Are we better at...(position)?

[MHS831]

Tired of seeing the same threads, so thought I would create one that should sum up the offseason so far:

Your answer choices will be yes, no, same, or too early to tell.

ARE WE BETTER AT...

• Wide Receiver
• Tight End
• Offensive Tackle
• Guard
• Center
• Quarterback
• Running back
• Offensive coordinator
• general  manager
• Defensive Tackle
• Defensive End
• Outside Linebacker
• Inside Linebacker
• Nickel
• Cornerback
• Safety
• defensive coordinator

Take into consideration:

last season we lost our #1 WR (trade), had lengthy injuries to Olsen and Kalil.  We started (most of the time) Charles Johnson, Jonathan Stewart, and Russell Sheperd. 

We lost a Pro Bowl Guard, backup TE, backup QB

We placed DE D. Hall, S D. Cox, WR Samuel, and CB Elder on IR for at least part of the season.  All should make the roster this year.

We added, through the draft, a WR and CB who should make an immediate impact.  A S and TE who may contribute sooner more than later.

The Panthers won 11 games last year.

 

[Jimmy]

• Wide Receiver - Yes
• Tight End - Too Early to Tell
• Offensive Tackle - Same
• Guard - No
• Center - No
• Quarterback - Same
• Running back - Yes
• Offensive coordinator - Yes
• general  manager - Too Early to Tell
• Defensive Tackle - Too Early to Tell
• Defensive End - No
• Outside Linebacker - Same
• Inside Linebacker - Same
• Nickel - Too Early to Tell
• Cornerback - Too Early to Tell
• Safety - No
• defensive coordinator - To Early to Tell

[mc52beast]

I didn’t see owner on your list

[MHS831]

ARE WE BETTER AT...

• Wide Receiver  (Yes)
• Tight End (too early to tell)
• Offensive Tackle (same)
• Guard (no)
• Center (same)
• Quarterback (no/same)
• Running back (yes)
• Offensive coordinator (yes)
• general  manager (too early  to tell)
• Defensive Tackle (yes)
• Defensive End (yes)
• Outside Linebacker (same)
• Inside Linebacker (same)
• Nickel (yes)
• Cornerback (yes)
• Safety (too early to tell)
• defensive coordinator (too early to tell)

I find it interesting to note that we are not better on the offensive line.  That could be a substantial oversight on Marty's part....With improvements to RB and WR, maybe the OL situation will not be as significant....Defensively, we got better up front, which should mean blitzing is not as needed as it was last year; that alone makes the DBs better...Nickel has some options.  Corn, Jackson, even Gaulden could play there.  Expect better play from the D this year, more energy from the offense.  LT, LG, and C are concerns. 

As players go, I scored 6 "yes" votes and only one pure "no".  If TE (Thomas) and S (Searcy/Cox) help us improve, that is quite an improvement.

 

[MHS831]

9 minutes ago, Jimmy said:

• Wide Receiver - Yes
• Tight End - Too Early to Tell
• Offensive Tackle - Same
• Guard - No
• Center - No
• Quarterback - Same
• Running back - Yes
• Offensive coordinator - Yes
• general  manager - Too Early to Tell
• Defensive Tackle - Too Early to Tell
• Defensive End - No
• Outside Linebacker - Same
• Inside Linebacker - Same
• Nickel - Too Early to Tell
• Cornerback - Too Early to Tell
• Safety - No
• defensive coordinator - To Early to Tell

You show an improved offense and a defense that is too early to tell.  I think this is a very safe approach, but  I would argue that we have to be better at Nickel and CB--but  that is mere speculation.

[MHS831]

10 minutes ago, mc52beast said:

I didn’t see owner on your list

Thought about it, but I was thinking of the players, coaches and GM  we have had during the off season.

[LinvilleGorge]

WR - Absolutely yes.

TE - Yes. Please, Dickson sucked.

OT - same

OG - absolutely worse. You don’t lose an All-Pro and not get worse.

C - same

QB - same

RB - yes. Stew has been washed up for two years now.

DT - Yes. Poe gives more as a pass rusher than Star with similar run support.

DE - same

LB - same

CB - yes. Worley is addition by subtraction.

Safety - same. Trash.

[Jimmy]

23 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

You show an improved offense and a defense that is too early to tell.  I think this is a very safe approach, but  I would argue that we have to be better at Nickel and CB--but  that is mere speculation.

Nickle was a tough call...injured rookie from last year, a midget, and new guys...if one of the new guys emerges than it would be a yes...if they don't it's a no.

[s1lent_kn1ght]

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Posted 38 minutes ago

Tired of seeing the same threads, so thought I would create one that should sum up the offseason so far:

Your answer choices will be yes, no, same, or too early to tell.

ARE WE BETTER AT...

• Wide Receiver

yes

• Tight End

most likely

• Offensive Tackle

the same

• Guard

way worse

• Center

same, maybe better if kalil plays all year

• Quarterback

worse at backup

• Running back

pains me to say it, but better.

• Offensive coordinator

anything is better than shula, but norv is a pretty mediocre OC

• general  manager

honestly, based on what hurney has done compared to DG the last year or 2, better.

• Defensive Tackle

better

• Defensive End

hall returning, better.

• Outside Linebacker

worse, TD is declining.

• Inside Linebacker

slightly worse, luke didn't look good late in the year. hopefully that's just because he was dinged up but based on what we saw, SLIGHTLY worse.

• Nickel

better, donte jackson.

• Cornerback

better, cockrell>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.worley

• Safety

too early to tell

• defensive coordinator

probably better but also too early to tell

[ncfan]

• Wide Receiver- way better.  Moore has that Size speed combo, we finally have a deep threat slot in Smith instead of Shepard.  And even though still recovering, samuel has a year under his belt learning the playbook after playing RB in college

 

• Tight End- better, Dickson wasnt bad but Thomas seems better at blocking.  And as far as pass catching. He looks athletic and flights for balls
• Offensive Tackle- wash, nothings changed.

 

• Guard- Worse, easy to say.  Lose a All-pro and brought no one new in
• Center- wash, nothings changed
• Quarterback-wash, Anderson wasnt what he was a few years ago.
• Running back- slightly better.  I love Stew but he had lost a step. CJ Anderson is a little more explosive
• Offensive coordinator- Waaaaaaay Better, 
• general  manager- wash, still have Hurney

 

• Defensive Tackle-    Better, Star was powerful and good at run stuffing.  But Poe has the ability to rush the passer as well.  Plus I think this couod be the year Butler begins to break out.  After fighting injuries his first 2 years.  Think if healthy he could be a factor this year

 

• Defensive End- slighty better. Lost CJ but he was done last year and didnt do much. We get Hall back who began to look decent in preseason prior to getting injured 
•  Linebacker- wash, nothings changed other than a few late round athletic LB who could be special teams guys
• Nickel- slightly better, get Corn Elder back who some were high on last year
• Cornerback- slightly better. Worley was bad but replacing with some pretty unproven guy. Cockrell has hardly been a starter, only times due to injury.  People had hopes on him because his pff grade in zone which under Rivers we have ran.  Now new DC seems to want to run more man.  The addition to Jackson could be a boom bust as well.  Played decent at LSU and most predicted him as a round 3-4 guy and to stay in school until he ran a 4.3 which always shoots people up.  Big talker but got beat repeatedly by practice squad guys in mini camp.  And Julio Jones, Mike Evans, and Mike Thomas are not Austin Duke either. Jackson runs his mouth then gets beat it could not end well.  Remember thats how Smitty pretty much ended Smoots career
• Safety- wash, Coleman didnt seem the same after the injuries the last 2 seasons.  Could barely jump.  Bring in Searcy who has been a start in this league but not really known to be good in coverage vs playing in the box and tackling
• defensive coordinator- wash, like the new guy, but theres a reason the old guy is a HC right now.

[rayzor]

On offense, aside from LG, we're better all across the board. Just having norv accomplishes that. OL will have a better blocking scheme and likely won't have to hold their assignment waiting for these plays to develop. Cam will have an uptick in his passing proficiency. We are also walking in with a much better WR corps, the three we added are much better than those we will have lost. RB... CMC with a year under his belt plus CJ, Barner, and Hood? Giddy up.

On defense, I think the line is better, LB....not so much. Still one of the best corps in the league when all the parts are there, but that changes after this year. CB is better. Safety? Wait and see.

[stratopanther]

6 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

WR - Absolutely yes.

TE - Yes. Please, Dickson sucked.

OT - same

OG - absolutely worse. You don’t lose an All-Pro and not get worse.

C - same

QB - same

RB - yes. Stew has been washed up for two years now.

DT - Yes. Poe gives more as a pass rusher than Star with similar run support.

DE - same

LB - same

CB - yes. Worley is addition by subtraction.

Safety - same. Trash.

I mostly agree but how do you say dickson sucked? I thought he did excellent filling in when his number was called. You cant say Thomas is gonna be better than him this year. Dickson has gotten shat on his whole tenure here when he always seemed to make plays when he was in there. 

[LinvilleGorge]

24 minutes ago, stratopanther said:

I mostly agree but how do you say dickson sucked? I thought he did excellent filling in when his number was called. You cant say Thomas is gonna be better than him this year. Dickson has gotten shat on his whole tenure here when he always seemed to make plays when he was in there. 

I think Thomas can at least be his equal this season. Dickson had 437 receiving yards last season (his only season with us when he eclipsed 150 yards) but nearly 200 of them came against the Lions where they pretty much didn’t cover him at all.

[SOJA]

WR, TE, RB- Yes

Guard- obviously worse. 

S- still bad

CB- TBD