Gapanthersfan

I can agree, but they spit the hook before it was too late.

There is always more that goes unreported than what actually is. I’m just glad that the Panthers as desperate as they were never took the bait.

I can agree with that.

A 3-4 runs completely fine…. as long as you have 2 or more defensive all pros picking up the slack.

Oh he would absolutely flourish. It’s the panthers way. It’s no different with coaches. Sometimes they reach their expiration date, go somewhere else, and find new success. Similarly to Burns, how long to wait for the light to finally turn on? Market forces will demand a salary that the panthers can not responsibly match. Sliding him to guard will fit his skill set better, but he has played LT for 3 years. He will receive offers from other teams wanting to pay him LT money. At guard, he won’t start with what they have paid Hunt and Lewis. Center then?? Dunno. Maybe? He will become a backup by default once they draft their stud LT. I doubt Dan just stands pat. That’s not his MO. So where does this put him? Can you match what other teams will offer for a backup LT/guard? Do you dish out franchise LT $ on a guy who still needs significant improvement in pass protection. This team will be DOA in the playoffs with the very first team who has a formidable speed rusher. What if he has hit his ceiling in pass protection already and they sign him long term? It’s a big gamble either way.

What does the team do if/when he says he wants $84m x 5 years?

1000% Classical panthers move. Draft a guy in the early first round who has a significant flaw that they feel they can coach up. They are never able to and then find themselves at the crossroads of overpay or let em walk for nothing.

He was growing as a player under Wilks, Arguably the best coach he had played for to date. Tepper decided to light the dynamite on it all and here we are. No DJ, no 1st rounders for Burns, and a promising in some ways but still limited starting QB. The resources that could have been more wisely spent would have had us the favorite to win the South this year.

I’m not trying to be argumentative for arguments sake so please don’t take it as such. Come contract time, if Ickey wants a 5 year guaranteed deal for $94 million or he’ll walk, should the panthers pay that?

Horn is the best player on this roster and it’s not even close. Morgan if you’re reading, please pay the man.

Had this team just put him in at guard from the beginning, we’d of ended up with a franchise guard and at least given Brady an honest shake at tackle. Now, they have a crossroads approaching on a guy who is well liked and talented, but lacking a skill that is crucial for the position he plays. They need to draft a true run blocking franchise LT and see what they can get for Ickey.

I’m glad some people understand the point I’m trying to make. You sum it up perfectly. if he was that dude, then you back the brinks truck up in his driveway. But he’s not… And regardless of where you shift him on the line to better suit his ability, he has played LT for 3 years, and will rightfully want franchise LT money. There will be a team that will offer LT money that the Panthers just can’t responsibly match.

If he still needs significant help in his pass blocking midway through next season, do the panthers risk paying him LT market value, hoping he continues to improve? Laying starting LT money on a player who is in the ‘still improving’ category is a big gamble. If the panthers don’t throw a really juicy contract at him, another desperate GM will take a flier on him and he’ll be gone. I’m not big on a 5th year option and I’m really not big on franchise tag. In a way, it’s a similar situation to how it went down with burns. Measurables are there in a guy you’ve waited on for 4 years. Now all of a sudden, they’ve waited too long and are playing a lose lose hand. As with Burns, there’s always someone willing to over pay. Panthers turned down 2 firsts, Burns then dogs it bad, and they have to take what could get from the Giants… and surprise, Burns is who he is. So what do they do with this dude? Don’t get me wrong, I love the guy, but unless they have an absolute stud at LT, Bryce will never flourish. Will Ickey turn in to the pass protecting stud this team and Bryce desperately need?

That was a bad look for sure.

I refuse to believe this is the least talented defense of all time, but yet they’re setting records for badness. The only other explanations are coaching and/or scheme.

This. They needed a history lesson of outcomes against the Cowboys in the regular season, save for the thanksgiving beatdown.

It re-reminded me that this is still a big man’s game. I still like him and his newly shown moxie, but with a very large bearing down on him, he will continue to be a fumble machine. speed rush from blind side is a guaranteed strip sack.

If this were his second season and we could play around with moving him inside or on the right, I’d be all about it. I actually love the idea, but it’s complicated. He’s going to want LT money from somewhere. Wouldn’t you? Say he kills it on the right side. Do you pay LT money to a newly converted right tackle? If he hits free agency, there will be someone who will dish him LT money for sure. 100%. Im not trying to be a Debbie downer or a doubting Thomas, but I know how this team does and the best predictor of future events is past events. I personally love the guy and loved the pick. I just see a contract coming due that has a high chance of annihilating the progress this team has made, or letting a player walk that could have netted some good assets.

Well said

Vic Beasley ruined our 2015 perfect season, a speed rusher annihilated Cam in the SB and a speed rusher ended Cam’s shoulder and career. Can you imagine Bryce with a major shoulder injury? Ickey sucks at defending speed rushers. His ceiling for improving this is low. It’s always been his biggest knock. You can only scheme up so much help… but then say hello to stunts. Playoff teams by and large have edge rushers with explosive speed. I don’t want a wash, rinse, repeat of what happened to Cam. Is the team willing to a drop massive, cap devastating payday in to the lap of a limited LT? It’s always next year will be better with team, they stay put waiting on said player to take the next step, and he almost never does.

Hopefully one day I could, but there’s a 0.0001% chance of that Stay on topic bro. He stays or goes eventually. Market price on a LT has the potential to devastate our cap for a very long time. He is not going to take backup money. 1. we sign and gamble while laying out huge $, praying that he improves a part of his game that has always been a weak spot, and pray that he doesn’t disappear. 2. trade for hopefully good return. 3. panthers it up and he walks for nothing. I’d finish out the season and draft a true early franchise LT who got that dog in him. He’d be starting by game 6 and you start shopping Ickey.

This I agree with. I’m damn sure not paying tag money if/when it goes that far. As it stands today, gun to my head does he become a boss against speed rushers, ever? Big nope. Do you pay BIG $$ to retain a maybe ok speed rusher liability? Don’t kid yourself, that man is not taking backup money. Dan will not pay big $$ to him. So then what? Does his trade value diminish the more he plays? Do we gamble that he substantially improves this aspect of his game? It’s not like we’re gambling on a project RB where if it doesn’t pan out and we overpay a little, well then that hurt but not terrible for cap. Throwing big money at an LT you shouldn’t have will be cap devastating. Next to QB and all pro DE it’s the next most expensive position on the field. There is a lot at stake here.

This is not a rash snap to judgement. It’s something I’ve thought about for a while. The day will come when we have to make a decision. We either bust open the piggy bank, we trade him, or we panthers it up, he walks in free agency and we get $0. this is the crux for me: Is he worth more as a backup LT or as trade bait. Do you crack open the piggy bank for a mauler that still sucks against speed rushers, or do you let that be someone else’s problem? Do you keep telling yourself it’ll be better next season? What if he’s the reason your franchise QB has to miss 3 games due to injury? Would he do a disappearing act after cashing in on his second contract? His knock on handling speed was noted even at his time at NC State. If it was going to get better, wouldn’t it have done so by now? It has been a pattern over and over again. After a while, you are what you are. Having to constantly roll help to his side shouldn’t be needed so frequently. Playoff teams will have speed rushers. It’s how they got there. Ickey will get his lunch money taken. We need to draft a stud LT early. Ickey would make a good guard, but we’ve got that one locked up already. Center is a nope… so this leaves him as a backup if/when we find our true franchise LT. he won’t want backup $.

Bryce sucked flat out today. Bad decisions on throws. He owns a large stake in this loss…. BUT… a common theme, Bryce’s worst games come when a blue chip speed rusher lines up opposite to Ickey. Serious question. would this team benefit from trading Ickey? Do they give him one more year? If his ability to handle a speed rusher would have come around, it would have been seen by now. This team will get abused in the playoffs if they have to constantly scheme around his shortcomings. Trade and Get a 2nd or 3rd for Ickey before they make a mistake and back themselves in to having to shell out big $$ to a one trick pony with questionable dog in him. If a franchise LT is there in the draft. Pick him. Cut bait.

When Bryce worries about his blind side, it’s a wrap. He knows physics. He’s 180 lbs, max, but even that number is in question. A 240 lb grown ass man tearing off on a small guy from behind… there’s going to be something wrong with him afterwards. This team desperately needs a true LT. Ickey ain’t it. Trade him (controversial.. but he’s very replaceable). If there is a blue chip LT in the draft, get him. No QB will thrive when a speed rusher gets home like they do off of Ickey.