Better or Worse

[KendrickPanther]

Simple question, position by position are we better or worse?

 

QB Newton -> Newton = Push (probably better with exp and healthy ankle)

RB Williams-> Williams= Push

FB Tolbert-> Tolbert= Push

WR Smith-> Benjamin= Better

WR Lafell-> Cotchery= Better

WR Ginn-> Avant = Worse

TE Olsen-> Olsen= Push

TE Hartstock-> Dickson= Better

LT Gross-> Bell = Worse

LG Wharton-> Silatolu= Better

C Kalil-> Kalil= Push

RG Chandler/Scott/Williams-> Turner= Better

RT Bell-> Chandler= Push

 

DE Johnson-> Johnson = Push (but hopefully he doesn't get leg whipped this year)

DE Hardy-> Hardy= Push

DT Star-> Star = Better (2nd year)

DT Edwards-> Short = Better (2nd year)

WLB Blackburn-> Blackburn/Klein = Push

SLB Davis-> Davis= Push

MLB Kuechly->Kuechly= Better (with xp)

CB White-> Melvin White= Push

CB Munnerlyn-> Godfrey= Push

CB Florence/Thomas/Norman-> Cason= Push, to be honest I am not familiar with Cason

SS Mikell/Lester-> Harper= Worse

FS Mitchell-> Decoud= Hard to say, I'm going push

 

 

It's May. Many things will change before week 1 but in my mind we got better in 5 spots and worse in 2 on offense.

 

I see three betters on D and only one clear worse.

 

So all this fuss over being a worse team is over 2 or 3 guys. It doesn't add up.

 

I know some of you are going to rip Silatolu and quote profootballfocus rating Wharton high. The truth is our offense was severely hampered by Wharton at the end of last season. He was so old and slow we couldn't pull him nearly as frequently as we did early in the season. We did a bunch of zone blocking because it was easier for our beat up line. Wharton might have graded well, but the degree of difficulty was very low.

[jarhead]

Simple question, position by position are we better or worse?

 

QB Newton -> Newton = Push (probably better with exp and healthy ankle)

RB Williams-> Williams= Push

FB Tolbert-> Tolbert= Push

WR Smith-> Benjamin= Better

WR Lafell-> Cotchery= Better

WR Ginn-> Avant = Worse

TE Olsen-> Olsen= Push

TE Hartstock-> Dickson= Better

LT Gross-> Bell = Worse

LG Wharton-> Silatolu= Better

C Kalil-> Kalil= Push

RG Chandler/Scott/Williams-> Turner= Better

RT Bell-> Chandler= Push

 

DE Johnson-> Johnson = Push (but hopefully he doesn't get leg whipped this year)

DE Hardy-> Hardy= Push

DT Star-> Star = Better (2nd year)

DT Edwards-> Short = Better (2nd year)

WLB Blackburn-> Blackburn/Klein = Push

SLB Davis-> Davis= Push

MLB Kuechly->Kuechly= Better (with xp)

CB White-> Melvin White= Push

CB Munnerlyn-> Godfrey= Push

CB Florence/Thomas/Norman-> Cason= Push, to be honest I am not familiar with Cason

SS Mikell/Lester-> Harper= Worse

FS Mitchell-> Decoud= Hard to say, I'm going push

 

 

It's May. Many things will change before week 1 but in my mind we got better in 5 spots and worse in 2 on offense.

 

I see three betters on D and only one clear worse.

 

So all this fuss over being a worse team is over 2 or 3 guys. It doesn't add up.

 

I know some of you are going to rip Silatolu and quote profootballfocus rating Wharton high. The truth is our offense was severely hampered by Wharton at the end of last season. He was so old and slow we couldn't pull him nearly as frequently as we did early in the season. We did a bunch of zone blocking because it was easier for our beat up line. Wharton might have graded well, but the degree of difficulty was very low.

Losing Gross is big

[CRA]

Wharton made us better last year....as old and broken down as he I've still have us more consistent and better G play. Can't call Amini being back better without proof.

Losing Gross is HUGE. Not only was he a stud at arguably the most difficult position he helps mask deficiency at LG

Also, Williams is in his 30's as getting older each year. That is rapid declining age for RBs. Hard to call that a push.

[MadHatter]

Wharton to Amini as better is questionable....gotta wait and see.

 

I think our DE's are better....adding Ealy to the rotation should be better.

 

The elephant in the room is LT.  Don't see how we are not much worse.  I am still waiting to see how Bell does in TC and what gets shaken loose in terms of veterans from other team cuts.

 

Also not sure I can call Smitty to KB better right now.  KB is a raw player and is a big unknown.  Smitty was not the Smitty of old, but he was still a good WR

[carolina-chuck]

Gross is the only position I see as worse

[therealmjl]

Gross is the only position I see as worse

This.

[KendrickPanther]

Yeah LT is a concern, but we play 11 guys on offense. We can still have a good season but there will be a couple games were an all pro DE goes H.A.M.

 

If Amini is healthy he gives us more variety and stamina in our run game. He can be a problem in pass protection but not as big as people think. If you have the threat of pulling Silatolu and Turner the run game starts looking intimidating...but again Bell can fug that up real quick if he loses the edge.

 

Williams is old but he isn't overworked. Maybe Stewart is healthy but I wouldn't bet a dollar on it.

[gmonjimbo]

QB Newton -> Newton = Better, I think he will be better, because he will have better players around him.

RB Williams-> Williams= Push, He might have a better o-line, but may drop in production because age will start to show

FB Tolbert-> Tolbert= Push, He is the most consistent back

WR Smith-> Benjamin= Better, Fits Cam's skill set. All I need to say is fade route.

WR Lafell-> Cotchery= Better. Any below average to average receiver is better than Lafell.

WR Ginn-> Avant = Worse. I would switch Avant with Hixon not Ginn, and Cotchery with Ginn because I thought Ginn was more productive than Lafell, when you consider their position on the lineup. But to be accurate, went along with it.

TE Olsen-> Olsen= Push. May improve since Ed Dickson as has snaps catching the ball in Baltimore, even though he is not an elite player.

TE Hartstock-> Dickson= Better. I agree.

LT Gross-> Bell = Worse. Not issue here.

LG Wharton-> Silatolu= Better. It was always brains with Silatolu not physicality. He has had enough time to understand the game.

C Kalil-> Kalil= Push. Most consistent offensive lineman. Please do not get hurt.

RG Chandler/Scott/Williams-> Turner= Better. More experience for UDFA and Turner fits what we need. Interior blocking.

RT Bell-> Chandler= Push. I agree.

 

DE Johnson-> Johnson = Push (but hopefully he doesn't get leg whipped this year). I agree.

DE Hardy-> Hardy= Push. I agree hopefully the money won't change his production. He still has to remember it is only for one year.

DT Star-> Star = Better (2nd year). Of course.

DT Edwards-> Short= Worse (2nd year). Think Short will will take over for Edwards this year.

WLB Blackburn-> Blackburn/Klein = Push. Probably one of the biggest tossup on this team.

SLB Davis-> Davis= Push. I agree.

MLB Kuechly->Kuechly= Better (with xp). Enough said, look forward to seeing his new pass coverage. Will love to  see Jimmy Graham and Tampa Bay's new toy (ASJ) get shut down.

CB White-> Melvin White= Push. Just don't know.

CB Munnerlyn-> Godfrey= Push. Hard to tell. Because one lacked height, and one is always hurt now.

CB Florence/Thomas/Norman-> Cason= Better. I think Cason is more skilled than Florence was. He also has experienced with Rivera in SD

SS Mikell/Lester-> Harper= Worse. I agree.

FS Mitchell-> Decoud= Push, we don't know. Because Mitchell was an unknown in Oakland, and played at a pro-bowl level here. Decoud has been a probowler before so don't know how good he would be here.

 

 

 

[OneBadCat]

I think we are better than last year. The WR core is better as a whole. I wouldn't say having Benjamin immediately > Smith. He's better but he's a different kind of better. Raw athletic skills plus the size to be a TD machine yes, not a better WR.

 

Gaffney makes RB depth better although if Stew goes down I see Tolber taking over again.

 

 

Hardy will be better than last year in my opinion. I don't think he's peaked yet. Star is going to be approaching Ngata status soon. 

 

The secondary will hinge on the front 7 being ridiculous like last year. Which it should be with the addition of Ealy and everyone having another year of experience.

 

 

Olsen, Ed Dickson, and Benjamin should give the offense a huge boost.

[OneBadCat]

Another thing that is important is for Ron to be the same coach he was last year. He needs to keep shot calling and big balling. We will lose games we should have won if he starts acting like he's arrived again. (2012).

[Navy_football]

I think we're gonna miss Mitchell more than some think. Fair in coverage, but a madman at the point of contact. That cat (pun intended) rattled some heads back there, and if Decoud isn't as physical it will make a difference. 

[iamhubby1]

At this moment KP, I will say I agree with your assessment.

If we had to go to war today I believe we can compete with anybody. The ONLY weakness I see...and the card says...Bell. If he can actually play LT, we may be good to go. I had him as my adopted Panther. I didn't see him as that big of a weakness. He may be our worst lineman, but he wasn't as bad at RT as many said he was.

[Cary Kollins]

I think we're gonna miss Mitchell more than some think. Fair in coverage, but a madman at the point of contact. That cat (pun intended) rattled some heads back there, and if Decoud isn't as physical it will make a difference. 

 

 

 

That's a good point. We need someone in the secondary to take Mitchell's place as the HAMMER.

[Happy Panther]

Problem is the WR core will not be able to get any time with Cam until training camp and none of them have had any time. Chemistry/ timing could be an issue early on.

 

No idea on KB. He could start day 1 and he could be a backup all year.

 

Also Chandler might be our LT right?