On paper is this the best roster we've ever assembled?

[Captain Morgan]

hate to rely on rookies, like we did last year at corner, and probably this year with CMC and Samuel, but we look pretty good.  That said, the thing that worries me is how young and old we are at the same time.  I notice a bit of a theme in posters talking about how many All Pros, etc we have.

Mike Adams and Julius Peppers are rare talents, but both are over 35.  Our safety depth is horrid.  We are counting on Addison to be the man, but we don't know that yet.  CJ is on the downside of his career.  We've replaced Klein with an UDFA.  Everyone raves about our 3 great linebackers, but depth behind them has me concerned.  

On offense, both Kelvin and Devin have given the Huddle fits.  Maybe our FO feels better, but again, after drafting speed, we may be relying on 2 rookies and Greg, and he ain't getting younger and our TE depth is horrid as well.  And Stew is now 30.  He impressed me last year still dragging tacklers, but this could be the last year he's effective.  Even worse if he does go down again we have to turn to CAP and no one wants that.

And we're counting very much on 2 very iffy OTs which is par for the course for us.  Ryan's brother is now healthy, but can he do the job?  With Oher's health and now legal problems, he may not be on the team.  Daryl  looks just adequate, and Moton is another rookie.

 

So like every off-season, enjoy the optimism.  The happiest I've ever been heading into a season was just last summer, coming off a 17-2 season, thinking we just need a corner or two and a right tackle, which should be easy!  

6-10.

 

 

TLDR

We're not gonna be anyone's favorite to win the Super Bowl.

But we can.

 

[Nails]

6 minutes ago, Saca312 said:

Overall, this is our best roster. This will be one of our top defenses, but definitely not number 1. Our offense could be the best we've ever assembled in all honesty, but that depends on rookie play.

A good breakdown:

Defense:

Defensive Ends: Our DEs currently consist of one of the most solid rotations in the NFL. Addison is an emerging double digit sack monster threat, CJ still provides solid pressure, and Peppers is showing no signs of slowing down. Horton's a solid run stuffer, and Hall is a great situational guy learning and growing behind these vets. 

Defensive Tackles: Kawann Short and Vernon Butler make up our pass rushing rotation, with Kyle Love and Star Lotulelei making up our stuffers. All could be starters for other teams. Solid rotation.

Linebackers: Best group in the NFL. Nearly all our backups could have better and possible starting roles for other teams. Our starters are All-Pro level good.

Corners: Solid group. Munnerlyn is an elite blitzer and quality nickel. Bradberry is an emerging shut down corner, and Worley showed up and is looking to be a legit #2. Corn Elder is a steal who will be solid in situational football, and a backup to Munnerlyn.

Safeties: FS Kurt Coleman is back to his 2015 position as a ballhawk, and he should provide very high quality play. SS Mike Adams is our better version of Harper, and with quality play to boot. A leader in the secondary that we need.

Offense:

QB: Cam Newton. MVP of 2015, now with a healthy o-line and some shiny new weapons. I think he'll do fine.

WRs: Tremendous upgrade with Samuel. Changes our outlook on everything. He has shown against some of the best college corners amazing play, and a legit speed threat. Very reliable with a very low 3.2% drop rate. Kelvin Benjamin should be fully healthy now, Funchess should now be able to prove himself, and Russell Shepard is a sleeper who could prove to be tremendous.

OTs: Our RT slot is fine. Williams should start, and he has shown he is a competent tackle after shutting down Vic Beasley twice. LT is a big "if", and that's with Matt Kalil's uncertainty. Even so, Oher could be well enough to fill in if Kalil disappoints, and Moton can back both tackle positions.

OGs: We got some of the best starters in Trai and Norwell, and solid depth. We're good

C: Ryan Kalil is an All-Pro C. Tyler Larsen isn't half bad as a starter, and Gino is decent. We're fine here.

RBs: Stewart and McCaffrey are going to be deadly. Cam Newton can still run as well, and Samuel could come in on certain looks as a runner too. We're set.

FB: Armah is 6 foot 2 253 lbs. Young has experience. Anyone we have here is an upgrade over fat-dozer.

TEs: All-Pro TE in Greg Olsen, everyone else is a question mark. Guess this might be the other uncertain position on our offense.

 

Holy moly that's a homeristic glass half full of our DE/safety situation.  We'll see.

[Still Brooklyn]

No.

[Jeremy Igo]

[Saca312]

9 minutes ago, Nails said:

Holy moly that's a homeristic glass half full of our DE/safety situation.  We'll see.

I'm fine with DEs. They'll be productive. Not the best group we've fielded, but a stout rotation.

Our starting safeties are fine. If we're talking about depth, then that's where the red lights come on.

[Shocker]

Yes 

[Nails]

6 minutes ago, Saca312 said:

I'm fine with DEs. They'll be productive. Not the best group we've fielded, but a stout rotation.

Our starting safeties are fine. If we're talking about depth, then that's where the red lights come on.

Would feel great about the DE's if we were somehow healthy going into the playoffs.  But balancing the need to be productive and the need to conserve energy/risks over a 17 week season will not be easy.

Safety is below average at best and potentially catastrophic at worse-no other way around it right now.

We still can and dare I say should win it all.  Just saying.

[KillerKat]

2004

[motocross_cat]

If not for getting crushed with injurys in 05 i think that team would have won the superbowl.  That team was stacked.

[OneBadCat]

If Peppers was in his prime I would say so.

The weakness I'd say it having a true back up to Stewart. A good safety prospect behind Adams would be nice too. 

We should have a good enough offense to keep the vets on defense fresh though. Which would be the most important thing come 4th qtr.

[Saca312]

3 minutes ago, #PanthersKing said:

I prefer game changers than committee

Yep. Here's your game changer:

 

[Sean Payton's Vicodin]

2013 was far more talented. Good o-line and a beast ass defensive line. Only real flaws was our cornerbacks and Shula. If Josh Norman was starting then that team could have made the super bowl instead of going one and done.

[Billy Love]

2 hours ago, uncfan888 said:

This is the time of year for unbridled hope. Expectations can be tempered later during the preseason or first couple games

This ^

For NFL FANS, this is the best and worst time of the year. No real football being played is the worst...but on the flip side, all 32 teams are fresh off the draft season and free agency period. For most teams, the fresh faces cultivates our emerging fresh hopes and dreams as fans. With the new season just beyond the horizon and almost close enough to touch...we are undefeated at this point in 2017 with zero injuries. The brass ring is ours for the taking. Can our coaching staff mold this new group into the WORLD CLASS ass kicking SB52 winning team we all dream of???? Hmmmmmmmmmmm...I think it could be our year. 

[Billy Love]

1 hour ago, Saca312 said:

Yep. Here's your game changer:

 

Enough said