BrianS

Curious what stat you're using to track that. If you are using separation, you couldn't be more wrong. Here are the WR separation stats for people who were around the same separation as Mingo last year. It's not a bad crowd. Slightly more separation than DJ Moore, DeeDee Lamb and Justin Jefferson if you're keeping track at home. Slight less separation than Stefon Diggs, Brandon Aiyuk and Puka Nakua.

In fairness, up until this season it's been a valid question as to whether DB was going to be an elite player. His first two years were terrible. Last season we started to see glimpses of the player he could be. It wasn't until this year that we all saw DB become what everyone wanted him to be from the start. It's a funny thing. His effect on the passing game hasn't really changed. His pressure numbers, QB hits, sacks . . . it's not any different than it was his first season. He takes up two blockers. That's his job. It's good that as a fan base we've come to understand the value of a DT who can do that. We clearly missed the mark back when we made the Star / KK decision.

Here's how PFR (not PFF) sees it: One of the top 5 ILB of all time . . . you gotta put him in 1st ballot. Surely.

Accomplishment? Let's not get carried away. The Chiefs only averaged 21.3 points per game in the regular season, and 23.8 in the playoffs. Pretty much just held serve. Wilks is about average. The DC on the other side, now there's a dude.

We're not an attractive destination for a "younger vet". Those guys typically want a chance to play, to show that they can be "the guy". If you're on the outside looking in at the Panthers situation, it's not a place you want to go. 1. They have a young, first round QB. They clearly want to give that guy every opportunity to be "the guy". 2. Young vets who come to Carolina inevitably fail. Bridgewater and Darnold most recently. 3. You've got a first year HC and staff who have not done their new jobs before. We'll be lucky to have a guy like Dalton back, assuming he doesn't retire.

We literally have the worst roster in the NFL. We are the team who can legit take BPA with every draft pick and we will be able to say that guy can help us if he pans out.

It really is sickening what a good team we had to come away with so little.

This is important. All the restructures are what got us the worst roster in the NFL with $30 million for free agents. We keep thinking we can get away with it but we can't. Houston did it right from a cap perspective. They took 2023 and said "This is a throw away. We have a rookie QB, let's get it right for next year". They had $47 million in dead cap for 2023. Now, they have $65 million in free cap for 2024. They paid the price and now look at them. Houston never intended to compete this year, they were carried to it by an otherworldly start by their rookie QB.

Worst roster in the NFL. 30 million in cap. This is not my definition of "good".

And now we start to see why our cap "guru" was let go.

I'm mildly optimistic about the coach. I am concerned with the front office, the owner and the roster.

He did play 13 games in 2022. I'd take the option. If he winds up injured the next two years, he won't get a contract from anyone anywhere. It's most definitely in his interests to be healthy. At $11 million, it's not even that bad.

Good that CJ and Bryce have an actual friendship. Love that for both of them. I think it's tough to argue that Stroud was put in the better situation. Houston EARNED the #2 pick. They looked like a team years away. We looked like a team with awful coaching, earned the #9 pick and traded a bag to move up. 12 months from now we'll know for sure on Bryce. I don't have high hopes, but he'll get the chance.

We traded up to #1 so we could have any QB with a pulse hand the ball off 35+ times a game? That's our plan? I don't think so. Yes, we need to be capable of running the ball - regardless of what blocking scheme gets us there. But we don't need to become the 85 Bears. Or the 2023 Titans. We need to be able to make explosive plays in the pass game.

sigh. DeVonta Smith, #2 to AJ Brown, 2.8 Sep, caught 81 balls for 1066 yards. Gabe Davis, #2 to Stefon Diggs, 2.8 Sep, caught 45 balls for 746 yards. Rashid Shaheed, #2 to Chris Olave, 2.8 Sep, caught 46 balls for 719 yards. Jordan Addison, #2 to Justin Jefferson, 2.8 Sep, caught 70 balls for 911 yards. But seriously, why does it matter how they got the separation they got? Oh, right, it doesn't. These guys were NFL open. Our guys were NFL open. Put the ball on them. If we subsequently lead the league in drops, ok, fine we can clearly see where the problem is. Man, can we face reality please? It's one thing to hope for the best, but we have to do it while staring at reality. I hope Bryce makes a miraculous turnaround. I hope he becomes a franchise QB. I promise, I want him to succeed. What I can't stand is seeing the continuous string of excuses that the copium and hopium peddlers keep trying to sell. What I can't stand is the idea that a potentially good coach gets hamstrung by the dead weight of a QB who can't do the things the NFL demands. What I can't stand is the thought of another wasted season with no backup plan.

Just to add a little context around this . . . our top 3 receivers averaged 2.7 yards of separation this year. Was it the best or even close? No, not really. However, here's a list of some receivers with 2.6 to 2.8 yards of separation on the year: Davante Adams, Terry McLaurin, Odell Beckham, Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, Romeo Doubs, Jakobi Meyers, DJ Moore, Tyler Lockett, Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis. Having 2.7ish yards of separation didn't stop those guys from being good to great receivers this year. Our receivers were NFL open. End of story. I'm not arguing they were great. I'm not saying they shouldn't or couldn't do better. But their separation was not an issue that should be considered when talking about our QB.

Oooooo! Sorry! Thanks for playing we have some nice parting gifts for you! We were top 10 in ToP this year, only six teams possessed the ball more:

While I generally have a positive opinion of Canales, I don't think he's going to be here long. He's been handed a roster that is arguably the most devoid of talent in the league. He has no 1st round pick to use or trade to start pulling us out. Our cap situation is middle of the pack. The QB he's been handed is a unicorn that will require all sorts of crazy hoop jumping and turn arounds to find success. He's got an owner who has a clear history of impatience. 2024 is going to be ugly. Six wins and no losses over 10 points would be incredible success. I don't hold much hope for incredible success. Four wins is a lot closer to reality. I think we're hiring all new coaches and front office this time next year.

Interesting that Canales used that phrasing about Baker. "Put his back foot in the ground and let it rip". Almost like he's watched our tape.

Maybe this time The Carolina Teppers can let the coach decide who he wants on his staff.

It's hard to get excited about non-information when the team is as bad as it is.

This is it exactly. You can't keep a guy on your staff who you KNOW could be tapped to replace you mid-season. You just can't.

The reason you don't draft another QB this year is really simple. It muddies the waters in 2025. If we draft a QB, let's say 2nd or 3rd round, he's for sure not going to start. BY is going to start, don't get this twisted. So here you sit, in 2025, high 1st round pick in your pocket . . . but what about the guy you drafted in 2024? Is he the answer? You don't know because BY started. No muddy water. Sink or swim with Bryce and find out for sure. If something completely bizarre happens and Penix is available in the 4th or late compensatory part of the third, ok, fine.

Sure, maybe. By the same token, his pre-draft reports had things like: "He threw passes of 60 yards in the air during pro day" "Has a quick release, a strong arm and is an accurate passer, especially on the run" "He has good arm strength with an accurate touch. He has a quick release, and makes good decisions" Dalton already had a "good" arm coming in. His improvement is going from "good" to "The Red Rifle".

Love also has very high end arm talent. That's certainly the most common way to make up for shaky mechanics. Folks who cite all the "fixed" QB's often overlook this fact. Fixes seem to always come from the shoulders up. That's what's happened with Love. Yea, his mechanics aren't great all the time, but he's learned how to time that up with routes, and then trust his excellent arm to get the ball there. I think all the spray misses he was experiencing early were because the clock in his head wasn't married up to the routes. He was either early or late and knew it.