sexual assault. harassment, perhaps. does it warrant criminal charges? I don't see how it could. would it reflect poorly on his character? yes it would, absolutely. if Watson left when asked to leave, honestly that should probably be the end of it, as far as a legal or civil matter. but I guess we'll continue to see the details dribble out at this point. it's playing out according to someone's plan.

all I know is that if I had been assaulted by someone like Watson and wanted to seek justice, I'd have definitely sent my lawyer back to the drawing board for a better statement than that sketchy-af gobbledygook. I'm not sure it could have come off more slimy and on-the-surface disingenuous if it had been created in a lab. which is what makes me think that the goal here might not be to seek justice for the alleged victim, but to drag Deshaun through the mud for a week or two. which somehow would be even slimier than my first impression. I hope the victim's true wishes are being represented in the lawyer's statement and actions, but I am rather dubious at this point.