MHS831

We were there the week after Spring ball ended, and the coaches were tired, relaxed,and tying up recruiting. We spent most of our time watching film with the position coaches, listening to them break down a player's technique or so. Beamer was about special teams, as you know, and said that is a factor when he recruits.

Sorta off topic, but free agency basically starts Monday. Why did I expect a LOT more cuts and restructures etc? It has been very quiet.

The Panthers and wide receiver/punt returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette may be parting ways. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports that the Panthers are not expected to tender Smith-Marsette a contract as a restricted free agent. Fowler adds that the two sides could still agree on a contract, but Smith-Marsette is currently set to hit the open market. Smith-Marsette joined the Panthers in a preseason trade with the Chiefs last summer. He averaged 8.7 yards per punt return and had a 79-yard touchdown return in a Week 10 loss to the Bears. Smith-Marsette, who entered the league as a 2021 Vikings fifth-round pick, also caught eight passes for 51 yards and ran eight times for 74 yards last season

In fact, I used to coach HS football and we once stayed at Va Tech for a week and observed coaches there--Beamer might have been the first person I heard say it. That was back in 1995

As much as you want to draft a shiny, glittery WR, the teams that successfully build dynasties use the following rule (and this is not my opinion, I heard somebody say it who knew what they were talking about--forgot who): Build from the inside out, front to back. That formula says the OL--and the IOL are the starting points. You plug up that middle of the LOS and I promise you, Bryce gets better, the RBs get better, and the WRs get open. Why? The facial pressure on a 5-10 QB takes him off his mark and the second that WRs are open before the DB adjusts closes. you cannot win if your OL is giving up the A gaps.

I'd take a third this year and a first next year.

Go for a 2025 first rounder--gives you cap room now and you get a player next season. Teams are much more willing to trade a first 13 months before the draft than 1 month. I know we need it now, but do we?

This confirms what I was thinking. I tried to ignore it, but he was not good--I blamed the reserve guards on each side of him. He led the NFL centers in the sacks allowed category. Our guards were just as bad. He lacks the ability to slide, I saw him late to pick up stunts and LBs. I saw him getting bull rushed. He is a good person and wanted to raise his family here-

Our roster is really bad.

Yes, I mean, if you think of the tags, and you pay him $24 this time and let's say it goes up to $29m next season, that is an average of $26.5m per season (fully guaranteed) for 2 years. That is basically the contract they offered him that he refused. Think of it as a 2-year contract, and move on when he is 27. But I am not sure I would trade him for a 2nd and 4th. I would trade him for a future first rounder with a bad team and maybe a 3rd or 4th this year. The bad thing is you have no tag for Brown if needed.

Yeah, I had Nix too high, but Here is what I was going by (77.4 Completion percentage):

Just saw this....I see it

He is a good player, and I pointed that out in another post. Shedding some disinfectant on the theory that he cannot hold up against the run, comparing him to Charles Johnson and Peppers. Now, understand that an OLB has slightly different responsibilities and opportunities than a 4-3 DE, so there is that. Burns is no Crosby, Bosa, or Watt. His salary should be lower than that. As for the additional DL, I am of the opinion that we are going to have to see what YGM can bring-he has improved, and like Charles Johnson, Greg Hardy, and Mike Rucker, sometimes it takes a few years before you step up. I am also high on Barno. I have only Prayers for Johnson at this point. My point--maybe someone will step up. We cannot fix all problems. If we trade Burns, we get cap space back but we have a huge need. So I dunno. If he does not take the contract offer, shop him and take a 2025 first rounder and a third in 2024 if that is what it takes. No, he is not worth Bosa money or Watt money. He should get maybe 75% of it. I would use his comment against him during negotiations, however, asking his agent, "What if Bryan gets to year four of this year and decides he needs to protect himself for his third contract. Can you tell me that he will not play safe then? So why should we pay top dollar for a player who doesn't feel he is to give his all for every day of every contract he signs?" I understand why he said it, but it was an ego comment, not a brain comment.

I see what you did there. That was a a baaaaaad joke.

But we had 40 events at the stadium that the teppers don't own.

I am starting to regret the Nix prediction.

I am not sure our front office would know what to do--they might make good decisions if attempting to tank--we could hoist the Lombardi in February if we tried to tank.

Here is what scares me: We have to hit on 2 starters, 3 contributing players in this draft with 2nd 3rd and 4th rounders. A WR, maybe 2 has to hit the jackpot. In the history of the Panthers since Smith, name a wr we have drafted that was really good-Moore? any others?

With our cap, I do not see how we can rebuild in a year. We will know the answer if we trade Burns for 2025 first rounder and other picks.

Final pearl of wisdom: I think the secret to free agency is signing a player with a question mark (coming off a surgery, following a bad year, etc) and doing your homework. A signing like Sanders, for example, from a team the a dual threat QB and a great OL, was stupid. I hated it at the time and we are paying dearly for it. Hurst? I'd rather have Tremble in the game. Now, we did this with Chark and it did not pan out. Not that bad of a risk, honestly. Thielen was a good signing. He panned out, but they were under the impression we would be competitive in 2023. Time to refocus. Build the OL, draft weapons, and move on. Trade Burns if it helps--if it hurts the team, keep him. duh.

I remember last year and maybe the year before, we kept signing free agents and the cap barely dropped. I was very worried at the time.

That is what I was going to say---I thought Bozeman was not good last year, but it could have been due to being flanked by reserve guards. Corbett played about 4 games and was not good. If we go with a wide zone BS, I would think that Ekwonu could become a G--but I am only speculating

It was hard to see his route running in that video==lotta deep balls. Some body catching. DId not see a great catch (Caleb Williams on target) in the bunch. Good when play breaks down and gets open. Surely Jerry Rice has taught the kid to be a great route runner. Teams seemed to play soft zones vs. USC

If we TRIED to be more stupid in trades, the draft, and free agency, we could not have been worse.

I wanted more from 89. Not mentioning names....I mean, your opinion is why we watch. Ladd? Pearsall? it was encouraging to hear what he said about Legette. I thought he was rough at the combine. He sees more than we do and he knows more--I trust him. So if we get a highly rated player who cannot run routes and he drops out of round 1, do you take him or the kid with a notch less talent who runs good routes? I thought they were going to mention Stephen Hill at one point--I think Smitty wanted to. The screwdriver metaphor was very interesting--out routes vs in routes in relation to Mingo. We could have an improved player in Mingo.