The Pick Should Be Charles Cross or Evan Neal, Period!!!

[Basbear]

6 minutes ago, frankw said:

Why do people keep saying things like this when we all watched him play?

[Khyber53]

9 minutes ago, frankw said:

Why do people keep saying things like this when we all watched him play?

Because, sad as it was, he was the best we had out there. He had moments. But he also had a lot of big beefy men on the opposing teams just beating the tar out of him. 

He was braver than I'd have been to go back out behind that o-line, especially after the injury(ies). 

He's still the bottom of what we could do for the coming year, but with protection, he might get a couple more wins than he did last year. A better QB could certainly do better, though.

And I love me some Cam Newton, but we can't trot him out there at QB again. 

[frankw]

1 minute ago, Basbear said:

Oh I do. I have faith PJ Walker will win us games before Sam will. Cleanse the building of all things Darnold please it is the only way forward from madness.

[PantherKyle]

The main reason I wanted Rhule gone. If we had a new HC, I could see Fitt being patient and taking the LT. Stroud or Young are so enticing next year. Instead, I worry a lame duck head coach forces a hand into taking someone who may not be the guy. 
Perfect world, we take one of the top 3 LT, throw Darnold out there, and get set for a new regime in 2023. 

[unicar15]

Gotta agree. Future pro bowlers at a position of weakness and of significant importance. You have to roll with them as the pick and hope that Howell, Ridder, or Strong falls to a spot where you can get them or just roll with Cam next year and understand you’re gonna be drafting Young or Stroud. I can honestly see one of those guys falling to bottom of round 3. Just put a package together to move up and get one of them. But you can’t pass up on Ickey, Neal, or Cross to draft one of these QBs.

Edited March 23, 2022 by unicar15

[Sgt Schultz]

25 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

You build the right offensive line, pick the best left tackle available, then any QB will have a shot here. 

If you go QB in the first and work with the improvements we've nabbed, it's not going to work. 

It's just as simple as that.

Grab the right OT and boom even Sam Darnold can win games. Gardner Minshew? Sure. Baker Mayfield? Definitely. 

Go back into the fray with the left side of the line still in flux and Aaron Rodgers couldn't get you out of trouble.

It all begins and ends with the offensive line.

I don't know how many games Darnold can win.  Minshew can win more, most likely.  Baker may be in there somewhere.  But I also am not sold on any of the QBs in the draft this year winning any more, either.  The whole group looks like a bunch of solid 3rd round picks, except of course we don't have a third round pick (at least yet).

To those who think a shiny new QB can overcome anything, how did Mahomes do when his OL was depleted in the Super Bowl against Tampa?  Brady has a history of looking very pedestrian when his OL has been consistently outplayed by a pass rush that did not require selling out the coverage (think two Super Bowl losses against the Giants, and for that matter the game NE won over the Rams 13-3).  You have to give any QB a fighting chance. 

Our OL has looked depleted or outplayed almost every game, and while they look better on paper after FA, we still have no idea whether the LT position is settled or not (thanks to them not playing BC there nearly enough to know).

[Cpt slay a ho]

Build this thing the right way,and if you do the worst case scenario is ending up like the colt, qb purgatory but consistently in the playoff hunt 

the possibility of whiffing on qbs 3 seasons in the row is going to set us back another two seasons 

 

[mc52beast]

We won’t be taking anyone at 6 because Fitterer will be trading back… deal with it.

[OldhamA]

2 hours ago, DaveThePanther2008 said:

Nice rant and you make some great points.  The only way I would be happy with a QB is if we trade down.  We desperately need more draft capital.  

 

Yes and no.

I'd be ok with a trade down, but if we can get a plug and play cornerstone LT at #6 idgaf that we're not picking again until Sunday evening.

[Jon Snow]

I don't really give a rats ass at this point. All I care about is that whoever they pick it's a good pick for the team. 

Face it, this team can use a talent infusion just about anywhere on the team.

Just don't fug it up. 

[Mike in Raleigh]

1 hour ago, mc52beast said:

We won’t be taking anyone at 6 because Fitterer will be trading back… deal with it.

I'm afraid they're going to try to trade up to insure they get Pickett. I might blow a gasket if that happens.

[Michael G]

I'm all for an OT but after IKE I'm not sure which one I'd choose if both Cross and Neal were available. In early pieces I read about Neal before the combine a lot of teams thought he'd be a better G or RT in the NFL. He seemed to do fine for Alabama though in the tape I've watched. Cross seems more of a pass pro specialist and a position blocker than road grader. Either would be better than what we have now, especially if the plan is to use Brady C at Guard.

[Shocker]

If Evan Neal is available at 6 and we don’t take him I don’t know what we are doing.  QB should wait

Edited March 23, 2022 by Shocker

[kungfoodude]

3 hours ago, Matthias said:

Man I hate the situation we're in with this franchise.  We're so desperate talking about being okay with drafting these cats at QB with our 6th and only pick until day 3 of the draft!  Forget these scrubs playa!!!  The work Fitterer and Morgan have done on this O-line during free agency has been nothing short of a miracle.  You cap that -ish off with drafting a perennial probowl LT for the next decade.  Don't give me small hands Kenny Pickett, or Mike Vick wannabe Malik Willis.  Yeah I said it!!!!!  Shoot man!  There's some other players out there that I wish we were in a more luxurious position to be able to pick up.  Players like Jordan Davis, who would put our D-line in overdrive.  If Aidan Hutchinson slipped, would've been a nice grab. (Although I'm really rooting for Gross-Matos to step up)  All those players are poised for multiple probowls, a couple perhaps hall of fame worthy.  Yet we are sitting here talking about dudes the likes of MATT CORRALL????  F-OUTTA HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!

In all honesty, the best QB of this draft might be Carson Strong.  The problem with him however is his knee being jacked up, which of course is a big flippin' problem.  I'm over this QB discussion.  We screwed up as a franchise by letting Cam go the first time, over paying for Teddy Bridgwater.  Then we screwed up worse by trading for Sam Darnold, even picking up the fifth year option with his rookie deal.  We almost traded everything away for Watson, which may have been worth it in football terms, but alas we didn't get him. (I didn't want to trade that much away for him)  Ultimately, it just seem we are about to make mistake number one million by picking up another dud QB because of our desperation.  No, pick up the sure thing in Cross or Neal.  Make this O-line the best in the league, giving our next head coach and true franchise QB plenty to work with going forward.

Let other teams reach across the universe for Pickett, Willis, and the rest.  If Carson Strong falls to the 4th, pick him up.  There's another QB who will fall to the late rounds (wouldn't be surprised if undrafted) I kind of like in Cole Kelley.  The problem with him is he has a major red flag with a DWI arrest in 2018.  He's been clean since, but I wouldn't be surprised if that could become a problem later on if he drinks again.  That's my two cents in the pot.  Oh man it's going to be hard come draft night, dreading the decision this front office will make.  Yet if the name that comes across the board is either Charles Cross or Evan Neal, Oh Happy Day!!!