MHS831

I agree and thank you. I guess the question is: Are Waddle, Smith, and Chase THAT good? Would they make this offense unstoppable? I read a post on another site about Darnold and the need for a slot: He has never been able to change plays at the LOS or call hot routes. If the Panthers want to turn him loose, we need a slot that is a game breaker. A slot that can run the slant, a slot that the defense gives a 10-yard cushion. A hot route runner that keeps the S honest and works the middle as well as the sidelines-a player that stretches the secondary...." (paraphrasing). I dunno. I am like everyone else--get the elite T. If you wait for round 2 and there has been a run on OTs, we could be in the Greg Little situation again.

That is my point too. If Sewell is there? No thinking required. If Slater and Waddle are on the board? It could get interesting.

Darnold lack of success = Brady leaving

Your suggestions would indeed improve this. Thanks bro

Don't get me wrong, NAS, I love Pitts. I just think position value comes into play. HOWEVER--there is depth at T this year, so we could meet both needs. Another thing we do not factor in is a player's dispositions. Attitude, work ethic, etc.

Nice. Motivation and rewards. The same stuff that made Pavlov's dogs salivate when they heard the bell.

I usually do not start threads (I end them), but when things get a bit dry, I try to find something to stir it up a bit. This article is about 4 weeks old, but since we are starved for new content during this "calm before the storm" period, I thought we would revisit/visit it for the first time. It sure seems like a good year to be us. First, any year you have 4 QBs going in the top 10 (likely) with the possibility of 2 more creeping into round 1, that is a good QB class and it deserves to be the top position group. So you might be thinking with your brains, "Why are the Panthers not all up in that QB frenzy in round 1? Why did they trade for a player that seems to be on the cusp of bustdom?" Well, they think they can change Darnold's fate and at #8, you are hoping for the 4th best QB who may not be the best fit for your system. The Tanneyhill effect was huge, and I am sure they heard from a lot of folks who understand what it was like to play in NY. So we get our young QB prospect for 1 second rounder next year and some day 3 picks. Some say we paid too much. That remains to be seen, but if he does what I think he can do, we stole him. 2. OFFENSIVE TACKLE: I disagree, however, that QBs are the top position group because they have 4 top 10 players. If you stretch the scope to the first 2 rounds, the best position group is unquestionably Offensive Tackle. "As things stand, PFF has a first-round grade on seven offensive tackles and Day 2 grades on six more. That’s a LOADED class. While last year’s group was top-heavy, this year’s has serious depth. There’s a chance you’ll be able to find immediate starters leaking into the second round, which is something that rarely happens at the position." So what does that mean, if you are the GM trying to meet as many needs as you can during the draft? We can wait and grab a T at 39? Maybe. 3. WIDE RECEIVER: I know some of you are against a first round WR, but if you look at the fact that we could get a starting T in the second round and we would love to give Darnold all the weapons possible, how does Fitterer not start frothing at the mouth when he sees what might be sitting there at #8? I imagine the Panthers are looking beyond 2021 when they make a pick, and our WR corps will be getting expensive soon, when Moore decides his payday is here. Anderson and Moore are not locked into long-term deals, and we did very little to replace Samuel. Regardless of what we think--what will the panthers think? We can give Darnold and LT and a weapon of starting quality if we draft a WR then a LT in round 2. If we take a LT in round 1, what round 2 WRs are ready to start? I dunno, just spitballing, but if we draft a WR in round 1, understand that we are getting a super talent AND we will probably take a T in round 2 who can play this game. "If you want that game-changing wide receiver, this is the year to do it. Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith all rank inside PFF’s top 10 players." 4. INTERIOR OL: The fourth most stacked position group is interior OL. That may mean a good C/G is there on day 3. 5. CORNERBACK: Remember that Fitterer was determined to keep the first 3 picks of the draft when he dealt with the Jets to get Darnold. That trade was not about what we gave up, it was about what we did NOT give up. If the Panthers agree with PFF, they may feel that they are in position to pull a Chinn and trade back up (or let a CB fall) and get that CB with the third Panther selection. "The cornerback group features 16 guys in PFF’s top 100, although there are not too many true blue-chippers at the position in the class. The strength is quite clearly throughout Day 2, where there are a ton of intriguing skill sets." Enjoy the article if you have not already seen it, but it may be a hint towards our draft strategy: https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2021-nfl-draft-best-position-groups

Personally, on day three of the draft, there are 2 QBs that might be worth drafting and developing for 2 years behind Darnold (assuming they are there, and that is unclear): Kyle Trask Jamie Newman Both have skills and both were damaged by circumstances. Trask had an inconsistent supporting cast (except one TE) and during the bowl, they opted out. His performance looked like the first day of spring practice. Newman just needs coaching--but he was once projected as a first round hopeful this year--was supposed to go to Ga from WF and make that name for himself. A lot of technical issues, but he has flashed.

I know that they had Fields and Lance run SF drills. I can see Fields being impressive in that setting. I think he is a bit overrated based on his elite athleticism while I think Jones is underrated based on his lack of it. However, Jones' does a lot of little things really well, and does not make many cerebral mistakes. I see SF all over him. The Ohio State University will never be confused with a QB factory. Neither will Alabama. To me, I think they made their call early and are all in on Jones--they know that they over-drafting him, but they saw no other QBs with his skill set-I will be glued to the set when they announce the Niners next QB.

Where is Mr. Scot?

Me too, bro. Of course, just a hunch, but based on the talent that is likely to fall to us, I see Sewell as a no brainer, then I see Pitts, then I see Slater vs. Waddle????? I can say that I am becoming increasingly against trading back in round 1. The talent level in areas of need seem to be dropping off around 10. They signed 2 OTs this offseason and may have some glimmer of hope for Little (doubt it). Erving and Scott, they may assume, can hold down the fort until a second round OT is ready.. They may like the depth in round 2, but we still need a CB....I would not be surprised to see them trade back up into round 2 (which is why Fitts wanted all three picks in the Darnold deal) so that we walk away on day 2 with a slot WR or Pitts, a CB, and a LT. That to me would be a good draft. The picks 4-6x2, in my opinion, could be for trading up.

I struggled with it, but I really don't know that we run a true 3-4, and if Burns and Reddick and Haynes are going to be the rush LB...I see Fox and YGM at the ends and I see Shaq and maybe Chinn at the other LB while Perryman and Carter play inside? I really got a bit confused in that area, so I figured with the 7 or 8 needs, I would give it the benefit of the doubt. Still, I could take Burns out of it and drop them. Bottom line? LBs and DL are hard to figure.

I want Slater, and I agree--just figuring what they might do--we are not going to let Curtis walk and do nothing to upgrade. But the third-sixth rounds are full of smallish slot WRs. I hope that is what we do. I am certain they know the value of a LT with a new QB. I am getting excited about the OL if we do that.

I am counting on/praying for any combination of the following: The niners to take Jones. I am about 75.3% sure they will. Atlanta does not trade and takes a non QB that is not Sewell. Cincy to listen to their QB and take Chase. Some team to take some player nobody had in the top 8--like a CB or MLB.

Cindy? She is a formidable foe. Cincy---my wife is Cindy--I'd rather face the Bengals.

Oh. I watched about 9 videos--I deleted the sentence because they were not full games and it was not descriptive, but I decided that it did not matter anyway. I am just posting my take.

Everybody takes horse steroids once in a while. just my take bro, thanks a lot.

Where does it say that?

Rambling is the window to the idle brain. (People tell me that all the time) Ha. No, good to hear your views--you are usually on point.

He really has not been on a good OL, but he seems to have aged well. We shall see. Is he our center of the future? Present? LG and that's final?

If Sewell is there, the thinking is done for you. If it is between Waddle and Slater, I am not sure that we take Slater.

People a lot smarter than I am saw something, and I had to know what it was. This is finding a diamond in the rough if it works out. And since I was watching Darnold film, this was not highlight fluff.

I just watched some Darnold video and I was wondering why we took 3 players off this Jets team. Then I remembered as a player and a coach, sometime you start watching one player and you notice another. When I was watching an opposing team's film, I looked for the weaknesses on the OL/DL. If I saw it, I knew I could exploit it. When being recruited, I was often noticed by schools watching film on my teammate. So I started watching #67 on some Darnold tapes. He was not given much time, but man, Elf had some terrible OL around him. They were not in sync often, but he demonstrated some intelligence and some nasty. Positives: Great technique. can not swim move him because he keeps his butt low and back straight--does not lunge or reach. When stunt goes away from him, his head swivels inside to find the LB or help the C. He repeatedly showed upper body strength and good mobility. I did not see him pull, but I saw him take a DT from Left A gap to Right C gap in pass protection, creating a lane for Darnold to run for 20 yards. I saw him shove a Raider DT from A gap to C Gap with his right arm on the goal line. Excellent footwork. Never off balance, obvious football intelligence based on his head movement (When we had Silatolu, I reported that he was confused and did not know where to look during a stunt--when this happens, expect this...he did not know. Elf gets it. He seems to have a bit of a nasty streak too. He uses all he has on every play. I NOW like this signing and see why we did it. Negatives: He is not overwhelming and can get bull rushed a bit. When you do not bend forward, making you susceptible to swimming or getting fooled with a stunt or blitz, there is a bit of a trade off. So getting bull rushed is part of that balance. Paradis has the same problem, but he has good balance most of the time. I did not see Elf pull, but I do not see physical limitations to suggest he cannot. Analysis: Remember Evan Mathis, the Guard Carolina released after drafting in the third round in 2005? He went on to have a 12-year career, with a couple pro bowl appearances as a LG with the Eagles? He was a G with the Broncos in Super Bowl 50? That guy? Well, he did not start getting it until he was about 27. Elflein will be 27 in July. I see Elflein as smarter, more disciplined, and just as aggressive. All signs are pointing toward the light coming on here. Put a good LT beside him and he will be really good. Trust me. As a C? I think that may be his spot--but he is an upgrade. We signed him on the first day of tampering because we were studying up on Darnold, and this guy jumps out at you--like a Nun at a biker rally. I do not want to oversell him, but if you were like me and scratching your head about the 3-year deal, stop it. You will see. Not sure about Erving--I think they like his ability to provide depth at all 5 spots.

Basically, Darnold does really well after the play breaks down, but that was the only time he was given the authority to go off script. A QB who sees something should be given that authority. It keeps everyone guessing--including your WRs and OL. For example, if the qb can call a hot route at the LOS, do it. If he sees the CB cheat toward the intended WR, throw it to the WR he vacated---etc. I am getting excited about Darnold and Brady with CMC and a few weapons. I am happy about Elfein at LG. (Maybe he becomes the C, but for now, LG). Get that LT...slot WR...CB. Those are the 3 picks we needed from the Jets.

A lot of times when coaches are scouting a player, they notice another player in the process. So when we sign players from the same team, I try to figure it out. Why take 2 players off a team with a terrible offense? So I figured, "We were doing our due diligence on Darnold and Elfein may have been that "other" player. So when I was watching this, I started watching #67. Why would we give him a 3-year deal? I get it. He is solid. at the 8 minute mark, he takes a DT to his left with his right arm alone. Later, a DT tries to cross his face and swim over him, and drags him 5 yards down the LOS, allowing Darnold to run for about 20 yards. (9 min mark). There are other plays, but I did not see him get beat---he was on a BAD OL and he held his own. He may need to anchor vs. the bull rush a bit, but I am sold. I am actually taking LG off my list of concerns.