At the halfway point

[kungfoodude]

For your "way too early take" what players have impressed and what are the core guys you want to keep moving forward?

Give me a sneak peek at your "keepers" for our 2021 squad.

[Mr. Scot]

On the offensive line, Taylor Moton. Nobody else from that squad.

[WarHeel]

Offense: Moton, Anderson, Moore, Samuel, CMC, Davis

Defense: Burns, Chinn, Douglas

 

[panther4life]

 Unrestricted Free agents I’d like to keep:

Taylor Moton, Rasul Douglas, Curtis Samuel, and maybe Okung.

Of course this all depends on how much they are demanding contract wise but in a perfect world we’d be able to retain all of them, including Okung if he can get back to being healthy.

Short, Paradis, and Weatherly should be cap casualties. And before you ask Whitehead is on a 1 year deal, so he’s already gone. 

 

Otherwise Slye and Obada are restricted free agents and would opt to keep them as well.

For reference here’s players under contract for 2021: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/carolina-panthers/cap/2021/

 

[MHS831]

6 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

For your "way too early take" what players have impressed and what are the core guys you want to keep moving forward?

Give me a sneak peek at your "keepers" for our 2021 squad.

Keepers (not worried about contracts right now):

Defense (20):  DL-Brown, Kerr, Roy, Burns, YGM, Weatherly, Obada, Haynes, S--Chinn, Burris, Franklin, Hartsfield, Robinson, CBs--Pride, Douglas, Thomas-Oliver, LB:  Carter, Thompson (I would try to trade him), Orr (ps), Mack (opt out).  

• Key Omissions:  Jackson, Boston, Short, Whitehead

Offense ( 18 )  QBs--Bridgewater, Walker, Grier, OL--Moton, Miller, Daley,  Scott, Tecklenberg, TEs--Thomas, Manhertz, WRs--Anderson, Moore, Samuel, Bayless (IR), Hyman (PS), RB---CMC, Davis, Bonnefon,

• Key Omissions:  Little, Reed, Paradis, Cooper, Armah, Okung

Slye, Jansen, and Carlton (3)

That leaves 12 vacancies

[WarHeel]

On 10/30/2020 at 6:02 PM, MHS831 said:

Keepers (not worried about contracts right now):

Defense (20):  DL-Brown, Kerr, Roy, Burns, YGM, Weatherly, Obada, Haynes, S--Chinn, Burris, Franklin, Hartsfield, Robinson, CBs--Pride, Douglas, Thomas-Oliver, LB:  Carter, Thompson (I would try to trade him), Orr (ps), Mack (opt out).  

• Key Omissions:  Jackson, Boston, Short, Whitehead

Offense ( 18 )  QBs--Bridgewater, Walker, Grier, OL--Moton, Miller, Daley,  Scott, Tecklenberg, TEs--Thomas, Manhertz, WRs--Anderson, Moore, Samuel, Bayless (IR), Hyman (PS), RB---CMC, Davis, Bonnefon,

• Key Omissions:  Little, Reed, Paradis, Cooper, Armah, Okung

Slye, Jansen, and Carlton (3)

That leaves 12 vacancies

Why no Coop? He’s been solid for the most part.

[Basbear]

This would take some time to fully answer. I say this about the guys added this year- John Miller and Rasul Douglas are two guys Id love to see remain panthers. Miller has missed the last two games and was hurt in the one before those two. All three of them the OL has played poorly. You know what Scott too, hes been a key backup at 4 OL spots.

With a quick look, team needs about 25 players..(jesus..) Depth across the whole roster, 7 OLmen, 4 LBs, 3 TEs, 3 DL, 3 DBs.

Keepers-

Teddy

CMC

Moton

Davis(doubt he stays here)

ANderson

Moore

Scott

Samuel(doubt he stays here)

YGM

Miller

Brown

Burns

Shaq

Douglas

Djack

Burris

Chinn

All 3 STeamers play well enough

Thats about it

Could add Kerr, Roy, Armah, Pride, Cooper...But they can also find upgrades too. Keeper is hard to say when speaking about depth too.

 

[TheSpecialJuan]

[BrianS]

Free agency is gonna suck for us.  We have THIRTY.

Obviously, I'd like to keep Moton, but his comps are terrifying:

Likewise Samuel:

I'd keep Mike Davis at his current salary, if he'll take it and Russell Okung if he'll take a REALLY friendly deal given his history with injury the last couple years. 

Defense: 

Rasul Douglas is a keeper unless he goes psychotic and wants Bradberry money.  

 

Special Teams:

I'd keep Jansen as well, I mean, when is the last time you heard his name?  That's good in a LS.  Slye if he continues to perform this year.

 

Our real issue is that we have THIRTY free agents.  There is no way to replace them all, so some crap will resign with us, unfortunately.

 

[thennek]

Surprisingly, the rookie punter Charlton has outperformed my expectations. Another surprise is that the Panthers special teams have actually been pretty good and probably the best that it’s been in a number of years. 
Other than names already mentioned, I would also keep Burris at safety. The secondary has definitely dropped since he got hurt. Kerr has played pretty well too. Christian Miller opted out but he showed promise last year. Haynes has made some plays too. Cooper has looked good as PR and KR. 
the Panthers have a young team and a lot of these guys are just figuring it out especially on defense.  I think the Panthers have a good young foundation to build on next year. Still have several holes to fill...LG, LT, C, MLB, CB, DT, S and etc. 
 

[stbugs]

On 10/31/2020 at 10:39 PM, WarHeel said:

Why no Coop? He’s been solid for the most part.

He’s been decent and bad. His kick return average is decent, in the middle third but high side with a pack of guys right behind him. His punt return average is awful. He’s dead last among players with enough returns to qualify. One 19 yard return and then average in the 3s for the other 8 returns.

I haven’t ever watched him feeling like he’s special so honestly, we could do better and probably save money. Don’t want let year’s fiasco although, ironically Ray Ray is #1 in punt returns and #6 in kick returns with no fumbles. McCloud is right now the best returner in the NFL. SMH, we really do overrate some people like coaches.

[WarHeel]

3 minutes ago, stbugs said:

He’s been decent and bad. His kick return average is decent, in the middle third but high side with a pack of guys right behind him. His punt return average is awful. He’s dead last among players with enough returns to qualify. One 19 yard return and then average in the 3s for the other 8 returns.

I haven’t ever watched him feeling like he’s special so honestly, we could do better and probably save money. Don’t want let year’s fiasco although, ironically Ray Ray is #1 in punt returns and #6 in kick returns with no fumbles. McCloud is right now the best returner in the NFL. SMH, we really do overrate some people like coaches.

Maybe it’s just the years of Bersin, Brown, et al that have me thinking Cooper is fairly decent. 

[stbugs]

1 minute ago, WarHeel said:

Maybe it’s just the years of Bersin, Brown, et al that have me thinking Cooper is fairly decent. 

After last year, just catching the ball is nice to see. Still can’t believe the year McCloud is having in Pittsburgh.

[Basbear]

19 hours ago, BrianS said:

Free agency is gonna suck for us.  We have THIRTY.

Obviously, I'd like to keep Moton, but his comps are terrifying:

Likewise Samuel:

I'd keep Mike Davis at his current salary, if he'll take it and Russell Okung if he'll take a REALLY friendly deal given his history with injury the last couple years. 

Defense: 

Rasul Douglas is a keeper unless he goes psychotic and wants Bradberry money.  

 

Special Teams:

I'd keep Jansen as well, I mean, when is the last time you heard his name?  That's good in a LS.  Slye if he continues to perform this year.

 

Our real issue is that we have THIRTY free agents.  There is no way to replace them all, so some crap will resign with us, unfortunately.

 

I said they need roughly 25 players for next year, thats with the 30 free agents. That number can be lowered via these moves. If panthers keep all 7 draft picks, thats 7. Add in 3(same as this yr) undrafted players thats 10. Slye and maybe a couple more free agents(brown) will be tendered- 13. This years practice squad is large and full of what Rhule wants- 4-5 have a good shot to make the team next year. 18 players have been added with barely any cap space used.  Thats leaves around 20 million in space for 7-12 players(most time you want to keep 8-ish million for season). Not ideal but also not dire. 

Its going to take this upcoming draft and 2022 draft before this team gets a "stable" roster. Of course that means hitting on as many draft picks/UDFAs as possible too. Great thing about this weird 2021 draft, is Rhule and company have spent a good part already evaluating many in the pool. Barring insane luck, its going to take a couple more years.