If we take Luke Kuechly who plays MLB?

[carpanfan96]

The problem is no team puts that much money in 1 position without it hurting them. If we paid 2 LB we will get a lesser paid 3rd 1.

The team will take a bigger hit cutting TD then resturt him so cutting really isn't a option right now.

If his 8 million option hits, that's the case. If it doesn't then it actually saves the team a bit this season.

[jarhead]

The flawed part about all the idea of drafting Kuechly is we have spent big part of our Cap on the LB position. After all the money they spent on Anderson, Beason, and what ever they do with TD. I doubt they also put 1st round money into another LB. They may have spent their cap at that position and now look to restrut TD and get a cheaper option from the mid round of the draft or a mid level FA. They will have to put some money and talent up front. Only 1 player on the Dline is making star money. The rest are making the min or less. The secondary also needs a boost in talent. Only 2 guys are making good money. They Might see that they have alot of money at the LB position and it's time to put some money on getting a better Dline and Secondary.

I guess what I'm saying is I've never heard of a team signing vet 3 Lb 1 year then drafting LB 1st the next year.

Have any of you?

Its only flawed if we do not have a need.What we have spent is a sunk cost and should have no bearing on what we will do in the future.Your logic would suggest that we spent on 2 3rd round picks and picked up a vet at DT so we should not spend additional money on a DT.I think we need another DT but would prefer a vet.

[MadHatter]

Its only flawed if we do not have a need.What we have spent is a sunk cost and should have no bearing on what we will do in the future.Your logic would suggest that we spent on 2 3rd round picks and picked up a vet at DT so we should not spend additional money on a DT.I think we need another DT but would prefer a vet.

Exactly.

We have 2-3 promising young DT's that need a little time. Adding one more rookie to the mix will NOT provide upgrade this year...not to mention that neither of the DT's are game changers. There is a lot of depth at DT in this draft, but none of them are studs.

Sign another vet and get the young guys rotating in.

[panthers55]

Exactly.

We have 2-3 promising young DT's that need a little time. Adding one more rookie to the mix will NOT provide upgrade this year...not to mention that neither of the DT's are game changers. There is a lot of depth at DT in this draft, but none of them are studs.

Sign another vet and get the young guys rotating in.

As you note we already spent the draft picks on DT last year and these guys have a year in the system which should make them ready to contribute right away. Add that Edwards will be the starter and has a history of doing a good job and the argument for DT being a big need really isn't there. If we can sign another vet for the 3 tackle position or they feel that Keiser or one of the other DTs we brought in last year can do the job and it is hard to see why that is a position that requires the first pick. You can make a better case for CB, DE, or even OT/OG than DT. Even Rivera said as much. I think if we go d line it will be Coples moreso than Brockers or Poe. Plus as you say we could get someone down the line of we are looking for depth.

[CRA]

Very slight chance...but there could be one or two of the DEs, and maybe even a Top 3 linebacker there.

As for BPA, Kuechly won't be the BPA until about 12 or 13.

Well, I don't think 6 DTs will be taken before our 2nd rounder comes up.

I think Kurechly had a strong chance of being BPA on D at 9. I also think a DE could be BPA on D at 9....there is no way a DT will be

[Panthro]

I'm glad we didn't consider drafting Darius last year because we drafted Clausen the year before.

[Kurb]

Many of you are just football dumb, that's all it can be.

[MHS831]

Anybody who says the Kuechly is Curry or not worth a top 10 pick is trolling. You have to look at the talent in each draft. Would you take Patrick Willis with a top 10 pick? He is a good tackler too. Thomas Davis was a SS we intended to convert to LB and we took him around #10. People who make bold statements against without stating concrete reasons are usually morons-do not pay them attention, because that is what they seek.

To answer the question, Kuechly showed the skill set and ability to play all 3 LB positions. What idiot could look at our LB situation (3 ACLs, achilles) and think, "Nah, we are good. just need some depth?"

If Beaon can cover sideline to sideline, they could play Kuechly at WLB or move Anderson to WLB and play Kuechly at SLB. If Beason's range is limited, which is likely, he might move outside. If you think TD is good and we need no starting quality player at WLB, then you are dillusional and obviously without medical training.

[Panthro]

I'm glad we've decided to cede opposing RB's 4 yards until they get to our 3 awesome LB's

[panthers55]

I am also a little perplexed at the argument that we have used all of our cap at the linebacker spot. At Davis's spot we are going to release him so his cap doesn't count much at all. We will likely go with a very small heavily incentive loaded contract because the likhihood he comes back is small, lets face it.

Beason is set to make 1,250,000 in 2012 and even his cap hit is a modest 4,833,333 in 2012.

Anderson's salary is 2.4 million in 2012. His cap hit is 3,900,000. Connor and Gaither are likely gone and the remainder of the guys we have don't count more than 2 million combined.

If we draft Kuechly at number 9 and he has the same contract as the guy that was drafted at 9 last year- Tyron Smith- he will earn 2,840,022 in 2012.

So lets review. While we don't know Davis' ultimate number will be but if we make it similar to the other guys lets say it 2,500,000 in 2012, then the total cap hit for the projected starting linebackers will be $11,233,333.

Even if you add Kuechly to that amount- you are talking right around 14 million of a total $120,000,000. Tell me again why we would add a DT/DE when we are spending that much or more on the defensive line already.

Johnson's cap hit is 10,000,000 alone. Edwards will cost another 2,333,333, Hardy will cost 519,000 and the 2 young D tackles will cost another 1.3 million. So you could argue right now that we have as much invested in the D line as we do linebackers so that whole cap argument hold no water whatsoever. Before you add the draft pick you are 14 million and with it, 17 million.

Lets do the same for Secondary. Gamble- 9,750,000, Godfrey 2,633,000,

Butler- 1,320,620, Martin-809,000. So the total for the top 4 is 14,512,620.

So once again we reach that 14 million area. Suggesting that whether we take a DT/DE/linebacker or corner, the cap agument is more hype than reality once you look at the numbers.

[CRA]

I'm glad we've decided to cede opposing RB's 4 yards until they get to our 3 awesome LB's

We also got gashed in the run game bc of horrible LB and S play as well....DT play is not why we were abused on the edges.

Plus we get Ron back and our young DTs have a year of experience and will actually go to TC

[panthers55]

I'm glad we've decided to cede opposing RB's 4 yards until they get to our 3 awesome LB's

The point is that without good linebackers we do cede 4 yards. By having great tacklers who are filling the gaps we end up stuffing them in the backfield. Something a DT or even DE are less likely to do in Johnson's scheme. Who do you think makes the majority of tackles in the 4-3. Yeah that would be linebackers. Who is supposed to have the most tackles for losses? Yeah, that would be the linebackers.

[hepcat]

Beginning to think the Panthers will be able to trade back easily if a team wants to trade up and get a QB like Tannehill in the 1st. I'm assuming the 1st round will have an early run on QB's, a lot like last year. Panthers could reap the rewards and grab an extra 2nd rounder.

[CRA]

Beginning to think the Panthers will be able to trade back easily if a team wants to trade up and get a QB like Tannehill in the 1st. I'm assuming the 1st round will have an early run on QB's, a lot like last year. Panthers could reap the rewards and grab an extra 2nd rounder.

that is why losing the coin flip hurts. hurt odds of trading back.