Icege

It's easier to find 5 players than it is 1? I cannot agree on that at all, and regarding the Browns comment you're only strengthening my point for me. The Browns swung (and missed) on the following QBs in the draft: Brady Quinn (2007 / Round: 1 / Pick: 22) Colt McCoy (2010 / Round: 3 / Pick: 85) Brandon Weeden (2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 22) Johnny Manziel (2014 / Round: 1 / Pick: 22) Connor Shaw (2014 / UDFA) If we're talking about avg QBs w/ above avg OLs... where are the avg QBs on that list? They're all dumpster fires. Just like how having a great QB with a dumpster fire OL doesn't lead to sustained success. I felt better rebooting the QB position with the original plan where we would have freed up $21M in cap space by cutting Bridgewater rather than committing $19M of it to Darnold. Instead, they cycled the position as suggested and now we're left with the guy that went #3 just a few years ago while we pick #6 now.

The veteran guard market is a small blessing. Weak C market too

Oh, is that a MASSIVE wall of well thought out and researched text rather than a knee-jerk reaction to watching other teams play in the postseason?

Clausen is a historically bad QB. I'm giving you an equal comparison there. If you want something more along the lines of prime Cam and avg OL, then a better comparison would be Joe Flacco behind his 2012 OL which consisted of Oher, Yanda, Birk, Osmele, and McKinnie. I'll take the Super Bowl winning combo there. You are correct in that the QB is the most important position on the field. I'm also in agreement that the best way to find a franchise QB is to draft and develop one. You're all in on that first part (drafting), but not the second one (developing). In order to develop said franchise QB, they need to be protected. We've seen what happens to young QBs behind bad OLs; they're literally ruined. Bad habits are created and reinforced. Bad defenses force their offenses into predictable play calling situations, which sets the young QBs up to fail. On top of that, what resources does this team have to build the OL with? Are you proposing that the $29M in cap space, with rookie draft picks yet to be paid and free agent holes on the defense also needing to be filled, is enough to reboot the OL?

Put Cam behind an OL of Erving-Jordan-Elflein-Miller-Moton and see how it works out. Oh wait

It means exactly what it says. We had a franchise QB in Cam Newton. The first two season with that franchise QB, he had an OL and set records across the league during his first two seasons. However, a leaky defense prevented the team from being able to make it to the postseason. In 2013, the defense is strong and the OL is solid (Gross-Wharton-Kalil-Scott-Bell) but has question marks on the right side. The team makes the playoffs but are promptly eliminated by the 49ers. They make the playoffs again in 2014 but mainly because the rest of the NFC South blows. The OL? Bell-Scott-Kalil-Turner-Jones to start, but towards the end of the season it was Bell-Norwell-Kalil-Turner-Remmers. They're eliminated by Seattle after beating Arizona in the wildcard. In 2015 when the team had a top 5 defense and an OL with a legit LT? 15-1 (just imagine if Williams had replaced Remmers sooner) and a Super Bowl trip. We see the tired debate of QB vs OL every offseason. The OP lists Burrow and Allen as reasons for going QB at #6, but if you want to talk about how small somebody's perspective looks then take a look at the idea that those QBs and QBs alone are why those teams are currently advancing in the playoffs. Hell, we just watched Mahomes lose a Super Bowl because of a subpar OL. Let's actually learn from mistakes rather than repeating them and insisting it'll be different this time.

No thanks. We already lived through having a franchise QB without an OL and/or defense. When the team had all 3, they went 15-1 and to the Super Bowl. With just the OL, Cam set records his first two seasons. I'd rather have a competent offensive line with an NFL-quality OC in place before finding any long-term solution at QB. I'd also rather have a QB that isn't Sam Darnold starting for the Panthers next season. I just don't think that bringing in a top QB prospect just to change coaching staffs + coordinators the following season does anything to set them up for success. Unless, of course, you want to keep Rhule and understand that the only way he is retained is if he gets lucky on a QB.

omfg if we traded down to #15 and got the #45 pick + Ikem Ekwonu in the process I would do laps around the neighborhood

If Ikem Ekwonu or Evan Neal are there, you draft them to play LT and put Christensen at LG. If neither of them are on the board, attempt to trade down and take either Tyler Linderbaum, Charles Cross, or a QB. Ellis Williams is quickly becoming my favourite Panthers' beat writer since Jourdan Rodrigue

Tb100, I was still OK with the TMJ pick until Brady was fired. The angle was that he'd be familiar with concepts and able to implement into the offense despite recovering from injuries. But now what? Going back I'd gladly take Humphrey instead.

*sighs* I wanted this dude to be a Panther so bad... We really could have had an OL this season with Slater-WhoGivesAfug-Humphrey-Smith-Moton

I am throwing this quote at every single person that questions taking a center in the top 10. Congratulations for agreeing with Matt Rhule.

If it goes Thibodeaux, Hutchinson, and Neal in the top 3 then I can see Ekwonu going to New York whether it be as a Jet or as a Giant to play RT since both have LTs. There's also always the chance of a team feeling like they need to move up to take their top rated QB, so hopefully that happens and we see Ekwonu get pushed down. Otherwise, fingers crossed for a trade down where Tyler Linderbaum and/or Charles Cross are on the board still.

I CAN DREAM But tb100 I expect the pick to be Ekwonu and I am super excited as he's up there with Evan Neal for me in terms of OT prospects. Would allow the team to have him compete with Christensen and have them play LT/LG together whoever ends up where. They seem to want Elflein to be the center, and with Deonte's recent comments about learning how to play center + Cameron Erving even being able to play if necessary, I'd go Ekwonu. But if they trade down and Linderbaum is still there... Ekwonu/Christensen/Elflein/Long/Moton sounds like a stonewall of an OL even if Elflein is the weak link.

Yea, to be honest I think the move now is Ikem Ekwonu. Which I am SUPER on board with.

I have been getting that mixed up all season to the point of where I sat and watched the TCU bowl game confused as hell lmaooooooooo

My current OC preference is: 1. Pep Hamilton 2. Mike Groh 3. Klint Kubiak Though if I had to go full fan mode, I'd say bring back Cam and Chudzinski. That's being way too indulgent tho.

1. Sign Kyle Long + Ethan Pocic to address the interior. 2. Draft Ikem Ekwonu OR trade back and draft Tyler Linderbaum If Ekwonu is selected, have him and Christensen compete for LT/LG and let the chips fall as they may there. Have Pocic + Elflein compete for center, Long + Brown compete for RG, and start Moton at RT. If Linderbaum is selected, have him, Pocic, and Elflein compete for C/LG. Start Christensen and Moton as the tackles, and have Long + Brown compete for RG. As far as QB goes, try to land one in the draft or see if there's a deal too good to pass up in free agency via signing or trade.

If Clete Blakeman gets assaulted by a player I'm donating to help pay the fine.

Expected Blackburn. Rhule's ST coordinator, Ed Foley, is already on the coaching staff. Expected Meyer. The OL has been trash and he does not have a record of success. Pls bby gsus bring in Mike Munchak. Okam seems like a, "See? I can fire a Baylor guy!" move since Okam came with him from Baylor but Okam had only been with him for a year. I'm a little concerned to say the least at who they bring in here because the team has consistently underperformed in the trenches.

Hiring Pep Hamilton and Mike Munchak would have me willing to believe we could get 6 wins. I hate it here.

Ekwonu is the only player I want to draft as badly as I do Linderbaum. The more I watch, the more he fits what Rhule wants to do. Plus, they wanted Elflein to take over at center.

Damn. Brady when he sees Keith Taylor lined up one-on-one with one of his WRs.

lmao what a fitting result

Keith Taylor getting toasted today, oof