Time to draft a running back?

[raleigh-panther]

T96 is correct. Go get a rent a back or 2 for 2025

no trades   No draft picks 

the oline needs a quality center and backups 

the d line and backups  are straight trash 

the linebackers, even the starters,  aren’t much and then safeties 

the link below lists all of them   Go get middle of the pack  make it work

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/_/year/2025/position/rb

[Icege]

Are any of the RB prospects known for their pass protection + ability to catch out of the backfield? Make them a north-south bruiser and hell yea use a pick!

But I don't think spending an extra $1M - $2M on a 1yr vet rental is that big of a stretch. There are contract reconstructions that will be happening to open up more cap space to where just $2M shouldn't be a backbreaker.

Edited Friday at 07:31 PM by Icege

[mav1234]

37 minutes ago, t96 said:

I don't think we really need to do all that much on offense other than backup QB and backup RB and maybe some depth WR. All of which can be found for relatively cheap. We will come nowhere near competing next year and we do have some potentially good younger pieces on offense, but pretty much none on D other than Horn (great year but still questionable durability) and Brown (assuming his great year wasn't a one-off and he can get back to that level of play post-injury).

Getting young pieces on D should be this organization's largest priority for the roster. Well, after QB. But seems like we are sticking with Bryce which is a mistake, and this year's QB crop isn't really that good. Ward could be interesting if we are in a position to draft him but I view him more as mid-late 1st and would prefer D in the top 5-10 this draft. QB can wait a year.

We're pretty much on the same page on the offense.  And I think we'd have similar overall opinions, just slightly different takes. Hopefully we do get some depth and another decent receiving target, without once again sacrificing resources that are sorely needed by the defense.

I just think we're more likely to find a better RB option in the draft and D options in FA, along with heavily investing in D in the draft. We do need some veteran presence basically, we're in a rough spot there.

[CRA]

2 hours ago, raleigh-panther said:

T96 is correct. Go get a rent a back or 2 for 2025

no trades   No draft picks 

the oline needs a quality center and backups 

the d line and backups  are straight trash 

the linebackers, even the starters,  aren’t much and then safeties 

the link below lists all of them   Go get middle of the pack  make it work

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/_/year/2025/position/rb

drafting a RB in round 5 affords you more cap to go get legit help for the D. 

The Gus Edwards, Zack Moss tier of RBs this past offseason is 10x the guaranteed money of a 5th round draft pick. 

[MasterAwesome]

20 hours ago, CRA said:

He was a 2nd round pick.  But a team can probably have him in FA for a couple million in guaranteed next year.  

the 5th round RB Denver added last year is only 300k in guaranteed.  That’s why you draft a RB.  You then go spend the actual money elsewhere.  You don’t need to add FA RBs.  Cost is too high.   Value too good in the 5th-ish round for RBs.  LITERAL peanuts in cost for good players 

see Hubbard.  He was a peanut RB.  No cost for years.  And a good player.  Math is just good in that mid to late area and it’s not close to the undrafted guys.  5th rounders are studs at power 5 programs (that’s not comparable to undrafted who weren’t studs at that level of play) 

How many actually good teams abide by your philosophy of not paying RBs in FA and only drafting them in the mid rounds?  Ravens paid big money to Henry in FA, Eagles paid big money to Saquon in FA, Packers paid big money to Josh Jacobs in FA, Bills spent a recent 2nd round pick on Cook, Steelers spent a recent 1st on Harris, Lions paid big money to Montgomery in FA AND spent a 1st on Gibbs, Vikings and Commanders spent decent money in FA on Jones and Ekeler, Texans paid big money to Mixon in FA, and Broncos spent a recent 2nd round pick on Williams.

Those are playoff teams...among the best of the best in the league.  The only playoff teams who would probably fall under your strategy of minimal investment in RBs would be the Chiefs who have a pretty mediocre run game, the Bucs, the Rams (we'll see if they extend Kyren Williams to big money this offseason), and the Chargers.

You even said you've held this position about running backs for years, which makes sense because it doesn't seem like you've adapted to the actual state of the modern NFL.  Instead you singularly focus on a few teams who got lucky actually hitting on mid-round talented RBs like Bucky and Tracy, and ignore the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.  Not sure why we're even mentioning the Broncos' 5th round RB they just drafted since he hasn't actually done anything of note in the league.

[bandu]

On 1/2/2025 at 11:12 AM, Panthering said:

I mean Dan Morgan talking about some DAWGS on the team, Cam Skattebo fits that to a T after what I watched. 

Cam Skattebo is defenitely a DAWG...just saying 

[CRA]

1 hour ago, MasterAwesome said:

How many actually good teams abide by your philosophy of not paying RBs in FA and only drafting them in the mid rounds?  Ravens paid big money to Henry in FA, Eagles paid big money to Saquon in FA, Packers paid big money to Josh Jacobs in FA, Bills spent a recent 2nd round pick on Cook, Steelers spent a recent 1st on Harris, Lions paid big money to Montgomery in FA AND spent a 1st on Gibbs, Vikings and Commanders spent decent money in FA on Jones and Ekeler, Texans paid big money to Mixon in FA, and Broncos spent a recent 2nd round pick on Williams.

Those are playoff teams...among the best of the best in the league.  The only playoff teams who would probably fall under your strategy of minimal investment in RBs would be the Chiefs who have a pretty mediocre run game, the Bucs, the Rams (we'll see if they extend Kyren Williams to big money this offseason), and the Chargers.

You even said you've held this position about running backs for years, which makes sense because it doesn't seem like you've adapted to the actual state of the modern NFL.  Instead you singularly focus on a few teams who got lucky actually hitting on mid-round talented RBs like Bucky and Tracy, and ignore the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.  Not sure why we're even mentioning the Broncos' 5th round RB they just drafted since he hasn't actually done anything of note in the league.

Well, we just paid big money to Hubbard.   So that checks that box.  That’s the big investment in the backfield equation.  The talk is how to round out the backfield now. 

so look at all the teams you named…and just look at the last draft…

Just the 2024 Draft 

Packers -3rd round RB

Eagles - 4th round RB

Bills - 4th round RB

Detriot - 4th round RB

Ravens - 5th round RB

Denver - 5th round RB

my position is you overall should just draft RBs.  Steadily.   Yes.   And when you are paying a RB top 10 money (which we are)….100% build the rest of the backfield in drafts.   I don’t believe in putting big money in RBs.  Look at the last 2 decades of the NFL.   Who has the rings? QBs.  Not RBs.  How many rings does mediocre KC have? How many did Brady have? That’s the last 2 decades of the NFL.  I think the best investment is the pass game and defending it. 

[ECHornet]

I want Javonte Williams in a Panthers jersey. He’s a free agent this offseason and probably in the 3-4 mil range. 
 

Save the “he’s washed since his injury.” He’s 24 yo. He’s probably going to be his best the next two to three years. Especially behind our OL in a RB2 role. 

[Aussie Tank]

Do we try and trade for Deebo Samuel becomes our No1 WR and can play some RB