KSpan

That's a large part of what a lot of that stuff is based on, so you're arguing semantics here. I will say that the team appears to actually be going after a player archetype but no, other than that it's pretty equivalent.

The problem is that the bulk of FA happens before the draft. Don't have the luxury of picking sheer talent and then filling gaps with top FAs. That doesn't mean people sacrifice significant talent based on need of course, but it makes the draft calculus that much more complicated.

You certainly can't prove the first point right now, and obviously the players were selected in different order. However, to your second point the overall 'grades' (put as much stock in these as you like) are the same or even a little worse in 2024 than 2021. 2021 draft 'grades': Grades for the Carolina Panthers 2021 Draft Class 2024 draft 'grades': Final Grades: How the national publications see the Panthers 2024 draft class

Who gives a flying fug about the media? Just because something isn't on blast doesn't mean it didn't happen.

Eh, no one needs to be saying anything publicly. Non-issue.

It felt exactly like the 2021 draft to me, and even the positions selected were almost exactly the same. Time will tell of course but it was certainly not anything all that different They've hit on their lower picks and been trading their 1sts for proven star vets. It would be a different story if their later picks weren't working and not every team could pull it off, but they've worked it for sure.

Too bad we hadn't already turned Burns into their first this year and next.

Indeed. No idea what I was looking at there. 237 is ILB weight.

Not at 220 lbs he won't, and they won't put weight on him if they need the speed.

And Tepper somehow magically figured it out with this round of hires, eh? We all certainly hope so.

This thread reminds me of when everyone was raving about Fitterer making all those draft trades his first year as GM.

The point is that workhorse backs are no longer a thing in the NFL. Loads are split and risks are hedged accordingly since each team carries a number of backs that all play. That said, it is certainly better to have good backs than bad. I know nothing about this player and do feel Carolina has bigger needs but perhaps he truly is BPA.

No worries. We already knew what dumbasses Fitterer, Tepper, and the FO were even before the trade went down. The trade itself just cemented it and this is further confirmation.

Until proven otherwise that definitely doesn't apply when David Tepper is involved, which is my whole point. All attribution should be reserved until the rubber meets the road and real football is on the field.

I really can't stand his 'youth pastor' vibe as some have put it and don't want to hold his confidence against him since what else is he really going to be, but I'm just a fan and admittedly quite cynical about the team, so my opinion on him at this point is irrelevant. Bottom line is he could turn out great and only time will tell, so I'm just waiting for actual football to be played. FWIW I didn't immediately hate the Canles hiring like I did the Reich and Rhule hires... those were dumpster fires so easily predictable that is was kind of aggravating. No disagreement that every new coach has their lumps to take and things to learn, just saying that there is little to nothing to go on with respect to his acumen as HC. I find his disposition annoying but as I noted above, that's more to do with me and the only thing that ultimately matters is the results.

Canales is smart based on what exactly? He talks a smooth game but dude has one year as a coordinator, and it's not like the moves made this offseason required any kind of high intelligence to predict. He could turn out to be good but the story has yet to be written on him as a head coach and any related aspects.

Sure he will. It's a soft, underthrown mid-deepish lob. That's a Bryce specialty.

Drastic improvement vs last year would be just having a below average WR room, let alone anything higher than that. Improving this position is the easiest layup any competent FO will ever have, and they sure as hell better be drastically improved.

I honestly forgot the draft was even going on yesterday until I saw the news this morning.

A 1st rd receiver with 25 catches for 450 yards with no real competition for playtime is absolutely a disappointment in today's NFL if the offense is producing. However, if the offense is crap again for whatever reason, then something like that may be a deceptive statline.

You are the one that talked about drafting for 4-5 years, and nowhere did I say anything about drafting at 'full potential' - that is definitely not a player worth spending a 1st on (Teddy as one example). Talking about drafting for development typically means that a player has a significant weakness hindering their game and keeping them from contributing at their draft position, not that a strong player isn't yet at their ceiling, so perhaps that's not what you meant. In your hypothetical of course you take a player with a higher ceiling if their ability is about the same as another with lower potential. However, you need immediate contribution form a 1st round pick and not 'drafting for 4-5 years'. Regarding naming a player, I couldn't care less about college football and honestly couldn't even name a single player available in the entire draft; it's easy to understand the draft strategy concepts but it's not my job to select players. That's the team's job, and if they feel that a guy with one year of production and 80% of his college career with nothing produced at his position (looking at stats alone) is what they want then we'll find out pretty quick if they will be sinking or swimming.

DK was taken at the tail end of the 2nd round and with other proven receivers still on the roster. Different risk profile.

It can happen, but it doesn't seem to very often. At least not to the level of performance that one expects from a 1st rounder.

Just like with Rhule and Reich, my measure of success this year is steady improvement throughout (Rhule and Reich both failed). Don't care about wins and losses - does the team and individual players look better week after week? That is the indicator that this staff has potential.

Maybe. The whole 'wait till they get on the field' attitude goes both ways. Dude did zilch as a receiver for 80% of his college career and Bryce is a big question mark. Lot of moving parts in this scenario and just as much to be skeptical about as not.