MHS831

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.

I think they have twisted the concept. I do not know what goes on behind closed doors, but I know that the way it should work is this way-- The person responsible for the decision meets to seek insights and input from all stakeholders. Then that person is empowered to make an informed decision. The way it seems to be going--- The person responsible presents his case, along with other stakeholders, and Tepper uses that information to make the decision. That is bad. In fact, that is not good. It is bad.

Naw. I mean, it's just a game, right?

They all need to wear t-shirts for the entire 2024 year that say that on the front.

I am sure she sees herself as a co-owner.

Good point. Moton getting $30m as a RT and Burns is more valuable that 2 first rounders but not worth what Moton, the RT, is making? Not sure I see the logic.

I think he served 2 tours of duty in Nam. Seriously, this team acts like it is a minor league franchise. I rarely comment here but I read the posts--just not a huge NBA fan. So this is the perspective of the casual fan: This was about contracts, I suppose, and cap space (which means little to NBA teams in large markets)--but at some point, you have to make a move. The hornets seem to have a rising star locked up in Ball and Miller-that is a solid combination. I think there are role players who have hot and cold nights because they are asked to do more than their talent dictates. Gordon is just milking the money out of the franchise--nobody is hurt that much. So when the Hornets get rid of the dead wood, and Rozier is nearly 30--maybe too much talent and salary cap in the back court to bring in an additional star front line player. I dunno, but I would like to see a plan. Furthermore, getting rid of Rozier could guarantee that the Hornets get a lot of ping pong balls.

Question to ponder before entering deep, intelligent, objective discussion: After hiring Morgan, if we hire Evero, will it appear that Tepper could not get anyone from the outside to board his wrecking train?

A better list is one that features players we passed on in positions of need. To me, taking a flyer on a player when there were few other options is one thing, but drafting busts and watching those picked after them at the same position prospers is agonizing. I can't watch Houston now because it pisses me off. I am one of the few who have not totally given up on Bryce, but I am not feeling very good about him right now.

Good point. There is something about a former player/team leader in that position because he knows both sides of the business. Morgan comes from a player personnel background. I wish him the best of luck.

I had several concussions when I played in college and I turned out just-time for dinner. Where was I? Oh yeah, the 3-4 Defense and the RPO offense. I disagree.

As an educator, I can say that college kids I taught in 2003 are much different than the 2023 students. My approach had to change--or I become a joke to them--You are farther from their worlds than ever before--if you don't keep up, you are an artifact of days gone by. When I saw Campen on an interview, he started cursing and said that he can't control it. People laugh about it, but to me, it demonstrated a person who feels that he doesn't have to prove anything to anyone, he is who he is and is not concerned about self-control or reflection. It is as if the job is a lifetime achievement award instead of something that you must attack like a hungry wolf every day. He lost touch, in my estimation based on what I have seen.

I am not sure they have many options, but not many teams give up on the #1 overall pick after 1 season when so many other problems were raining on this 22 year old kid. I am not defending Young or predicting that he will turn it around, but I know that impulsivity has not really been that effective. There are not many QBs who would have done well here-- We did not take Baker's 2022 and build 2023 around his skill set, but Tampa Bay did. Who is better off? If we had done that last year, you would have called it bonkers.