They just forget about last year??? (Mock Draft)

[UKPanther94]

4 hours ago, tiger7_88 said:

Yeah, something like that, but in hyper-drive.

That was a great play by Brown, but his YAC numbers this year haven't been impressive (nor were they last year).

What I'm talking about is a YAC *expert*.  Now is Miller that guy?  You never know.  But I think he could be that guy.

I'm not sure if it's the quality of our WRs or the Shula offense but we've never been that much of a YAC team, 22nd in 2013, 30th in 2014 and 30th again this season

[Double Trouble]

Would rather get Cravens if we are thinking safety, the fact that he is going 55th in this mock blows my mind. I think he is going to rise a lot come draft day.  Cravens and Shaq would be an awesome duo to watch grow. Freak athletes.

[Gin and Juice]

29 minutes ago, SamMills4Life said:

It's $7.3M in dead money if he's cut next year, and $3.5M the following one. I'd be really surprised if he isn't here for both.

If he can give descent production, he should be here for both. We are gonna have to eat his contract for the most part! Now CJ? He is sure enough gone. Can't tie up 15mil in a guy we went undefeated while he was out of the line up. We can most likely get Mario Williams and Vinny Curry for what we are paying him

[Davidson Deac II]

51 minutes ago, UKPanther94 said:

I'm not sure if it's the quality of our WRs or the Shula offense but we've never been that much of a YAC team, 22nd in 2013, 30th in 2014 and 30th again this season

That is my thought as well.  For one reason or another, we just don't get a lot of yards after catch.  I believe Steve Smith's YAC numbers went up slightly after he left, and maybe same with Lafell.  We just rarely hit short/medium range passes to receivers in stride. 

[Icebox]

1 hour ago, Gin and Juice said:

Most likely he isn't! With the dead money attached to him, it would be like paying him NOT to play for us. 

Unless I'm mistaken, making him a June 1 cut gives us an extra $6 million in cap room.

[CarolinaNCSU]

If we were to go with a safety, Jeremy Cash from Duke in the 2nd would be pretty tempting for me (if he's still there).

 

DE or possibly CB in the 1st, please.  Or, just BPA. 

[Gin and Juice]

21 minutes ago, Icebox said:

Unless I'm mistaken, making him a June 1 cut gives us an extra $6 million in cap room.

Yep, but his replacement would cost that much, plus his dead space and CJ dead space is too much. They may cut him but he is still producing so it makes little sense

[SamMills4Life]

2 hours ago, Icebox said:

Unless I'm mistaken, making him a June 1 cut gives us an extra $6 million in cap room.

Designating a June 1 cut doesn't make the dead money go away, it just pushes it to the following year. So it would be $3.8M in dead money for 2016, $3.5M for 2017, and $1.0M for 2018.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/carolina-panthers/jonathan-stewart/

In response to the other poster, cutting CJ saves us $11.0M and results in $4.0M of dead money. His current value isn't close to that high and he's as good as gone.

[pantherphan96]

13 hours ago, Randolph Panther said:

If Derrick Henry is available at 31 I would jump on him and run. (Literally) 

name one good Bama RB outside of Shaun Alexander. Henry's stats are a result of sheer volume. That would be a terrible pick and way too high.

[pantherphan96]

I think Gman goes BPA obviously but a name to consider is Vonn Bell from OSU. He's projected to go in the 2nd round so its possible he falls to us at the end of the 2nd. 

 

Also worth noting:

 

I don't see any way 10 DT's are drafted in the first round, so another option in the 2nd could be a DT, especially with Dwan getting older. Could be a similar situation to when Ealy was drafted late in the 2nd round when we apparently had a 1st round grade on him.

 

[The Lone Panther]

I actually believe Johnson will be back next season assuming he takes a pay cut.  Coaching staff loves experienced vets.  And I wouldn't be surprised if we brought Harper back for another one or two years.  Safety is a weakness in this years draft.  Might need Harper's experience. 

[Bj-Monster23]

10 hours ago, tiger7_88 said:

Again, I ask the question I asked above: how much experience does Derrick Henry have running with a read-option QB?  Because, as far as I know, it was never used at Bama while he was there.  Maybe when he was in high school?

Let me make it clear again, I think Henry is a phenomenal talent.  Is he a phenomenal talent that fits?

Alabama has never been a read option base team because they haven't always had the personnel to run that offense especially this year because the QB Jake Coker doesn't present a running threat out of that offense at all. They mainly use Derrick Henry in single back sets for majority of the season which he proved to be really successful which also lead him to be the hands down Heisman winner of 2015. He did run some read option last year with Blake Sims and TJ Yeldon. He wasn't the starter on that 2014 offense but he did get his fair share of reps. Also one thing you have to realize is that Carolina is a heavy run base team, that will present issues to any defense whether it's the read option, single back sets,or I formation. When teams start to meet with players they have will have idea on if they fit or not with the scouting combine and pro days coming up soon. Hell,Todd Gurley didn't run any read option at UGA last year and if he would've fell to us in the draft he would be on his way to Santa Clara with the team today!

[davos]

The DL prospects this year are legit.  Pretty much the bulk of the top flight DEs are in the 4-3 mold with good college experience.  The DTs are very top heavy as well.  I can see us in position to make some very solid upgrades.  Whoever is selected at 31 is going to have the biggest damn smile on his face.  These guys are going to want us to draft them. 

 

[MHS831]

23 hours ago, ARSEN said:

I think first pick will be a DE.  Johnson and Allen are both as good as gone.

Not sure about Johnson, and I will tell you why---(I disagree with the article, by the way, suggesting it is unlikely).http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14670101/playoff-teams-lose-players-every-offseason-guys-next-nfl

Gettlemen will not lose a starter without trying to work it out.  Johnson's numbers and age may be prohibitive as a free agent---a one-sack 2015 at age 30 could make his salary very reasonable in free agency.  Let's say he is cut--he gets $4m from the Panthers, and probably signs a 3-year deal in the $20m range.  By not agreeing to an extension, he gets approximately $8m per season to play for a team that may not have a shot at the Super Bowl.

So Gettlemen will sell the Panther family to Charles, asking him to take a pay cut to stay with a winner.  Instead of losing the $4m and overpaying him $15m to keep him, I think Gettlemen will offer him a similar deal--over the next three years, Johnson gets $25m or so.  That costs the Panthers $8m per season, which is basically cutting his salary in half.

Why extend Johnson when his productivity has waned?  Well, he needs a force on the other side.  Hardy gave him that.  Secondly, Johnson has shown signs of being back--after a 1-sack season, he has 2 in the playoffs, one a forced fumble.

Johnson is 29 and in his prime.  The Panthers are not in bad cap shape at all--$24.8 million under right now.  Once they cut Jared Allen, which is a given, that number drops to $32m under the cap.  Throw in the Johnson savings, that number falls to $39m below the cap.

Now lets draft a DE and spend $14m to re-sign Norman, while giving Star and KK a pay raise (costing about $15m).  That leaves $10m for free agency (including signing the draft picks)--the way Gettlemen finds talent, that is going to be a DB or two. 

Personally, I hope CJ sees the light and signs an extension at a reasonable rate.  If so, it gives us more options to address other areas and gives us time to develop a draft pick DE.