Proudiddy

I'm bucking the trend here... I'm going 10 wins minimum. The offense will struggle, but find it's footing. I don't expect Darnold to be an all-pro, but if he finds a rhythm and comfortability, which he absolutely will to some degree compared to what happened in NY, he will be solid. Once he gets comfortable, the supporting cast are gonna do really well and I expect Robby to either match last year's production or surpass it, and I expect DJ to smash last year's production. CMC will be back to business as usual and push for OPOY. All while the offense is finding their rhythm, the defense will come out as real slobber knockers from day 1. They won't truly get primed until a few weeks in, but they will be the best defensive unit we have fielded in years, and in many early games, they will carry our team to wins as the offense sputters a bit until they get in their groove.

I really, really, really hope the floor is a playoff berth. I will be greatly disappointed with anything else. I think a lot of it hinges on whether the coaching staff makes the OL changes needed early enough.

Aren't waiver claims done earlier this season than in the past? When would we hear? I really hope we get him and he fits the profile of a Fitterer (and maybe even Rhule) kind of player - super athletic, great size, and judging from college, an all-effort kind of guy. We definitely could use LBs, and even if he's still more of a safety, we seem to do well playing hybrids like Chinn and Franklin. Plus, he's local... I see no reason we wouldn't bring him in other than possibly then not wanting to shake up the roster after the gameplan has already been put in place for week 1. But, to me, that's irrelevant... there's no way he's not better than someone like Sean Chandler. In summary, go get him.

I've always felt like, until more recent years, that our state's pro teams were just the farm system for all of the other pro sports teams... well, I am happy to report that our teams aren't any longer, but it sure seems our media outlets have assumed their role. Damn, we can't keep any reporters around... and the ones we do, the Panthers hire in keep them in-house, so the messaging is pretty well packaged.

Hit dogs gonna holler.

NGL, between that other idiot claiming Cam was distracted by rap music, and now Ninkovich saying crap like this... there's a very, very large elephant in the room that has been present on the periphery throughout Cam's career while he was here... difference is, New England just doesn't care to throw a tablecloth over it to try to disguise it. In fact, they flaunt the elephant. Those former Patriot players and their fans wanted Mac, and it had very little to do with their abilities on the field. And we all know why.

Meh...

Further observation about Melvin: TBH, I don't think I've seen any of the guys who took last season off have fared very well so far across the league. Unless they were an established core player before they sat out, it doesn't seem like they've had very good outcomes, at least of the ones that come to mind... I know ours haven't. And as has been said by myself and many, many other posters here, if you have fairly equal performance amongst a group of players at the same position, you should default to the younger guys. Nothing I saw from Melvin indicated he was worth keeping around over a younger guy.

Per Team App.

That would be a great move.

You know, I've been wondering, with all the focus with the Texans being on Watson, I've been pondering whether to wipe the slate clean from the BOB regime, if they'd be willing to move Tunsil? It would be a good time to do it, considering they don't even plan on playing Watson as of now and have no immediate answer at QB. So why not just hit a complete reset?

Disappointing, but I think Shi's emergence made him expendable and he didn't impress much in the opportunities he was given.

I'm ngl, Julius was VERY unimpressive to me in preseason. But, he's s a PS guy, so it doesn't really matter.

Yeah, something tells me though, if we didn't put in a claim, we probably aren't interested. And seems weird that as solid of a career as he had in college in addition to his measurables that no other team put in a claim either. Must be some other concerns?

I thought I saw the Texans signed him back to their PS.

Hope we still make a run at Carson Green. I'm surprised no teams put in a claim for him considering he is on a UDFA contract. Also hope we can bring Verity in.

I agree Cam will be fine regardless... my reaction was due to multiple factors... Cam got a raw deal, both here and in New England. I don't think Mac beat him out or is even a better QB than Cam right now. And aside from Cam just getting a raw deal, it really feels like Belichick used him and then threw him out like yesterday's garbage. Also, Mac seems like a douche, I don't care very much for Alabama, and I hated New England prior to Cam being there, so now I'm free to hate them again and hoping they have a horrible season... so, that's why I hope Mac sucks ass. And as always, I get a bit in my feelings about Cam because he's had to overcome great odds to get to the point he did while he played for us... to go from a maligned dropout who ended up playing JUCO, to come all the way back, win a hesiman, a college chip, ROTY, carrying us to a Superbowl, and becoming a league MVP??? That's unreal. There's teams that have been in the league for decades longer than us and have never had a league MVP. And yet, through all that, he was still called "Scam," he always had his past thrown in his face, and was constantly trashed by media and fans alike. Meanwhile, he was out working in the community, and throwing parties for terminally ill children, while ensuring that no media was made aware of it initially, because he did it from his heart. So, I always related to him personally... I have been counted out and had my past used against me at various points in my life. I know what it feels like to be the kid headed down the wrong path, only to redeem yourself, and yet still, people only latch onto your shortcomings. So, I've always pulled for Cam a little extra than most. And then, to add onto that, all of the glory and magic he brought to our team, our state, and our region through his play and charisma - there will never be another Cam Newton in a Panthers uniform. He should be honored as such.

Michael Jordan and Forrest Lamp are on my wish list. Verity as well. Skura could be worth a look to see if he can be salvaged.

Yes, nice recap OP. That being said, regarding TE... you mentioned a reason each of them are here except for Thomas. What does he do well? That's rhetorical, and coming from someone who really believed in him.

Yeah, that's who I want.

Saw his name earlier and thought the same... Fit is familiar with him, so it makes sense.

That would be my approach, but I found it curious that they have made it a point to state they weren't fully committed to Santoso.

The kicker from the Chargers was released today. Has a career long of 59 and was near automatic his rookie year, but apparently regressed the last couple since, from what I've read. Just throwing it out there, as Rhule and our team website have seemed to intimate that although we moved on from Slye and kept Santoso, they haven't committed to him yet and were still looking. I think Badgley could be a good candidate.

For all the good he does in talent evaluation and development elsewhere on the roster, Rhule wants a hood ornament for QB. That's it. A low-key, meek, cog in the machine type of guy.