Daryl Williams, #60

[Ricky Spanish]

33 minutes ago, SeoulPanther said:

 I disagree. Drafting a LT is easy-especially with quite a few projected in Rd 1 and 2 unlike last year. While there are no guarantees (naturally) of the replacements quality, he would only have to be average to be as good as MKalil which shouldn't be impossible. The problem is we haven't even got an out on his contract until the end of next season. But that could be used to our advantage if he acts as back-up and red-shirt's the season. The best center can usually be had in the 2nd round, and I agree that we should certainly target one,maybe even if RKalil continues based on his recent injury history. Getting younger, (or at least having a younger option,) should be something that one of the oldest teams in the league looks at. Add to that the cap saving of moving on from the Kalil's and no matter the pedigree of the player, (and especially considering their recent injuries,) its something that should be considered.

It's really not. Especially the past 5-7 years. It's been a crapshoot across the league where there's numerous articles about the poor line play epidemic hitting the NFL.

 

[SeoulPanther]

10 minutes ago, Cracka McNasty said:

It's really not. Especially the past 5-7 years. It's been a crapshoot across the league where there's numerous articles about the poor line play epidemic hitting the NFL.

 

 I said it was easy to draft one not that they were a guaranteed success. I qualified my comment by saying that he only had to be as good as MKalil. As much as I agree that OT quality is becoming harder to find, I don't think 'as good as MKalil' is too much to ask from a 1st/2nd rounder. Swapping a rookie contract for a multi-million $ cap hit? That would seem to solve the problem that @iamhubby1 alluded to quite well.

[Ricky Spanish]

21 minutes ago, SeoulPanther said:

 I said it was easy to draft one not that they were a guaranteed success. I qualified my comment by saying that he only had to be as good as MKalil. As much as I agree that OT quality is becoming harder to find, I don't think 'as good as MKalil' is too much to ask from a 1st/2nd rounder. Swapping a rookie contract for a multi-million $ cap hit? That would seem to solve the problem that @iamhubby1 alluded to quite well.

I get what you're saying, but I don't think you realize just how bad it's been. From 2012 to 2015, there were 15 OT's taken in the first round.

7 don't even play Tackle in the NFL anymore

3 have been "good enough" to even be nominated for the pro bowl. All 3 were drafted in the top 15. 

One of those guys is named Matt Kalil...

I had a bigger post last year breaking things down even more but I can't for the life of me find it.

Just know average isn't even easy to come by for the position these days. 

 

[SCO96]

11 hours ago, SeoulPanther said:

This seems like a fair assessment based on what I have seen of the line. I wonder if they will even consider cutting MKalil considering his connection to his brother and the loyalty JR and RR have to senior players?

 Which centers do you like? The Panthers analyst on Draftek continually pencilled in a C in his selections last year and he's doing it again this year:

https://www.drafttek.com/2018-NFL-Mock-Draft-Round2.asp

Mason Cole     Michigan     OC     Reach/Value:     -6

Height: 6'5" Weight: 305

Protecting Cam Newton has to be a priority. When he is given time and is allowed to be himself, he is a special and rare talent. The Panthers' best Offensive Lineman, in Ryan Kalil, has barely played this year, and I'm wondering if he will ever be back. Releasing the veteran All-Pro Center after the end of the season would save the Panthers $7.5M, according to our friends at Overthecap.com. Mason Cole out of Michigan is the Panthers' type of Offensive Lineman. He is a Team Captain, he has played all five spots on the line,and does not miss time. Cole in the Second Round should not be confused with getting coal for Christmas. He would be a great gift in the Second Round and would show the team's' commitment to protecting Cam Newton. 
-~@PanthersDrafter,Panthers Analyst 

Thanks for posting this. I really haven't followed much college football this season so I don't know anything about this years class of lineman. This would be a no brainer pick if he's available, but that may not be the case.

Do you know who are the other top Center prospects for the 2018 draft?

[SeoulPanther]

58 minutes ago, Cracka McNasty said:

7 don't even play Tackle in the NFL anymore

That's a staggering statistic. Nonetheless my argument would be that all NFL teams are in the same boat, selecting from the same pool. While there are no guarantees you can't simply stop selecting the position. Another way of looking at it is if we had taken the guy that Denver took or someone else would he have given up 5 sacks in his first 5 games? Yes, he's getting better but hes playing next to Norwell and getting help. Having him at that cost means that we can't keep/recruit other players. I have no grudge against him-I hope that he gets even better and truly merits the FA deal he was given but just in case of injury, and with an eye to the future I would still like us to target one of the tackles in the upcoming draft. 

[SeoulPanther]

1 hour ago, SCO96 said:

Thanks for posting this. I really haven't followed much college football this season so I don't know anything about this years class of lineman. This would be a no brainer pick if he's available, but that may not be the case.

Do you know who are the other top Center prospects for the 2018 draft?

Sorry, I'm an Englishman married to a Spartanburg girl living in Seoul. I'm about the last person to ask about college football. Everything I glean about the draft is other peoples opinions on the interweb.

[SCO96]

51 minutes ago, SeoulPanther said:

Sorry, I'm an Englishman married to a Spartanburg girl living in Seoul. I'm about the last person to ask about college football. Everything I glean about the draft is other peoples opinions on the interweb.

You really get around don't you? Here's the ironic thing about your post, I live in Spartanburg.

[iamhubby1]

8 hours ago, SeoulPanther said:

 I disagree. Drafting a LT is easy-especially with quite a few projected in Rd 1 and 2 unlike last year. While there are no guarantees (naturally) of the replacements quality, he would only have to be average to be as good as MKalil which shouldn't be impossible. The problem is we haven't even got an out on his contract until the end of next season. But that could be used to our advantage if he acts as back-up and red-shirt's the season. The best center can usually be had in the 2nd round, and I agree that we should certainly target one,maybe even if RKalil continues based on his recent injury history. Getting younger, (or at least having a younger option,) should be something that one of the oldest teams in the league looks at. Add to that the cap saving of moving on from the Kalil's and no matter the pedigree of the player, (and especially considering their recent injuries,) its something that should be considered.

 

    I get where you are coming from, I really do. But I really think you are underscoring how difficult it is to find quality LTs. Say we draft one this year. What happens when he inevitably can't beat out Matt? Which the odds are, he won't. Do we then draft another one the next year?  

 

    Matt has improved a bunch this year. Finding someone to come in and take that position away from him is not going to be easy.

 

    Look at it this way. What if Matt does continue to improve? What if he plays well enough to play out his contract? Those last few years are pretty darn cheap for a starting LT. 

 

    I am all for upgrading. If you can do it, go for it. But finding a LT to supplant Matt? That is not going to be an easy task. And wasting valuable resources doing so, when there are other needs more pressing. Is a waste of resources in my book.

 

    tl/dr version; Matt is playing well. How about we wait until the season is over before we start trying to replace him? Let's see how he performs down the stretch, and into the Playoffs.

 

    Now that Center position? That needs some serious attention. 

[Khyber53]

On 11/27/2017 at 2:23 PM, MHS831 said:

 

Summary: The OL situation here is not any worse or better than most other teams,  However, this year is a good draft at C.  If Motown can play on the left side, there could be a camp competition for that job next season.  I am glad we are bringing Moton along slowly,, but I do not see a downgrade if we make the move next year.  While Williams is a huge surprise so far, Kalil is better than I thought he would be, but not as good as I hoped.  Larsen has done well and is improving, but I am not sure he is the long-term answer.

Just my perspective, but the point here is to salute DW.

Excellent post!

Yeah, Larsen isn't Ryan Kalil, but Ryan hasn't been Ryan here of lates. Larsen could be a starting center on a number of teams around the league, but he's not the first choice of Kalil is capable. We need to find a replacement for Ryan sooner rather than later. I'm not sure if Larsen has reached his ceiling yet, but if he has, then we need to look to the draft.

And Norwell... we can't let the White Buffalo go.

[over the legal limit]

I am hearing that Daryl could potentially be a Pro Bowler this season. That would be amazing.

[Captain Morgan]

14 minutes ago, over the legal limit said:

I am hearing that Daryl could potentially be a Pro Bowler this season. That would be amazing.

 

read today that PFF has him rated #2 tackle, pretty sure it said overall, not RT

[pantherphan96]

Williams has been much better the past few games but he was not good the beginning of the season. I'd rank it Norwell, Turner, Williams, Larsen, M Kalil.

[RelaxImaPro]

If only Oher hadn't all of a sudden had his career ended.  Seemed like we had finally found our solution there for at least a little while.  Dude played admirably for us and was a big part of that 2015 season.

[Fox007]

On 11/27/2017 at 9:41 PM, SeoulPanther said:

Speaking of OL @MHS831 what do you make of the tackle class? I'm seeing 7-8 different names projected to the 1st at this early stage-not that it meant much last year. The one that I find most interesting at this stage is a guy who comes from the same school as Moton- Chukwuma Okarafor. Seems like 1st might be high for him and with so many tackles available we could wait for him or take an alternative selection in the 2nd?

Yea we'll be able to pick up a LT at the 32nd pick.