OldhamA

I guess I'm one of the few fans that doesn't want a Spring league. Or at least wouldn't watch it. I do think there's a role for a minor league / development system in the NFL for guys that aren't the finished article at 22 (Warner, Delhomme, Vinatieri), but with how much football I binge watch between Sept and January, I don't have the appetite for any more.

Thanks for reminding me that we played in SuperBowl 50. I had years of therapy to forget that.

We don't produce any like Morgan these days.

He told Suleiman 2 years at the start then flashed a 5 when discussing money later on the call, but he was blown off.

They had the opportunity to take an OT at #39 and traded out instead. After the ridiculous run on OTs they had the chance to take an OT at #52 and traded out instead. That tells me that they didn't think much of the second tier of tackles in this Draft. The fact that they had discussions about trading back into the 2nd round to pick up Christensen and then ultimately traded up in the 3rd round to secure him suggests they do value the position - and perhaps don't see a huge difference between him and many of the guys that went in the 2nd round. For the record I don't have amazingly high hopes for Erving, but I'm all about the OLine unit as a whole. It was weak at multiple spots last year - I'm hoping with the acquisitions this year we've secured some of those holes. It doesn't have to be a dominant OLine for us to be successful - although obviously we all want one. As for the OT prospects this year - honestly it was a hugely underwhelming class. Darishaw is lazy (but talented), Leatherwood is an amazing physical prospect but can't handle speed, Walker hasn't played for two years etc etc. I think even the 'generational' OT is raw as hell and will probably should at OG this year.

1st overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner? The bar doesn't get any higher coming out of College.

Right now they're gaining a ton of critical acclaim. If we start winning on the field too we become a cool, hot new thing. If we continue to lose we'll be ridiculed. It is what it is.

Judging by social media he's getting rave reviews.

You can keep your comic book. The Draft is about acquiring talent. Free Agency is about addressing needs. Sometimes the two align. If you go into the Draft NEEDING something then 9/10 you're starting off on the wrong foot. As I stated in my previous comment, Fitterer and Rhule brought in two ex-first round picks for the OLine, both of whom are still in their 20s. They're both far more talented, physically, than guys we had in 2020. They then spent an old 'Day 1' pick on a guy they hope can play OT, but are certain can start at OG. Bar ignoring their Big Board and just taking any old OLineman in the first round (we traded down in the second round - evidently we didn't fancy Teven Jenkins or Liam Eichenberg), I don't know how they could have appeased you.

I wouldn't quote the Bleacher Report pretty much ever. That said I loved Kuechly, but I was worried that he was a wrap and drag tackler. I wasn't sure how that'd translate to the NFL where everyone is bigger and faster.

The dude had two first round picks and a second round pick at WR. Not to mention a first round pick at RB. There's only one ball. Moss was an UDFA for a reason.

Did Suleiman ignore Fitterer during that video too, or was it just me?

It's certainly potentially the best group we've ever had. Which, coupled with McCaffrey, really opens things up for Arnold / Tremble to seriously contribute from TE.

That's not what the Draft is for. They didn't even have Slater on the board at #8. Would you rather they reach for a position of need or pick a player that the think is going to be an All-Pro? They picked up contributors all across the board and three rookie OLinemen to add to the shuffle. Added to our two ex-first round OL we picked up in FA and that's five new names on the OLine. They consider Christensen a 2nd round OG off the bat (they'll let him fail at LT first), many had Brown as a Day 2 pick (his discipline around his weight will make or break his career) and Moore looked like one on the better OLineman at the Senior Bowl when they moved him to C. That's a fine haul for one off-season. Get them in the building, work out what everyone does best in TC and see where you stand come Sept.

Even the team don't want that. You saw in the Panthers Confidential video the Front Office having a discussion about the trade. They very much want him to play within the system. The fact that he can make things happen when the play breaks down is an added bonus. Bridgewater didn't play within the system and that's why they quickly moved on from him - he refused to take the shot plays when they were there and struggled massively when the field compacted in the Red Zone. Darnold is a mouldable piece of clay for Brady and Ryan. He has all the tools you look for in an NFL QB and is young enough / coachable (eager) enough to do what he's told.

Considering they benched McCaffrey when he absolutely would have been out there if we were in the middle of a playoff run, I'm leaning towards the idea that they'll spell him much more than Rivera did. You also might see him lined up wide more - we basically had a homeless man's version of McCaffrey eating into his snaps in Samuel.

I think Tepper was happy to get Christensen because he'd sat in the War Room and seen a whole host of OLineman go off the board between where we could have drafted in the 2nd round and where we ended up drafting in the third round. We clearly had high grades on a lot of guys that went in that period.

He rebuilt two College programmes from the ground up. He's not a flash in the pan coach. If anything there's nothing 'outside the box' about our drafting under Rhule - it's the exact opposite. He's emphasizing coachable athletes.

This is why teams don't normally do this. Fans can never have enough information - they won't stop until the Panthers release their Draft board and all the scouting reports.

He's honestly what I expected - a dorky numbers guy that made it big. I've known plenty of dorky numbers guys throughout my career - I expect they'd act like him with money / power too. He seems to let Rhule / Fitterer get on with it though. Just wants them to explain themselves, which is fair.

I bet he was a veto by Rhule.

Who's captain happy slap? Seems like a bell...

It makes us look like a College team.

...Hard Knocks.