Cynthia Frelund, NFL.com's analytics analyst talks receiver groups

[top dawg]

Cynthia Frelund acknowledges the question marks of the Panthers' receiving corps, and doesn't sound quite sold. She says that Moore may realistically have WR1 potential, but that it's still up in the air.  She says we need a WR1 or WR2, depending upon how Moore progresses, in order to realistically have a chance this year.

 

"Carolina Panthers: To be fair, 2018 first-round pick D.J. Moore could end up being a true WR1. As of right now, though, it's still unclear. Even though running back Christian McCaffrey did have more total receiving yards than Moore last season (867 versus 788), Moore did rank third among wide receivers in yards per target (11.8, per NGS) last season. Piecing together the strategic possibilities of a healthy Cam Newton combined with other receivers like Curtis Samuel, Torrey Smith and Jarius Wright (Devin Funchess is set to hit free agency), the Panthers' win projection increases the most by either adding a true No. 1, or -- if Moore really emerges in Year 2 -- a WR2."

 

It sounds like she believes that we need to hedge our bets in a big way. I don't necessarily agree, but I don't necessarily disagree either. It seems to me to be somewhat foolhardy to go all in on Moore and Samuel, given their relative inexperience and an incomplete chemistry with Cam. Smith and Wright didn't exactly light the world on fire for different reasons either, so I absolutely believe that we could stand to add someone (preferably young) who has a high ceiling and brings another legit presence to the table. But, it could just be me being overly optimistic, but if the guys can stay healthy, I'm enthusiastic that the corps as it is now may surprise a lot of people, not just locally, but nationally. Frelund's analytics obviously haven't led her to believe in anything with any surety regarding the Panthers' receivers, and that's pretty much where a lot of us are. We have to make an additional move to feel more secure going into the season.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001021587/article/evaluating-every-nfl-teams-receiving-corps-who-needs-a-wr1

[Ivan The Awesome]

Boy is she gonna be surprised when Torrey Smith comes in and saves the day with his football savvy and veteran leadership. 

[Untouchable]

I don't think she's paid too much attention to the Panthers receiving Corp except stat watching. Definitely hasn't watched Samuel if he's being billed as just an afterthought.

Number 1 receivers are rare anyway, Panthers would be good with just looking for a specific skill set that the WR core is missing. A red zone threat IMO.

[Proudiddy]

Meh...  I dont think it's a huge leap to assume DJ becomes a clear cut #1 this year.  He already showed the flashes and game breaking ability, and he hardly played the first half if the year, then Cam's arm fell off the second half of the year.

I also think she's either ignoring or dismissing the potential Samuel has shown.

But, don't get me wrong, I do think we need some production insurance there, but that's much less of a priority than FS, Edge, LB, and OT.

[Pimpdaddy]

wonder what she knows about running routes...

[Dex]

1 hour ago, Ivan The Awesome said:

Boy is she gonna be surprised when Torrey Smith comes in and saves the day with his football savvy and veteran leadership. 

I was gonna say does she know we have Torrey "To The House" Smith on our roster?

[MHS831]

I wanted Smith cut and I still do--however, Cam could not get him the deep ball---the only thing that separates Smith from you or me. 

I think this is a good year for WR in the draft.  However, over the past few weeks I have heard that we are drafting a QB, a RB, a WR, a S, and a CB.  While I am not a skilled mathematician, it seems to me that we need 2 OL and at least 2 DL.  Not sure about LB, but losing Davis, Jacobs, and Mayo suggests that perhaps we need one of those too.

[MHS831]

1 hour ago, Proudiddy said:

Meh...  I dont think it's a huge leap to assume DJ becomes a clear cut #1 this year.  He already showed the flashes and game breaking ability, and he hardly played the first half if the year, then Cam's arm fell off the second half of the year.

 

Moore will be a #1...with Samuel and Wright, we are solid, just not deep.  Don't forget, our TEs and CMC play a bigger role in the passing game than most teams.   Smith?  Who knows.  We could add a bigger WR in the fourth  round (Like Sills, WV) and be set.

[Cary Kollins]

Lol at the panthers obtaining a “true” WR1 

[MHS831]

5 minutes ago, Cary Kollins said:

Lol at the panthers obtaining a “true” WR1 

People get tunnel vision.  Here are what the Panthers need:

• A top backup QB like Foles.
• A #1 WR like A Brown
• 2 NTs (Poe? Nevermore--send him to the Ravens)
• 1 3 tech DT (the Butler  did not do it--or much of anything)
• A 12-sack DE (Not particular--will take a 13 sack DE)
• a LB  (Thompson is Davis'  replacement?  That''s a big  ole bowl of nope)
• a starting FS  (Free agency on a budget)
• a nickel CB (note to team: get one that can cover and not named Munnerlyn)
• a Left Tackle (The draft is weak.  Where have you gone, Jordan?)
• a Left Guard (Should not be that hard.  Van Roten?)
• a Center (Grand Larsen stole from us last year...Not good)
• a backup RB (maybe we should check under our own Hood here)
• a TE? (Olsen averages eight games a season -- If only he were the Olsen twins)

[LinvilleGorge]

The Pats just won the SB without a 1000 yard receiver. When we went 15-1, we didn't have a 1000 yard WR. 

[rayzor]

"incomplete chemistry with Cam"? Huh?

Moore, Samuel, and Wright caught just about everything thrown their way and the play design had tons of moving parts. Seems they were on the same page fairly quickly and should be even better going into this season.

The receivers we have are good enough to give most defenses headaches, especially the ways they were used last year. They aren't the worry for me.

The worries I have on offense is Cam's shoulder being healthy and that OL and maybe getting someone to spell CMC. 

[Khyber53]

Let's give Moore, Samuel, Wright and Smith a season with Cam's healed shoulder and see what the results are. Those four with CMC, Thomas and, dare I hope, a completely healed Olsen could be a really great passing game if Cam is really good to go.

Moore came on late, but did it as Cam's arm went south. Samuel had the same, but he was basically a rookie as well. Wright flashed some moments of good slot receiver work. Smith, I think, just ended up being useless as a jet-fast wideout tied to a QB with no medium or long game. 

Cam was reading the field better than ever before in 2018 and made the most of his limited capabilities. Imagine him with a full-strength throwing arm AND that experience and I think we'd see the most production from a receiving corps here since the days of Smitty, Moose and Proehl.

The original story took a look at the stats, but it didn't take in the whole scope of the story. I think we'll see something great next season.

[top dawg]

33 minutes ago, rayzor said:

"incomplete chemistry with Cam"? Huh?

Moore, Samuel, and Wright caught just about everything thrown their way and the play design had tons of moving parts. Seems they were on the same page fairly quickly and should be even better going into this season.

The receivers we have are good enough to give most defenses headaches, especially the ways they were used last year. They aren't the worry for me.

The worries I have on offense is Cam's shoulder being healthy and that OL and maybe getting someone to spell CMC. 

All of them had some key drops! Every one of them. And Moore had more than the other two. Furthermore, anyone has to know that Moore and Samuel are still learning (and they looked like it even the second half of the season, especially Moore). We did not see a Mercedes Benz diesel engine out there. And, you're right, some of it did have to do with Cam, but a certain part of it had to do with the receivers. I didn't see enough to make me want to bet the season that they are going to be enough. Perhaps this season will give me a greater feeling of security. In the meantime, if we can acquire another legit playmaker at the position---perhaps a bigger guy with a high ceiling, I don't know why anyone would be too upset by that.