MHS831

https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/diontae-johnson-nfl-trade-rumors-news/ https://www.si.com/nfl/patriots/news/new-england-patriots-named-trade-spot-panthers-diontae-johnson These trade rumors are just speculation at this point, but it is an interesting idea. I have seen this rumor on a few sites, but sometimes it starts with one and then it is copied. However, it makes sense. Johnson has a rep for being a "problem child" in Pittsburgh which is why he was so cheap via trade (Panthers gave a sixth for Johnson and a seventh). He is on a one-year deal, and if the Panthers continue to struggle, he could be an interesting trade option before the NFL trade deadline. I expect the new QB situation to elevate his stock, but if XL shows signs of being a legit WR under Dalton, is it possible that we trade Johnson and move XL up? There are many reasons we had to get Young out of there-could this be one? We could then bring up Coker from the PS and possibly draft a WR with the pick we get. Just thinking out loud. Hoping that this has not bee discussed already--I just stumbled across it.

probably already stated, but Jordan Matthews and Eku Leota are on PS

Good moves that involved Morgan: Corbett to C RG, LG While you criticized the Johnson (WR) move, we had limited opportunity to get a good WR--the trade was brilliant. The draft--most teams find 2 or 3 keepers in the draft. 3 is rare, 2 is more common. KEY TRADES The Mike Jackson (CB) and the Johnson (WR) trades were great moves. Jackson cost the Panthers their 2024 7th rounder, a Lb who was not going to make the team; Johnson and a seventh rounder were acquired for a sixth round pick. Now, lets look at the Burns trade--one that many hated. Here is what we lost: OLB Brian Burns and his $30m price tag Here is what we got for the difference between Burns and Clowney: Jonathan Brooks (RB) best RB in the draft (pick 39, 2nd round) C. Smith-Wade (CB) made roster as CB depth (pick 157, 5th round) Robert Hunt (RG) $20m annual salary (average) Jadavion Clowney (Edge) $10m annual salary (average) Without a first rounder, it looks as though we nailed the draft. XL has demonstrated he can play when the ball is thrown to him. Brooks? We will see, but the best RB in the draft in round 2? Value. A stud LB in Wallace and a solid upgrade TE in Sanders. Without a first rounder, we found 4 players who should be regulars by next year. Our seventh rounder became a veteran starting CB. The difference between Clowney and Burns became 2 stud OGs. That allowed Corbett to move to center. While it is to early to know if all these moves pan out, I think the moves were brilliant. He started with a draft that featured a second, third, fourth, and seventh rounder. After the Burns trade, we had 2 seconds, a third, fourth, fifth.... This offseason will define Morgan. Stay tuned.

If Andy can play qb behind a good OL, then this will not be an issue. I would like to see him have success and lead the transition to the next QB. Our problem has been OL--for several years--It is not the case now. Dalton will not be great, but he will be average most of the time. That should be enough

Chuba is looking very strong and is emerging as a leader. In a few weeks, we could have a formidable one-two punch. Peevy has looked remarkably good. Ickey has a tough job and he has shown signs of settling in. I think Mike Jackson has looked strong at CB2. Horn may have been beaten deep Sunday, but he was in great position. he also was strong in tackling.

Is it a coincidence that Tepper was at practice today--talking to players (Dalton being one of them?)

This was the most telling statement made in the entire presser. He is a football coach, not a child psychologist.

I think so, if they can find a partner. Have you heard anything or is this speculation at this point?

Just kidding. I understood that. In fact, I thought you were joking--

That guy on the left represents every uncle I ever had. It was abuse.

This is what Bryce said on the Panthers website in January: "I haven't really had that time to reflect (yet) and to do that self scout," Young said Monday. "I'll definitely sit down, I'll watch every snap, go through it, chart things, figure out strengths and weaknesses, all that stuff. I don't wanna just say something random and it not be the truth. But, I'll know when I get a chance to do that." Let's break that down: "I haven't really had that time to reflect (yet) and to do that self scout," (Yes you have. Every week you have watched film and if you watched it properly, you reflected. That reflection takes you into the weight room, team meetings, playbook, film room with a position coach, etc. This is a cop out, imo. He is dodging the question/issue. "I'll definitely sit down, I'll watch every snap, go through it, chart things, figure out strengths and weaknesses, all that stuff." This is very ambiguous. Go through WHAT? Chart WHAT? WHAT stuff? Understand that Bryce has already watched every snap and he should already know his weaknesses and strengths. If the topic is the offseason workout program, THAT is what he should be planning. He should already know the other stuff. Is it up to Bryce to figure out his weaknesses? Is nobody coaching him? "I don't wanna just say something random and it not be the truth." To me, this is the most interesting statement. This suggests that he is being evasive and there is a separation between what he is willing to share with the press and what he is going to do about it. The season is over and he is not ready to commit to his strategy over the offseason to improve. Does he know his habits and does he know that he will not be doing what the fans and coaches want him to do? Does he mean, "I don't want to say something now, not do it, and then be held accountable later?" I'll know when I get a chance to do that." Again, an evasive answer. After a 2-15 season, knowing what the franchise gave up to draft you #1 overall, would a leader leave the building by making statements like this? Obviously it is difficult to psychoanalyze someone by pulling quotes from an interview, but I can say that I am familiar with leadership styles and effective strategies. I taught doctoral courses in organizational leadership at Gardner-Webb a few years ago, and we would take statements from leaders following a crisis and analyze them in groups or round-table discussions. What I see here is evasive and rather narcissistic. I do not mean egotistical, but the focus is on the self. There is no mention of seeking input from others. No vision of what it is going to take to turn it around, and there is seemingly little empathy for his followers' hardships and needs. I also see a failure to commit to doing what he knows must be done, as if he has been successful without doing what other successful people do. He is a polite victim of his own shortcomings and seems to have no idea what he is going to do about it. That is my take, and often these takes prove to be wrong, fwiw.

You can also see up mini skirts at parties.

Yeah, and it is not consistent with what we KNOW of his demeanor. I guess the reaction should have been more humble, a demonstration of his shortcomings, not entitlement. We gave him nearly twice as many games to demonstrate his ability to play QB that we did Clausen. While he is making millions, our fans are spending millions. If true, getting pissed is probably not the reaction that fans would have expected. But you are right--it is what it is.

Ha ha. He has more than one problem, but if it makes you feel better, being your size can be an advantage. I mean, when it rains, you are the last to get wet. (I am an optimist)

And here we go. You do not know that--if you can't read a defense, that would be under the "knowledge" category. Do you see evidence that he was reading defenses, either pre or post snap? I don't. Blitzes, coverages, matchups--I don't see it. I agree that he is shell shocked, but there is also a point when being "shell shocked" (a temporary condition) becomes complex trauma. The rest of your post is you putting words in my mouth--never said "all it takes was recognition and S2", for example.

The thing that is hard for me to believe is the reports of Bryce's reaction. He is pretty disciplined behind the microphone and his pressers reflect someone who has been coached by the PR department. That is why I tried to present numbers--regardless of his reaction--legit or not--his line chart was not heading in a positive direction. For an illustration of his performance, one of the two charts below is symbolic of his play in Carolina. (hint: See right side)

If I were a team, I might spend a 6th or 7th trading for Bryce--I would IR him, force him to watch film and work on technique all day for a year. I would have him lift weights and watch practices and films of smaller QBs who have been successful--Doug Flutie, Kyler Murray, Tua, Davie Obrien, and Eddie LeBaron. Some played in a totally different era, some have had limited success, but I would have Bryce look for commonalities. With only pocket change invested, the upside for such a deal is high. Bryce is 23 and he was not emotionally ready for the NFL, imo.

Bryce to Miami for six of those helmet pad things.

Yep. In comparison, Clausen got 10 games as starter before we moved on. He was a second round pick. Bryce got 18 games. I watched the NFL Network's Good Morning Football (or whatever) this morning and they were pitching ideas for Miami's QB concerns. I was not watching closely, but nobody suggested a trade for Bryce-they suggested trading for Garrapolo. They mentioned Ryan Tanneyhill.

He did. If you look back at the screenshot I posted, he had a good game vs Green Bay, breaking is string of 7 games below 200+ yards. Did he build on the Green Bay game? NOPE. That is when he began his nose dive into the ghettos of Clausenville. Two of the next four games under 100 yards. An average of 3.25 points per game. Yikes.

I think it is funny that we give first and second round picks more time to develop than we do a seventh rounder. In my view, a first rounder should have a brief learning curve and then moderate success by the end of the first year. Were it not for the Green Bay game--when we scored 30 points and Bryce had over 300 yards passing, one can see a digression towards the end of the 2023 season. Between weeks 4-8 last year (one was a bye) Bryce had 4 consecutive 200+ yard games. As you can see in the screenshot below, the last 200+ yard game is week 8. If you remove the outlier--week 16 vs. Green Bay--not the digression in yards and scoring. It was as if his confidence was waning and he was getting worse. I think the demons were winning the war:

Dalton played 1 game last season and he had 367 yards and the team scored 27 points. Bryce has played 18 games since last year and has only had 1 game that is comparable to Dalton's single outing. In Bryce's last 4 games we have been outscored 108-13--and he is PISSED for getting benched? His passing yardage during those games: 112, 94, 161, 84. During those 16 quarters of football, we scored one TD, two field goals. That is a good quarter for most teams. SHOCKED? PISSED? I think we identified Bryce's dispositional issue--entitlement.

"Anyone can lead 95% of the time. It is what a person does during that 5% that separates him from the others as a leader." ---Warren Bennis On Becoming a Leader (paraphrased from memory) Going onto the field is actually only about 5% of being an NFL QB. The 95% is related to physical and mental preparation, building relationships, promoting the team, etc. In fairness, at 23 I was a young turd and would have failed miserably as an NFL QB. I am a much older turd now, and I think it would be difficult at any age. However, I will still analyze Bryce in terms of leadership skills, because I think that is where he fails more than a person who is short and trying to throw the ball to guys wearing the same color shirts. He is not an Alpha. The best QBs are, for the most part. Most that bust were not. Reason? When the OL is battling against oversized athletic freaks every play, when the WRs are running 20-30 yards every play to get open, when the RBs are plowing into LBs and getting hammered by DBs every play, they need the only person talking in the huddle to be an Alpha. Inspiring, confidence building, and an example. When things don't go well, he pouts. He is a good kid, but aren't we all when we have what we want? When he comes off the field, he stands staring in a daze. He is not with the coach or Dalton looking at the plays on tablets, picking their brains. He is not even watching the game. If I were his coach, I would have his ass beside me and his nose buried in my tablet, so it is possible the leader's leadership is absent. A leader takes over when the group is challenged. A great QB wants the challenge and gets better during those times. A weak leaders disappears when opportunity to demonstrate leadership presents itself. A leader reflects. I have read that Bryce was "shocked" and now "pissed" and that makes me "shocked" and "pissed." It is a time when he should have demonstrated humility. Knowing what is best for the team when what is best for the team is not you is part of leadership within the 5%. This could be painfully motivational, but that is not how he reacted. It was not a healthy reaction. Not only is he not an Alpha, and not only is he not a "dawg," he needs to be an "underdawg" and he is not. He is small and his physical skills are limited. He needs to develop a chip on his shoulder--a Napoleonic complex--to demonstrate that he can overcome his shortcomings (height, weight, arm strength) with preparation, his brain, and determination. He needs to be accurate if not overpowering, and he should have spent the offseason in the film room, learning to read defenses. You may have weaknesses in some areas beyond your control, so a real leader offsets this by becoming elite in the areas he can control. Summary: I thought Bryce was going to be elite in reading defenses and accuracy. He is one of the worst in these areas--a 5'9" 180 lb qb with poor accuracy, tunnel vision, and dispositional issues is how I conclude with this: "How did he win 2 games in the NFL? Defense mainly. His only wins were by scores of 15-13 and 9-7. INTERESTING STATS : In 2023, Andy Dalton had one start, and he threw for more yards (361) that game than Bryce would throw in any of the other 16 games. In fact, Bryce only had 1 300=yard game vs. Green Bay week 15--and he would surpass 200 yards in only 5 of the 16 games he played. The Panthers scored 27 points that game on the road at Seattle when Dalton was the QB. Bryce, in 16 games, surpassed 27 points once in sixteen games.

the only circumstantial, indirect evidence I can present that is not conclusive by any means: During Hard Knocks, The Giants GM Schoen was in negotiations with Dan Morgan about a trade for Burns. He got off the phone and said, "Morgan has to check with Tepper." Maybe not the same thing, and maybe all GMs would do that when making a big trade, but it made me uncomfortable. The other concern I would have (not hard evidence--coincidental?) is when Canales stated in the post game presser that Bryce was his QB. Has a meeting (we believe) with Tepper and benches Bryce. But you are right--there is no concrete evidence this was Tepper's decision. He was probably informed and we know he probably agreed with the decision, but the origin is not clear--and maybe not important.

At first I wanted Stroud, but I was not 100% sold because Ohio State had a long history of NFL QB busts. Bryce? His size made me nervous, but I figured they knew more than I did, so I conditioned myself to like Bryce. I watched the Bama tape and he seemed to be smart and accurate. I think others started supporting Bryce the more they showed interest. Towards the draft, however, I pulled my interest and decided either would be nice. I was wrong.