The illusion of needing another WR

[TheRed]

Wait didn't you hear how many receivers we already have top dawg? Their practically growing on trees!

How many of them outside of Steve Smith are proven you ask? Well... umm... let's see here...

[rayzor]

Rayzor you are a great poster but a huge homer.

You can put those ear muffs back on now, sorry we upset you.

???

you wouldn't have been saying that for the last few years we had fox.

or the last couple years we were forcing jake to play when we should have moved on.

or the last couple years we were running davis and foster....or when we had foster as the starter...i could go on.

i like the direction we are going, finally. i think we have what will become a championship team. i feel good about what's going on here. how is that a bad thing? that automatically makes me a homer? aside from DT (which i'm not one that thinks we are anywhere close to being set and wish we had done more), and cb (which i'm a bit more optimistic in but still don't feel comfortable with) and safety (which i really don't feel good about and hope that they just don't suck) i think we are in a good place, esp. for growth, which is what i have wanted for years.

if that makes me a homer...whatever. i think it's just being a fan of the team and the direction we're going. if i'm supposed to be more negative and bitchy about things to not be a homer, i think i'd rather be a homer. i did enough bitching before rivera and cam got here. the panthers are doing what i was hoping they would do. why can't i feel good about that?

meh....

[Leeroy Jenkins PhD]

I am a homer and proud of it. GO PANTHERS.

[rayzor]

All of this is great theory, but, I want another veteran WR who I know demands the immediate respect of the opposition on the field to act as a counterbalance to keep defenses from teeing off on 89.

how does one become a vet like that? not sure but i think they've got to develop or something like that...you know, get experience? learn? grow?

you don't find vets like that in FA very often and even at that, they are usually short term vets. i'm more interested in a long term solution and you just aren't likely to find that in FA, esp when you're working with a budget.

we don't need a singular player who demands the respect of the opposition opposite smitty because of the system and the guy throwing the ball and the multiple options he has in any given play.

would it be nice and beneficial to have someone else like that? sure. it's not completely essential for this team to dominate, though. i'm willing to sit back and see if one or two of the guys we have on the roster right now can grow into that. i actually believe that lafell is that guy and that this year we will see him garnering that kind of respect, but...with so many receiving options out on the field all the time and the amount of personnel defenses have to use to try and keep cam contained, we just aren't going to see any other person other than smitty get double teamed. they just can't afford to do that.

[Leeroy Jenkins PhD]

I believe this season will be a good tell about the talent we have at WR. I am not opposed to throwing as many WR's to the fire this preseason to see which players shake out though. If we make it through the year, and a clear #2 doesn't surface, I believe we need to make a move in the draft. I do not believe our future #1 WR is on the team right now.

[TheRed]

???

you wouldn't have been saying that for the last few years we had fox.

or the last couple years we were forcing jake to play when we should have moved on.

or the last couple years we were running davis and foster....or when we had foster as the starter...i could go on.

i like the direction we are going, finally. i think we have what will become a championship team. i feel good about what's going on here. how is that a bad thing? that automatically makes me a homer? aside from DT (which i'm not one that thinks we are anywhere close to being set and wish we had done more), and cb (which i'm a bit more optimistic in but still don't feel comfortable with) and safety (which i really don't feel good about and hope that they just don't suck) i think we are in a good place, esp. for growth, which is what i have wanted for years.

if that makes me a homer...whatever. i think it's just being a fan of the team and the direction we're going. if i'm supposed to be more negative and bitchy about things to not be a homer, i think i'd rather be a homer. i did enough bitching before rivera and cam got here. the panthers are doing what i was hoping they would do. why can't i feel good about that?

meh....

The homer bit was tongue in cheek like your spell correct, I am one too at times. No biggie.

Of course I am optimistic about our current team and future, I only want us to be the best. That doesn't mean though that I have to ignore perceived weaknesses.

[csx]

That makes about as much sense as waiting until steve smith retires to replace him. You are so witty.

I take it you didn't quite grasp the extreme complexity of simple sarcasm.

[TheRed]

Csx lol the huddle wise ass, thanks bro.

[top dawg]

how does one become a vet like that? not sure but i think they've got to develop or something like that...you know, get experience? learn? grow?

you don't find vets like that in FA very often and even at that, they are usually short term vets. i'm more interested in a long term solution and you just aren't likely to find that in FA, esp when you're working with a budget.

we don't need a singular player who demands the respect of the opposition opposite smitty because of the system and the guy throwing the ball and the multiple options he has in any given play.

would it be nice and beneficial to have someone else like that? sure. it's not completely essential for this team to dominate, though. i'm willing to sit back and see if one or two of the guys we have on the roster right now can grow into that. i actually believe that lafell is that guy and that this year we will see him garnering that kind of respect, but...with so many receiving options out on the field all the time and the amount of personnel defenses have to use to try and keep cam contained, we just aren't going to see any other person other than smitty get double teamed. they just can't afford to do that.

Rayzor, you talk like letting a WR develop and adding a veteran guy to the mix are mutually exclusive. We can do both. Teams do it all the time, sometimes with great results. I want a championship with Steve Smith in the worse kind of way. Not that it makes real sense (because I have absolutely no control over the situation), but if (looking like "when") Smitty doesn't get a ring this will be my biggest regret in life as not only a Panthers fan, but a fan of the NFL. I am emotionally invested. I am all in. Cam Newton has given me an inkling of real hope that this can happen. That's why I don't mind a short term answer. That's why I would have given Plax a look, would try and bring in Braylon Edwards, or work out Mike Williams. I am not so desperate that I'd bring in a T.O., but the fleeting thought has crossed my mind.

To me, it's crazy to think that depth impedes development. I suppose it can if handled in the wrong way, but our coaches (thus far) have proven that they are adept offensively, and a veteran WR is not gonna be a monkey wrench that breaks the engine down. You obviously put great faith and belief in a "system", but the most efficient "systems" are made up of quality parts. WRs still have to run crisp, precise routes and catch the ball. Perhaps the difference between being a good and a great WR is the YAC. You will never convinve me that systems make average receivers good, or good receivers great. There has to be something more to a guy to produce when necessary than just showing up. Professional football is too dynamic a sport to be that simplistic.

[cultclassiccat]

Did someone say homer? Joe Adams is the my newest offensive giddy horse lol

[jarhead]

If LaFell was getting open on a more consistent basis he is fine.He shows flashes but in my opinion does not always get the separation you need to be a solid number 2

[j2sgam]

I agree with teh OP, I think this team is set... Plenty of weapons, send out any of the above named WRs, or split out a RB, Olsen is pretty much another receiver, hopefully Barny will show us something.. There are plenty of good players to give the ball to, and most should be more familiar with the system, with what Chud is tryin to do. Tolbert, besides being a beast, was brought in for the same reason Nannee was last year. He is familiar with Chud's system... As long as nobody is bitchin aboout not gettin the ball, the biggest problem Cam should have is who gets the ball? Who is going to be most open?

[iamhubby1]

All this blather on a Saturday afternoon is great an all. So let me jump in.

First. Unless by some miraculous alignment of the stars a 26-27 year old, 5 year vet, falls in our lap. We are who we are this year.

Could there be a trade? Why not? We are not strangers to the trade route. But, basically another avenue shut down.

So we are back to, we are what we are. Some see this as a good thing. Count me one. Some see it as the downfall of western civilization. Gettis and Lafel are 3rd year players. We all know what that is supposed to mean. We HAVE to give them this year. Pilares is a young kid the Panthers love, but he has a narrow window of opportunity. Adams is safe. And seems to have quite a following, I am excited for him. Purely as a homer.

All that said. There is talent there. And we are going to see whether it develops or not. I will give my support to this cast and hope for the best. I can envision Gettis being what we thought he was going to be, and Lafel taking another step forward. That alone should help ease the burden. Adams is the wild card. If he can get on the field, watch out.

Just my thoughts. And GOOOOOOO CATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[top dawg]

Rayzor, I like you guy, and I do think that you add something to this board, but please stop using the term "meh". You are killing me, dude. In my estimation, "meh" is totally useless and unnecessary. Your earlier response to being a homer would have appeared so much more genuine and meaningful without that damned "meh" on the end. I hate "meh" even more than "teh" and "pwn". OMFG I hate web-isms.