Anybody else disgusted with Richardson?

[The Don]

really?!?!?! there's 16 pages on this thread? omfg. here's my random prediction, because i feel like posting it.

how bout this, i'll tell everyone how the panthers draft is going to go, or at least from what i can tell that they'll be targeting.

bottom 1st/high 2nd: WR (most likely golden tate, if he's not there, arrelious benn or damian williams) the reason WR's suck under our coaching staff is because they don't have the moxie or determination that it takes to be an NFL WR. not because our coaches suck. how else do you think they even have a job?

then they'll draft: DT, DE, OT, S, BPA, BPA

something like that.

[pantherclaw]

I think Richardson wants to win. We discussed that in the tanking the season thread ad nauseum. That is not the debate. The debate is whether winning or not winning is fueling the current moves or not. I would say so far it is not. The issue about the potential lockout and saving money are trumping his desire to win at this point IMO. It doesn't mean he doesn't want to win but I don't see that he is "all in" like before. If you want to see a franchise on a "all in approach" look to the Bears or Jets at this point. We will see if it works for them or not. Our approach IMO is we want to win as long as it fits in the budget and doesn't commit us to big long-term contracts. Other than Smith and Gross, Wharton and Gamble- who has a big long term contract on our team right now? That's right nobody.

I'm going to respond to. You last statement...as that is the only basis you are offering. For your opinion. Why would we extend players already under contract before a cba is agreed to? There is no reason to.

[SCP]

Oh really?

Ask the New England Patriots if their drafting is a crap shoot.

Tell them they only got "lucky" when they drafted players.

Theres a reason the Oakland Raiders are the Oakland Raiders and the New England Patriots are the New England Patriots.

Winning franchises are built in rounds 2-7.

Another example would be the Steelers. They have been kings of finding the late rounders over the years.

[Leeroy Jenkins PhD]

I think we are going to have a great season. Might start slow, 3-3 but then really turn it on. i think 11-5 or 12-4 is realistic

[Proudiddy]

I have to admit I'm frustrated. I understand and agree with the philosophy of building with youth through the draft and not going through and blowing money on players perceived to be the best of the market in any given year.

My problem this year is this...

What does our WR corps look like?

I don't feel like looking, but I assume those under contract right now are Smitty, K.Moore, Jarrett, Charly Martin, and Dexter Jackson.

How many career receptions is that total among everyone BUT Smitty?

It is clear, WR is a position of need. We may have the weakest WR corps in the NFL now that the Phins added Marshall.

What I'm saying is, our history of drafting WRs is horrible, albeit, the draft is a crap shoot for any FO, but we're particularly bad at scouting WRs from our history.

WR is our biggest position of need and it isn't just a "so-so" need, it's a "damn, we're horrible at this position compared to every other one on the roster" need. To sit by this offseason and watch proven commodities in Boldin, Marshall, Walters, and Holmes (when he became available) fly off the shelves while we sit idly, makes no sense AT ALL.

Building through the draft is the formula for success, but when you have an opportunity to acquire a guy like Marshall with 2 2nds, odds are we're not going to get two guys with his talent in the next 2 draft so why not???

What are the odds of getting a guy with Santonio Holmes' value in the 5th round this year?

A guy with Anquan's value in the 3rd?

Pretty slim. That's my problem. Not to mention we paid Pep 16 mil for a 1 year rental knowing he didn't want to be here and then let him walk for nothing the next year... Then we let Rhys Lloyd walk so we could sign a smoothie barista for a couple $G's cheaper?

It's clear JR is acting in "let's do what best for the league" mode, and trying to set an example. It is a bit ridiculous. Here's to hoping we draft 6 eventual starters in this draft, it's our only hope... lol

BTW, and how are we finally going to give someone else a shot as the starting QB and completely strip the receiving options outside of Smitty??? Not exactly setting him up for success.

[SCP]

I'm not disgusted. For some strange reason I have a feeling in my gut that we will be a pretty competitive team next year. Whether that translates into wins is anybodies guess. But the good thing about having new blood on the field is there should be a new found intensity and a sense of urgency to prove abilities. When you keep the same guys around for so long, they tend to get comfortable in the system and fall prey to rountine. Maybe Richardson is being cheap for the betterment of the league. But on the flip side, this is a great opportunity for a team of young stars and young prospects. Will this group of players step up and grab this opportunity? I'll reserve judgment until game 9 of the 2010 season.

[PantherBrew]

I'm not disgusted. For some strange reason I have a feeling in my gut that we will be a pretty competitive team next year. Whether that translates into wins is anybodies guess. But the good thing about having new blood on the field is there should be a new found intensity and a sense of urgency to prove abilities. When you keep the same guys around for so long, they tend to get comfortable in the system and fall prey to rountine. Maybe Richardson is being cheap for the betterment of the league. But on the flip side, this is a great opportunity for a team of young stars and young prospects. Will this group of players step up and grab this opportunity? I'll reserve judgment until game 9 of the 2010 season.

My sentiments as well.

But maybe, I am just lying to myself.

[koolkatluke]

I'm not disgusted yet with the offseason. I'm disappointed we didn't go after a few player but if we can gets some vet help later on in the summer we should be ok. Now I'm a little disgusted with his increase of ticket prices. Right now the country is hurting and alot of people are going thru a hard time. Atleast let the team be doing better then no playoff win the last 4 years before you raise prices.

[ChucktownK]

You...obviously. :willy_nilly:

[panthers55]

I'm going to respond to. You last statement...as that is the only basis you are offering. For your opinion. Why would we extend players already under contract before a cba is agreed to? There is no reason to.

Of course you would because you can front load the contracts and take the salary hit when there isn't a cap consequence. If you wait until next year to do it then if there is a salary cap you will have to adhere to it. Plus if you put off the extensions until next year and then have to pay all of the upfront money when you sign them, you will have twice as much money to pay then if you spread it out over 2 years. Or if money is tight sign someone and let someone lese go because you don't have the money to sign both. Plus signing a guy like Davis now after he is coming off injury will be much cheaper than waiting until he has a pro bowl year like he was having before his injury.

If Miami can sign Marshall to the contract that they did, then why can't we do anything. Few other folks seem as concerned as the Panthers. Chicago paid Peppers a ton and the list goes on. When the CBA is signed and there isn't a lockout, the teams that counted on one and aligned everything to account for it will be behind the 8 ball when it doesn't happen because they will have missed out on a bunch of guys who could had for cheap. The best time to buy anything is when the prices are down and the demand is low. You get much better deals than waiting until things go back up to a premium. Richardson is purposely going on the cheap and blaming the lockout which won't happen by almost everyone's opinion including Goodell. It makes no sense if you look beyond the surface.

[pantherclaw]

I know for a fact' that the panthers are not the only ones with young core players still playing on their rookie contracts. You don't see anybody extending their players rookie contracts. Peppers was a free agent addition. Marshall was an addition.

Our core guys are under contract. This is not the time to worry about these things...not before the draft. There is still plenty of time to take care of our core guys. The panthers have always taken care of their own.

[panthers55]

I know for a fact' that the panthers are not the only ones with young core players still playing on their rookie contracts. You don't see anybody extending their players rookie contracts. Peppers was a free agent addition. Marshall was an addition.

Our core guys are under contract. This is not the time to worry about these things...not before the draft. There is still plenty of time to take care of our core guys. The panthers have always taken care of their own.

Any other year I would agree with you. But for whatever reason this isn't business as usual. There are a lot of precedents from not extending Fox (first time it has happened for any coach of the Panthers) to having only 4 players under a longterm contract. THis is not the same as years past and using comments like the Panthers always take care of their own don't apply anymore. Otherwise Hoover for example is still here to play out the last year of his contract.

[pantherclaw]

Hoover? Man..he has always been a favorite of mine to...but I didn't expect to hold onto him as long as we did. We are moving on, and how long are we suppose to coddle his replacement? Our staff never gets a break. They get poo on for relying on veterans...and they get poo on for going with their youth. I understand change is scary at times..but its not as bad as ya making it out to be.

[panthers55]

Hoover? Man..he has always been a favorite of mine to...but I didn't expect to hold onto him as long as we did. We are moving on, and how long are we suppose to coddle his replacement? Our staff never gets a break. They get poo on for relying on veterans...and they get poo on for going with their youth. I understand change is scary at times..but its not as bad as ya making it out to be.

You missed the point totally. It isn't about Hoover being old or whatever it is more that we are doing things differently than we ever have for better or worse. In previous years we would rewarding Hoover for his years of service by keeping him around, paying him what is a relatively small salary and letting him play out his career and retire a Panthers. We have always been loyal to the veterans and rewarded them for their loyalty as well.

Not anymore. Some will lament it and some will say it was about time. I am not even arguing whether it was good or bad. My point is that nothing is business as usual anymore. So all the things we held as truths for the Panthers are no longer apropos.