Khyber53

Shaq had a very good year, excellent if you take into account he was having to cover for Whitehead being out of place and being afraid to tackle. On just about any other team in the league, Shaq would be heralded as their best linebacker and a leader on the field. Here, there will always be Luke's Jedi-ghost image on the field to compare him to. It's not fair to the guy, but that's what happens when you play alongside one of the best to ever play the game, not to mention Thomas Davis on the other side. Honestly, Shaq's an excellent guy to have out there on every down. If we can get some decent (not even good) play from the MLB that ends up starting, then Shaq will finally get the credit he really deserves.

I like what we're doing with the defensive line... this could make for a very interesting year. We look loaded with guys who are just this close to break-out years. If two or three pop at the same time, it could be tremendous. And just the rotational opportunities... wow. To most NFL fans, this is a no-name defense. By December, they'll know, they'll know.

3. San Francisco 49ers Mac Jones, QB, ALA Nat's notes: I have been saying this since they traded up, Mac is the guy. Internet scouts (including me) severely underrate the level at which he played QB this year. The more tape you watch on him the more it makes sense. Mac Jones is the #3 QB on multiple boards, including ours. I've been beating this drum for a while now, but yeah, Jones is the third best QB in this draft and a guy I thought we'd try hard for. Darnold makes this tougher, but if Jones should happen to get past San Fran and falls, I still think we pick him up. If not, Sewell/Slater is definitely the long term best move.

But if even one is telling the truth...

This without a doubt. LT is involved as an active participant in every snap of the game. There are a lot of plays that a WR is just on the field to move the other team's chess pieces around. Even the greats weren't called on every down. But that LT, he is there battling it out every down whether it's run or pass, headed his way or moving to the right. And let's not forget the importance of having a good/great LT protecting your QB. If the QB feels safer, then they can play freer and better. And, well, we don't have one of those right now. We do have receivers, excellent to great ones. On board, ready to roll. Take the tackle, leave the cannolis.

Wouldn't be mad, but I think we'll grab more OL in the second round. There's a Wisconsin Div 3 Sasquatch that we should pick up for LG/C.

The right special teams player can win you a game. A bunch of good ones working together can make the difference in a game or two. A bunch of guys just playing special teams so they can keep a roster spot, now that'll lose you a few games every darned year.

12-5.

Barring a surprise dropping QB, that's the best way to go. No doubt about it.

If any of the big five guys happens to be missed until the 8th pick, I don't have the slightest problem with taking any of them. I want Darnold to have a chance to succeed here, but let's face it, we have minimal investment in him AND a desperate need to find a franchise QB right now. If Fields, Lance or Jones falls to 8 (because there's no chance for the other two) then you have to swing for them and get your guy. Then you work both that guy and Darnold into training camp, preseason and onwards. Watch the development... go with the one who gives us the best chance to win, now and long term. Having a rehabbed Darnold and say a top-level performing Jones at the end of next season could be a big deal. If we sign the fifth year option on Darnold, and he is really good then we can either run with him or put him out there as a trade to someone in need. Same goes for the other guy. Both New England and Green Bay have had some serious success going this route with a top QB on the field and a first rate understudy waiting in the wings. Either the understudy takes over or goes to a needy team with some serious trade value. If those guys are all gone (and there is a chance they are) then you go right to OT and grab Slater or Sewell. No questions, no delays, no getting fancy and trying to trade back.

I don't want to see us give up #8, I want to see us grab a foundational player that will start right out of the gates and be part of the team for years to come. Now if someone backs up the Brinks truck and unloads multiple firsts and a couple of extras, I might be tempted to trade.

He'll be given a shot here. Sometimes that's all a guy needs.

Let's not even talk about him being apparently one of the most fragile guys in the league. With his injury record I'm amazed we aren't signing him instead.

I don't agree, but I'm always interested in your take. I don't think we will trade down. We need a foundational member of the team we are building. We need to make a pick of the litter pick. I still think we take a swing at QB if one falls, if not it's LT or Pitts. Slater --> Sewell --> Pitts barring one of the top four QBs in your list don't fall.

There's a lot to agree with in your post. The truth is, we don't really know what Rhule is planning. He's good at keeping his cards close to the vest. We won't know anything until the draft happens, so we're all just guessing here.

I'm not sure that's necessarily the case. I think what you want in a franchise QB is someone who will outplay, outwork, outstudy, outcompete and outshine whoever is in their way. It's not a place for tender feelings and being unable to compete. Rhule came in and showed Cam the door before that fan favorite ever saw the field again under the new regime. We ate $2 million in dead cap then and if Darnold ends up sitting on the bench for $4.77 million this year, we aren't out anything. The challenge to Darnold is to be THE guy in that scenario. Make the other guy sit on the bench by using everything you've learned in three seasons in the NFL and don't look back. Winners compete and win. History is showing us that Rhule doesn't have time to coddle a QB, no matter how tender the ego is. And he has shown no signs otherwise.

If Jones, Lance or Fields is available at #8 we may take a swing at QB. If Jones somehow makes it past San Francisco and is still there at #8 we will definitely take him. Darnold is being given a shot, but we may want to have a chance to shoot both barrels into this season and see if one hits. The upside is too big to pass up on. Finding THE QB is just that important in winning. And that lack of picking up the option on Darnold yet may mean the offer may look like a back-up QB salary rather than a starter's salary depending on our draft pick.

He got behind the wheel of a car while he was drunk. People other than him were direly injured by him. I have no reason to say he shouldn't receive the maximum level of punishment. I really can't even stir up the slightest sympathy for him. All other extenuating circumstances fall to the wayside when he climbs into the driver's seat that night.

You can learn a lot about a person in just a couple of weeks. Like if the last team left him with any lingering traumas. They may also look at negotiating an entire contract now while his resume` looks less promising, offering incentives rather than guarantees.

Well, we'd just come out of a long-term relationship and went right into a rebound relationship. Seeing that was going nowhere, we dove headfirst into the dating pool and got rejected by a couple of hotties that all our friends thought were great. When none of that worked out, we may have done the smart thing and looked over at the low-mileage one that used to be hot but got treated badly. Sometimes that doesn't work out. Sometimes you end up happily hitched for years and years to come.

There are going to be temptations laid before our team. Best Player Available is almost always the right direction to go... except for right now. We have to avoid the temptations of Pitt and Parsons and go for a LT right away at #8. No effin' around and trading down, no trading up, no toying with the idea of a CB. Pick the danged LT and give the new QB a chance to compete in the system. If we don't take one of the three stud OTs in the draft (and my pick is Slater, then Sewell, then Darrisaw) then we're going to put the young Darnold out there in another situation like he faced with the Jets. He simply won't stand a chance and the gamble on him will never have even a shot at paying out. If we grab a great LT and that guy performs at the expected level, then we can truly evaluate the Darnold move under the best of conditions. We will know if there's hope there or if we swing for QB next time around. If we do anything else, there's too much wiggle room in the results. Too much of a chance that a poor performance by Darnold will be because of bad line play. It seems stupidly simple, but it really is that straightforward.

The only numbers that really matter: 12-4, 13-3, 14-2. Sh!t! 12-5, 13-4, 14-3, 15-2... those numbers will be what matters. Darnold can throw 35 INTs if we can hit the play-offs and make a serious mark there. Okay, he can throw 12 INTs and I won't lose my mind over it. Gotta have some standards I guess. But wins, baby, wins. Many wins. If not, then I think we take a close look at not just him but perhaps our coaching staff.

If it hasn't been said already, Jake frikkin' Delhomme.

That's a good read, thanks for sharing! I hope this all works out well. There's nothing better than a redemption story and hopefully the kid can thrive here. Get him some protection and then all the pieces are in place for success. We're going to learn a lot about our coaches and management this season, based on this trade, draft picks and development of the team. Let's hope a real off-season is in the works and they can produce something championship-worthy and enduring.

The guy was the best center to ever play for Carolina and was true to the team throughout his career. He played under center with Delhomme, McCown, Moore, Claussen, Cam, Allen, Gilbert, and then Darnold in New York. He understands what to expect from QBs good and bad, he was in the league long enough to know good coaching from bad. He's a smart guy and a football guy. The team didn't make its decision based on what Kalil said, but I am sure they sought out his opinion and considered greatly what he had to say, along with what Josh McCown had to say. That brought the team more real, direct knowledge of Darnold than we could have of any of the top QBs in the draft. Will Darnold pan out? I sure hope so and you should, too. He's a Panther now, so he's our guy. Right?