Per Voth: "Steve Wilks today: “There will be times where Shaq is going to be in ... to relieve Thomas to give him some rest.” + My Own Quick Comments

[csx]

He was 6th on the team in tackles so he's clearly playing.

[KSpan]

9 hours ago, mjligon said:

This is a good thing...as much as I hate to admit it, Davis looked to have taken a bit of a step back last season.

Granted, the entire defense did...but nonetheless. This could be a true passing of the torch season.

Yup. TD started 2015 slow as well but was able to pick it up a couple weeks in. Last year though he definitely lost a step and started declining noticeably. I absolutely love TD and am sad to see it happen but it was (is) inevitable.

[csx]

I thought it was 15 where Davis played like a complete beast early in the season..

[bababoey]

To be honest,  I was suprised they did not do this last year. 

[Hogmolliesmaht]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that thinking behind them drafting Shaq was to replace TD, in the first place. He needs to be on the field as much as possible. He has the speed and skills to do it. He just needs the chance to show it.

[UpstatePanther]

This is what we drafted Shaq to do lol

[RealBitsOfPanther]

The Shaq hate on this board is ridiculous. 

[Black&BlueBubba]

We play 3 LBs. Well at least that's the defense we run that shows up on paper: 4-3-4.
 
so, someone please tell me fuggn why we drafted SHAQ THOMPSON in the damn "1st fuggn ROUND"!!!!!!! Shaq ain't starting????? He has to come in for TD? WTF. What a wasted pick. 
Damn, LANDON COLLINS

What he is saying is that Shaq will stay on the field for nickel situations and have TD come off. He starts in the base 4-3. And yeah would I like Landon Collins, sure. But Shaq is still a productive pick. Go take a look at the first round of 2015. Almost the whole thing is a freaking bust.

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[panther4life]

Did anyone notice TD and Shaq were both on the field for all of those plays shown?

 

Looking back at snap counts nobody has played more than TD over the past 5 years and it's not even close. He rarely comes off the field. Over 90% average of d snaps played over past 4 seasons. Nothing short of incredible for a guy who's come back from 3 ACL tears. 

I still think we will see plenty of TD he may just sit an 1-2 extra series a game.

 

[CRA]

10 hours ago, #PanthersKing said:

We play 3 LBs. Well at least that's the defense we run that shows up on paper: 4-3-4.

 

so, someone please tell me fuggn why we drafted SHAQ THOMPSON in the damn "1st fuggn ROUND"!!!!!!! Shaq ain't starting????? He has to come in for TD? WTF. What a wasted pick. 

Damn, LANDON COLLINS

we drafted him to replace Davis.  Couldn't really predict he would then be hitting his peak of his career as Shaq waits.   Given Davis' injury history it wasn't a bad move.  Carolina made a prudent move.  Davis just continues to defy the odds.

[CRA]

Just now, #PanthersKing said:

That's bull crap. Same ole bull I heard 4/5 years ago. "Luke was drafted to replace TD". "Shaq was drafted to replace TD". "Cash was signed to replace TD". 

That up there ^^^^ is all bull poo. 

Dave wanted to be pretty. He wanted to make everybody look dumb. He pulled the trigger on a hybrid LB over a safety (Collins). Still hast figured out how to use Shaq correctly. Hasn't found how to get him on the field. Shaq couldn't beat AJ Klein out the last two seasons.

Shaq is playing out of position. I think his best and most comfortable position is "MLB". His best game came vs the Failcons where I believe where he played majority at MLB with Luke out.

Very similar to Luke as a rookie. Luke was terrible and looked like a bust very early on playing OLB until the Seattle game. History was made after that game once he stay put at MLB. 

Luke was drafted to replace Beason.  He did.  That was the prudent and smart move too at the time.

We drafted Shaq and Davis (with a brutal history of injury) suddenly became one of the best LBs in all of the NFL in roughly that window (started slightly before Shaq arrived).....that doesn't mean Carolina shouldn't of been prudent at the position. We have always been LB driven here.  We still are. 

 

[motocross_cat]

1 minute ago, CRA said:

Luke was drafted to replace Beason.  He did.  That was the prudent and smart move too at the time.

We drafted Shaq and Davis (with a brutal history of injury) suddenly became one of the best LBs in all of the NFL in roughly that window (started slightly before Shaq arrived).....that doesn't mean Carolina shouldn't of been prudent at the position. We have always been LB driven here.  We still are. 

 

Yep.  Shaq is a stellar athlete with a passion for the game, learning behind the best.  He is going to be a great panther for a long time.

[CRA]

1 minute ago, motocross_cat said:

Yep.  Shaq is a stellar athlete with a passion for the game, learning behind the best.  He is going to be a great panther for a long time.

Yep.  The day will come when Shaq becomes the man.....and he will be a STUD.

People bashing on the Shaq pick need to ask themselves how long it too Davis to be a super STUD.  Just because you don't get the early return doesn't make something a wasted pick. 

Right now, Shaq probably has the best long term health outlook of any of our top LBs.

[CRA]

Just now, #PanthersKing said:

We're LB and DT driven, that's why we lacked DBs and DEs. 

I don't buy that.

Gettlemen just flat out mismanaged the DB situation IMO.  But I am trying to let dead dogs lie.  Norman IMO should still be here and again, I was never a Norman "fan".