Panthers Top 15 Paid Players at Position

[Johnstonny]

On 3/14/2025 at 11:48 AM, mrcompletely11 said:

One has to wonder what happens if our win total is around 5-6 

Not really seeing anything special that would top that...

[TheSpecialJuan]

12 hours ago, Icege said:

He was a top CB. Other NFL CBs agree that he is a top guy.

His stats last season were due to the team running zone a LOT. This was likely due to losing DB + Shaq + Wonnum to at the start of the season and trying to bend but not break. This meant that Jaycee would more or less lock down his third of the field instead of the team's opposing WR1.

I just watched all 37 of his pass defense snaps vs. KC because insomnia is real and can definitively say that not only was he in zone most of the time, he also did not lose the day to Nuk. I'm not sure who is telling you that, but they're wrong. Of those 37 snaps, Jaycee was targeted just seven times. These were the four to DHop with Horn in coverage:

• 12yds on an out route vs. cover 6 blitz with Jaycee being one of the deep cover-4 guys.
  
   
• 8yds on a curl route vs. cover 6. Jaycee immediately secured the tackle.
  
   
• 5yds on a curl route vs. cover 1 with Jaycee immediately securing the tackle again.
  
   
• 7yds on a rub route where JuJu picks Jaycee pretty good. Josey is fortunately right there for the stop.
  

So... yea... just four plays with one being a rub route, one being a 5yd gain vs. man, and two underneath routes vs. Jaycee having to drop into deep coverage. I wouldn't exactly call that losing the day.

Btw, the other plays where Jaycee was targeted:

• Flat defender in Cover 2 zone. JuJu drops it setting into the soft spot between Jaycee and Trevin.
• 6yds to Worthy on a curl route vs. man coverage.
• Stopped Noah Gray over the middle for 7yds while trailing a different player.

Wonderful explanation 

[Tr3ach]

On 3/14/2025 at 11:37 AM, Waldo said:

It's a consistent Morgan thing.

Just like all his other move and draft picks, he values positions like it's 1999.

[Waldo]

1 hour ago, Tr3ach said:

Just like all his other move and draft picks, he values positions like it's 1999.

And he pays and drafts to potential not to production.

[Basbear]

2 hours ago, Tr3ach said:

Just like all his other move and draft picks, he values positions like it's 1999.

 

Watching the draft with a football smart friend and we were still confused with trading up for brooks, then the Dan used the early 3rd on LB wallance.... He turned to me with and said "Dan is drafting from the same era when he was still playing". It hit me like a dump truck.....

[Icege]

1 hour ago, Basbear said:

 

Watching the draft with a football smart friend and we were still confused with trading up for brooks, then the Dan used the early 3rd on LB wallance.... He turned to me with and said "Dan is drafting from the same era when he was still playing". It hit me like a dump truck.....

The Giants were picking #47 and had just lost Saquon. Dan jumped to #46 to pick RB1 before them since the Panthers didn't have an RB under contract for 2025 at the time (Chuba wasn't extended until November 2024). Canales is big on having two capable starting backs for his offense (and it's best for Bryce imo to have a strong run game).

Not defending it, just explaining the reasoning from how I understand it.

[panthers55]

This happens every year as the salary cap goes up. Guys get signed  to long term deals often after a breakout year and they are top 10 or higher compared to other guys at the position.  It seems like a ton until next year's contracts push it even higher. Contracts are given based on future potential not past performance so you pay the going rate and hope you are right. But you can't judge a contract until you see how they perform in your system and determine their value after the fact.

[Tr3ach]

2 hours ago, Basbear said:

 

Watching the draft with a football smart friend and we were still confused with trading up for brooks, then the Dan used the early 3rd on LB wallance.... He turned to me with and said "Dan is drafting from the same era when he was still playing". It hit me like a dump truck.....

Yep, that's exactly what I've always thought.   Legette is that type of player as well.  A big guy that you throw deep 50/50 balls to when the modern NFL has deep shell coverage.

[kungfoodude]

10 hours ago, MHS831 said:

About the Horn deal.  I think it was more of a desperation move/statement to the team more than anything else. After letting Burns and CMC walk, developing a core that was drafted and who would be valued by the team was important.  We have Moton, Brown, and now Horn.  Furthermore, he could not lose any player when he had so many holes to fill in the secondary.  I do not like the contract and this is my best attempt to understand it, but if they feel he can stay healthy and will be elite, I guess so.  Morgan is trying to build a core foundation of youth.  Was Horn worth $25m when compared to the rest of the NFL?  No.  Was he worth it to the Panthers for specific reasons?  Apparently.

However, bad teams overpay because they have a complex.   I would rather invest in an edge and spend less at CB.

Agreed. I think it is poverty franchise BS.

But, it is what it is. We just have to hope Horn plays up to that contract.

[countryboi]

Horn may not be the best corner in the league, but he is the best corner we have. If you are even close to being one of the best, teams are going to pay you like you are. The 49ers have a similar situation with Purdy. The Panthers were never going to get Horn for a bargain, that's not how the NFL works. If we hadn't paid him, I guarantee another team would have offered Horn $25 million or more, just like the Giants had no problem paying Burns $30 million.

It is what it is

[PNW_PantherMan]

46 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

We just have to hope Horn plays up to that contract.

And if not, maybe they won’t hire Morgan’s assistant as his replacement 

[kungfoodude]

1 hour ago, countryboi said:

Horn may not be the best corner in the league, but he is the best corner we have. If you are even close to being one of the best, teams are going to pay you like you are. The 49ers have a similar situation with Purdy. The Panthers were never going to get Horn for a bargain, that's not how the NFL works. If we hadn't paid him, I guarantee another team would have offered Horn $25 million or more, just like the Giants had no problem paying Burns $30 million.

It is what it is

That's an interesting example because I think the Giants would prefer to not be paying Brian Burns $30 mil, even with the recent market adjustment.

[TheSpecialJuan]

1 hour ago, countryboi said:

Horn may not be the best corner in the league, but he is the best corner we have. If you are even close to being one of the best, teams are going to pay you like you are. The 49ers have a similar situation with Purdy. The Panthers were never going to get Horn for a bargain, that's not how the NFL works. If we hadn't paid him, I guarantee another team would have offered Horn $25 million or more, just like the Giants had no problem paying Burns $30 million.

It is what it is

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