MHS831

Three words and the problem is solved. Notre Dame Box (mic dropped)

I agree (it was frustration/sarcasm). However, I think the Browns might cut an upgrade over Plummer....but your second point is one I agree with too.

I would have liked to have seen Ewers or Will Howard. It blows my mind that we entered the season with all hope riding on Young.

of course, bad routes can make a QB look terrible.

Looks like we should sign a new third team Qb after cuts. You could argue 2 or 3.

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Let's see if Bryce comes out timid and indecisive--if so, not a good sign.

Barthomew is getting burned this preseason. Prolly gonna get pulled for Thornton. Bart has given up 3 TDs so far....

I think the pass to TMac was pretty good and Sanders let it hit him in the facemask. Hard to get into a groove when you are in third and long--having said that, Bryce not hitting the checkdown was just stupid--it reminded me of the first two games last season--indecision when there was only 1 decision.

Going on the record here--MARK MY WORDS!!! XL is going to have 1000 yards receiving and 7 TDs.

At this time of the year, it could be due to a lack of focus during the first few weeks of practice--usually the last unit to fall together once starting positions are fixed. However, you never know. The Etienne fumble on the punt was another sign that they were not seasoned--so we shall see.

If I am not mistaken, Ladd McK was available, and that is who I wanted. Now, had we done that, Coker would be the #2 behind TMac right now and we'd have AT/Renfrow/Ladd at the same spot, but it might be better considering bryce is the QB. Not giving up on XL, but yes, those one hit wonders are not worth first round picks. That pick, followed by an injured RB (Brooks) was very desperate or too cute. Morgan seems to have settled down.

It was a stupid question, for sure. TMac/Coker/AT/Renfrow/XL--probably in that order.

Wasn't Brad Hoover an UDFA? I think we could argue both sides--

I cra, but hear me out. It would not take us too much work to run a 4-3. I even think, with the personnel we have up front, we could be better off in a 4-3. Nothing we have says 4-3 OLB, but look at this: 4-3 DEs: Wonnum (6-5, 260), Scourton (6-2, 265), Jones (6-4, 265) Princely (6-4, 250 speed rusher), Incoom 6-2, 265) They could add 5 to 10 lbs each, imo. 4-3 DTs. Brown and Brown, Robinson and Wharton (who can play DE in some situations), Cam Jackson 4-3 MLB Wallace (6-1, 244) Rozeboom, Bam Scott 4-3 OLBs This is the position that would need to be addressed. Depth: Kris Barnes (played OLB at UCLA) Add 2 players and sign a cut OLB as depth...

I think--just a hunch--that the competition is between Ransom and Richardson. Keep them both hungry and do not hand the job to an UDFA or a 4th rounder. It is a motivational thing. I could be wrong.

I would say this--obviously, we have not seen enough to know how good we will be--but I think the difference between good and possibly great rests on the shoulders of three people--and you are right to rely on these guys for insights--I would say, however, that there is a lot of pessimism and skepticism right now, understandably. This may sound crazy, but those three people are TMac, Young, and Sanders. TE: If Tremble and Sanders can step up, and I expect them to do so, we could have another dimension to the offense that we have not had for some time. I think Bryce, who has become better at his progressions and checkdowns, will benefit. WR: With TMac and what seems to be an improved and maturing Coker, Young has WRs he has not had since arriving. He relied on AT, and AT is a third-down slot WR at this point. If XL develops into what he can be--you could argue that in one year, Young has 3 WRs better than his best WR in years 1 and 2. OL: Hunt and Lewis have made a huge difference, but C is still an area where we could improve. HOWEVER, Mays was strong at the position at the end of the season last year. I think we have 2 serviceable centers. Key to the OL is that Ickey continues his development, and I expect him to, and Moton stays healthy. On paper, Brady Christensen, Mays/Corbett, Zavala (who played at a starter level at the end of 2024) are pretty good backups. The OL is probably as good as it was in 2003, when the Panthers went to their first Super Bowl. RB: We have had former first rounders Stewart and Williams (Double Trouble) in the backfield and it worked well. Now we have RBs who are a notch below that level, but with a better OL. Dowdle and Hubbard are a strong combo (both 1000 yard rushers last year) and Etienne is a serviceable third down option who can catch passes. As Young improves his progressions, a checkdown RB is important, as is a TE--and I expect us to be better in these areas. The only real question mark is QB. Bryce has 8 solid (not great, just solid) games under his belt, but that improvement was probably based on his OL. XL did not help much, and Coker came on midway through the season out of necessity. Now Bryce has weapons instead of check downs--he has to step up and get them the ball. I saw two good signs Friday--1. His fade pass to TMac was on the money and a good read, and his slant to TMac (dropped) was an excellent, confident pass. He is starting to develop swag. I hope he can stay healthy and keep progressing. If so, the offense goes as he goes.

No, I agree. It has to be based on optimism about players at this point, but we are talking about players like Ransom, Sanders, Coker, Wallace, Richardson, Thornton, etc. playing key roles. Normally--in the past--we were not doing that beyond round 2--I simply feel that the focus is on the bottom of the roster.

About depth: S: I think we have 3/4 that can start. CB: With Thornton, Horn, Jackson, and Smith Wade, Bartholomew and Evans behind them--we are deep (somehow). ILB: No depth. We need some badly OLB: Wonnum, Jones, Scourton, Princely, and maybe a fifth--we are deep. DE: Brown, Robinson, Wharton---and Ray, who I think sucked last year--maybe we could use one more. DT: Brown, Cam Jackson, Shy Tuttle--not bad--Shy better play better OFFENSE WR--TMac, XL, AT, Coker, Renfrow, and Horn--good depth TE--Tremble, Sanders, Evans--not flashy but solid OL--Christensen, Mays, Zavala--that is pretty good depth. RB--Chuba, Dowdle, Brooks, Etienne---stable full QB--Young, Dalton, Plummer---not much depth So I think we have depth issues at 1. ILB (personally, Rozeboom is a backup and Wallace is not without flaws) 2. DE (need a fourth) 3. QB (Hard to find a backup better than Dalton, and that is sad) Surprisingly, DBs on paper look good.

Oh, they will be busts alright----in Canton!!!

I did not like the edge options at the top of the first--as much as I liked Javon Walker the person, I just did not see the fit. Others had red flags. When we got Scourton, I was very happy, but I had not researched him. I saw it. Since I was not expecting him to be there, my second round hope was Princely. Can you say, "happy camper?"

he is not there yet--but I am liking what I am seeing in Jimmy Horn. AT, XL, TMac, Coker, Renfrow, Horn--man, that could be a sick room if they can get it together.

Yeah, a one year deal to get us through this mess.

Yeah I was going to add Young--my only concern was when he had a free play (offsides) and then did not throw it deep--opting for a wide open WR (Thielen, I think) near the sideline and missed him horribly. I would add Ja'Tyre Carter (LG) to the "Losers" list--second and third teamers ate his lunch. Brady Christensen looked bad at LT at times, giving up a sack, but he is decent as a utility OL. Cade Mays was strong at C, based on the moments when I watched him. They really do not like to show instant replays during preseason games--I think every play should have an endzone instant replay fwiw. Mays, Zavala, and BC is pretty good depth on the OL, fwiw. As for Etienne, several people seemed to have trouble gauging the ball (speed, depth) early on--I think the 7 pm time messed with some perceptions (In high school, it was harder to see incoming passes when the lights were on and the sky was not black yet--so I base that comment on my experience--not sure if there is any legitimacy behind it)

Watch the cuts (ILB) for the following teams that are loaded at ILB and will have some tough decisions to make: Eric Kendricks, 33, is currently a free agent, fwiw.