What Are We Thankful For?

[CarolinaNCSU]

We're all depressed right now, we're all jumping on Fire Rivera, cut ____ player, Tepper clean house bandwagons.  Rightfully so in some cases.  But going forward, we're actually in pretty damn good position, and just wanted to make myself feel better and maybe put a positive spin on things.  So, decided to make a little list...

1.  Tepper

• He's bringing positive change in a variety of ways.  I feel like players will like playing for him.  He's the anti-JR who seems like the status quo of mediocrity won't fly.  Could be an interesting offseason if Rivera and company don't get it together. 

2.  Cam

• MVP Cam has returned, and he's going to get even better in this offense and with valuable weapons like Moore and Samuel.  Even with the drops, bobbled INTs, etc., his stats...
  • 2,443 Yards, 68.4% compeltion, 20 TDs, 6 INTs.  64.9 QBR, 102.7 QB rating.  And you could argue he hasn't gotten the help he deserves.  Insanely good year...and that's without the rushing numbers taken into account.

3.  Our last two drafts

• CMC, Samuel, Moton, Armah, Moore, D. Jackson, I. Thomas.  That's 7 solid contributors or future studs, with 2-3 projects also thrown in right now.  Barring catastrophe, GMan and Hurney may have set us up nicely with the last two drafts.  If we have another solid one in 2019 (preferably with big people)....oo wee mayne the young talent. Which also leads to...

4.  Get rid of some of these bums - -And give me back some injured guys

• Matt Kalil's contract can be June 1st cut...eventually.  KK's huge contract may only have a year left. Guys like Poe, Captain, Torrey, etc. can save us money next year or the year after if they prove problematic.  
  • Darly Williams comes back (hopefully - - and at a reduced rate).  Ross Cockrell pushes Munnerlyn out.  

5.  Out with the old, in with the new...?

• The big names are old, and costly, and cap space will be coming.  A lot of people may think our window closes with these guys...but really?  Yes we'll have to re-sign guys, but...
  • Ryan Kalil (9.9 mil), Olsen (7.9 mil), Peppers (5 mil), Torrey (5 mil), Captain (4 mil), TD (4 mil) could all be gone next year - - That's 35.8 million in space.  I love most of these guys...but how many have absolutely stood out and proven to be irreplaceable this year?  We'll miss TD and Pep, but they're both losing steps. Kalil has injuries, Olsen as well/Ian Thomas. We might have the inside track to re-signing Reid as well if he proves worthy.  Going to be a changing of the guard...but it won't be as hard as many think. 

 

Even in dark times of getting embarrassed...we're in decent position.  Have another solid draft, don't get drunk with cap spending...and we're set up for years to come still. 

 

[mc52beast]

Thankful for an awesome family

Thankful for everything I have 

Football is great but I can live without it

[The Lobo]

Besides health and family and faith and the Panthers..this site. It’s the only place I can talk to other panther fans bc I live in Illinois and the suck fest for the Bears and Colts is in full force this year. 

[manu4t]

I am thankful to be healthily vertical, to be married to the love of my life, for my beautiful miracle child coming to us in our mid-40's, and for embracing a life balance that allows me to no longer mope all week about CAR (or spend all week celebrating them either).

[ncfan]

1. Cam- Without him, with this OL, with this defense, with this staff (with how they manage the player) we would be bottom of the barrel of the league and a step below the Bucs.  We'd be in the same class as the Raiders and Cardinals

2. Tepper- finally an owner who cares about winning and not just $$

[juliosantos]

mccaffrey ,cam , luke , thomas davis , the rest suck

[MountaineerChemist10]

Thankful for my wife, beer & the fact we have an NFL football team here in the Carolinas. Oh, & sex. Gotta be thankful for sex.

[Jangler]

Cam Newton. Without him Rivera would already be gone....wait....

catch fricken 22

 real cranberry sauce, not the HFCS in a can.

[PanthersBigD]

Donte Jackson. That little dude is fire. He learns quickly from his mistakes and he plays like he's twice his size. 

[SpeedOFLight]

Life. Way better than the alternative. Happy to have lovely family and friends. This time of year always make me reflect on things and relax things aren’t always as bad as we think

[Sasquatch]

I'm thankful that many posting on this board have zero say in the actual operations of our NFL team.

[Wolfpack352]

Thankful for the advancement in the medical field to keep me from stroking out watching the cardiac cats.

[hepcat]

I've got a good one!

I'm thankful that Marty Hurney didn't trade away the 2011 first overall pick to move up in the 2010 draft to select Jimmy Clausen. The franchise would have never recovered from that.