musicman

The Texans and Commanders HC's are good coaches that have 2 really good QBs and 2 really good OC's. Their problem will be if the OC's leave, it will take a dip, they always do. That's why Tepper wanted an OC for HC. If Bryce turned out good, the long term relationship is key. The exception was Brady in NE but they didn't win every year like look at KC with Mahomes and Reid. Even Peyton Manning had the same OC for over 10 years.

I would like to see a DT, DE, LB or CB in the 1st round. And then one of the remaining picked in the next few rounds. BPA, the who doesn't matter. I hope they don't take a WR in the 1st, unless they moved back in the 1st and got more 2nd or 3rd round picks.

Bryce can be the franchise QB CLT desperately needs. I believe a top 10 QB if he plays like he did towards the end, but Canales has to keep evolving too for that to continue. He did real good for a 1st year 1st time HC. If we see fans attend off-season things for the Panthers, especially when Bryce is there, that means the confidence in a turn around is high with people, and that's good news for everyone.

Between Bryce and the schemes, those were some really good plays. He faced pressure and showed he could handle it and as the season went on, Canales opened the playbook up more and more and it showed. Looking forward to next season. Very happy for Bryce the person as well as the player.

WE just need a really good speedy receiver with good hands along with an improved XL (hold on to the ball and use his body to box out coverage), Theilen along with Coker, Bryce can have a good year. Coker was a really nice surprise and we needed a break for a change.

I just hope we take DE Carter or Malaki Starks S (or a great edge player) and not another WR with that high of a pick. Or move back a few spaces and get an extra 2nd/3rd round pick but pick defense.

All good comments, both ways. My only point is he did this today with no real #1 WR, no starting 1000+ yard RB, his highest paid lineman out and a defense that had trouble stopping anybody. Give him at least a weapon (like Higgins) and a defense that can be at least middle of the road and he has the tools and a OC/HC that has some structure and play calling skills (DC has a way to go to be real good, but he did make Bryce better) to win and come from behind. I talked with Bryce Friday afternoon. He just looks comfortable and more confident, which probably comes from structure. The more he learns this offense, the better I know he'll be. Consistency is greatness.

I think we are in very good hands. He may not be a top 5, but he's playing damn good for not a lot of weapons around him.

That's my point. Lower expectation to "gradually" work on the team instead of all the outside noise making you feel better than you really are or breaking you down constantly. Small steps. Competitive games no matter the record is what I hoped to see this year.

I am glad we didn't start off really good and fissile out like past regimes. The struggle with Bryce and the benching was just what everybody needed. Look at Stroud and teams like the Giants with Daboll's first year, they surprise everyone and then they can't live up to expectations the following year(s). We looked at Canales and this team as hopeful and saw the struggles from day one. A HC learning on the fly how to be "the leader". A team who had no identity trying to find one in the midst of losing, even benching our #1 draft pick. But having most (fans and media) look past the Panthers as the worst was probably the breather, the space they needed to actually get better. Nobody really cared what or how the Panthers were doing. If we beat KC and/or the Eagles the expectations would have been high again. But playing better, very competitive (without winning) gave the team traction to evaluate the players, make mistakes and not be jumped on by fans and media. We weren't going to playoffs this year and by some chance we slipped in, we would have been a quick out with super high expectations next year. Now, we all just look for continued progress. The team is finding its identity while flying under the radar. The next 2 games with even more injuries, there shouldn't be expectations of winning, just play hard and let's see what the players got. The more the back ups learn the system, the more the system proves it just needs decent players to play within it and not necessarily all to be stars. You can't help but feel Canales, Morgan, Tillis and even Tepper are on the same page. The NFL is not easy and it takes a lot of moving parts to win. A few really good parts and a lot of decent parts working together, FO to the back ups. The future looks bright, how bright? As long as it gradually gets brighter and doesn't die out, we could have a consistently winning team that always has a shot for the playoffs. That's what a winning organization looks like. Look at the many great examples of coaches and FO turning a perennial loser into a winner. It takes time and the right mix of people. That I believe we have.

So far, the High look overview from weeks ago is right on. DE, CB, DT, TE, LB, WR - improve in the one areas with somebody and getting DT Brown back, keep Mayes and Brady C on the O-line, we've got a fighting chance for the division next year. Just saying...

Dang. Hold on to it, we win.

If we draft a WR, I would't until the 2nd or even 3rd round. We need edge, DL or CB with the 1st pick and possibly the 2nd. Speed is great but one that catches everything, a young Thielen/Kupp type.

We may have given up a lot for Bryce, which puts more pressure on the whole trade to work out, but it's coming around. If he plays like a top 15 QB, we can build a team around him. The CMC trade brought us the picks needed and looks like with his injuries to be the right call. A helluva talent, but injury prone. We also did the right thing a not giving Burns the big money as he's done nothing big. Yes, trading with the Rams would have been the biggest robbery of the century but even getting a 2nd was good (we would have only gotten a 3rd as compensation anyway). Those picks shaped what we did and what we are doing and if bryce continues to be better, we have a QB for at least next year and we can see what happens. He did not lose today's game and without Sanders and Coker he didn't have all his weapons and still almost pulled it out. Trust in Morgan and watch Canales get them all on the same page and playing like a team. A few more signings and one more draft and we can be a playoff team (if we kept playing like we have the last few games). Hope! Keep Pounding!

Edge 1st round. CB, LB or DT or another edge with the 2nd and 3rd. After that? We lost Brown and Shaq and DJ just got back. Too many injuries early on to really tell what we have but a competitive team is starting to show up regardless.