Natalie Miller (our own Verge): expect Panthers to make a strong push for Calvin Ridley and Mitch Morse

[MHS831]

3 hours ago, ForJimmy said:

I’d rather sign a vet LG and draft a center. A vet LG helps Icky and the rookie center.

Jimmy, I am not an expert on this, but the only potential starting center I see that would fit us is Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Georgia.  He would probably be an upgrade.  I do not think Jackson Powers-Johnson, oregon is there at #33 and I do not think Zach Frazier , WVU  has the mobility this offense might need.  

So much depends on their feelings about Christensen at LG--I think he serves us better if he works in practice at LT and RT (Swing) and is prepared to possibly step into Moton's spot in 2025.

'I think the G market in this draft is very solid. I think the T market is very strong.  So, I dunno, but I noticed something interesting in the limited players list and that involves Maryland OL Glaze, who played at West Meck.  He played LT and RT at MD and over a 2.5 year period as a starter, surrendered 4 sacks.  They might take him to groom behind Moton, but he should be there at pick 101.

I am beginning to think that if Powers-johnson is there at #33, you take him.  The draft is deep at WR, and if we could sign a player like Ridley, we could take a C or G at #33, if one were to fall into round 2.  I still think we trade the #33 pick after round 1 for a lower second and a third.

Edited March 10, 2024 by MHS831

[MHS831]

I know it was only 4 games,but this is what Corbett did before getting injured (PFF):  averaging about 0.75 sacks per game---at right guard.  Some of this is on Campen, who sucked.  The OL looked very confused early on, but this is unacceptable.  Some Guards had 3 sacks all year.

[WhoKnows]

I wanted Morse when we got Paradis. Marty went after the guy coming off a huge injury and the rest is history. At this point, not sure I’d want to sign him to a longer deal at 31 (32 next month).

[RumHam]

5 hours ago, ForJimmy said:

I’d rather sign a vet LG and draft a center. A vet LG helps Icky and the rookie center.

Yeah. This isnt getting fixed soon. Protect the investment until he becomes fields 2.0

[onmyown]

4 hours ago, Panthero said:

Trade everyone for picks, start over completely. 

That’s ridiculous

gotta keep Brown 

[45catfan]

I wouldn't mind Ridley on a WR2 contract. I mean, 821 yards was his worst full season.  He still has that gambling stigma.  Maybe that can work to our advantage in a reasonable deal.

[Bear Hands]

1 hour ago, MHS831 said:

Jimmy, I am not an expert on this, but the only potential starting center I see that would fit us is Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Georgia.  He would probably be an upgrade.  I do not think Jackson Powers-Johnson, oregon is there at #33 and I do not think Zach Frazier , WVU  has the mobility this offense might need.  

So much depends on their feelings about Christensen at LG--I think he serves us better if he works in practice at LT and RT (Swing) and is prepared to possibly step into Moton's spot in 2025.

'I think the G market in this draft is very solid. I think the T market is very strong.  So, I dunno, but I noticed something interesting in the limited players list and that involves Maryland OL Glaze, who played at West Meck.  He played LT and RT at MD and over a 2.5 year period as a starter, surrendered 4 sacks.  They might take him to groom behind Moton, but he should be there at pick 101.

I am beginning to think that if Powers-johnson is there at #33, you take him.  The draft is deep at WR, and if we could sign a player like Ridley, we could take a C or G at #33, if one were to fall into round 2.  I still think we trade the #33 pick after round 1 for a lower second and a third.

Guard wise, Javion Cohen could be an interesting later on target.  He was a Bama transfer to Miami this past year so he's got the experience & relationship w/Bryce.  And doesn't have much uncertainty at position, he's an LG.  

[Steelo]

I could be okay with Morse, granted we start exploring backup C/OG options to slide over in the future.

[Panthero]

4 minutes ago, onmyown said:

That’s ridiculous

gotta keep Brown 

Lol. Yeah, one guy! Exactly. 

[CamWhoaaCam]

6 minutes ago, 45catfan said:

I wouldn't mind Ridley on a WR2 contract. I mean, 821 yards was his worst full season.  He still has that gambling stigma.  Maybe that can work to our advantage in a reasonable deal.

Ridley is a upgrade over anything we have. I agree on a reasonable deal we should pursue it. I'm not expecting him to get crazy money, but you never know in the NFL.

[tukafan21]

I'm very torn on going after Ridley and think I'd prefer us not to in the end.  Don't get me wrong, I think he's a great WR and in a vacuum I'd love to have him, but for me there is a serious concern in both what it will take to sign him and the long term implications of it.

Even though he's only played 4.5 seasons, he's already 29 and turns 30 before the next season will end.

This is his only chance at signing a big contract given his age and he will have plenty of suitors out there trying to get him, many of them with legit contending chances, like the Jags resigning him or even someone like KC going after him.

If he's going to pass up signing with a contender to sign with us, it's because we dropped a massive bag at his feet to do so and he couldn't turn it down because he won't get another chance at big FA money.

If we're going to massively overpay for a WR, it shouldn't be one who turns 30 this year and only has a couple years left before age starts to catch them, it should be someone younger who can be here for 5-7 years.

Dropping a bag at a 29 year old WR's feet is something you do when they're the final piece of a puzzle to contend, not your hail mary pass to try and save your awful QB's career when you have TONS of other holes on the team.  As even if he were to help turn Bryce around, in 2-3 years he won't be an elite WR anyways and if he's the only reason Bryce was moderately successful during that time, we'd be right back in the same place as we are now, a QB who needs an elite WR to be successful, but without an elite WR on the roster.

Find a way to overpay Aiyuk, Higgins, Pittman, etc, before doing it with someone like Ridley at his age.

Edited March 10, 2024 by tukafan21

[tukafan21]

30 minutes ago, CamWhoaaCam said:

Ridley is a upgrade over anything we have. I agree on a reasonable deal we should pursue it. I'm not expecting him to get crazy money, but you never know in the NFL.

He's going to get crazy money

There isn't another elite WR on the non franchise tag FA market this year, the next best WR is Hollywood Brown, who isn't even remotely in the same league as Ridley is.

That combined with the unexpected cap increase, someone will give him a monster contract, no doubt about it.  Hence my concern with signing him, because for him to sign with us over basically any other team in the league, we're going to need to go above and beyond the other deals offered to him.

Which to me, doesn't make sense given his age.

[CamWhoaaCam]

8 minutes ago, tukafan21 said:

He's going to get crazy money

There isn't another elite WR on the non franchise tag FA market this year, the next best WR is Hollywood Brown, who isn't even remotely in the same league as Ridley is.

That combined with the unexpected cap increase, someone will give him a monster contract, no doubt about it.  Hence my concern with signing him, because for him to sign with us over basically any other team in the league, we're going to need to go above and beyond the other deals offered to him.

Which to me, doesn't make sense given his age.

How much are you willing to pay him?

[tukafan21]

6 minutes ago, CamWhoaaCam said:

How much are you willing to pay him?

I don't know the number I'd be comfortable with as much as I know it won't be as high as it would take to sign him.

But I'm also in the camp of belief that Bryce can't be fixed, at least not to the point of being an elite QB that you can contend for championships with.  

I'd rather not get a top WR this year and suck because of that, while putting us in a position to draft a Bryce replacement, than sign a WR who only has 2-3 years of top level play left and watch them turn Bryce into an average game manager and set back when we can actually re-build another 3-5 years because of it.

Again, for me with him, it's his age and the contract we'd need to give him.  If he was in the 24-26 age range to where he could realistically have 5-7 years of high end play with us, then I'd be much more for it.

For me it's the very high level view of things, Ridley seems like a quick fix to one problem that will only create multiple and worse other problems in a year or two.  Which is something we have to stop doing, we need to build smart, not look for quick fixes as they never work for a team needing a full on rebuild.

Edited March 10, 2024 by tukafan21