Howard working out for Panthers

[KB_fan]

11 hours ago, countryboi said:

I dont know if i have ever seen a fan base so excited about a TE not that its a bad thing. Howard is a very talented player

There was a lot of buzz around Hunter Henry last year too.  I think many of us really want to draft an elite TE prospect for the following reasons:

1) allow us to run two TE sets again,

2) have solid depth behind Olsen if/when his ironman streak ever comes to an end.  Greg plays such a HUGE role in our offense.  Should he ever be unable to play because of injury, we'd be in a pretty desperate situation.  Dickson is not the answer...

3) Give a young guy a chance to learn from and alongside Greg while Greg is still playing at a pro-bowl level.

Howard seems like a perfect fit for us and he could be available at #8, so I'm all aboard the Howard hype train,

[KB_fan]

9 hours ago, TheSpecialJuan said:

Should become substantially more productive as a pro, but the difference between "potential weapon" and "elite tight end" will likely be tied to his desire and overall football character.

Pairing him with Greg would I think be nearly a surefire way of helping to strengthen his "football character."  Not sure there's a player in the NFL who has higher/better football character than Olsen.

[Salisburysean98]

If we take Howard just understand that in 2 years from now he'll be the best tight end in all of football. 

[stirs]

Anyone remember where Olsen was drafted?

And we want to take this guy at 8?

[therealmjl]

24 minutes ago, stirs said:

Anyone remember where Olsen was drafted?

And we want to take this guy at 8?

If he's our guy then what's the problem?

He will be a 10-15 guy anyway...so picking at 8 isn't a reach.

[stirs]

6 minutes ago, mjligon said:

If he's our guy then what's the problem?

He will be a 10-15 guy anyway...so picking at 8 isn't a reach.

I am just a bit disappointed that there are not more big time talents at the top of this years draft.

There is Garrett, and then there is a mile and a half distance down to the next tier of guys

[Lumps]

I still like Fournette over Howard but would only be mad if Howard was taken instead of Fournette. Howard has all the talent in the world but doesn't he have the competitive nature to want to play to his fullest? If Howard was more feisty I'd be more convinced. But don't really know, never met him.

 

Honestly don't think it matter though because I think Gettle takes a DE. Hope I'm wrong.

[Paa Langfart]

13 hours ago, csx said:

It's not exactly clear in that link. Is he coming in for a visit or is it at Alabama? The context with Bears and Jags suggests he's not coming to Charlotte.

its pretty clear in the article

 

In the next week, Howard has an on-campus workout scheduled with the Carolina Panthers

[Paa Langfart]

11 hours ago, Mage said:

Who the hell compares him to Greg Olsen?

Bucky Brooks go to second video and about at 1:40

 

http://www.nfl.com/labs/rr/pathtothedraft/howard

[KB_fan]

For those saying that OJ Howard is not worth the pick at #8 and comparing him with Olsen's being drafted at #31, I'd point out that the game has been evolving and that TE has become a much more valuable position in recent years because of the success & impact of players like Olsen, Gronk, Whitten & Kelce.

So comparing the 2007 and 2017 drafts is a bit like apples & oranges when it comes to TEs.  We've seen how positions go in and out of favor.  E.G.  For a few years no one wanted a RB in the first round.  'Zeke may have helped change that... this year there's a lot of buzz re: RBs...   

In any case, this seems to be a good year to grab a TE.  Quite a lot of depth & talent.  I hope we snag a really good one even if it's not Howard.

[csx]

50 minutes ago, Paa Langfart said:

its pretty clear in the article

 

In the next week, Howard has an on-campus workout scheduled with the Carolina Panthers

I was trying to be nice since the first 10 or so responses and thread title interpreted it as visiting Charlotte

[dpm0409]

1 hour ago, stirs said:

I am just a bit disappointed that there are not more big time talents at the top of this years draft.

There is Garrett, and then there is a mile and a half distance down to the next tier of guys

Definitely not denying the validity of your above post, but there isn't much we can do about the lack of "big time talents", right?  I'm confident we'll land a quality player in the 1st round and I won't be upset if it's Howard at #8 (assuming he is there of course).

[top dawg]

52 minutes ago, stbugs said:

I think that's a stretch. Could be schedule. Could just be timing that after reviewing all the offensive players that Howard was brought in for a visit. Njoku's visit was announced happened a week ago on Thursday. Cam Robinson was like the first guy to visit and that was last Monday. Heck, Demarcus Walker visited before the switch to defense. I think there were likely quite a few guys we already had on our 8 and 40/64 list.

I think you are reaching on this. Jamal Adams is coming in now as well. Fournette likely will as well, but they are probably waiting for the pro-day first. All of these visits/announcements started last Monday, so trying to pin the timing of each with the fact that we reviewed offense first and were starting on defense to interpret things is a little shaky considering they are within days of each other.

Perhaps you're absolutely right, but Igo is the one that said that Howard isn't even our third choice, and that was basically a day after Gettleman said that he hadn't even began reviewing the tape of the defensive players. So my thinking may be a stretch, but it was based in large part on what Igo said and intimated about Howard.

[Snake]

1 hour ago, KB_fan said:

For those saying that OJ Howard is not worth the pick at #8 and comparing him with Olsen's being drafted at #31, I'd point out that the game has been evolving and that TE has become a much more valuable position in recent years because of the success & impact of players like Olsen, Gronk, Whitten & Kelce.

So comparing the 2007 and 2017 drafts is a bit like apples & oranges when it comes to TEs.  We've seen how positions go in and out of favor.  E.G.  For a few years no one wanted a RB in the first round.  'Zeke may have helped change that... this year there's a lot of buzz re: RBs...   

In any case, this seems to be a good year to grab a TE.  Quite a lot of depth & talent.  I hope we snag a really good one even if it's not Howard.

I think it's less about the success of a few players and more about the league wide use of cover 3 with smaller Lbs.