Early in Steve Smith's career, he had a terrible preseason chock full of dropped passes

[Sam Mills Fan]

I actually think it may have been his second preseason in 2002. I remember he looked abysmal trying to find chemistry with Rodney Peete and dropped at least one surefire touchdown.

 

So let me just go on the record by saying: If the Panthers decide to cut Philly Brown, so be it. But I hope his drops aren't the only reason. I don't remember him dropping a ton of passes last season. He's very fast and seemed like a good route runner and good blocker last season. What he's going through right now is 100% mental and he can recover from it. If we cut him, he'll be picked up by a number of teams very quickly.

[Mr. Scot]

I guess the question will be whether he's channeling Steve Smith or Keary Colbert.

It is possible to recover from trouble like this, but it certainly isn't easy.

[JawnyBlaze]

Yea, last year he seemed to have really good hands, I don't remember any ridiculous drops like we've been seeing this preseason.  It's probably mostly mental, but might have something to do with him supposedly bulking up a little.  Might throw off his balance or hand/eye coordination or something crazy.  Who knows.

[JawnyBlaze]

I don't think we should cut him though.  We're not exactly so flush at WR we can afford to not take a chance and hope he works through it....

[Ricky Spanish]

He had Gator arms last year too. People just don't want to remember. 

Brown is no Smitty. Not even close. 

[Lilsmitty09]

Brown didn't seem to have this last season. This season he does. It happens. His choice of what he does to improve it is what will count.

[Sam Mills Fan]

He had Gator arms last year too. People just don't want to remember. 

Brown is no Smitty. Not even close. 

The only comparison I'm making is that receivers can bounce back from mental things with drops. No, he's absolutely no Steve Smith and never will be. I'm not saying that at all.

[Sam Mills Fan]

I guess the question will be whether he's channeling Steve Smith or Keary Colbert.

It is possible to recover from trouble like this, but it certainly isn't easy.

My biggest concern: He recovers from this mostly, but will have flashbacks to this night the next time it's late in the 4th quarter and we need a big catch from him. Will he be able to catch the ball? That will be a tough thing Rivera will have to consider.

[CPantherKing]

He has been dropping balls all preseason.

Boykin and Bersin > Fubar Brown

That is not saying much because Boykin and Bersin would fail to make the first cuts on every other NFL team other than the Panthers.

I would rather fill the Panthers roster with the receivers that do not make the final cut of every other NFL team. Devin Funchess, Ted Ginn, and the other 3 receivers would all be picked up from final cuts of other teams.

Next man up.

[pantherclaw]

Brown is not having a good preseason. 

Start Ginn & Bersin. Let brown fight for playing time.

[Castavar]

He had Gator arms last year too. People just don't want to remember. 

Brown is no Smitty. Not even close. 

That Vikings game specifically comes to mind. I remember him alligator arming a sure TD on 4th down.

[pantherj]

Last season Brown would use his chest to catch passes whenever possible. Even his deep catches were on plays where he turned around to face the ball and use his chest. Unfortunately we just don't have the WRs to be able to cut Brown imo even with his preseason meltdown. 

[lightsout]

I'm big on Brown, but largely because (like most of you) I see the potential. He'll never be Smitty, no. Then again, nobody ever will be. Dude has been an elite receiver in this league for over a decade and he did it in a very flashy, exciting, ridiculous-at-times way that has been replicated by some, but never duplicated.

Brown just needs to learn to catch with his hands. It's frustrating to see him progress as a route runner and knowing what he did as a blocker last year, only to see him not be able to catch the ball like an NFL receiver. All too often, guys will be great at catching, but can't run routes and get open, or they can't/won't block. Brown is 2/3s of a really good receiver...but that final 1/3 is a BIG 1/3 for him. He has to be able to catch at least 60% of the balls that are thrown and catchable. Hell, maybe not even that percentage, just catch the absolute money balls he has gotten these past two weeks. Right in the hands in stride, right in the numbers.

And this isn't just about Brown. Receivers can effect QB's confidence. If a QB feels like no matter how well he throws it, it won't be caught, you're bound to see regression from your QB due to mistrust that they'll catch the ball anyway.

[PhillyB]

every brown touchdown i recall last year was him falling backwards with the ball bouncing into his cradled chest and managing to stick. maybe my memory has a selection bias but i can't remember ever see him make the archetypical over-the-shoulder catch or the outstretched hands grabs necessary to play receiver in this league.

those are all coaching issues and tbh it's a blight on ricky proehl that his mechanics are this bad.

we're not cutting corey brown though. dude is an unbelievably good route runner and seems to constantly find himself wide open. i don't know that he'll ever become a number one in this league, or even a number two, but i think he'll improve as the year progresses.