The illusion of needing another WR

[TheWiz]

The point is not about "what if" someone goes down or gets hurt. ANYBODY could get hurt... and we have to adapt. And its not like Steve Smith hasnt been hurt before.

But I want to point out some of the guys that we tried to sign in the past that didnt pan out too well...

Remember Keyshawn Johnson, DJ Hackett, L. Naanae, David Clowney ???

Its not a bad idea to get veteran guys to come in for productivity... but in OUR instance... we have some guys who, with the other weapons around them can grow in a safe environment where there isnt any pressure of being "THE GUY" yet.

My point is that B. Lafell has just as good a numbers as any of the other guys that we would try to bring in here... except that B. Lafell was the 5th and 6th option on this offense. Gettis is back and is expected to fight for serious playing time, if not the #2 spot.

Dont forget that Steve Smith started off as a special teams player. We didnt draft him in top of the draft. He's proven himself to be one of the best in the league because somebody gave him a shot. Im saying... with THIS offense... with THESE weapons.... let somebody grow. And we've got 2 to 3 guys who have that opportunity this year.

[MadHatter]

Your statistical comparison was effectually undermined by your first three sentences.

Moreover, ask New England if Wes Welker is a reject. Some of these so-called "rejects" in the NFL turn into gold in the right hands (just like sometimes gold is mistakenly thrown away if you don't do your due diligence to pan it out).

Welker was not a reject. The Pats traded a 2nd and a 7th round pick for him. That is actually a high price to pay in a trade.

At least have your facts straight.

[PantherPhann89]

I'm not sure if there is a #2 WR out there or one that soon will be, that will be better than LaFell. I'm not sure about Gettis. With all of the WR's that has been brought in, I'm not sure how much confidence Rivera has in Gettis. I hope that those extra WR's are just because we're looking for the next big thing to fit into designed packages. I really hope that Gettis can return to form.

Cam - Smith - LaFell - Gettis - Olsen - D Will - J Stew - Tolbert

[CRA]

The point is not about "what if" someone goes down or gets hurt. ANYBODY could get hurt... and we have to adapt. And its not like Steve Smith hasnt been hurt before.

Last time Smitty was seriously hurt and misses extensive time...he wasn't the unquestioned best WR on the team.

We had Moose in his prime. 16 TDs, 1400+ yards....Which at the time was the greatest season by a WR in franchise history

We could handle it then

[iamhubby1]

Welker was not a reject. The Pats traded a 2nd and a 7th round pick for him. That is actually a high price to pay in a trade.

At least have your facts straight.

Thank you. I could not remember what the trade was. The Pats wanted him, obviously. Maybe J. Adams can become our Welker?

[MasterAwesome]

You don't gage how well off you are at a position based on how you would fare if your best player at that position got injured....otherwise 90% of the league would be insufficient at QB. I don't see people panicking about us needing to sign another QB in case Cam gets injured. You have to expect a certain drop-off in production if your best player at said position gets injured....chances are, you're not going to be able to adequately replace him, you just have to make due with what you have. We have enough weapons on offense that if, God forbid we lose Steve Smith to injury, we can look elsewhere. I'm sure we can manage to find SOMEONE open between LaFell, Gettis (assuming he's the #3), Olsen, Tolbert, and whoever would end up being our slot receiver if Smith goes down. Not to mention that we have an already amazing run game that we can fall back on if we lose Smith. We're not going to need that one guy step up as the #1 receiver, but rather we're gonna need everyone to step up on offense.

[DaveThePanther2008]

We already had a running game in my opinion, we just improved it. Delhomme was Delhomme. We don't have to release any of our guys for a bust. Who would rubber stamp that? You obviously don't take time to analyze the point of what anyone else is saying, much less yourself.

Improved it? I guess you are right. Only one way to go when you are 25th in the league in Rushing in 2002. Wow, I am glad the Panthers don't subscribe to your standards.

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=2&offensiveStatisticCategory=RUSHING&conference=ALL&role=TM&season=2002&seasonType=REG&d-447263-s=RUSHING_YARDS_PER_GAME_AVG&d-447263-o=2&d-447263-n=1

Just so everyone knows. Davis, Delhomme and Proehl all signed in 2003.

Davis signed with the Carolina Panthers for the start of the 2003 NFL season

In the 2003 offseason, he (Jake Delhomme) met with representatives from both the Carolina Panthers and the Dallas Cowboys.^[He eventually signed with Carolina as a free agent.

(Ricky Proehl) signed with Carolina as a free agent at the start of the 2003 season.

Proehl had 27 catches for 389 yds and 4 TDs (1st one agreed one of the greatest plays in Panther history)

A clutch player no doubt. A totally different situation. We didn't have anyone other than Smitty and Moose. Smitty just came of his first decent season. 824 yds in 2002. We also signed Kevin Dyson that season too.

(all sources Wikipedia)

I got your fuging point. I don't subscribe to it and it is a waste of time and money on a position we don't really need. Let who we have fight it out.

YES you do have to cut someone.If you bring in a former bust to our roster or a Vet WR, no matter what, you have to cut someone. Our 90 roster is set.

We went down that road before with Rod Gardner. Gave up a 6th round draft choice for him, wasted a spot in training camp and eventually the 53 man roster. He did nothing for us.

No Thanks

[top dawg]

Welker was not a reject. The Pats traded a 2nd and a 7th round pick for him. That is actually a high price to pay in a trade.

At least have your facts straight.

You think that Miami would have let Welker get away if they had known that he could be so productive? In the purest sense of the word, you are correct, but I am not talking semantics. Just goes to show you that one man's "trash" is another one's "treasure", and that's really the point.

[Real Emotional Trash]

You think that Miami would have let Welker get away if they had known that he could be so productive? In the purest sense of the word, you are correct, but I am not talking semantics. Just goes to show you that one man's "trash" is another one's "treasure", and that's really the point.

That's really not the point, because as it was clearly pointed out, Welker was had for a 2nd round pick. Do you think Wes Welker would produce the same way in a place like Pittsburgh? He thrives in a system, and he would have never produced like that in Miami.

I came in here assumably to find you arguing about the validity of Mike Williams in multiple topics, and surprise. Mike Williams has never had more than 2 receiving touchdowns in his career.

Let's call up Matt Jones because he hasn't been given enough chances to prove how good he is.

[KillerKat]

With Cam Newton as our QB, he can make any receiver look good. Just like the Pats and Tom Brady. How many receivers have the Pats had that were great because of Brady, but then were crap after they left? This is why WR is not a need even in the slightest here.

[PhillyB]

lafell is a fine number two wideout.

[top dawg]

That's really not the point, because as it was clearly pointed out, Welker was had for a 2nd round pick. Do you think Wes Welker would produce the same way in a place like Pittsburgh? He thrives in a system, and he would have never produced like that in Miami.

I came in here assumably to find you arguing about the validity of Mike Williams in multiple topics, and surprise. Mike Williams has never had more than 2 receiving touchdowns in his career.

Let's call up Matt Jones because he hasn't been given enough chances to prove how good he is.

To me it's not even about Mike Williams when you get right down to the nitty gritty. I would have preferred Garcon, Manningham, Plax, Edwards, and probably some others to Williams. If you had really been listening as opposed to jumping into the middle of a conversation without all the facts, you would realize that I never said that the guys we have now can't or won't step up. Do I have some skepticism that they can handle the load with or without 89? Yes. Does it make me an insane or ignorant fan to think this, especially in light of history? I don't think so. Would I like for one of our guys to break out? Hell yeah! Do I believe that just because we give another veteran FA a look, does that mean a guy on our current roster will not evolve into the WR we have desperately needed? No, because I don't think the two are mutually exclusive. Do I believe we will sign another vet? Probably not knowing the way our guys do business? No. Do I believe that the sky is falling because of it? No. As stated earlier, my main concern is the window of opportunity that Smitty has to win a championship because, the way I see it, right or wrong, our FO has failed to take advantage of Smitty's prowess while his window of greatness had just been opened.

[CRA]

You think that Miami would have let Welker get away if they had known that he could be so productive? In the purest sense of the word, you are correct, but I am not talking semantics. Just goes to show you that one man's "trash" is another one's "treasure", and that's really the point.

Miami got more in a trade for Welker than we could of got for Smith after 2010....so let's treat him like a chump. This also isn't comparing him to Smith so let's not go down that road.

Miami also had poo QB play when Welker was there...and didn't play to his strengths....but there is a reason NE gave up so much for him

[CRA]

lafell is a fine number two wideout.

He might be....he has never proven to be one though