Optimistic or pessimistic?

[musicman]

If you figure 1/2 the moves so far will work out, then we are in better shape. Some won't, so why complain about each one or praise each one. They're all "taking a chance". Then if 1/2 the draft works out, then we are better again. We couldn't swing for the fences on a QB and afford to strike out, I get it. Take the base hit and get on base. Build a solid team is something they can control and are doing a very good job of it.

In looking what the Panthers have done, very smartly is give themselves quality depth. Injuries will happen and that's when even the best teams can be exposed (see Chiefs in the SB with no real tackles). Even Mahomes couldn't save them. 

Maybe Darnold works out and maybe he doesn't, but we had limited choices. If Alex Smith played against us last year, Washington wins and we're thinking differently but it didn't happen and losing on purpose is never good (see Eagles). You play the cards you're dealt with.

I'm optimistic and think "the future looks bright I gotta wear shades" - Music references as I'm a DJ  

 

[Kentucky Panther]

It will sound silly to some but I was extremely pessimistic with Teddy, and probably more optimistic with Sam than I should be. I think adding him opened up a ton for our offense, and the defense will be a year further in the system. Add in a good draft pick or two and we should be quite a bit further ahead than last season. 

[DeAngelo Beason]

I'm actually trending toward optimism right now, which exceedingly rare for me with this franchise.

[MHS831]

1 minute ago, musicman said:

I'm optimistic and think "the future looks bright I gotta wear shades" - Music references as I'm a DJ  

 

Wrong emoji. 

 

I am not satisfied with the money we paid mediocre linemen Erv and Elf, and I can't say I am thrilled about the 30-32 year old CB additions.  We still need a 3t DT, and I guess we are OK with the S situation.  TE is going to be upgraded some, but we still do not have that weapon we are used to.  Can the MLB (Perryman) stay off the stretcher?  So I dunno.  A solid LT moves Erv to G and possibly Elf to c, and I am not sure the slot WR position has been addressed properly.

And then there is QB....

[kungfoodude]

We actually don't have much in the way of quality depth. That is one of our biggest weaknesses and is the reason it is critical to nail the next couple of drafts and/or do well in the offseason. 

The quality of our starters is decent at some positions but we can't go very deep(if at all) before we start hitting guys that aren't really NFL starting caliber.

That is why it is pretty important for some of our critical moves in free agency to pan out both this offseason and next offseason.

We definitely don't want to get into a "rinse and repeat" cycle, which we are at OL and QB currently. 

[kungfoodude]

2 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

Wrong emoji. 

 

I am not satisfied with the money we paid mediocre linemen Erv and Elf, and I can't say I am thrilled about the 30-32 year old CB additions.  We still need a 3t DT, and I guess we are OK with the S situation.  TE is going to be upgraded some, but we still do not have that weapon we are used to.  Can the MLB (Perryman) stay off the stretcher?  So I dunno.  A solid LT moves Erv to G and possibly Elf to c, and I am not sure the slot WR position has been addressed properly.

And then there is QB....

The OL moves were just head scratching. I am pretty sure those guys would still be free agents right now and likely cheaper at this point. I think Perryman was a decent gamble, as was Bouye, Reddick, etc.

[Daddy_Uncle]

Most on here are Debbie downers over everything. I actually love the off-season we have had. Some really good signings on defense especially. We are in great position to get a really really good players at 8. Im excited. I think Darnold will excel in our offense. 

Edited April 8, 2021 by Daddy_Uncle

[JawnyBlaze]

Pretty optimistic. The overall FA moves have been quite good, we haven’t backed up the money truck to anyone and even if some of them end up getting injured, it was worth taking a shot.  The QB situation is already an upgrade and if Darnold can be fixed then even better. If not, we still have draft options available for QBs. If Fields or Lance is there at 8, we take him and play it like Mahommes, Jackson and a lot of highly draft QBs letting them sit behind a placeholder. And in that scenario Darnold is still a cheap placeholder that relieves us of having to play Bridgewater. 

[pantherclaw]

I never get the perspective of not liking the money spent to aquire a player. Y'all seem to think that it's easy to get quality players for dirt cheap. 

It just doesn't work that way. 

Also, while you may not like the guys they chose of what was available,  they were the guys that Rhule and fett wanted.  

Also every player is at risk of injuries. 

 

[pantherclaw]

Just now, pantherclaw said:

I never get the perspective of not liking the money spent to aquire a player. Y'all seem to think that it's easy to get quality players for dirt cheap. 

It just doesn't work that way. 

Also, while you may not like the guys they chose of what was available,  they were the guys that Rhule and fett wanted.  

Also every player is at risk of injuries. 

 

I'm pretty optimistic for this season.  

[DeSim]

I'm always optimistic heading into every new season, life is just better that way.

[thefuzz]

Weary.

I have been very pessimistic of this franchise for a VERY long time.

 

I'm somewhat optimistic, but really don't want to get overly invested in the team again until I see consistent, smart football moves.  Tepper finally wising up and getting Marty as far away from the team was a good first step...in fact, that may be the only move that Tepper has made so far that I liked.

We screwed up last offseason....and BAD, really bad, but at least we seem to understand that, and are taking measures to not screw up this one nearly as bad.

I'm OK with the FA signings so far, and am a fan of the Darnold trade...mostly because it doesn't kill our future by going all in on the now.  If we take a QB at 8, I'll be less than thrilled, mostly because if they aren't Trevor or Zach, I'm just not convinced by them.

Continue to build the team.  O Line, Secondary, LB Corps, D Line, Edge...we need everything, but the smart call here is to try your absolute best to reclaim Sam, but at the same time prepare for the next guy at the same time.  Who knows we may see Russ or Aaron forcing themselves off of a team next season...if we extend Moton, draft heave O Line, keep our weapons on the outside and CMC...we could be very attractive to a top end vet QB...especially in this division.

Treat Sam as a rookie.  Draft Sewell or Slater.  Extend Moton.  Solidify the IOL through this very deep OL draft. Build the team smartly....please.

[LinvilleGorge]

Fairly apathetic to be honest. I honestly don't think we're making smart moves right now but we still have the draft. It's just hard to be optimistic when the franchise history doesn't give much reason to support it and I've grown weary of being pessimistic after this latest trade so I'm kinda just laying back  at this point hoping for the best while fully expecting the worst. So, we'll see...

[Ocpanthertew714]

They say the optimist invented the airplane, and the pessimist invented the parachute.  So, I honestly have a healthy dose of each.  

I will say... no matter what happens this draft,  I hope we can all (just for a moment) step away from our secondary life of "the greatest talent evaluator that the NFL has never heard of" and realize that this organization is doing everything possible to deliver us to the promise land.