Preseason is over and we need a a WR

[Lumps]

Imagine a viable threat at #2. Now imagine Smith NOT being double teamed.

Formula for success.

and

Panther's passing game has been mediocre since the prohel/prime moose days with maybe one exception, and even then still needs improving. Smitty is older and will not be able to shake double teams much longer as easily, not many teams rely so much solely on one receiving threat. To me a true #2 is a receiver that could fill in at #1 if necessary, so from that perspective we are f**ked.

[Snake]

If I was Smith I would be pissed this year. Team tells you they are going to get you a WR then they go out and get a bunch of project players.

[MadHatter]

Imagine a viable threat at #2. Now imagine Smith NOT being double teamed.

Formula for success.

and

Panther's passing game has been mediocre since the prohel/prime moose days with maybe one exception, and even then still needs improving. Smitty is older and will not be able to shake double teams much longer as easily, not many teams rely so much solely on one receiving threat. To me a true #2 is a receiver that could fill in at #1 if necessary, so from that perspective we are f**ked.

I am not saying that I do not want a very solid #2...that would make our offense very dangerous.

I was just making the point that the lack of a great #2 this season does not make it worse than it has been the past few seasons.

[Seltzer]

I will be disappointed if management doesn't make a move for another WR, and I think they will.

I truly believe Fox has been removed from all personnel decisions and this was viewed by management as a year to get the house in financial order (dumping payroll) to be in a good situation if there is a lockout next year or be in a great position financially to resign guys and not have dead cap weight holding us down.

And as it stands right now, I think the Panthers only have about $79 million committed to the cap next year that could be in excess of $100 million. So, we have a LOT of money and flexibility to sign players, either our own or free agents, and there will be a lot of them come next year.

I don't think the Panthers wanted this to be a throw-away season necessarily, but they weren't going to go out on a limb spending payroll for a team I believe management thought would be average at best.

Basically, I think they told Fox, "Here's your roster, do what you can." They know and Fox knows he's gone next year.

But to Fox's credit, he's going to do everything he can to win and be one of the highest paid coaches next year and afterwards. And while Fox doesn't have the outward ego of a Rex Ryan, too many people that know him have come out and said the man has a big ego and wants to prove the Panthers wrong for not extending him.

And hopefully we the fans are the beneficiaries of this. Fox has fielded a MUCH better defense than anyone thought possible.

This defense is going to keep us in games, and if the offense can carry its weight, I truly believe the playoffs are a realistic possibility.

And now management needs to find another receiver. I think LaFell may be the long-term #2, but if we have a team capable of reaching the playoffs this year, we need to be focused on this year and act accordingly.

If they weren't capable of making the playoffs, I would be more content just staying with what we have at WR and developing them. But this defense could be special, and they deserve management giving them weapons on offense.

And regardless of what anybody says, outside of #89 and the run game, we have absolutely nothing proven.

Maybe LaFell can be that guy. Maybe Gettis can be that guy. But we need someone right now.

Personally, I think we should cut bait with DeWayne Jarrett and Kenny Moore. We know what they offer, which is nothing special.

DeWayne Jarrett has great hands, but he is for a lack of a better word, SLOW, and he is never going to be more than a #3 or really a #4 receiver. People blame Matt Moore for the deep ball against the Titans that was overthrown but Jarrett looked like he slowed up on the route from the stands and if not, then he really is slow b/c I think I could have ran under it.

Kenny Moore is just average across the board. Doesn't suck but don't think he will ever be anything special and they're not going to keep him with the picks they got invested in WR.

We are going to keep Smitty, LaFell, Edwards regardless of anything, and I think Charly Martin has a good shot due to his special teams.

If we keep only 5 receivers, I think we go to find one on somebody else's roster. If we keep 6, maybe Jarrett.

[mountainpantherfan]

I might be wrong but I actually think the #2 isn't on the team yet but will be by this weekend. No, it won't be TJ or Jackson but someone like Crayton or Stokely, who aren't true #2's on most teams, could come in and be a #2 on this team. And I say this not based on the level of talent below Smith but because in this offense you don't need a world beater as your #2. Whoever it is will have to be a good blocker and/or add something else to the team as a whole.

I really think that Crayton will be a Panther soon, maybe even via trade if the Cowboys would take 5th or higher for him.

We actually have talent at the WR position, IMO, they are just not matured enough and a stop gap i.e. Crayton would be perfect.

[ncbobcat]

Smitty, LaFell, Moore, Martin, Edwards and (Gettis as KR) is about as good as we are going to get. Even if the Panthers pick up someone, don't think for a second it will be a household name. At that point are they any better than LaFell or Moore? Probably not or not by much.

[Soul Rebel]

Imagine a viable threat at #2. Now imagine Smith NOT being double teamed.

Formula for success.

and

Panther's passing game has been mediocre since the prohel/prime moose days with maybe one exception, and even then still needs improving. Smitty is older and will not be able to shake double teams much longer as easily, not many teams rely so much solely on one receiving threat. To me a true #2 is a receiver that could fill in at #1 if necessary, so from that perspective we are f**ked.

this is what gets me about our FO. I understand the looming lockout and Richardson's role with the owners v. NFLPA, but adding a Boldin, Marshall or VJax, would vault us into Super Bowl conversations, IMO. We have Smitty, arguably one of the best running games in the league and a defense that is going to be something special this year. All we lack is that compliment to Smith to keep defenses honest and worrisome on which way we attack them. Rarely is a team "one player away", but I truly believe if we added one of the above 3 players, combined with our running game, defense and schedule that we could easily be a 12-4 playoff team and a viable candidate for a Super Bowl run. On the other hand, I'm okay with the facelift/going young attitude that we've done across the board because the team that we put on the field the past few seasons has been quite boring and predictable.

[rayzor]

One receiver won't fix the offense, no matter how good he is.

if you're meaning just smith coming back, i agree.

i do believe that if we were to go out and get someone like housh or even crayton (rather have housh) then that would fix a lot of things.

down the road we might have a good answer for the #2Wr job and might even have a decent replacement for the #1 job once smith declines (not that i'm buying that idea) but this year what we have on the roster just isn't going to cut it.

[mountainpantherfan]

if you're meaning just smith coming back, i agree.

i do believe that if we were to go out and get someone like housh or even crayton (rather have housh) then that would fix a lot of things.

down the road we might have a good answer for the #2Wr job and might even have a decent replacement for the #1 job once smith declines (not that i'm buying that idea) but this year what we have on the roster just isn't going to cut it.

The only problem I have with Housh is that $7million guarentee he has on him via trade and the reports say the Seahawks will not cut him and eat that money. Too high of a price to pay even for me as a fan. I seriously doubt this front office thinks any different.

[OneBadassCat]

We need to put Goodson at WR.

[mick eye]

WAAH i want big name WR. WAAH!!! For real. Were you guys born yesterday? Our young WR's have potential. Potential that would be stunted bringing in ex-cowgirls and a high priced acquisition the seahags are already regretting. Much like the folks saying how the dline was gonna suck have had to change their tune, once the offense gels we will be fine. Lots of you have been seeing the Rams, Packers, and other teams offenses look primed and ready to go and have lost perspective. We have been using the preseason for what it is meant, evaluating talent. So while the Packers run scores up and the Pats keep their first string in to try and beat the Rams we kept our cards close to our vest. NO Smith, NO Double Trouble, QB carousel. Once the season starts it's on. Our young guys on offense are gonna step up and we are gonna be great.

[Happy Madison]

there is a WR in seattle name TJ that would fit in nice with smitty and double trouble lets make a trade

[mick eye]

Dudes let it go. TJ is being shopped in Seattle because they have buyers regret. He is being pushed out by MIKE Williams and GOLDEN Tate. Yeah, the Mike Williams that the Lions drafted and who washed out his first time in the NFL. I can think of better ways to spend that 7 million. Let's save our money to resign Gamble, Gross, or D-Will. TJ would be a drain on our cap and is too OLD for this team.

[Soul Rebel]

WAAH i want big name WR. WAAH!!! For real. Were you guys born yesterday? Our young WR's have potential. Potential that would be stunted bringing in ex-cowgirls and a high priced acquisition the seahags are already regretting. Much like the folks saying how the dline was gonna suck have had to change their tune, once the offense gels we will be fine. Lots of you have been seeing the Rams, Packers, and other teams offenses look primed and ready to go and have lost perspective. We have been using the preseason for what it is meant, evaluating talent. So while the Packers run scores up and the Pats keep their first string in to try and beat the Rams we kept our cards close to our vest. NO Smith, NO Double Trouble, QB carousel. Once the season starts it's on. Our young guys on offense are gonna step up and we are gonna be great.

I don't mind the young guys being given the opportunity, but through 4 pre-season games, plus last season for DJ and Moore, they have not stepped up. Unless they are pretending to not run correct routes, drop passes and not find the end zone, we have a problem. I agree when Smitty and our 2-headed monster comes back that it will help, but defenses will do what they've done for the past several seasons..... roll coverage over Smitty in either double coverage or zone him out and essentially force the other receivers to beat them. I hope DJ, LaFell and Gettis can step up, but from what I've seen thus far, I'm nervous. In regards to looking at the glass half full, I see that this year is an audition year for wideouts. We will fully know if DJ is an NFL player or not. We will see what the rookies have and whether we need to draft a #1 WR next year. I'm all for the competition/hungry aspect of it and hope we succeed. Again, thus far, I'm nervous. I wouldn't mind seeing Goodson in the backfield and put in motion as a receiver out of the backfield or, I don't know.... maybe bringing our TE into play more. but that would be beating a dead horse in regards to the tight end.