SCO96

I was actually thinking the same thing you posted. Some people have said that trading down could actually get a decent 1st round pick and solid 2nd round pick as well. This is suppose to be a strong year for o-lineman in the draft. If we could draft two solid starters to pair with Moton and Christensen we'd be a lot better heading into 2022. And...if Deonte Brown could perform at RG, we could have the best o-line in the NFC South for the next 3-4 years. Here's a link with a breakdown of the the top 2022 draft prospects. Four lineman, including the IOWA center you mentioned (Tyler Linderbaum) are expected to go in the top 10. https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2022-nfl-draft-board-big-board

I think you "might be correct in your assessment of BC", but we still don't know for sure. He's only started 2 games at his natural position, and each game was against teams with strong pass rushes. Tampa won the SB last year, and the Saints shut them out 9-0 two weeks ago on a nationally televised game. The Saints have beat Brady and company 4 out of the last 5 times they've played...and would have beat them in the playoffs last season if Brees had been healthy. Considering who he played against, and the lack of starts at LT, I think Brady did "ok", not great, but "ok". If Rhule had allowed him to play most of the season at LT, we'd have a really good feel for what to do going forward. All that said, if we could get a top notch LT in the first round and put BC at LG, we could be set on our left side for the next several years. But, if we rolled with Brady next year and took the best interior lineman in the top 10, that would still be a major upgrade over this season's terrible O-line play.

To be honest, I think we were quite competitive last year. Our 5-11 record looks terrible on paper but we had a legit chance to almost every game we played last season. Eight of our 11 losses were by 8 pts or less in 2020. The reason why Teddy Bridgewater is gone is because his record in game winning drives in the 4th quarter was 0-8. The very fact that we had 8 chances to win or tie a game on our last drive of the game means we were competitive. Despite the poor record, I never got bored watching the games. I just felt a big letdown after we seemed to snatch defeat from the hands of victory almost every week. I didn’t expect to make the playoffs in 2021. I thought we could get to 8-10 wins and knock on the post season door. Robbie and DJ both went over 1000 yds. I thought getting TMJ would give us even more pop in the passing game. Tremble should have given us another passing options and helped the run game with his blocking. Hubbard seemed to be a good pick as a backup/situation starter. I assumed out Oline picks would help improve the Oline performance. Darnold has almost thrown for 20 TDs twice in the past. I thought he would at least approach that number this year. Rhule would have another year of experience and a full offseason after the Covid disaster in 2020. So yeah, I admit that I expected a better team performance this season, even if we missed did end up missing the playoffs or finished below .500. I didn’t expect the debacle this season. Not only are we going to have a fourth straight losing season, but he Panther offense is just painful to watch. This is one of the worst NFL offenses I’ve ever seen and I’ve been a regular NFL viewer since the late 1970s.

I know the offensive line is terrible, but it seems like we should be able scheme around it better than we are currently doing. Sam, Cam, and PJ are all above average in mobility, but we don't seem to get those guys on the edge with called roll outs to move the pocket. I don't see us throwing many screens to slow down the pass rush. TE's Thomas and Tremble have a combined 36 catches on the year. If each guy caught 2 passes a game over the course of the season they'd have almost twice that number in combined catches. TE's are an after thought in this offense. I'd be practicing every trick play I knew (reverses, reverse passes, HB options, hook and ladders, etc) to keep the chains moving and to compensate for the poor line. As you pointed out, we just seem to run the same routes over and over. Even with this line, the upper echelon coaches would be able to get 8-10 wins with the current talent, and possibly more depending on the strength of schedule.

12 TD's over the course of a 16 game season in a pass happy league...that's shocking! Our 3rd leading receiver has missed over 50% of the games this season. The next closest player in receptions is a RB Ameer Abdullah (26 receptions). I don't think Abdullah started the year with the team and he's only played in 10 games. That's shocking! We extended R. Anderson's contract in the off season and now he averages less than 3 catches per game. It's shocking just how much his production has fallen. Our skill position players and QB's are among the worst in the NFL in terms of productivity. Frankly, I'm shocked we've played this poorly. Last year's offenses was much better...and that's saying something considering our inability to pull out close games in the fourth quarter in 2020.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/stats/_/name/car The Panther passing game has been so anemic this year that: 1) Our 3rd leading receiver in terms of receptions (37) and yardage (343) is Christian McCaffrey; and he's only played in 7 games this season. 2) Our #2 WR is Robbie Anderson. He's played in all 16 games and only has 46 receptions and 469 yards. 3) Brandon Zylstra is our 3rd leading WR (18/250/1 TD) and his 18 receptions tie him with Ian Thomas and Tommy Tremble for 6th place on the team. Zylstra has been more productive than our 2nd round draft pick Terrace Marshall Jr. (17/138/0). Yesterday, Bengal rookie Ja'marr Chase had more yards in one game than our #3 and #4 WR's have in an entire season. 4) Darnold, Newton, and Walker have a combined of 12 TD passes on the year. Forty-four year old Tom Brady has more than 3x that many (40). Even with a poor oline, the offense shouldn't be this bad. I can't see things improving next year unless some drastic changes are made.

The Panthers are 22-42 since Tepper took over the team with for straight losing seasons. Matt Rhule has a 10-22 record over the past two seasons, and that loss record will in all likelihood reach 23 due to the additional game. Tepper said that he didn't want to continue with the sustained mediocrity. Right now "mediocrity" would be a massive upgrade for the franchise. This may be the worst offensive team Carolina has ever fielded.

I didn't write this. I found this post over at the Cat Scratch Reader site. I decided to post because I found the content to be quite depressing, but a true statement on the past 3 seasons in Carolina. ---------- In addtion to the myriad problems with the current Panthers, don't forget that only 3 times in the first 24 seasons of this franchise have they won less than 6 games. Now, here in seasons 25, 26, & 27, we're going for 3-in-a-row less than 6 victory seasons. With an extra game this year.

I didn’t waTch one snap of today’s game which was a first for me this season. Based on the score I don’t think I missed much. However, I’m curious to know if Brady started at LT today, and if so, how did he play.

I may be in the minority, but if I were a GM there’s no way I’d move up to from the mid teens to number 6/7 and give Carolina this years number 1, this year’s number 2, and a number 1 in 2023 for a QB in this draft class. I’d feel like I’d been robbed. If we’re expecting a any team’s first round pick in 2023 I think we may end up being disappointed.

Jimmy Johnson was a great evaluator of talent, and he was really was the key to the rapid turn around in Dallas. But, you're right about that trade. He wouldn't have been able to win those Super Bowls as quickly if not for the extra draft choices. When he got to Miami he was able to field a competive team and drafted some good players (Sam Madison, Zach Thomas, Jason Taylor), but he didn't come close to accomplishing what he did in Dallas. Some of that is because he wasn't able to draft as many top players as quickly as he did with the Cowboys. Here's what Jimmy Johnson received after fleecing the Vikings. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/140116-the-best-trade-in-nfl-history In 1989, at the peak of Walker's NFL career, the Cowboys sent Herschel Walker to the Vikings for five players and six draft picks. The players were LB Jesse Solomon, DB Isiac Holt, RB Darrin Nelson, LB David Howard, and DE Alex Stewart. The picks turned into players such as Emmitt Smith, Russell Maryland, Kevin Smith, and Darren Woodson. ------

Here’s the ironic thing about this post, it would probably be a good pick for us most years considering the need at linebacker. Penn State has a poor NFL track record at the QB but they tend to put out solid linebackers on a fairly consistent basis.

I'm glad I wasn't drinking anything when I first read this post. I laughed so hard that I would have spit it all over my keyboard.

That's not exactly true. Tom Brady is still starting after being picked over 20 years ago in the 6th round. I know Brady is an outlier, but Dak Prescott and Kirk Cousins were 4th round picks who are starting for their respective teams and both have played well this season. Jalen Hurts has 16 TD/9INTS and still has the Eagles in playoff contention. He's shown a lot of improvement during his second season and he's a 2nd round pick. The Eagles felt comfortable enough to replace Carson Wentz (a first round pick) with Hurts. Most of the starters in the NFL are first rounders, but you can find quality goes on Days 2 and 3 of the draft. QB evaluation is still a mystery to me. Guys like Kurt Warner and Tony Romo are undrafted, but guys like Ryan Leaf, Jamarcus Russel, Mitch Tribinsky, and gulp....Sam Darnold go in the first round.

The way BC was handled is one of the reasons Rhule has caused so much animosity among the fans. Christensen should have been starting at LT (or dare I say it...a guard position) by at least mid-season. We would have been able to to see whether or not he could be counted on to hold down one of the positions. Then we could go into the off-season knowing exactly which position(s) to address. Now, we still really don't know what he have. I don't know if a 3 game sample at season's end is enough to make a sound decision on the LT spot. But, if he plays well to end the season, I'd focus on the interior lineman in the draft after seeing how we were man handled by Tampa yesterday (and all season for that matter)

You bring up a valid point. A lot of Panther fans seem to think some of our problem areas "can be addressed in free agency". In theory that is correct. But, if Rhule comes back next year, how many players do you think will be saying "I just can't wait to play for Matt Rhule and the Carolina Panthers"? Why would any player in the prime of his career want to play here given the current circumstances? We may be able to get some one trying to hang on for a few more years after realizing that his services aren't valued anymore by most teams. But, I just don't see anyone else coming unless it is someone buried on a depth chart and wants an opportunity to start.

Note: This was posted earlier under a different thread. I didn't realize this thread was on the forum until this morning. Derrick Brown is about to enter his 3rd season. Unless he makes a drastic improvement with his on the field performance in 2022, there is no way I'd pick up his 5th year option for 2024. I'd go into 2023 with a plan to let him walk at the end of the year. A DT should not be drafted in the TOP 10 unless he's a pass rushing force like Warren Sapp, Aaron Darnold, Randy White, Mean Joe Green, John Randall), an immovable force in the run game, or a very good balance between the two. Derrick Brown has yet to prove he's either one. He's an ok player, but if he weren't on the team would we really be that much worse? DB seems to be a more of a complimentary player in/on a good defense, not a centerpiece to build around. We could have found someone later in the draft who would have played just as well. I think we'll have to address DT in the next two years unless he balls out in 2022.

Derrick Brown is about to enter his 3rd season. Unless he makes a drastic improvement with his on the field performance in 2022, there is no way I'd pick up his 5th year option for 2024. I'd go into 2023 with a plan to let him walk at the end of the year. A DT should not be drafted in the TOP 10 unless he's a pass rushing force like Warren Sapp, Aaron Darnold, Randy White, Mean Joe Green, John Randall), an immovable force in the run game, or a very good balance between the two. Derrick Brown has yet to prove he's either one. He's an ok player, but if he weren't on the team would we really be that much worse? DB seems to be a more of a complimentary player in/on a good defense, not a centerpiece to build around. We could have found someone later in the draft who would have played just as well. I think we'll have to address DT in the next two years unless he balls out in 2022.

Rodgers wasn't taken until after the 20th pick. Lamar Jackson was taken at the end of the first round. Drew Brees was a high second round choice. I think Favre was taken in the 2nd as well. Russel Wilson lasted until the 3rd round. Dak Prescott was a 4 rounder. Brady lasted to the 6th round. Kurt Warner and Tony Romo weren't even drafted. You don't have to pick in the top 10 to get a franchise QB. There are people on the forum so desperate to get a QB that they'd draft me if I were the highest ranked QB coming out even though I'd arguably be the worst QB in NFL history using the logic "We may not be picking in the top 10 next year"

I may not have explained myself well. I realize generational QBs are rare. But, there are guys that come out who are considered legitimate 1st round choices. I haven’t watched much NCAA this year. I’m only going by what pundits, and some Huddlers have said…that there isn’t a QB good enough to go in the top 10 in the 1st round THIS YEAR. Sam Darnold, Mitch Trabinsky, Christian Ponder, Jake Locklear, Jamarcus Russell, etc were not good enough to go in the first round, but they were taken because some front office felt “we need to take a QB in the first round “ so let’s use our high draft choice and get a franchise QB while we can. We see how those choice turned out.

Shaq B should be expected get the upper hand against a 3rd round rookie a LT starting at the position for the first time. I don’t think BC played great, but it went better than I thought it would. Barrett had a sack and one QB hit. I think he would have done even more damage if Erving had started.

I agree with you to a point. Thing is, we’d have a better idea of just how good BC is if Rhule had played him at his natural position earlier in this season…or started him at one of the guard positions for most of the season since he feels his arms are “too short” to play Left Tackle.

A lot of those sacks came right up the gut. The interior lineman did not block well today.

I’m glad you started this thread. I was curious to see how the Huddle would assess BC’s performance. I thought he held up ok in his first start at LT , against one of the best pass rushes in the game, while blocking for arguably the worst passing offense in the NFL.

If a Peyton Manning, John Elway, Andrew Luck type player is on the board you need to grab him. No one questions that. This year there isn’t that type of QB available so it would be wise to nab a top rated lineman while we can. If you think you can find two offensive line starters later in the 1st or 2nd round I’d trade the pick to get some extra draft choices. One of the the worst thing you can do is overdraft a quarterback in the top 10.