MHS831

And so is Coker. And so is Bryce (if he becomes part of the equation). There is a lot to like about the WR/QB room in terms of "people you can cheer for".

To the OP's credit, Ron Rivera, imo, used Cam at times like a fullback. The fact that he never had back-to-back winning seasons with a stud QB says a lot. The OL was an afterthought. Cam saved RR's job many times. RR was NFC coach of the year twice during that time, but he never earned it. I wish we had kept Fox. He got it. Never had a great QB and won more.

Is it though? JK. I agree. When he was carted off the field crying like a baby I knew his days were numbered. That is not just an injury to a joint or tendon--that is your brain. He played 8 years at a position where he was the best we have seen for most of them.

I was partially right. I stated that he was a rookie.

I have absolutely no problems with Bryce the human being. That is why I hold out hope for him. I want him to be successful

While I can't add to the topic, I can share other unwatchable stuff.

Thank God we are inthe NFC South--

When Sanders was named as an alternate, I was all like, "That's a big ol bowl of NOPE." In my view, they would be better off showing a documentary on the 32 "man of the year" candidates to show what they do for charities etc.

I was afraid of that--and definitely see it. He looks solid. I'd take any of the top 4 OTs--and I am confident one will be there--not sure how Proctor would fit here--but there are 4 I would take.

I really really like the developmental OTs to start grooming as Moton II. (See previous post). In other words, you are probably right--BC could be slowed and Nijman is not an answer. We probably need a T in free agency. the depth at Edge (especially after the SR Bowl) makes me think we draft an OT early. The OT I want (being realistic--after a trade back in round 1): Monroe Freeling (UGA). Forget the "big 4"--at least 3 will be gone.

I agree. He is solid. Another player I think is underrated and with good reason (I will explain): Monroe Freeling UGA Many have him the fifth-rated OT, but I would put him at 2 or 3. Reason? He played the season with an ankle issue and still kicked arse. Here is a write-up that describes him--the injury, in my view, has him rated lower than if healthy all season. OT Monroe Freeling Georgia | 6'7" | 315 lbs Ht:6'7" Wt:315 lbs Class:JR Age:21 (25-Jul-2004) Monroe Freeling earned Second-Team All-SEC honors from league coaches for his performance during the 2025 season. Starting 12 of 13 games, he was twice named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week after dominant showings against Auburn and Texas, notably grading out at 80 percent with zero pressures allowed against the Longhorns. During the 2025 season, he managed a nagging ankle injury suffered against Kentucky but remained a cornerstone for an offense that ranked first nationally in fourth-down conversions. As a draft prospect, he is recognized for his exceptional reach, mobility in pass protection, and "road-grading" power in the running game. While he has proven to be a reliable starter at left tackle, he also offers significant versatility having started at multiple positions along the line during the 2024 season. Here are some others I like (mostly developmental, but we have at least a year--we hope--at RT) Your boy: The Panthers were looking at Barber at the SR Bowl practices, I believe. Good run blocker--needs work in pass pro. A RT candidate? Shelton would be an ideal swing OT. I really like Bowry. Footwork is huge for a T, and we do a lot of zone blocking.

We could/should re-sign BC and Nijman and draft 2. There are 5 or 6 expected to go after round 1 that I really like. Some are a year away, so I would give Moton an apprentice now.

I think (April 2025) the Panthers already gave Ickey his 5th year deal for 2026, a $17m fully guaranteed. This, in my view, eliminates the practicality of signing a free agent, as if any ever make it to free agency anyway. So we have a year before deciding on Ickey's next deal / future.

I think he is 24 or so. Not sure what that means, but it is (in my mind) like shaving 2-3 years off the career. Kinda like when we drafted Chris Weinke. He was 48 I think

He is in interview mode. I like him, but we don't draft from Clemson--we draft So Carolina in Round 1. Its a rule. Seriously, we can grab a great edge in round 2. I think we should trade back, fill 2 needs in round 2 (I think we can find a good Edge and LB in round 2--That would be huge

Kind of surprised that Lomu (OT) is not a first rounder. Thank NAS

Whether or not this is true, it is how we have to approach it. he is like the girlfriend who said, "I need some space for a while." A while? She is GONE, buddy. Deal with the loss and move on. Give yourself a moment of silence and lick your wounds and get back on the dating sites. (Sniff, Sniff)

I hope we don't. We need to re-sign a few players (Nijman, BC, maybe Mays and Rozeboom, lock down Coker (he is cheaper now than he will be later).

I know--I would also caution anyone from using isolated incidents to make general assumptions--every injury is different. If this were my knee, I would not use AI. On a football chat board, different story. My concerns with the AI--were they talking about all positions or just OL? Then OTs. Hard to find that information but your point is valid and always assumed when usingAI. I do encourage stats that counter this because I would love to be wrong

Nijman and BC will cost between $7 and $8m. Mays will be around $10-12m. If we are not going to upgrade at LT, we probably need to at C---but I am high on Mays.

I had the same thought--and since medicine advances rapidly (there was a day when an Achilles injury means you are done) and an ACL was a near death sentence---so I think that is why the examples were recent. The context is not what we have, but I did mention that we have the opportunity to monitor the situation for a year. The thread did say "Statistical reasons" with the understanding that there are always contextual reasons, but your points are extremely valid.

that is how I view it. Even if he weren't injured, my position was that he was an average OT at best. But it is a business, and if you invest even money in something that has a 20% chance of a return to mediocre, then you will not be running that organization long. I thought Horn was a stupid deal (stil do, to be honest). We have first rounders from SoCar who are being outperformed by undrafted free agents and practice squad players--our strength is finding those players--(MJax and Coker) and not trying to invest heavily in our top end players who either can't stay healthy or play the position at an elite level. Ickey has a year of guaranteed money (something like $14m). He should feel lucky he got that deal before injuring his knee, and we should be grateful that the injury happened before we gave him a $100m deal.

I see your view, but the fact that the time of recovery is straddling a contract makes it interesting/complicated. Those other OL in this report are older players...but I would not want to be Morgan. I would base my decisions on the statistical probabilities. I would move him to guard--I would have considered it anyway if a better OT came our way.

hope this is not common knowledge to you, lifeless internet whores, (perhaps a bit too strong) but I decided to look into this to see what data Morgan and company will be examining. Morgan recently said that Ickey's surgery was successful, but that is far from an endorsement that his return to form will be. Mathematically, his return to form is a longshot, and if he cannot play at the level he was playing, we need a left tackle, regardless of the 9-12 month average recovery time. Career Outlook for Linemen Recent medical data indicates that offensive linemen (OL) have a significantly higher risk for patellar tendon injuries compared to all other position groups. For linemen, the mechanical demands of the position—specifically the extreme eccentric overload required during pass-blocking and the stress of managing a higher body mass index (BMI)—contribute to both injury frequency and difficulty in recovery. Return to Play (RTP) Rate: The overall RTP for PT ruptures is only ~55%, significantly lower than the ~79% average for other orthopedic surgeries. In other words, a player with an ACL is 25% more likely to return to play. Return to Form: Only 21.4% of players return to their pre-injury performance level within two years. (We have a 1-5 chance that Ickey returns to his present form-forget about his positive development and potential before the injury. I am not a fan of those odds, especially when it could take 2 years to get there.) Positional Impact: While skill players (WRs, RBs) rely on agility that the patella tendon (PT) anchors, linemen require the tendon for the "explosive" leg drive needed to anchor against 300+ lb defenders. (In other words, it impacts agility and leg drive, and I can't think of many positions on the field that need those abilities more) Injury Type Return to Play (RTP) Rate Career Longevity Impact Patellar Tendon Rupture 50% – 57% Highest (Worst outcomes in games played/performance) Achilles Tendon Rupture ~76% High (Decline in power/efficiency ratings) ACL Repair (ACLR) ~79% Moderate (Significant 1st-year decline; better long-term recovery) Recent High-Profile Cases (2025–2026) Ickey Ekwonu (Panthers LT): Suffered a rupture in January 2026; he is expected to miss the entire 2026 season due to the 6–12 month recovery timeline. Rashawn Slater (Chargers LT): Suffered a rupture in August 2025, forcing him to miss the 2025 season and potentially much of 2026. Trent Brown (Texans RT): Suffered a tear in late 2024 and returned to play in 2025, serving as a rare "hope" case for the position. Data from the NFL and NIH (National Institute of Health) Overall Assessment We basically have a year to evaluate Ickey's progress, but we need to consider the likelihood that he will never return to form. What is Ickey's "Form?" Ickey had 7 penalties (about average for the position) and surrendered 5 sacks (bottom third). So the level he has a 21% chance of returning to is serviceable--not elite or above average. There is a 78% chance that he does not return to this level or play. I would add that he has been improving, but the data does not include projected form; it is based on current levels (2025) The Panther decision: In the view of MHS, the Panthers should begin be re-signing Nijman and BC if possible. I imagine their agents are aware of the Ickey situation. Nijman is 30ish and a strong run blocker, but his pass pro is weak (47.0 PFF vs run grade of 86.1-that is consistent with my novice observations). He needs TE/RB help, in other words in some passing sets. Christensen (29) would be my preference, however, because he has shown the capability to be an effective left tackle in the NFL, driven by elite agility, technically sound pass-blocking, and high-level college production (96.0 PFF grade in 2020). While sometimes limited by average arm length compared to prototypical tackles, his quick feet allow him to reach spots and maintain balance. He has successfully filled in at tackle for the Panthers and is considered a highly versatile, dependable lineman. So if the Panthers can get these two back, they could find a LT later in the draft to develop. The more I think about it, the more this might be my play. Even if the OT we draft late is not ready to play LT in 2027, we still need depth and youth at RT. I would move Ekwonu to guard now and have him start learning that position (film, technique). Lewis and Hunt will be leaving (unless restructured) in 2027-2028. If Ekwonu takes 2 years to "return to form" as stated, he will show signs of his potential in 12 months--allowing Morgan and doctors to assess his likelihood to return. Then I might offer a backloaded, unguaranteed contract with heavy incentives. We could draft a LT in the first round, but forcing a rookie to start at LT in the NFL has been far from a quick fix or recipe for success. They often struggle for the first year--I am satisfied that, if we run the ball more as seems to be our MO, use more quick hitting passes such as slants, outs and some digs, we can function for a season with BC and Nijman. Maybe this is a situation that is good on paper but catastrophic on the field, but free agency is not where you find your LT, and first round rookies tend to struggle. Furthermore, at the Senior Bowl (I think it was the Senior Bowl--East West maybe?) the panthers seemed interested in a tackle that is going to be a day 3 pick. Of course, there are no first or second rounders playing in that game, so it could just be due dilligence.

I think signing Coker long term now (since you are not signing Ickey) makes sense, based on his production numbers. If he balls out next year, you could be looking in the $15m range for a player you could have much cheaper. If you wait until you have to make decisions about a healthy Ickey and then QB, you could lose Coker. (I have not looked at contract details etc. so my math could be off--but where I sit now, it seems to me this is obvious: Coker seems to have a future--solid hands, can get open, etc. His production (less that 400 yards) is probably far less than he will have next year etc.)