MHS831

Lotta possibilities for that guard. Heck, a few RT candidates could fill that need--like Dant'e Smith, ECU. I hope we draft Mills, QB, Stanford in round 3 if he is there. If you will take Sewell or Slater (no preference) you could trade back a spot or two.

Draft cheat sheet for people who only want the best for their Panthers: The Draft starts at pick #3---Trevor and Wilson will be flying to Jax and NY, respectively, when SF goes to the podium, so lets start here: 3. SF: We want them to pick Jones. If they do not, Jones likely goes after #8. 4. ATLANTA: Now that we have a QB and prolly will not take one, we want them to take a QB--Lance, maybe? I think they like him. 5. CINCINNATI: Please take Chase. Listen to your QB. He misses him. 6. MIAMI: They need WR or Edge Rusher, so they could reach for hometown boy Rousseau or take one of Tua's Bama mates Waddle or Smith. All of these are OK and we will allow it. 7. DETROIT: They could use a WR too. Let's hope for a run on WRs or maybe MLB Parsons. 8. CAROLINA: Today's buffet features Sewell, Slater, Pitts, and any CB you want.

I stay at 8, counting on 4-5 QBs to go before us-- Jax: Trevor. NYJ Wilson. SF Jones (Still feeling it--you people mocked me over this guy. Mocked me!) ATL (trade?) Lance is my guess, but they could go with Pitts or Sewell as well. Cincy should go with Sewell, BUT they could take Chase (Burrows wants him) or Pitts. Burrows wants weaponry, it seems. However, if they do not pick Sewell, word on the street says that the Panthers will. (my street--in front of my house) TRADE: Miami is going WR or edge rusher-Chase is the pick here unless they trade back with Denver or someone for Fields. Prediction: Denver (trade)for QB Fields. Detroit needs a whole team of WRs. They go WR. Chase has to be the pick here. CAROLINA: Someone good is going to be there--Pitts, Slater, and / or Sewell, maybe? Go LT.

Name an available QB who is guaranteed to have a strong 2021? (there is not one, but I will let you throw out a name anyway) How much would he cost? How much would we lose if he busts? What are you going to say if he becomes successful in Carolina?

Lets take a gander at our S position--they are almost all undrafted free agents or nobodies: Franklin, Hartsfield, Robinson (of XFL fame)--we are not picky. He looks like an "in the box" safety--good tackler and probably a special teamer at best.

Pay attention to what they do, not what they say and try to keep your emotions in check---and you can see the semblance of a strategy forming. These are hard to dispute, even if you are a bit slow like Growl (no offense intended), for example: They gave away a second rounder in 2022 so they could have 3 rounds of picks this year. So the logical question is this: With immediate needs at LT and CB, why 3? Fitterer said at the Darnold presser, "This does not mean we will not take a QB in the first round." Yes, it probably does, and you were not going to spend the #8 pick on the fifth best 2021 QB. Translation: If you want to guarantee that we will not take a QB, you must deal with the Panthers. I wondered if this was not meant for Denver, picking at #9. Imagine getting a third or fourth rounder to swap with them so they can grab a QB. The obvious question: Why would he announce this if he intended to draft a first round QB (if there)? There have been a ton of comparisons to Josh Allen, a QB who struggled early, but as Mr Scot points out, got better with Mr Bean build an OL in front of him. With Cincinnati screaming for Chase or Pitts, and Miami likely to take a WR, a very good OT will be there at #8. Could the Panthers trade back (beyond Denver if a QB is available) and leave talented OTs -- day 1 starters--on the block? So if the Panthers take a LT in the first round, it is highly likely they go with a CB in the second. So why did we protect the third rounder in the Darnold trade? Picking at #39 gets you a decent CB, but we need a #1 CB. Is the third to trade back into the late first, early second to grab a CB who might fall? Is the third rounder to draft a developmental, high ceiling QB like Mills or Mond? That third rounder is very significant. It is my guess that we would like to come away with 2 day 1 starters--and a possible backup/insurance policy developmental QB to groom for 2 years. Do not rule out Trask as well, but I think Mills is the kind of player Brady might like.

Well, we might trade back--but if we stay put--yup. I still see the possibility of a #1 CB, and so much depends on their blind faith in Erving-if that is what they got him for.

THanks Martin. I think Slater could be the next Panther, but I just fell in love with Sewell from day 1. Slater might be a great guard, good LT. Not much difference, but Sewell has been consistently dominant since stepping onto a field. Maybe I was sold on Sewell early on, but in 2019, he was all-American. Slater was honorable mention--in his conference. Sewell was a 5-star prospect in HS, Slater was a 3-star. Now they are suddenly equals? Some even have Slater rated higher. When I watch the film, I see the similarities more than the differences. And I prefer Big 10 OL over the West Coast teams. Yet I still see Sewell as being a generational talent--does that mean he has more upside than Slater--I don't think he does. I am a bit torn, but Slater has not demonstrated that he is a generational talent like I think Sewell has--that is why I could not put Slater on the same platform with Pitts and Sewell.

And "You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you, don't you? Don't you?" Yes. The song is about the person you are suggesting it is not about.

Give us your take on Darnold---genetics or environment?

Damn. He's good.

Did you want Fields? If so, the obvious question is, "Are you big in OSU QBs? At least USC had Carson Palmer.

Since you brought it up... I still think SF goes with Jones. If they do not, Cincy and Miami get offers from Denver, NE, Wash, etc. Which means 5 QBs gone. Fitterer stated that there is a top level--that ends about halfway through every draft---with 5 QBs going in the top 10, that is likely to be about 18 players---12-13 non QBs. So you inspired me to rank them. Yes, I will do it for free. These are rankings based on their potential impact as football players, barring all team needs: 1. Penei Sewell: You have to consider the position and the rarity of elite talent there. Sewell is not only the best player at his position, he is the best player at LT--since Joe Thomas. 2. Kyle Pitts: Almost as rare at his position (they will probably have to create a new position for Pitts) Pitts hit the NFL at the right time, when the once devalued TE is becoming loved again, because he is a matchup nightmare. His hands, speed, and size make him unmistakably the best TE to come out in a long time. STOP. To me--the elite players in this draft--the "once in a decade" players--stop here. So I will list the rest of the top shelf players, without explanation after some Chase comments--he nearly made the "once in a decade" cut. One or two will surprise you. 3. Ja'Marr Chase: Normally, a good QB can make a WR better; this WR makes the QB better. Average sized, he is able to not only make a play on the bad throw, but he has the ability to do something with it after the catch. It is hard to pinpoint what makes him better than the other great WRs--his nonverbal communication with the QB, his body control, his big play ability--yes to all. He is going to be great. 4. DeVonta Smith WR 5. Micah Parsons LB 6. Jaylen Waddle WR 7. Patrick Surtain III CB (Damn, Bama) 8. Rashawn Slater T/G (I am not sold on the LT talk--he would be a great G) 9. Jaycee Horn CB 10. Caleb Farley, CB 11. Christian Darrisaw OT 12. Najee Harris RB 13. Zaven Collins LB (sleeper, a freakishly large LB from Tulsa) BONUS: Pass rushers will be the rage mid first round: Azeez Ojulari, Paye, Rousseau all knotted here as mid-first round edge rushers) Analysis: Sit tight at #8 and take Sewell or Pitts--trade back if neither is there. Chase? Well, there are a lot of talented WRs--just a notch below Chase.

Part of the smokescreen? Players know to stay out of it.

I just thought you were trying to turn me into an introvert. (Jung humor)

No you didn't! Not in memes.

This logic suggests that we should avoid Fields, Lance, and Jones too.

I know of one trojan condom I wish did not burst.

I think they would hear, "Kaaaachingggg!" Move back (staying in the 9-20 range--which includes 9. Denver 12. Philly 14. Minnesota (my dark horse move up for QB ) 15. New England (the ideal trade partner) 17. Vegas 19. Washington 20. Chicago

We will upgrade QB if and when we get a chance. We are more likely to wait until after the draft and sign an aging veteran to hold a clipboard and mentor Darnold, until he shows us what he can do here. But I think they weighed it this way: Sam Darnold: A young QB with some redeeming qualities who can be developed. He has cost us the equivalent of a third, a fifth, and a sixth rounder. That comes to about 300 trade value points. Trey Lance: A young QB with some redeeming qualities who can be developed, but he might not be there at 8, so trading down to #5 or #6 (and that would likely cost us a second round pick, in addition to our first round pick). Lance would cost us between 1700 and 1900 trade value points. Mac Jones: A young QB with some redeeming qualities who can be developed, but is probably close to his ceiling athletically. He is likely to be there at 8, but not guaranteed. (He would cost us our first round pick, obviously). Jones would cost us 1400 trade value points. Drafting Darnold allows the Panthers the opportunity to trade back or take a strong player at #8--like a LT such as Sewell. OK, you just made Darnold better because by trading for him you saved your first and second and third round picks. Now you can get the LT to play opposite Moton. Miller is no slouch, and Paradis was improving. LG is the only hole, and with Daley, Erving, Elfein all able to play LG, are we suddenly solid on offense? What if we add a TE to go with Arnold?

So, you dream about bananas, do you?

Here is what people do not get- QBs have an internal clock. They get hit (or hurried) at 3.4 seconds after the snap (making this up) 76% of the time. Darnold is hit or hurried 88% of the time at 3.1 seconds. Mentally, do you think he is in the same place as a Drew Brees or a Dak Prescott--teams known for their OL play? The threat of pressure can be as real as the pressure itself-human nature. It is called "defense mode" and the amygdala in the brain sends a signal to the hippocampus, shutting normal functioning down and sending the brain into "fight, flight, or freeze" (defense) mode. Ever get really rattled when you were ALMOST in a car accident? Same thing.

Is that the kid from the commercial? The kid loosening up his arm, taunting Cam? All I got.

Bengal fans are thinking its down to Chase and Sewell. Pitts makes sense though

This thing is going to play out as if we paid Teddy Checkdown $40m for one season. Move over Mahomes. Nice.