MHS831

Way to early to be judging the OL--wait until after the second preseason game at least. New staff, new system, new players--you all might be right, but man it is tough to bring 5 people together--no other position group has that many different pieces. I am concerned--don't get me wrong--but I am not too worried yet. I am interested in the following players at the moment that seem to have flashed: OLB Chaisson WRs Mingo and Marshall Jr. (ANY WORD ON XL's INJURY?)

He has the tools and when he puts it all together, get out of his way.

I used to work at Gardner-Webb as a professor and we had to attend all the graduation ceremonies. One year (around 2016 or 2017) he attended to watch a nursing student he was serious about graduate--not sure if they ever got married or not, but he caused a pretty big stir--entered late and sat in the back and left early--not sure if he is in play or not, but if he is, I agree. Got me to thinking so I looked it up--Girlfriend from his hometown Cincinnati and she graduated with a degree in physical therapy from GW in 2017. They are married now.

IMO, you should have 4 QBs in camp for this reason---your starter, your backup (to make the 53), a PS QB on a rookie contract, and one that you cut or put on IR.

It will be interesting to watch the QBs develop in college this season. Sanders and Beck are above the pack, but there are about 4 who could shoot up boards if they have a good season--and they have the tools. I really like Smith, Houston's size---and he could be the dark horse. Ewers has been able to keep Arch Manning on the pine-that is pressure and shows he's a dog (competitor). The Penn State QB (Allar) like Smith is a big guy who could move into round 1 if he looks good against OhioSt, USC, etc. We have seen it before--some unknown going into the season. Milroe at Bama is also poised to get some love. Sanders is disciplined and seems to read the D well--does not have a great team around him---I would rank them Sanders/Beck (tie) and Ewers. After that, we have to see if someone steps up--and I think they will. Watch Smith--he is my long shot favorite.

I am under the impression that (one again) we have last year's guards playing. If we could get both Gs who have been successful, we can see what we have. There is no reason your LG should be a weakness, but we seem to have a history of sucking there. I am getting concerned that we are not going to protect Bryce and Bryce is not going to be good. My focus is on 2025 anyway, but there are a lot of questions I want to see answered this season. Icky, WR, QB (I think we probably know that answer), LB, CB,and C.

I may have BC focus on C for now. Easier to bring in a few Guards (after cuts, maybe) than a C. Personally, I think BC could be a solid C if given the reps. I should add that the snap placements should be a bit erratic at first for a career G to move to C--not ready to give up on Corbett on Aug 4.

DID NOT see him look off the S

The pass to 88 was late--88 seems to explode out of the break and then slows. The ball needed to be thrown sooner or more outside (He could have dragged feet--there is no reason in an uncovered rep to be late). Someone tell me that I am seeing things or nit picking.

If I were Miami, I would have kept OG Hunt and traded Tua--I do not see his play improving now that so much cap is going to pay him. Teams get stuck in mediocrity, and those who have been below mediocre feel that they are heading in the right direction when they reach it. However, I do not see Tua improving. Arizona should not have paid Murray bank, imo, but at least his supporting cast is not as good as Miami's was last season. I hope Bryce proves me wrong-I have no doubt he will improve this year--but will he improve enough?

I am hoping for more, expecting that his ceiling is that of Tua's in Miami. The irony there is one that we could face here in the best case scenario---On a rookie deal, we are able to put the pieces around Bryce to make him a good manager who plays within his arsenal of capabilities. Tua just got paid bank and lost a key OL in Robert Hunt in order to pay the QB. He has to YAC WRs that pad his stats--but without the stud Guard, they are going to step back. Now you have a short, limited QB getting paid market prices. It would almost have been better for the Dolphins if Tua continued to struggle and they did not make the playoffs--they are not locked in on mediocrity, imo. That might also be the best case scenario here. I see the Panthers losing their top 2 WRs (Johnson and Thielen) after this season and that leaves them with 2 or 3 WRs who are 6-1, 210. The same breed of hunting dog. It is possible we have to move on from one or two and they prosper elsewhere. Having said that, it seems we could be taking one step forward and two backward. Personally, I do not think you pay a QB top dollar (see Arizona, Miami) if his size and/or arm strength are limited. Can they attack the entire route tree? Just because your starting QB is playing out his contract does not mean he is worth the deal Mahommes or Josh Allen are getting. This is the season to make a hard decision on Bryce and if he is not good to great, we need to keep shopping. Personally, a lot of people are down on the QB market in 2025, but I think there are some sleepers that might step up this year. Aside from Beck and Sanders, I think Ewers is a top-end sleeper (managed to keep Arch Manning on the pine) and my dark horse is a poor-man's Cam-clone, Donavan Smith at Houston (6=5, 240). If there are five QBs worthy of a first round selection, that makes this draft as good as last seasons. Vision over.

Here is the patient and maybe practical view--since PUP players count against the active roster, we can wait until the first week of the season and put him on IR--that would give the Panthers a minimum of 4 weeks and a maximum of seven to ten weeks (estimated) to reinstate him. I think this is the way to go because it does not take a roster spot---I doubt he would play much the first month of the season regardless. The downside is that you have to get down to your 53-man active roster before doing so, but a PS designation to be called up is how you would hope to handle that.You still have Hubbard, Sanders (behind a better OL), and Blackshear until then. If Sanders or even Hubbard have good starts, they could maybe trade him for a pick next year when Brooks returns. I think this would give Brooks the time he needs to heal thoroughly while learning the offense.

Just some observations--the OL takes the longest to gel--we have new players at 3 positions--a new system, etc. The chemistry between the qb and WRs takes a while, but the OL in this situation is painfully understandable.

This was a draft wherein we needed 3 or 4 hits. I love the Brooks and Sanders picks, and when they start contributing, the offense will be better. When you are in that situation, you take the sure bets--take a guy who will make the team and be a good player over a guy who is boom or bust--Legette is the picture of Boom or Bust. Besides that, with Johnson and Thielen, we are talking about the Z (3) WR--and we have Mingo, TMJ there. How much better would we be if Legette is good? Four to six passes per game? I would not have minded a CB like Cooper or Kool Aid (assuming they did homework on him). Again, not giving up on Legette but he is raw, so we shouid not be surprised.

I wanted Pearsall or Ladd. Still not giving up on a rookie in July.

Chaisson is the big news here--that would be huge. Legette? he can be brought along slowly--with names such as Johnson, Mingo, Thielen, Smith-Marsette, Coker, and maybe TMJ showing positive growth. If Legette needs a year, we may have to put him in the special class and give him some modifications.

I thought he recently called himself the best RB in the NFL if not injured or something like that. I like what we have at RB, but I imagine Brooks is going to be on IR for the first six games or so. Sanders with a good OL is good. Remember Philly? They had a good OL and he was effective making moves on the second level. he was not effective finding holes and improvising on the first level.

Not redskin potatoes. They are now Commander potatoes.

I have stated this as well. He could save us a roster spot, because I see us going with 8 in the 53 and keeping 3 or so on the PS. Both Yosh and Brady C can play T, and Brady can play LG, C--not sure about RG,. We also have Cade Mays and Zavala--who should be very much improved this year. I see Raym making the PS as the third C. After that, BPA

1. It is OK to disagree and state your counter points--but you decided to go full dick about it. Your points are just as subjective as mine, and if you chose to be negative beneath a narcissistic veil of self-adoration, that says more about you than it does the Panthers or the OP. Learn to consider other ideas without being a prick.

I was concerned that all our WRs are the same size--about 6'2" and about 210-except for Johnson. If you can't throw deep (time and arm) you need some YAC guys. So we have Thielen, Mingo, XL, and TMJ all from the same basic mold. He was not my first pick--I wanted the kid from Georgia. having said that, in this image, he was hooked, preventing the back shoulder or quick out. He will probably run outs, slants, digs (at times), and crossing routes. He will not need to run the complete route tree right away. I like Legette, but I did not understand the pick, frankly.

This time of year, you are filling out your 90, not your 53. Pretty good signings if either can step up

No it is not. I think the lack of confidence in the front office is worse than the lack of confidence in the team. Every time I hear the name CJ Stroud I think of the brain trust who decided a small, average-armed QB who has always had a stud OL, stud D, stud WRs--was the best pick. I still think he is salvageable, but I do not think he will be the best from that draft.

Mistake on my part---Ickey at LT, Moton at RT. But yes, I live on the edge.

While my recent post focused on a position group (WR) that I expect to be much improved, I am equally eager to see the new OL take the field. Not only are they better, I can list three glaring reasons I think they would be better even if we kept the same personnel: 1. We have a new offensive line coach in Joe Gilbert. He did well in Tampa Bay keeping Brady upright, but he has about 30 years of NFL experience. He is not Campen, a coach I was excited to get but noticed how much he sucked over the last two seasons. 2. We have a new assistant coach with TE coaching experience (from Seattle). Kekuewa should help Pat McPherson when the TEs are working on blocking assignments with the OTs. Knowing how to trade the TEs and use them to help a tackle against speed rushers should be a new wrinkle. Before, we did little of this because the Offense was getting set a few seconds before the play clock expired. Bryce is smart--use his brain and allow him to move TEs if necessary. We actually have 2 TEs who should be good blockers (Thomas and Tremble)--use them to help Moton and Ekwonu. 3. 2.7 seconds to release the ball. Teams blitz less when they know they are not getting to the QB. 4. An elite RB. Brooks and Chuba is a pretty good tandem. All of those make us better before we take a look at the OL personnel The Offensive Line personnel Left Tackle: Ickey Ekwonu: Ickey needed a solid technician coming out of NC State and he did not get one. Campen had trouble communicating with Gen Z OL, and he and Ickey could not have been more different. Ickey will benefit from the new coaching staff. While many Huddlers are concerned, he was a respectable 67.4 on PFF--and the OL are probably one of the easiest positions to grade accurately using their metric. With smarter TE help, a quicker release, a better LG, a better running game, and better technique, I expect Ekwonu to cut his penalties and sacks in half. Depth is also important, and Yosh Nijman was an excellent signing. In about 1000 snaps over the past 2 seasons in Green Bay, the PFF score for him is a respectable 62 (rounded average). Left Guard: Damien Lewis: Lewis has a dangerous combination of power and excellent feet. He can reach block in a zone scheme (his specialty) and he can scoop and pull. He is great at positioning his body to finish blocks after contact. PFF scores range from the high 50s to low 70s over the past 4 years, but this guy is smart and gets to his man. When he and Ickey get familiar with one another, we will be able to run Left with power as much as right...Christensen is much better depth than we have had at G in the past. He is smart and a good pass protector at G--not as powerful, but over the past 3 seasons, he has averaged around a score of 60-which is decent for a backup. Center: Austin Corbett While we have never really seen Corbett play center, there are some who think it is his natural position. I am sure he is intelligent and experienced, As seen in the video below, he has been groomed to play center for years, but situations have necessitated that he play elsewhere. I am hopeful and confident that his intelligence will be more of an asset at C than LG, and with two stud OGs beside him, he will likely be challenged less than Bozeman was last season. With a young QB, a seasoned veteran like Corbett to call schemes is probably going to take some of the load off Bryce. It is possible that Corbett, experienced and in his prime, will excel at the position he seems born to play. The more thought I have given this, the more it seems that by signing Hunt and Lewis and moving Corbett to a position that utilizes his strengths, the biggest weakness of the Panther offense in 2023 is now quite possibly its biggest strength. Right Guard: Robert Hunt. Much like Damien Lewis, Hunt is very good at moving his feet after contact to get his body into ideal position. In addition, Hunt has great hands to help him win stalemates or execute his job responsibilities when the DT stunts or slants away from him. He is great at reaching LBs on the second level, taking great angles and demonstrating good balance. This requires a knowledge of the plays because he must angle toward the point where he expects the LB to be--knowing how the play is going to pull him toward the point of contact. I am very excited about both starting guards. Depth? I am not sure, but Zavala and Mays will get looks as depth on both sides along with BC--(Mays and BC could be backup centers as well). Right Tackle: Taylor Moton. Moton is solid and consistent, a quiet leader who gets the job done. Moton had a very impressive 74.6 PFF rating for 2023. As our best lineman, he simply needs to keep doing what he has been doing. Summary There is reason to expect Ickey to be much improved in 2023. Our guards will be the best combo in the NFL. Austin Corbett will play his natural position and his intelligence and skills will be assets. Moton is going to be Moton. The OL will be experienced but in their primes. While the WR corps is greatly improved, there is no other unit that should be more improved than the offensive line--think Saints OL when Brees was QB--that is what we did. Both Guards have experience playing in systems that featured small, young QBs and the OL coach has a year with Baker (in Tampa). Russell Wilson was good in Seattle; Tua was his best in Miami. Our depth is better. Expected OL Roster: (No more than 9 on 53; Possibly Raym, Jensen, DiRenzo, and Lee to Practice Squad because Cade Mays, Bradey Christensen can back up multiple positions and Nijman can play both LT and RT.) I could see them carrying as few as 8 OL on the active roster) LT Taylor Moton, Yosh Nijman (2) LG Damien Lewis, Brady Christensen, (2) C Austin Corbett, Andrew Raym (Christensen, Mays) (2) RG Robert Hunt, Chandler Zavala, Nash Jensen (2) RT Taylor Moton (Nijman, Christensen) (1)