panthers55

Weren't you in on McCaffrey with me too? Maybe it was someone else. With Canales being an offensive guy, there is always hope. With Warren and Sanders on either end we can run or pass from the same look and dominate either phase of the game.

I look for guys who are productive but also physical mismatches who can't be replaced later in the draft. If we pass on Warren who could be our next Greg Olsen and actually mentored by the same, for a tweener who we have to fit into a role, we will have made a big mistake. Warren is a pretty sure thing and limits the need for a number 1 wr. Then again I wanted Olsen when he was drafted and they never listen to me.

I am looking for a strong home campaign. If we can go 6-2 at home and steal a few on the road I will be fine with that kind of progress. Sure would make going to the games a lot more exciting. Like it used to be.

Kris Jenkins part 2. Great talent but doesn't play with enough passion.

To me defensive coaches need to be aggressive and want to dominate their opponent. Blitz and go for it rather than die by degrees and bend until you break prevent type strategies. I hope Evero felt he had no choice but to play that way rather than he played that way by choice. Canales said they would be discussing the defense including scheme and strategies. No matter who plays out there, the defensive coordinator creates the culture out there every day. Somedays you can win even if outgunned if you play for each other and not for yourself.

At 8 I want someone who you can't find a comparable player for later in the draft. So I want a physical specimen who is a beast but also was productive and has that dog in him. Stuff you can't learn but makes it easier to be successful. Obviously Graham is a beast and Warren can get pressure and could contribute immediately. I know folks hate Hunter at 8 but he may be the best defensive player in the draft and could start on either side of the ball. Then again I like TEs who can dominate out of the gate so don't take my advice....

Most folks know that in close ballgames the difference comes down to one team executing on key downs and the other not. 2 years ago our defense was not good but our offense was terrible. Last year we started out terrible on both sides of the ball and the offense really gelled toward the end. Honestly there is no reason to believe our offense will regress. I think it will improve playing together and developing chemistry with each other. And the defense will be better because Brown and Brown will be a wall and shut the middle down while still collapsing the pocket on passing downs. Something that never happened last year. Pressure on the qb makes the back seven much better as they don't have to try and cover for 5 seconds on every play until someone comes open. We still need some linebackers who can bring pressure, tackle but also cover TEs if needed. Is that too much to ask? What I hope is that whatever position we choose, we find more dogs who like to scrap and work hard. Everybody working together without a bunch of prima donnas.

What I hears is that they want a guy that has toughness, is hardworking and likely has good character. At what position depends on who is BPA with those traits

Being optimistic is a choice based on looking at the positives rather than the negatives. The idea that optimists dont see the reality of the situation in that we have had really bad teams since Tepper arrived is totally wrong. Not only do they see the obvious but get reminded daily that they were wrong and foolish for believing in the team. When that happens year after year it is easy to turn to the dark side. Most have. But they like being positive and look for opportunities to be positive about the team. They are just as upset when things go wrong, but have the emotional control to take things in stride and come to the realization that we are not going to turn the corner this season without throwing in the towel on their fandom. Frankly on a message board, optimists should be appreciated because it takes a lot more effort to be optimistic and state it publicly knowing you will be taking a beating if thinks turn ugly in December, than it does to go along with all the doom and gloom. But to think that an optimist is deluded and not a realistic is looking at it backwards. They see the reality and understand that half empty and half full indicate the same amount but the expectations are different. One is a scarcity mentality while the other is a hopeful mentality. While it is totally understandable to be negative or at least taking a wait and see approach considering our dreadful results, I would think that in April we would be more positive given there is lots of time to be angry and upset if we suck once again. I for one am looking forward to the draft and training camp. I am optimistic we will be better. How much I don't know, but I hope it is substantial. But that's just me...

If we do stick to BPA which in my mind always includes being the guy who can help us the most which implies at a position of need, we will be picking guys at positions which are deep in this draft. I expect to draft two linebackers one at edge and on the inside, a safety, a running back, wide receiver, likely a TE and maybe another DE. W need to draft positions that are too costly to acquire in free agency.

Reich's problem was that he brought in a bunch of highly regarded coaches who had different experiences and personalities who all thought they knew how to fix things. But they weren't on the same page. They weren't cohesive and supportive of one another. There were lots of stories about coaches going over Reich's head to Tepper, fighting openly, and more. It is like having a bunch of superstar players who all play for themselves and not each other. It fails most times. Reich wasn't able to manage the coaches let alone the players. And I think he didn't want Brice and had his success with established guys not like Canales who may well be a quarterback whisperer. Reich was a good coach for Indy and I was supportive when we got him. I never thought he would only last 11 games.still between his guaranteed 4 year salary here and what Indy still owed him through 2026, he made 10s of millions while becoming the only coach to get fired during the season In back to back years.

Whether it is due to inconsistent play, injury, or trying to get a look at a new acquisition, we have not had a quarterback play every game of a season since 2017 with Cam Newton. it is also the last time we made the playoffs. Bridgewater played 15 games in 2020 but otherwise it has been very disjointed and inconsistent. When was the last time we had the same starting QB going into a third season? Again Cam Newton in 2017. Does that mean Bryce will be successful or we we will go to the playoffs this season? We hope so, but as we look at the reasons we have struggled under Tepper, I think poor coaching and inconsistent qb play are the biggest. With Canales finishing strong and Bryce coming on, it feels like we have a chance for consistency and more success this season at least on the offensive side. Obviously injuries play a huge role in determining ultimate success but I am optimistic that we can have a very stable and productive offense. BTW, when was the last time we had the same offensive coordinator for 3 seasons? Mike Shula in 2017. Since then no one has made it more than their second season.

The goal of building a team is to find complementary parts which when put together are greater than their individual parts alone. Each year the team is different based on its composition and how well they work together. Just the fact that the offensive players have a year in the system as well as Canales has a year of experience as head coach will make them better. And how do you make the worse defense in history worse by adding upgrades at several positions. Brown being back alone is worth a few less points surrendered. No, we are going to be improved this year. How much is up for debate.

I don't agree that they went into 2024 knowing it was going to be awful on defense. 2023 was pretty good and they thought who they brought in would be enough for Evero to be competitive while we focus on offense. Obviously when injuries hit to Brown, Shaq and others we had no depth and we had JAGs starting. And our free agents underperformed or were overused as we couldn't get off the field playing prevent defense - bend until you break. But I agree that you win games in the trenches especially if you like to run and stop the run. And am glad to see the additions. Thr biggest addition will be getting Derrick Brown back who by himself collapses pockets and snatches runners and tosses them. Canales said that he would talk to Evero about the defensive scheme. I hope he convinces him to adopt a more aggressive style. Seems all the best defenses play more aggressive than we do.

Bryce trended steaming cow patty last year. .w What a difference a year and good coaching can make.