Gettlemagic Teeth pulling : Sticking to Youth Movement.

[CPantherKing]

Anybody that puts Trai and KK in the same category as Jeff King and Michael Gaines cannot expect to be taken seriously.

When they both complete a full season as starters, Trai proves he can be a force in the running game, KK proves he can consistently stop the run, and they rank alongside a Ryan Kalil or Charles Johnson, then I will elevate them. Until then they are just a fan fantasy with visions of all pro in your head.

Gaines started 21 games in 3 seasons, and Jeff King started 62 games in 5 years. Both were key in the run blocking game for the 2005 and the 2008 Panthers teams. I could even argue they run block better than Trai at this point in his career.

The TEs were essentially guards who could catch the ball under John Fox.

[top dawg]

So, drafting 5 mediocre players you force into starting roles by default > drafting 2 All pro starters.

The NFL Draft is about filling a teams roster out for 4 to 5 years with a constant 40 players to keep a team sustainable and competitive. You will always have starters from a 53 man roster every Sunday. The quality of the depth drafted will determine the quality of a teams starters over an entire season.

Placing equal value on a mediocre starter like Trai Turner compared to an all pro starter like Ryan Kalil is ridiculous. If Trai goes down his replacement is not a huge drop off. If Kalil goes down the entire OL is in trouble.

Also, Hurney had his hand in drafting 13 pro bowl players for this team - 6 of them were not drafted in the first round. I believe he will add 1 or 2 more to that list before his players have all retired from the game.

Hurney headed up the draft for the Panthers since 1998 (15 drafts). He took the GM title when Seifert left in 2002. Hurney has drafted 118 players (7.9 per draft) over that time. He had 69 (4.6 per draft) who were starters. Gettleman has 16 drafted players (5.3 per draft) over 3 years. Counting the current depth chart for the upcoming season as starters, Gettleman has 7 counting as starters (2.3 per draft).

So, what is greater? 13 pro bowlers or 0 pro bowlers? 4.6 starters per draft, or 2.3 starters per draft?

Now you bring yourself to the question of quality/mediocre starters not in the first round. Gettleman has 2 (0.67 per draft) in Trai Turner and Kawaan Short. Hurney has 32 (2.1 per draft) in Josh Norman, Brad Nortman, Brandon Lafell, Greg Hardy, Captain Munnerlyn, Ryan Kalil, Charles Johnson, Dante Rosario, Richard Marshall, James Anderson, Jeff King, Will Montgomery, Evan Mathis, Geoff Hangartner, Jovan Haye, Keary Colbert, Travelle Wharton, Drew Carter, Michael Gaines, Ricky Manning Jr, DeShaun Foster, Will Witherspoon, Kris Jenkins, Steve Smith, Deon Grant, Jeno James, Lester Towns, Chris Terry, Mike Rucker, Hannibal Navies, Chuck Wiley, and Donald Hayes.

Hurney had 8 in his first 3 drafts. He had more starters, but the others were unproven or below average like Kony Ealy, Tre Boston, and AJ Klein. In his first 3 drafts following his GM title he had 7.

This is an effort to put the uncontrollable love for Gettleman into perspective. I did not like how Hurney handled the team as a GM either with his inconsistent formula to building a team that seemed to change every 4 years. However, if you think the team as a whole is trending up based on current production and Gettleman has built a team with great depth compared to previous seasons under Hurney, then you are dreaming. This team is going to struggle to make the playoffs (again), and barely get in if they can keep their remaining key players standing upright for the entire season. They will be long shots against the Packers and Seahawks - especially with the lack of depth in player rotations and Rivera's conservative/predictable coaching for the first 10 weeks. I see more of the same coming this season. Possible playoffs and the inability to out coach, out match, and out score the Packers or Seahawks.

I call this wasted time on the part of the front office. The goal should be to build a team to beat the Packers and Seahawks and win the Super Bowl. Anything less is unacceptable. The definition of insanity: repeating the same action and expecting a different outcome.

I can't say that I've agreed with everything you said, nor will I say that i disagree. I'll have to review it and let what you've said sink in. But I will say that you provided a well-thought-out, compelling case as to why fanboy arguments in here regarding Gettleman are basically that: fanboy arguments. 

For me, man, it's a breath of fresh air.