tukafan21

Even if we want to just move past him, we'll still tag and trade him after turning down trades at this deadline, let alone turning a good one down last year. I know "things happen" but not tagging Burns won't be one of them, lot of ways it can play out, but short of him having a horrific injury that threatens him long term, he'll be re-signed or tagged, never will just walk for free in FA

Star was never going to be franchised and I can't remember why Peppers wasn't tagged so I can't speak to it, too long ago. The Norman situation was super unique, can't ever remember a team just pulling a tag at that point in the process and letting them walk for free, was very weird, but also a different GM. But just that they turned down the trade last year and then again more this year, there is just 0% chance they would let him walk without tagging him. More likely they put the non-exclusive tag on him and just hope he signs somewhere else so they get the 2 firsts and don't even have to try and work out a trade.

Okay, first things first, the people saying he's going to walk and we're going to get nothing/compensatory for him just need to stop, that's just flat out pure ignorance or stupidity, your which you'd rather be called. My best guess at this point is a franchise tag and hold out until he's either traded or sits the first 8 weeks of the season and shows up when he has to in order to get credit for the season. It just feels like the team and Burns must be too far apart to have get a deal done or it already would have been done, and I can't see him playing week 1 on the tag at this point, not with how this has all gone. I think in the end he gets traded for a first and a good starting player, hopefully being a WR. I could very well see it being Higgins and Bengals 1st for Burns in the end. I'd also very much be on board with trying to find a way to get Aiyuk out of a Burns trade, as they're going to have to trade him in the offseason with their cap issues, but they won't be able to pay Burns anyways, so not sure how we'd swing that other than Burns for 2 firsts somewhere else and then flip one of them for Aiyuk.

Could see it having been the Lions with their need for a pass rusher and Maxx Crosby having talked about how he grew up a Lions fan and wanted to be drafted by them. Also could have been teams trying to call about Renfrow, maybe even the Lions seeing as they ended up trading for another WR

I absolutely love it, even if I lived in Charlotte, I'd get it for fantasy football purposes. I've got a great set up for Sunday watching this season thanks to it. Panthers game on my laptop while in the recliner, quad box of games on the projector that goes out to about 140" screen I think, so each game is still pretty big, and then the TV gets one of the local games or Red Zone if I have no fantasy implications in the local broadcasts. Even with the Panthers being terrible, it's been the most fun I've had watching the NFL in a while. Way better than being at the bar with all the games, as I get the Panthers game sound and then can jump around the ones with sound as needed in the quad box.

Given the state of our WRs, I have to imagine they haven't seen much from him in practice as a WR and only plan on using him as a returner unless an emergency dictates him needing to be in on offense. Maybe I've missed it, but I don't remember seeing him take any snaps on offense yet.

He had 117 tackles as a rookie, then had 107 tackles his second season (along with 6 TFL's), and had 5 QB hits in each season (only 1 each of last year and this) Even last season he had 70 tackles despite missing 6 games. Hell, even this season despite only playing about 1/3 of the snaps, he was on pace to have 65 tackles over a 17 game season, just imagine if he was getting full playing time. Before he got hurt, felt like there were multiple plays a game that you noticed him flying around to make a tackle, which isn't something you generally notice for someone playing as few snaps as him. I don't think it's the player in this scenario, everything points to him being used incorrectly

Unless we're able to re-sign Burns before FA starts and/or find a way to clear up a bunch of cap room before it starts, then I can't see how we'll be making any splash signings. Think we're supposed to have a little over $40 million in cap space, but if we have to tag Burns, think we have to keep that space open even before he signs it, and that number should come in around 22-25 million for his tag next year. Not sure we can really make a splash with 15 million in space, have too many holes that need to be filled to use it all in one place. Another reason I was hoping to trade Burns now, so we just had all that cap room to go after big name FA's on day 1.

All fair, but I think teams view players who backslide as much as Claypool did in a worse way than those who just haven't tapped into their potential like with a TMJ, especially when you add in the attitude and effort issues Claypool has shown these last 2 seasons. Add in how much he fell off a cliff once he didn't have a HOF QB throwing him the ball (yes Ben wasn't the best in his final years, but it was more bad mistakes, he still got his WRs the ball), and it makes it seem like his first 2 years of production was more the QB and offense than him.

Sure, but he also had a HOF throwing him the ball, he's done jack squat since Ben retired and was openly showing horribly effort and attitude on the field this year. TMJ's 9 catch for 56 yard game this year was better than anything Claypool did with the Bears. They both suck, but if Claypool can get something in a trade, so can TMJ

The opportunity to get something decent like a 4 or 5 went out the window when he got hurt, but I think teams would have still done a late round pick or 6/7 swap for him. Small price to pay to get the guy in the building the rest of the season and see if you can convince him to re-sign in the spring.

I'm also shocked we didn't trade Chinn, I'd have taken literally a 7th for him at this point. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Chinn and think he will be a longtime starter in this league, but this staff hasn't figured out how to use him so they just don't put him on the field. Unless we play him near 100% of the snaps once he's healthy again, there is a 0% chance he's coming back here. Why would you re-sign with the team that just spent the season refusing to put you on the field? So now we're going to keep him and watch him walk away for nothing in free agency, what a way to ruin the potential of a guy who came in 2nd in the DROY voting

Claypool was able to be traded for a pick and he's looked worse these last 2 years than TMJ has ever looked, on top of having a horrible attitude. If we were to cut him, he'd get signed immediately, someone out there would do the 6/7 swap for him

As Panthers fans we just want to get rid of him at this point given where we drafted him and the expectations we had. But there is no denying that he still has potential and is good enough to be on someone's roster to see if a change in scenery can tap into the potential. Pairing him back up with his LSU teammates in Cinci to me just seems like the best chance in doing so, and add in that he has another year on his deal and they lose Higgins, just seems like a fit to me.

Yea, a minute after posting I realized 4/5 was a dumb ask, but I still contend that we should be trading him to them and they should want him given the Higgins situation and LSU connection between TMJ and their guys. So maybe it's the 6/7 swap along with it, but we really should have been trying to trade him there and get SOMETHING for him instead of just cutting him at some point

Why are we not at a minimum trying to trade TMJ to the Bengals for like a 4th or 5th. They seem like the perfect place for him with Burrow/Chase to team back up with and knowing they'll lose Higgins after the season, they'd have him under contact for next year to see if they can do anything with him

Practice Squad doesn’t mean what it used to now that they changed the rules for it to allow vets on it. It basically lets you carry extra players on the 53 man roster for 3 weeks The Rams starting RB the last 2 weeks is also on their PS as you can activate someone from the PS 3 times before you have to make them a full time 53 man roster player

Difference is the entire league knew Washington had zero interest in keeping him. They already have too much money tied up on their DL, he wasn’t even a tag and trade candidate because of that, he was always going to be let go and get a compensatory puck for him.

Adams wouldn’t be okay with coming here, he wants to win The Raiders also aren’t trading for Burns because they already have Crosby who has had some trade rumors float around with him. The Raiders also aren’t trading their first round pick when it’s clear they need to use it for a QB But, what about a 3 team trade? Burns, TMJ, and Lions 2nd to the Raiders Adams and Crosby to Lions Jameson, Lions 1st to Panthers

Beyond pissed $13 million guaranteed next year for an average WR who can’t succeed and is no longer wanted in a Sean Payton offense. Says all you need to know, plus he’s a complete diva, not what we need around Bryce.

Yes, in an ideal world, Bryce is the one making the plays. But he's nowhere near that yet and if I'm being frank, I don't think he ever will be, he'll be a great mental game manager who will make some slick plays and passes, but I don't see him ever having the elite arm talent to make the throws the top guys make every week. Plus, with the status of our current offensive line play, we need those type of YAC guys because Bryce needs to get the ball out quick, he doesn't get enough time to let things develop downfield. I also think with the way Bryce likes to extend plays, getting that guy who is working the middle of the field and you can get him the ball in space would be more beneficial than an Evans who's really most effective on those plays by getting behind the safeties, and I don't think Bryce has that deep ball arm to properly take advantage of it.

I am absolutely desperately looking for a quick fix at WR, at almost any cost other than trading our own future 1st round picks. Like your other post said, sometimes you need patience, and I have always and will always be on board with that as a general rule for building a withstanding franchise. But after what we spent to get Bryce and how he's looked so far, we can't be patient in getting him a #1 weapon for both his own development and for the future of this franchise. I know I'm not the biggest Bryce fan on here, but even his staunches supporters have to admit that he still has a long way to go to prove he has elite potential, and even then, he does have size/strength concerns. If we end up in a Josh Rosen/Kyler Murray situation, we have to take the parachute and draft the new QB. So until we know one way or the other, we can't trade any future first round pick of our own right now, they have to be kept for potential QB replacement or even just an elite top 10 prospect on a rookie contract (maybe even a WR). But we won't know about Bryce until we get him that #1 WR, not giving him one for his first two years in the NFL is a quick way to ruin a QB's career. I am absolutely fine to overpay to get one of those type of guys, it's the most important thing for the future and growth of Bryce, and in turn, our franchise. It's also why I'm so strongly against guys like Jeudy, as I don't think he's that guy and he's a locker room concern with his diva mentality, terribly wrong fit and I'd turn him down at a value and overpay for someone like Higgins, Jameson, or if guys like Aiyuk or Devonta Smith might become available in the offseason because teams can't afford another high priced WR to extend. In regards to Jameson though, I think getting Bryce his top target from his Heisman season would help, especially with his speed, he can change coverages. Then you add a guy like Curtis Samuel to do the short routes over the middle with speed too and we have a great top 4 with those two, Thielen and Mingo. The TLDR version is Bryce's development should be the #1 priority of this franchise and getting him a #1 WR is the first step in doing that.

Possession was the wrong term to use, you're right. By possession, I more meant that he's just not the player you use to get the ball in their hands and let them make something happen. His big yardage plays are because he's making a downfield catch because of his size and great hands. I'm talking about needing the Diggs, Lamb, Chase, Jefferson, etc, type of player who you can run on a lot of short quick hitters to let them make something happen, in addition to being able to be a downfield threat like Evans. Don't get me wrong, he's one of the best to play and he's still great, but I just don't think he's the type of player we need to get for Bryce right now. And I know we can't just get a player of their caliber, will be someone a step down, but they can be more of that style to their game and it will be what is best for Bryce in addition to Thielen and Mingo. An interesting one could be Aiyuk actually, he only has 1 year left on his deal after this season and there is no way they're going to be able to afford to extending with all their other big contracts, he'll be a cap casualty. I'd love to try and get him in a trade this offseason

Because Bryce isn't ready (and may never be able to) lead a SB contention team without elite weapons. Maybe he could get there someday, but it's clear the lack of an elite outside WR is limiting his development right now. It's not even just for him to pass to, but because it changes how defenses can run their coverages. Right now they don't need to worry about doubling anyone or keeping safeties over the top, they can get extra pass rushers because of it, all while his WRs outside of Thielen struggle to get open for him to have clean throwing windows. I also think teams winning SB's with just a bunch of good WRs and no great ones, is going to mostly be a thing of the past. Today's NFL is changing and it's a passing league lead by truly elite WR talent. Sure, KC last year didn't have one, but they have Kelce and the only QB in the league who could potentially challenge Brady for GOAT status someday. But look at the other SB teams in recent years... KC played against the Eagles (Brown, Smith), Rams (Kupp) vs Bengals (Chase, Higgins), Bucs (Evans, Godwin, AB) vs KC (Tyreek, Kelce), KC (Tyreek, Kelce) vs 49ers (Deebo, Kittle).

The 2025 draft? We're not going to get what Bryce needs in the 2nd round of this years draft. Bryce needs a true #1 outside WR by Week 1 of next season, not an early 2nd rounder that we hope can develop into one in a few years, that's what Mingo already is for us. Getting Bryce that #1 is so far and away this teams top priority this offseason, we can't fix everything in one offseason, but everything else takes a backseat to that one and it's not close.