Soul Rebel

I hope it's the final stages of negotiation tactics that every franchise does....whether the optics are good or bad (it's the latter). We are at a very important crossroads with the perception of our franchise both internally, amongst fans and the rest of the NFL (coaches, front office, players, etc.). We have been arguably the worst run team for the past two years. That being said, we have cleaned up quite a bit of the mess and have trended in the right direction since the Fitterer firing and Morgan/Canales hiring. It's a new era and we can't fug this up. Re-sign Burns to a five-year deal that averages $29-30M per year, with a lower number in '24, but escalates closer to Bosa's $34M deal in the future. In 2-3 years, others will once again reset the market and Burns' deal will be right in line with a talented EDGE franchise player in the end of his prime. By re-signing him, we have more cap flexibility this year and it sends a statement that we want him here long-term. We did right by him and recognize how he didn't hold out, was a team player and was not a disruption. Pay. Him. Now. The franchise tag cripples our flexibility this offseason, especially if you're going to keep him long-term....which is the right move. You drafted him, he played well and with a better overall team construction, will keep being impactful on defense. Losing him opens an even more gaping hole at EDGE. Next up....re-sign Luvu and extend Brown. Extending Brown also helps our cap this offseason and will continue to send the positive message that this franchise is for real and not nickel and diming their players. Tepper, Fitts & Suleiman really screwed this up.....pay the piper. Cleanse the optics of this franchise and help return this team to relevance. TLDR; Do the right thing - Pay Brian Burns. Re-sign Luvu. Extend Brown. Restructure Moton.

For me, there's two paths here: Re-sign him to a 4-5 year deal. 2024 at a fair number, but more backloaded beginning in '25 with a heavy increase that equates to a $28-$29M deal. Every year the market is reset, so $28/$29M per is going to be top-10 money, but won't be outlandish for a 26-year old EDGE in his prime. One who also kept his nose clean, didn't holdout and played on awful teams for three years. This is my preference. FT and trade as part of a package for a FRP + Jameson Williams (Burns + Thielen going to DET) or a FRP + 2nd rounder in '25 to replace the SRP lost in the trade-up with Chicago last year. In this scenario we HAVE to already have Bryce Huff or Josh Allen lined up as a replacement. We would then still have a 26-year old EDGE on the team in his prime at a much more digestable cap number (probably in the $10-13M per range for Huff). More money to spend in FA too. We also are now in the first round and still have our #33 pick. Lots more options there adding young talent in a deep OL/WR draft.

Jameson Williams is, IMO the fourth option in that offense (ARSB, LaPorta, Gibbs being ahead of him in the pecking order). Detroit needs a compliment opposite Hutchinson too on a team with a small window. 29 + Jamo -> Burns + Thielen would make me happy. That being said, doubt it happens but would be an ideal win-win if the Burns situation can't be resolved long-term here in Carolina. Brown as a FA and kicking Icky inside would be outstanding. BC to LG and draft a C to replace Boze would be nasty. Allows us a year or two to find a long-term LT of the future.

Could we see if Huff would come in FA and then S&T Burns for Higgins? We could then go OL at 33 or if someone like Trice or Robinson slips, and then go with a Thielen replacement WR like Roman Wilson/Malachi Corley/Ricky Pearsall at 65? Re-sign ISM for WR4, sign TE Noah Fant and trade Thielen to a contender for a late 5th/ early 6th rounder..... Higgins - Mingo - Wilson/Corley - ISM Fant-Tremble On defense, we add Huff, re-sign Luvu and YGM.... Brown-NT??-Robinson/Trice Huff-Luvu-Shaq-YGM Am I living in a Madden-esque faux reality?

Wild how it turned out for WAS and I do think a lot of it is on Johnson's decision to stay in Detroit. As of now, Vrabel or Glenn are the best bets. Quinn would bring knowledge from a division rival too. I put their vacancy as the top spot based on Peters, new ownership, draft capital, new QB and tops in cap space.

I get the want to have a knowledgable vet like Pete in the building for Canales to lean into. For me, it would trigger my 2023 PTSD of too many chefs in the kitchen. From what Carroll and Canales have said, they have a pretty open dialogue. I think Canales would have the ability to tap into Pete at any time without him specifically being on the Panthers staff. I also think DC wants space to run the show as a first time HC.

LOTS of WR/OL talent in Mobile. My thoughts: WRs I like at varying spots in the draft: McConkey, Roman Wilson, Corley, Rice, Thrash, & Cowing WRs I don't want in process blue: Legette, Walker, Johnny Wilson I want Jackson Powers-Johnson at 33. He is a beast and might even go late 1st. He also took some reps at G and looked natural. Wish we had a need for RT because Guyton is going to be a stud. Not sure if he can play LT, but I'm tired of trying to fit OL where they don't belong. Love Darius Robinson, DL from Mizzou. He will be a luxury pick for us because he probably goes R2. Too many other needs, but he has shades of Maxx Crosby to him....just a violent, physical specimen. Quinyon Mitchell probably punched his ticket to the first round yesterday and today. He is locked and loaded and would look phenomenal opposite Horn. Same as Robinson, just not going to fit our need/place he will be selected. I think whether we pick a WR at 33 or 65, we will have a day 1 starter that will contribute. I also want us to throw multiple darts at WR the way Green Bay did. They used multiple picks in two years and now have a deep, talented, young receiving unit.

I would like to see them keep Evero to help Canales focus on everything else he has to take on. Having EE to continue building and improving an already steady defense, is huge. However, if EE doesn't want to be here and Canales/Morgan/Panthers brass are highly confident Evero will be hired next coaching cycle, I see the upside in cutting ties now. Rip the band-aid off from the previous regime and start fresh. Leslie Frazier and Marquand Manuel, Joe Cullen are all available to step in, with Frazier providing a more vet/experienced mind to support a younger HC.

Hopefully a brief pop-in, pop-out visit to Charlotte from Mobile. I feel like both Morgan and Canales are the types that are more interested in the grind and the on-field product vs. the spotlight. Obviously, it has to be done and everyone is excited to get pumped for the new hire, but these two seem like the "let's get it over with and get back to work" kine. Hoping they announce the Assistants soon too and give us clarity on Evero.

I'd also be interested in us kicking the tires in the trade market, depending on availability and cost: George Pickens (not sure where PIT stands on him or cost; 23 YO, 6'3" 200lb; 63-1140-5TD in '23) DK Metcalf (wonder if his antics & new regime keep or punt on him; 26 YO, 6'4" 226lb; 66-1114-8TD in '23) **former ties to DC*** Jameson Williams (at best, he's the 4th weapon on DET's offense; 23 YO, 6'1" 180lb; 24-354-2TD in '23) **former ties w/ Bryce at 'Bama**

We need to move on from Higgins...I don't see Cincy not franchising him. Likely FA Options: Evans or Ridley. Either would be amazing. Ridley is my FA crush. His speed, separation, route running and YAC is exactly what BY9 needs. Draft at 33: Worthy, Franklin, Mitchell, Polk If we go OL at 33 and wait until 65: McMillan or Cowing

I haven't seen Canales slotted to interview anywhere else, so if he's in the "finalist" group, then we're only betting against ourselves if we don't wait until next week. I understand a coach in demand at other openings, but Canales does not appear to be that guy.

Raheem. He checks the most boxes for us, and though not as flashy/sexy as Johnson, but I see long-term success and a locker room that plays passionately for their coaching staff. Plus, odds are he keeps Evero who this D also has rallied around.

A pairing with Hallaby/Brown would go a long way to show that we are serious about re-imagining the direction at the top of the organization. I have nothing against Morgan, but there does need to be a new voice in the room. The Eagles continually draft well and select wise FAs. I want some of that here to help just in case Morgan is Fitterer 2.0.

Brunell would be solid.

Who is Ben Johnson bringing with him for coordinators? Slowik, I can see a bit more with him tapping into Jerrod Johnson, a rising OC candidate that has had success. BJ though, I'm curious about. He's potentially the most gifted offensive wunderkind, but as a staff, what are the thoughts here? Morris is up there at #1 for me due to who he can bring as a staff (Zac Robinson) and his ties to Evero and Cooley already. Toss in the most recent folks banging the drum for how connected he is and players wanting to play for him, makes me think he checks more boxes for us overall than BJ or Slowik. His prior experience, while only being 47 is also a plus. The security he brings I think sits better with me given our past two HC hires and how broken our franchise currently is. Wouldn't be mad with BJ or Slowik, but I'm casting my vote for Raheem Morris. I get Carroll/Tomlin vibes from him.

I truly think if Morris can bring Zac Robinson and keep Evero as DC, we will be cooking with fire. Morris is ready for a second go and had the Rams D playing very well over the past couple of years. He knows both sides of the ball and is very highly thought of around the league. Having connections and respect around the league needs to be at the top of our priority list. Carolina's vacancy is the most tarnished of all open HC/GMs. I wonder if we would tap Greenberg from TB as the GM with the connection they both have. Not the greatest GM option, but I wonder who else would work well with RM.

For me, I have three tiers and would be happy with any of the candidates. I'd prefer Tier 1, but I am not getting my hopes up. I want the next hire to have three things.... 1 - A plan for Bryce. He doesn't have to be specifically brought in as a "Bryce Whisperer", but Young is our franchise QB and has untapped talent that was not 2 - A common vision/alignment with our new GM to build the culture and personnel the right way. I don't care if they are OC or DC, just get this team back on track from top to bottom. 3 - Who is he bringing with him? This can be everything from coordinators to potential players and connections around the league. For example, would having Callahan be the connection that decides on where Higgins goes in FA? Could we land Jamo Williams with BJ's tie to Detroit? The players matter less, but it definitely helps a francise with poor optics around the league right now. The Big 3 who I want first and foremost. A clear separation from the other candidates: Harbaugh Johnson Vrabel The Young Coordinators that are all lumped together for me for differing reasons. Each are ready but could see differing levels of success/failure once they are the man running the show and not strictly calling plays. I really don't think either is necesarily "better" than the other. Evero Slowik Smith Canales MacDonald Monken Callahan The more "veteran" HCs with experience calling the shots and with SB experience. Both of their last stints didn't end well, but time has passed and shouldn't be held to that forever: Morris Quinn

Meh. I don't think the two are a marriage the way we're hoping for Johnson & Disner/Agnew or MacDonald & Matteo/Hortiz. Brian Johnson might be the least talented HC candidate on our list. He's done nothing worth being a HC here and if we go the implied route they are saying, I would have zero interest in tuning in to this franchise for the next couple of years. I think Tepper can be enamored with Philly's organization, like Halaby and not hire Johnson.

I feel the same way about Monken, Canales, Bellichick and Callahan. I'm good with just about everyone else.

IDK, I think the WAS opening would appeal to me more. Full clean slate there with new Ownership and the ability to align everything from the top, down. A historic franchise with a lot of fandom as well. A few young pieces on offense in Cosmi, Brown, Dotson and Robinson, Jr. The team has the choice to either commit to a young QB on a rookie deal or start fresh with Williams/Maye. Could move back too and still get Daniels. A couple of pieces on D like Payne, Forbes and a big asset in Jonathan Allen. Combined with the #2 pick in the draft, a couple of seconds and close to $75M in cap space, I think that is the spot. LA makes sense, but I'd choose WAS over LA. Chargers will always be the Clippers and not the Lakers in that town compared to the Rams.

True. I mistook the response to be that we take JAG WRs after the first round. I was lumping Smitty in with WRs after R1. Lo siento.

All these new Panthers fans or folks with short memories…..

This guy is very, very talented. I wonder if he did stray from Dallas, would he want Quinn to come along as new HC. Though I would guess his reason for leaving Big D would be to get away from an owner like Jerry and blaze his own path. Here, he would take several steps back with an equally as meddling owner, but with less football knowledge or history.

I would try to trade DJax and Thielen. Would also see if there's any takers for Sanders. If Huff or Allen could be had in FA, I'd trade Burns if it gets us something like '24 R1, '24 R2, '25 R2. Spend the money from Burns on Huff/Allen/Young and get back into the first this year and replace the BY 2nd lost in '25. Also need to throw the bag at Higgins, so any additional money would go towards him. Now that we're out of dead cap hell, I'd prefer if we didn't jump back into it with cap management. However, we need to do everything possible to help Bryce and re-sign Luvu and Burns....or a Burns replacement. I think YGM will continue to be a solid opposite partner, so re-signing him is on my "to-do" list. That Hayden Hurst $$ number is no bueno. We have to improve the TE position and keep Tremble as a TE2.