45catfan

Not a fan of dudes cheering, but like someone already mentioned, the Topcats are more of a dance squad. To that point, they have never been up to par with the likes of the Cowboys, Bucs, Chargers squads anyhow. I hardly go to games anymore so I could care less what happens on the sidelines. If I wanted to see hot girls dance, a strip club would be better suited.

QB: We are riding with Danrold this season no matter what. There's no option #2 as far as that is concerned. As far as injury? Now you could argue that Walker and Grier aren't the answer if Darnold has to miss some time. While I concur on that aspect, I really don't see the team investing in a borderline starter QB to back up Darnold. WR: Again, if factoring out injury, I think we are set at WR. Anderson, DJ, Marshall Jr, Zylstra and Smith are our top five. We have decent competition for that last sixth spot between the other Moore and Kirkwood. WR #6 isn't a huge concern for me. LB: Outside of Shaq, Reddick, Perryman and perhaps Carter, what do we really have? Luvu and Stanford? That's a stretch even counting those two. Beyond that is like throwing throwing mud at the wall. You typically want to keep 7 LBs on your 53-man roster.

I have a feeling we signed Irving as a back-up LT and because of his OL versatility. I'm nearly certain he was not signed to be our starting LT this season. The team thought they had two safe-guards and at worst, Irving would be option #3 at starting LT. Firstly, every one knew we were targeting a LT in the draft. The Lions screwed us over by nabbing Sewell and then trading down continuously squashed any realistic option of getting sure-fire starter. The backup plan was Taylor Moton being moved over after being tagged.

Eh, it's all speculation prior to camp, but looking on paper that is what I saw as glaring holes. I would say say short of camp injuries that we have most of those positions you listed settled in one fashion or another. Granted teams aren't going to have all-pros at every position, but settled enough that the staff should be comfortable heading into the season. I think we keep guys at WR, RB, OG, DT, LS, K, TE and CB we have heading into camp for the 53-man roster. In other words, no post-camp upgrade FA signings.

With $2.5 million in cap savings, if the team had any questions about Burris starting, he'd already be gone. They are not paying that kind of money to a reserve safety. They clearly chose him over Boston, one of the two had to go with the combined cap money tied up between them . Being a converted corner, he has the coverage skills and he's big enough at 210 that he's not a 'shy' tackler. My biggest issue with Burris last year was staying healthy. I thought his play was good enough when he was actually on the field.

I'm not a fan of the depth at safety either, but I think the team liked what they saw in Franklin last year and Robinson has a chance to step up in camp...throw Chandler into mix as well. Burris and Chinn are our unquestioned starters. That said, I doubt the team is going to spend resources in backup safeties unless a fringe starter becomes available after cuts and the rest of our reserves failed to impress them in camp. I would put safety at #4 if I would have done another position group. However, who does a top 4 list, lol?

We still have a month before camp, but looking over this roster I still see room for some improvement. Once cuts occur, I can definitely see us picking up 1-3 guys. 1) LT-BIG question mark here. The only solution on the roster is moving Moton to LT. Erving isn't the answer, neither is Little etc... Rhule has already seeming squashed the idea of Christensen playing there saying he's a RT or guard. If a better alternative comes available during preseason, expect us to pounce. 2) DE- Burns, YGM and Fox. The rest are JAGS. Even then, YGM and Fox are honestly #2's. We need a guy to play opposite of Burns. Reddick at 235 obviously is a pass rush specialist and not a DE. Maybe YGM steps up in camp. Fox is simply filling the void of what we thought we were getting with Weatherly last year...that 3rd rotational end. 3) LB- THIN here. This is the very reason Chinn was turned into a LB last year; mainly out of necessity. While the staff beefed it up a little this offseason, we still don't have the bodies needed if we are running a base 4-3. I read somewhere that we were in our base 4-3 last year less than 10% of the time because of LB depth. Yes, I understand nickle reigns supreme in the pass-happy NFL, but OUR personnel deficiencies were just as much of factor as match-ups with the opposition. Left tackle is a starting issue, DE is a starting/rotational type and LB is purely depth, so that why I ranked them as such. Even if the staff attempts to roll into the season without shoring up those spots, we are one injury away from serious question marks at any one of those positions.

I still chuckle when I think back to the people that had meltdowns when when drafted Chinn and passed over Simmons from Clemson. Ah, good memories.

^^^This. If he sticks on the roster I will have successfully mocked a day 3 player in consecutive drafts. I got Brevvion Roy last year. So yeah, I'm pulling for Taylor.

The red-headed stepchildren for Rivera was always OL and safety. He would beef up talent everywhere else on the roster. I remember Mitchell very well, his only problem was getting continuously fined for personal fouls. Coleman benefited initially from a strong overall defense. Once we lost some pieces, he got exposed quickly and the same can be said about Roman Harper. Godfrey was average, at best, in my view. Mike Minter was the best pure safety we've ever had.

How dare you pigeon hole Chinn like that!!!!!!!!!! You cruel, evil, person!

I've already addressed this. Our safeties are interchangeable and yes, I know the difference. If it makes the squad here feel cozy, just call Chinn a safety, that will be used in multiple ways. *will take some snaps at LB.

Our safeties are interchangeable, so sure, call it safety. Agreed, Ha-Ha would be purely a depth signing unless he can beat out Burris. However, since he got cut so early into the Cowboys camp last year, it seems his better days (at least as a realistic starting option) are over.

Lol, you need some coffee this morning if a player's position, now apparently reps, gets you this upset. If a DE drops into coverage, does that make him a corner? If a LB mugs up to the line in a 9-tech, does that a DE? If a LB drops into zone in a Tampa-2, does that make him a safety? Someone needs a hug.

Here you go, straight from Phil Snow himself: Excerpt on Chinn switching his role to focus more on the back end this year. "Chinn's the obvious part of that, as he's taking most of his work with the safeties this spring after playing linebacker last year. Snow said they were still going to move him around and use him multiple ways, but adding players such as Reddick and Denzel Perryman at linebacker (and both Snow and head coach Matt Rhule have mentioned Frankie Luvu lately as another versatile piece) gives them the flexibility to let Chinn play a deeper role. "Last year, we used him from the front back, and this year I think he's going to be more from the back up," Snow said of Chinn. "But a lot of the same things he can do, based on what we're calling."

If we sign Ha-Ha, it would be purely for safety depth. Jeremy is going to primary reside in the secondary and yes, once the season starts Chinn will have a S next to his name on the roster/depth chart.

Remember Jake played for John Fox's run first offense. A typical series was like: run-run-pass (if 3rd and manageable) or Run-run-run (draw up the middle if 3rd and long). I'm not saying Jake was a great QB, but he was never going to put up massive yards passing in that offense.

I agree that the team will disguise Chinn, but it has been said many time now that Chinn will be playing back to front in more of a secondary role. Will he take snaps at LB? Sure, but that is not going to be his 'home' this season.

The team is moving Chinn to free safety this year. Clinton-Dix could be competition for Burris, however. It was either last year or the year before I wanted us to sign Ha-Ha to a (reasonable) FA contract.

Jake was above average until he blew out his elbow. While Tommy John surgery allowed him to continue to play football, his arm was NEVER the same.

Well he just torpedoed any future sale of PSLs at BOA . Who in their right mind will buy these things now that they are going to be obsolete in several years? That is unless someone has enough money to flush thousands of dollars down the drain for a temporary, non-refundable item.

These news agencies are garbage and that goes all the way down to their sports "experts".

I'm so very glad is life saved. Apparently no pre-existing conditions from what I read. Rumors are floating around as to what may have lead to it.

Wasn't it because he called it like he saw it and wasn't full-on homer? In other words, if the Panthers fugged up on a play, he would put the team/player on blast and the organization didn't like that.

I never cared for Mick as an announcer. I'm sure he's a great guy and all, but he's very hard to listen to. I can't remember why the organization got rid of Bill, but he was 10x better than Mick ever was.