Think that AE will become a real NFL receiver next year?

[jasonluckydog]

Look at this way 90% of the players we pick in the 2nd round are bust we just got an early start for 2011..that is all.

[Davidson Deac II]

If we draft a receiver, he might not have much of a shot at WR (but probably will with returns still).

but if we go into next year with Gettis, Lafell and Smith as our top 3, he'll have a shot to compete for the 4th spot and he very well might win it.

When he gets the ball in his hands he is exciting and I think he could really surprise some people this coming year with an OC that opens it up.

This. If we draft Green and Steve Smith is still a Panther next year, then Edwards doesn't see the field, and might not even make the team. But if we don't draft Green, then maybe Edwards starts getting some limited pt and we might get to see what he has.

Fwiw, while I haven't given up on him, he doesn't appear to have very good hands. That could be a byproduct of learning a new position, or might not.

[panthers55]

This reminds of me of the Dwayne Jarrett thread recently resurrected. You'll either look like a genius or a dolt. A cynic or a groupie. Seem the best approach is to express skepticism and hope for the lightbulb to come on.

After all why wouldn't we want him to do very well no matter how costly he was last year. He is signed and paid for several years. I certainly am rooting for him to have a great season.

As to whether it will happen, it is hard to be too optimistic based on the little we have seen. Then again it doesn't look like he was really worked with to develop him. It is why we need guys like Proehl as an assistant wide receivers coach to work with individual guys as well as the group.

[Pimpdaddy]

Yo, Check it out dawg... AE ain't WR...

[OneBadassCat]

I don't know if he'll be ready. I think he'll be better though. One things for sure was that when he came back into the game later in the season he looked really fast. I can see why Hurney drafted him. He looked much quicker than he did in the beginning of the season.

[raleigh-panther]

The Panthers drafted Thomas Davis, a safety, in the first round (instead of Aaron Rogers, and yes I know hindsight blah blah blah) and then spent what 2-3 years trying to make him a linebacker.

It worked out for them in the sense that Davis did eventually become a decent linebacker except for injuries.

For the life of me, I just don't get taking someone from their natural position and wasting 2-3 years to try and make them be something they are not.

Edwards is a QB. He has always wanted to be a QB. There were plenty of other options at that pick besides him.

Watching him field punts, which as I understand it, is not the easiest thing to do, was painful, very very painful.

It's frustrating. In the first 3 rounds, draft players who can start and contribute immediately, save the later rounds for value picks and projects.

[raleigh-panther]

Yes, make the ASU fans give a damn about the Panthers.

To me, BPA in the first 3 rounds, and if a team can balance against need with BPA, great.

No way was AE the best player available.

[Edward Teach]

Richardson said they had to cut people to get Fox to play the young players. He didn't want to play them. AE was just one of the unfortunate few to be behind two other young players who had skills at the position that they played in college: LaFell and Gettis. Who's to say that Armanti wouldn't have faired better if he were behind two other rookies last year? Clausen and Pike.

Obviously, Hurney and Richardson wanted Edwards enough to give up a second rounder to get him. Fox wasn't feeling it, and apparently wasn't on the same page with Hurney and made it next to impossible for Edwards to get on the field. Sure, they wanted him to return punts...He was a QB. He agreed to do that because he is a player and wanted to get on the field. There's no doubt he is a player. Let him learn...give him a chance.

He could be that player that Smitty grooms to be the playmaker when he is ready to hang 'em up. I think that the fact that Smith met with Chudzinski should tell you that he isn't going anywhere.

[chef17]

Richardson said they had to cut people to get Fox to play the young players. He didn't want to play them. AE was just one of the unfortunate few to be behind two other young players who had skills at the position that they played in college: LaFell and Gettis. Who's to say that Armanti wouldn't have faired better if he were behind two other rookies last year? Clausen and Pike.

Obviously, Hurney and Richardson wanted Edwards enough to give up a second rounder to get him. Fox wasn't feeling it, and apparently wasn't on the same page with Hurney and made it next to impossible for Edwards to get on the field. Sure, they wanted him to return punts...He was a QB. He agreed to do that because he is a player and wanted to get on the field. There's no doubt he is a player. Let him learn...give him a chance.

He could be that player that Smitty grooms to be the playmaker when he is ready to hang 'em up. I think that the fact that Smith met with Chudzinski should tell you that he isn't going anywhere.

How did Fox make it next to impossible for him to see the field? Since Hurney drafted him as a "2-3 year project" maybe he just wasn't ready to see the field.

[mav1234]

well, because of the formations we ran, there was little room for Edwards considering how far ahead of him Gettis & Lafell were at the start of the season. I could see how that is, at least in some way, "Fox's fault" for the nature of the offense we ran and the choices in who would field punts... but ultimately he was drafted as a project, so we'll see.

[Mother Grabber]

Rivera has emphasized that his coaching staff will be teachers. I think that will be good for the young players Edwards could very well become an exciting player here. Would not bet against it.

This. Fox didn't know what to do with him, and never developed anyone. We'll see what the new staff can do.

[Mr ocho nueve]

AE has as good a chance of becoming a reciever as Tyrod Taylor does coming to carolina to be a QB.

[SCP]

He'll have had a season of work at the NFL level, a season of coaching, and presumably a staff that's willing to give him a chance. Think that he'll prove worthy of it?

And if you don't, what have you seen that makes you feel like he won't make it?

NO!

Why? I had a long talk with Sir Arthur Guiness tonight and he said that Armanti's legs are to chicken skinny to ever make it in the NFL. He was way over rated by Hurney. And he is scared stiff when he is on an NFL field.

[Edward Teach]

How did Fox make it next to impossible for him to see the field?

Because he had to have a uniform on to actually have a chance to get on the field.

And instead of adding another wrinkle to our pathetic offense (aka Mountaineer package, wildcat, wild hogs, whatever you want to call it) Fox allowed "the vanilla scoop treat complete with 3 and out, 3 and out, 2 and pick, 1 and pick, 3 and out, fumble on the next series" offense that we saw for most of the year to be the circus that it was. Dead last.