MHS831

I do this for myself, so I periodically share with my Huddle family. Maybe it helps you too. OFFENSE Left Tackle Left Guard Center Right Guard Right Tackle Lewis Fortner (FA) Hunt Moton Forsythe Zavala Samac Curhan Ekwonu (IR) Wide Receiver Tight End Running back Quarterback TMac Hubbard Young Coker Tremble Brooks Pickett (FA) Legette Evans Etienne Horn Jr. Sanders Tremaine Moore DEFENSE Edge/OLB Defensive Tackle ILB Corner Scourton D. Brown (3; 0-5T) Lloyd (M) (FA) Horn Phillips (FA) Wharton (4i/5T) M. Jackson Umanmeilen B. Brown (NT) Wallace (W) Smith-Wade (N) Jones II Cam Jackson (NT) Thornton Incoom LaBryan Ray Safety Moehrig Ransom Simmons Potential Cap casualties (cap savings if cut) Analysis Offense: Center: As unspectacular as it was, signing Fortson was a very solid move. We will draft a C in round 3-4, and that player will develop for a season. Fortson is an upgrade over Mays in run blocking. We had no $$ to give a veteran C, so getting one for $4.5m is a win. Guard: Lewis and Hunt are solid, and they will probably be restructured and kept here for a few years. I like Curhan. Zavala? Not there yet. I would not be surprised to see a day 3 G taken. Tackle: We have to draft OT in the first round, especially if Stone Forsythe is the best we can do, aside from Moton. I hope that was a cyber joke. I am guessing (at this time, no salary or verification) that he is camp competition. We could draft 2 OTs, in fact, one to play behind Moton and the other to start. Wide Receiver: Coker is becoming a star and XL has tremendous athleticism but he is still raw. I expect improvement from both: Coker becomes a solid #2 and XL will seal his fate, one way or another. Horn and Tremayne seem to serve roles and are valued. Tight End: I am not happy with Sanders and would like to see him go. Tremble does a lot of dirty work and is underestimated for that reason. Evans had a decent rookie year and should be a solid #3. We need a #1. We are going to get one at some point. I think Tremble could get cut, but I would extend him. Running Back: As much as I liked Rico, Chuba, Brooks, and Etienne is pretty good and cost effective. Spend $$ on the OL and the backs get better. Quarterback: Well, we might start rooting for Bryce because they seem to love him. Pickett might be better than Gingerbread at backup QB–at least he has some upside? Watch to see who we bring in as the emergency QB. It could send Pickett to that role. Offense Overview: Left Tackle is the only real hole right now (the Fortson signing was a great move), but expect a first-round OT, a third-round C, and I am guessing we sign a TE and another QB. Defense: ILB: Lloyd seems to have found a home at Mike / MLB. While Wallace is best at Will, he is not best at starting. I’d like to see Rozeboom back for depth at the Mike, and I think we draft a starting Will LB in round 2. I am still predicting Golday. Edge/OLB: I am sold on Phillips after watching some of his video. Such and smart pass rusher who can stop the run. He smells the football and finds it quickly. Scourton seems to be the real deal. Princely (needs to develop) and Jones II are role players. We could add another edge, but cutting Jones II saves under $5m. I’d rather have him in the rotation. Defensive Tackle: Derrick Brown is going to get a sidekick in the draft. Phillips should helf Wharton more than people realize–he will prosper. Cam Jackson and Bobby Brown are below average NTs, but at this point, I am not sure they will play a ton. Cornerback: Morgan has done a tremendous job finding talent in the bargain bins at CB. Smith-Wade has been very solid. Thornton seems to be a find (rated the 2nd best rookie CB in 2025). Mike Jackson is a solid pro. Horn is elite. Do not be surprised to see a CB in the draft, but for now, this is a solid core. Safety: Ransom is an interesting player who is probably best playing situationally behind Moehrig and special teams. If they play Simmons at SS behind Moehrig, maybe that will force Ransom to work at FS. Maybe Simmons is simply the big nickel and special teams ace. I feel we are a true back S away from completion. Defensive Overview: The Panthers addressed the pass rush and Inside LB (mike). There are weaknesses, in my view, at FS, Will LB, and DT. This defense will be better in 2026, but with the schedule, we may not notice the difference as much. OVERALL: Until Free Agency is behind us, it is still a foggy picture. I anticipate a TE being added in free agency and little more. Assuming that is true, the Needs Chart (in my view) looks like this: LT WLB C S DT OT QB In case you are interested: 2025 Rookie PFF scores Corey Thornton, in limited action before being injured, was the third-ranked CB by PFF rankings. According to PFF scores, he was the second-rated rookie panther behind TMAC.

Aside from Tremble, the others are on cheap rookie deals. Tremble would save $6m if cut, so he may be necessary to sign a veteran.

He supposedly has slow feet. Good run blocker (decent). Are they going to play him at reserve guard? I hope so. He was playing RT in seattle, fwiw. Maybe depth behind Moton if not G? Swing T? I can tell you that I heard OL coach Gilbert works specifically with tackles. Someone else works with the guards and someone else works with centers. (Sorry to be so specific). Maybe he sees something in this guy he can fix.

He surrendered 11 sacks in 465 passing snaps. Last in the league (89/89). Raiders OL was dogshit. Camp body, swing T best case scenario. Look at the sacks and the pressures. I have seen Walmart greeters stop more people.

Looks like an upgrade for half the price.

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I would add that if we do nothing more in free agency than land a stud Edge and ILB, Both were top 15 free agents on many lists, we done reeeal good. We got 2 quarters instead of 4 dimes--in the past, we had so many holes to fill, we could not go for the top shelf liquor. We should re-sign some roster players, like Isaiah Simmons, Curhan, Nijman, and hopefully Rozeboom

I think Brown and (get this) Ickey might be extended. Horn too?? Extending Ickey gives him guaranteed extra money but it is aligned with the risk and position he will play if he returns. For example, (making up the formula) You take the $18m he is costing us for not playing in 2026. Big men with that injury are given a 50% chance of returning to 90% of their full / current productivity. The Panthers could then divide the guaranteed amount by 4 years (for example) and it would be $4.5m per. Since he is going to be moved to G or RT, the average salary for a veteran with his credentials is $15m (for example) per year. SInce he has a 50% chance, make that $7.5m. Multiply that by .9. Roughly dropping it to $6.5. Now you have Ickey's salary down to $11m per year for the next four years. Guarantee two years of it--$22m. That is $4m more than he will make if he is done. Add incentives. At the end of the day, You could save an easy $12m off the 2026 cap (guesstimate) and you would have a decent G / RT that is pretty cheap for 4 years. If he does not work out, cut him after year 2. So that is my maff. While it sounds Batshirt crazy to extend Ickey, it could be very smart. If I had a career-threatening injury but could add a minimum of $4m for extending my guaranteed $, I would do it. I think Tremble gets restructured. His blocking was too good down the stretch.

https://overthecap.com/free-agency I also wonder about Cushenberry (C). He had an achilles in 2024 and injuries in 2025. He is 28, smart, and has a lot of starting experience. On a cheap, "Prove it" contract... This is not to suggest that the Panthers do not draft a C.

Yes. Versatile and has played LT (late in 2025) pretty well. He would be a nice player who is young and could covert to G if needed, or play T.

Nick Scott is probably next

Good catch. I read a dated review (He used to be a hybrid /will) but when I checked the source, 2023). This is (to me) encouraging because it allows us to go after a player like Golday (Cinn) who can play both, but is known for his WLB play. Harold Perkins is another name. This is good because I have heard "He was in a contract year" but scheme and position responsibility is very important. I am more excited about this now--

Lloyd is best at the will LB. We need a Mike. iMO

Just watch some Kaitlyn Jenner soft porn.

We are going to have to cut now, and Tremble has a cap of $6m. I think they like Tremble, as do I, but it is not my call.

I too am an edge whore. I am also a tight end whore, but I digress... We have some work to do. Interesting stuff about WR and CB. I know they just signed some bottom of the roster CBs--and we forget about UDFA Thornton from last year (injury), but we are thin. Jones? He is a veteran who is 27. He is decent depth, and cutting him creates $5.3m in dead cap and saves about $4.7m in cap room. You might be right, but I would not cut him. Cutting Robinson (done already?) saves about $10.5m. Tremble saves $6m. I would extend Ickey. team friendly, but you could spread out the hit. If he recovers, the Panthers get a deal. If he does not, he gets a deal and the panthers lose about $5-10m. Moehrig, Brown, Horn, Lewis--can be reworked if necessary--I dunno. Not as good at cap management as some.

TEA LEAVES: Lloyd, Elliss, and Chenal still available--if we sign one of them, OT will be the pick in the first round. I think we could sign an ILB in the second round as well, but DT, S, TE, and WR are in play. (Watch the TE from Vandy--I see him here--in my vision--behind the giant spiders and robots.) I see a C in round 3 or 4.

I see no way we draft BPA when we have no LT--if we sign Nijman, maybe--but we cant go 17 games with him. I see no options. Freeling, Proctor, Lomu. For some reason, I see us taking Proctor if Freeling is gone. I'd rather have Lomu. In this post, I have mentioned the name of our first round pick. Unless some weird shite happens.

I still think we might draft one for the emergency QB

Yes, but now when Bryce starts sucking, we can do this:

Tua Pennix is Latin for "Two Pen...." Nah. too easy.

Another thing--when they show highlights, is there a rule that says 25% of them are against the Panthers?

been at work--gotta catch up. Tua to Atlanta because both QBs are lefties? Makes some sense if you have a blindside RT....Has this been discussed?

2025?

that makes sense--a bit older/