45catfan

Speedy recovery my friend. If it makes you feel any better, my household had it over Christmas and couldn't visit with friends and family.

I got a Boston butt smoking currently. I lit the grill about 9:30 this morning and plan on smoking it until dinner time. Just chilling at the house this year kicking back with a few cold ones. The wife and I had a some invites to places, but we both have to work in the morning. Staying out late drinking and having to drive home--plus having to get up early in the morning nixed those plans. I settled for relaxing at house and having some homemade BBQ sandwiches out of a pork shoulder for dinner instead. Happy 4th!

Probably a better salary, too. It seems like a lateral move to cover an even bigger circus that the Panthers. There had to be a lure. Either better money or he was complete done working at the Observer. If it's the later, that's pretty damning. Again, I doubt people were lining up to be the beat reporter of the Texans.

Oh, I get it's a reflection on the Observer...but how bad does it get where taking a job to cover the Texans is a seen a better career choice? Pretty bad obviously.

I think everyone missed the forest for the trees. Dude is leaving to cover the TEXANS! How big of a poo show do you have to be to take a job to cover the biggest poo show in the entire NFL (okay, maybe second outside of the DC Commandos).

I think my run at training camp will end this year. I've been going every year since 2000 with exception to the Covid seasons. They are seemingly not as intense, shorter duration and overall not as interesting.

But 'Jeans Friday' guys. Am I right? Richardson sold the Panthers to Tepper to what amounts to jaywalking in comparison to what has happen with players and owners since then.

I prepared myself when Rhule wasn't released as soon as last season was over.

Panthers' future, possibly. Rhule's future? Not remotely. Corral starting '22=losing season and Rhule fired.

You are talking about a Shula. There is no Rhule coaching legacy. Granted, Shula's sons never turned out to be like their dad but, they didn't know that in the 90's.

Baker likely gives us ~3 more wins over Darnold's total. Is it worth it? That's the question I think the staff and a lot of us fans are wrestling with.

Exactly. It may seem I'm a Baker fanboy, however I'm just trying to put myself in Matt Rhule's shoes or rather, his hot seat. Even if Baker signs here, he's not the solution beyond this season. My ultimate goal for QB lies in next year's draft. Let that be put on the record amid all this Baker Mayfield discussion.

Again, the one factor you are not considering is does RHULE feel this way? Despite what he says, does he feel he can survive with another losing season? You are playing the long game and Rhule looking at 2022. It's not complicated. If Rhule thinks he HAS to provide a winning product this season, the answer at QB is not on our roster currently. If Rhule is actually playing the long game like he should and is taking Tepper at his word that this is a minimum 5-year rebuild, then we don't need and won't acquire Baker Mayfield.

And if Corral flops like most rookie QBs? It seems you have the assumption that Corral performing adequte-to-decent is a given. History has shown otherwise for rookie QBs, especially 3rd rounders. I like Corral, but I'm going to err on the side of history in this case. Just an aside, this roster is nowhere near the level that Dak Prescott and Russel Wilson found themselves in their rookie seasons.

Rhule is no longer the gatekeeper over this roster. That's not fiction.

Jake was a seasoned veteran. Corral, despite his potential is a rookie QB. Rookie QBs struggle, period. Sure, there a few outliers, but as a general rule of thumb, it's usually a rough road for them. This ALL boils down to how comfortable Rhule will be with another losing season. I have zero argument about the long-term trajectory for this team and how we should handle the QB situation. That's being practical, but again, will Rhule be practical given another losing season is staring him right in the face with Darnold/Corral as QB1 and QB2?

Problem is the schedule isn't set up that way. Like last season, the first few games are some of the most winnable of the season. The back half of the schedule is brutal.

Knee-jerk reactions are what Rhule does best, so rational, long-term goals for the team are tenuous propositions at best. What if they think Mayfield would be a better tutor for Corral than Sam? Sam and Baker are one and done, it's a matter of who can mover the needle this year and be the better mentor (on the field) for Corral. Corral starting isn't an option for Rhule, period. It's a guaranteed losing season for us. Despite Tepper going to bat for Rhule this offseason, I'm not sure he's taking that endorsement to the bank. Rhule knows he needs a winning season this year to be back in Charlotte in 2023 for certain.

FIFY. As I understand it, Rhule has got to actually confer with Fitts and get his stamp of approval as well now before moves are made.

Don't expect this to happen before training camp is almost upon us. Depending on how much of hardball we are playing, it may not happen until TC is actually underway. It's happening none-the-less. Cleveland can't keep Baker and Rhule can't dig this team out of the cellar with Darnold.

You don't tell people at the table the cards you are holding in a game of poker. Rhule also says players are training camp MVPs only later to cut them.

Flinging someone and unwrapped Baby Ruth bar. How thoughtful...

Yup. This game of chicken is ultimately gonna see us flinch first. It's a matter of getting Cleveland to their best and final offer. The last report was half of Baker's salary was the most the Browns were willing to eat. We want less, but if that ends up being Cleveland's best offer, we ultimately take it. 100% Baker is in a Panthers uniform sometime during training camp. Mark it down.

I got us with 6 wins with Darnold and 9 wins with Baker. Wins (either QB): Browns (minus Watson), Giants, Saints (home), Falcons (home), Seattle and Detroit. Wins that Baker gives us over Darnold: *49ers, Falcons (road) and Saints (road). * A healthy Jimmy G isn't starting. Now, one can question 'are those extra wins worth it for a one-year rental?' For Matt Rhule, the answer is abso-freaking-lutley.

These next four weeks are going to be brutal. I doubt we make it out of this week before a "new uniforms" thread pops up. That's when you know it's officially summer.