MHS831

The reason I say this is just a vibe I got from Fitterer--he seemed to reiterate the owner's talking points at times--just a vibe.

Although it falls on him, I really get the idea that Tepper was micromanaging the hell out of Fitterer. I am not sure he could avoid it. The GM takes info from the scouts, coaches, and owner (in this case) and operates in the draft and free agency accordingly. So on paper, Fitterer could have looked good, but he was dropped into a toxic culture with dysfunctional people in his ear. I dunno.

Thanks for this, bro. Encouraging.

The article is stupid--no head coach's job is to "fix" one player. It does, however, suggest that they see the problem as coaching, and I agree. The play calling was terrible and predictable. The system was not one that would allow Bryce to prosper--so he did not prosper. His WRs simply were not open--we heard that all season long--do not dismiss the importance of an open WR on QB development. The OL made mental and technical mistakes all season long. 40% of the OL was injured and we had to play inexperienced developmental players there. The QB was sacked 65 times or so, something I blame on the WRs as much as the OL. TE? We were below average. So if we can give Bryce weapons, change the system, improve the OL. Addition by subtraction. Folks, we are signng some weapons this offseason. (See Dolphins, Miami) Stay tuned.

Nice catch. That would be a nice acquisition. Players like TEs are not that expensive in relation to the impact they have. Kickers are the same way--if I were a GM, I would have the best kicker I could get--they are often the difference.

FYI There was a picture taken in October 2023 that shows Drew Lock working in an empty hotel ballroom with quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph reviewing calls and routes before the game. While we know how well he contributed to the Geno Smith resurrection, Lock stepped in when Smith was injured late in the 2023 season and completed 71% of his passes (2 TDs vs 2 Ints) vs. the Niners in a loss. He then completed 66% of passes (2 TDs, 1 Int) in a win against the Eagles. To me, the fact that he had the backup prepared says a lot. Joseph had a 19 year career in professional football (CFL) as a QB before that. Could he be the guy?

The issue is not who reports to whom, it is what Whom does with the information.

WHAT THIS MEANS (my biased opinion): What did they have in Seattle and Tampa Bay? Seattle Tight End: Noah Fant, (averaged about 50 catches last 3 seasons) Wide Receiver: Tyler Lockett (5 seasons averaging over 1000 yards, approx 80 catches; DK Metcalf (4 seasons-through 2022-averaging about 1000 yards and 80 catches) Tampa Bay Tight End: Cade Otton (47 receptions) Wide Receiver: Mike Evans (1250 Yards, 79 receptions, 13 TDs, 16 yards per catch average); Chris Godwin 83 receptions, 1000 yards) Carolina Tight End: Hayden Hurst and Tommy Tremble combined (41 catches) Wide Receiver: DJ Chark (525 yards, 35 catches); Adam Thielen (103 catches, 1000 yards) Panthers had one arm tied behind their backs--Marshall continuing to suck, Chark being a dud--they had very little on the outside. Basically, Canales had 2 1000 yard WRs at Seattle and Tampa Bay. Adam Thielen was an overachieving slot WR who benefited because he was smart and knew how to get open to bail out the QB. When you have only 1 1000-yard WR, it means the defense does not have to stay honest. Cover Thielen and let Chark/Mingo beat you. Good News: Mingo (quietly) showed signs of becoming a solid #2 WR. He had 43 catches, but only about 450 yards. If we add a #1 WR, we can be legitimate. Moose Muhammad had 52 catches in his first 2 seasons (22 games). Mingo is on that pace. Good News: Canales has not had great TEs. Fant is good, Otton is average at best. If we get a stud WR and a productive TE to go with Hurst and Tremble, I see the situation getting better. Good News: The "under center, play action" will keep defenses from pinning their ears back as much. It also requires the QB to turn his back to the secondary and throw more on the move. If Young's ability is between his ears, this offense might work for him. Not sure. If we build the OL (get healthy--BC, Zavala, and Corbett and get coached up Ekwonu, Mays, Jensen, Zavala, and maybe another draft pick in 2024, we could be closer than people think--if Young adapts to this offense and we get 2 weapons (WR, TE) it might turn around quickly. And I do not pretend to know if Young is a bust or not--he probably is, but we need to try to save him. I think we should sign a QB in free agency--I would love to see what he can do with Fields, and Davis Mills might be available. Sam Howell reminds me of Baker, to a degree. So I would not put all my eggs in one basket, but I would not draft a QB this year. They won't, fwiw.

I had the same comment.

I am guessing that, when you were a kid, your bicycle seat was not horizontal. (Just having some fun with your joke),.

It depends on your perspective. I see "Can (of) ale." I have never done prison time though.

He said, "under center, play action, shock (?) plays..." To me, that was the most interesting thing said.

Yep. They would treat it as a "Lifetime Achievement Award."

Now the off season begins. I would go after Fields and see what can be done there. I would guess that he has more to work with than Geno Smith. I think it would be very wise to have a plan B.

bottom line---Russell Wilson was good with him and bad in Denver, Geno Smith was pulled from the dumpster and is good, Baker--you know the story there. He is the coach hired so that Tepper can save face with the Bryce selection--so he hired the horse whisperer. He was my second choice, behind Vrabel, but I am not into the tall grass about this stuff like some of you dateless data divers.

I see your overall point, but the Eagles FIRED Brian Johnson. Now, it sure smelled like a "saving my own ass" move, but it is a concern. https://www.inquirer.com/eagles/eagles-fire-brian-johnson-offensive-coordinator-nick-sirianni-20240123.html

Personally, I think defensive coaches (probably those who were defensive players--especially linebackers) might make better game managers--or even head coaches. The offensive coach has the playbook and they are basically ordering an item from a menu. Their strength is in planning and preparation, where the defensive mind is preparation and reaction. I recall our defensive coach in college telling the DBs and LBs--"You may run 4.4 40s, but if you have to process the play for two tenths of a second longer than a smart guy who runs a 4.6, I am going with the smart guy." Remember, during the game, the coach is wired into a group conversation between the eyes in the sky and the coaches on the field, so he has to make reactive decisions based on what he is hearing and seeing. That is the mental process of a LB. As a defensive player, they look for tells--tendencies--and they are prepared to act accordingly, often making split second decisions. They are in a chess match with the other coach--guessing what he will do--based on tendencies and personnel etc. The difference between a QB and a LB is that the LB has to make instantaneous decisions based on his expertise and knowledge of his opponent. The QB is more focused on what his players are scripted to do... Offensively, the QB processes at a high level, but defensively, nearly every player does it without a script for that play. Does the LB have to know the offense? The situation? The defensive alignment? yes to all. Who were the players on our teams who made the best decisions once the play started over the years? Sam Mills, Dan Morgan, Jon Beason, Luke Kuechly. I would add that Mike Minter was smart as well. Offensively, Ryan Kalil was very smart, and I would throw in Olsen. So it is my position that the LB is in the best position to understand both sides of the ball as a coach. This is just a theory, based on the fact that I played TE and OLB in high school, and when I watched film, I went with the defense. I knew my time was best served getting to know the offense so I could react properly. In college, I played offense and I found some value in film sessions, but the room was never as active as the defensive rooms. Bill Cowher is a good example, and he may have paved the way for former NFL linebackers like Mike Vrabel, Demeco Ryans, and now Antonio Pierce and Jerod Mayo. Why is that?

Cam's last good season was like 6 years ago. Most NFL careers are not that long. If people say Cam is done it is because he is. If he had anything left, he'd be in a huddle and not a cigar bar. Blame Rivera, not the realists. I hate it for him, but his throwing accuracy was never that great, but his arm was strong. After his injury, I noticed a change in his delivery, as if he was having to find power in his lower body, and that hurt his accuracy.

If he and Morgan are buddies of sorts, and they might be--this could work. Vrabel won with Tanneyhill.

Throw the checkbook at him, Tepper.

I think we should have taken a look at him as a TE. He would not want that, but he is not playing. Having his leadership, charisma, and attitude in the locker room could be good (and it could be counterproductive as well).

I would love the challenge of rebuilding the Panthers. I am sure Morgan feels the same way. As for thouse who think he is not going to be effective because he worked under Fitterer and Fitterer sucked, we do not know what he said to Fitterer. We do not know what Tepper said to Fitterer. He had a role and no subordinate is empowered to form a mutiny if he disagrees with the boss. First of all, I think the first thing you do is build the offensive line and weaponry. No emphasis has been on the TE position--there needs to be. WRs will be the priority, however. The OL will improve with healing and better coaching. A better scheme. They are going to build it around Bryce, and they should have done that before they started him--and I am very frustrated in the way Young played--but he was behind a bad line with no open WRs and in a scheme not really devised for him. He had no TE to speak of--for those of you who want him gone, what do you recommend that he do? Make the DL miss? Throw the WRs open? Call less predictable plays? He faced the very toughest challenges and he failed. Maybe we can take away those challenges and see what we have before tar and feathering the guy. Regardless, there will be improvement and all you need is a stud WR or two and a stud TE. OL depth and better coaching. A scheme that helps you hide your weaknesses and plays to your strenghts. Sounds easy, but I think we are 4-5 good players away if we change the culture.

Well written, and I agree with most everything. However, I would say that the core of the 2003 Super Bowl Team was not formed by Hurney. To me, the three best players were Morgan, Jenkins, and Smith Sr. All from the same draft (2001). Moose was next, and he was drafted around 1999. MH was part of that, however, as a front office employee. Marty Hurney's first round picks were not the problem--it was when he started trading them that became a problem. The Otah trade started it all. It was as if MH only focused on round 1 and seemed to relax afterwards--as if he could reach, etc. I would say that the year Fox was a widely-known lame duck (2010) was the draft where he was not aided by the head coach. That is the draft where Marty tried to trade up into round 1 for Clausen, was tricked by the Colts to think that they were going to draft Armanti Edwards so he traded up for him (he had been to Boone personally to scout Edwards), and he drafted Eric Norwood (he had personally been to South Carolina to scout Norwood). Norwood did not fit the defensive scheme, unless he thought the Panthers were going to a 3-4 after Fox was fired-but why would he think that? In free agency, he re-signed Jake Delhomme about the same time after surgery and then cut him. He did not retain Julius Peppers, who left for Chicago. It was about the same time Marty started (at the time it was pretty much understood) overpaying to retain Panther free agents from a team that went 2-14. He overpaid for Charles Johnson and gave DeAngelo Williams a HUGE contract for a RB (over $40m with over $21m guaranteed) only to do it again the following year with Stewart. Historically, few RBs have the productivity to justify their second contracts. Marty was desperate because big name free agents were avoiding the Panthers (remember Jerry RIchardson's pie chart press conference? Not a player-friendly gesture). With a massive need at DT, he counted on third rounders Terell McClain and Sione Fua to man the middle. Joke. Marty imploded. He was then rehired. He imploded again.

I imagine the fan base in Philly is about as pissed off as we are--maybe more so.

Sorta misleading. If the Moton deal was back loaded to cost nearly $30m in 2024, and you anticipated Burns needing a new deal in 2024, it really focuses on their salary timeline--not to compare the overall contracts. I would have paid Moton $17m over the 4 years and not tried to back load it.