Matthias' Visionary Mock 2

[Matthias]

A quick, less detailed version than the first. It's clear we won't have the first overall pick this year, but nevertheless, trading down is still our best option. Without much money to spend in free agency, we need as many talented players as we can get in the draft. Not to say the draft is the only place you can find talent. If you have great coaches, you can coach up the talent you have on the team So on to the mock....

Format for the mock:

List my pick for GM

List my pick for HC and staff

List Free Agent signings and other moves

Mock Draft

Roster projection

General Manager:

Mark Ross

He's done a pretty good job in helping the Giants be a contender. His biggest accomplishment so far is finding Victor Cruz.

Head Coach:

David Shaw

Anybody got Leonardo Dicaprio's number to call him and see if he can get his crew together for inception? ;) Yeah, yeah, I know there's little to no chance for Shaw to be our coach next year, yet he is the best option in my opinion. He's all I have for next coach, of course just about anybody else will do over Rivera. (Only Chip Kelly would be a worse option than Rivera)

Offensive Coordinator:

Ken Whisenhunt

The Cardinals suck greatly because they have no quarterback. Probably the worst QB situation since Todd Collins started for the Bears. Whisenhunt is better than what this Cardinals team is saying right now. He helped Big Ben lead the Steelers to the AFC championship game as a rookie, and won the superbowl with him the following year. He took a Kurt Warner lead team to the superbowl, and almost won. So he should come here and do wonders with Cam. He, just like Shaw, will see Cam as a true QB, and will perfect the basics of being an accurate QB. That's not to say Cam isn't way ahead of the curve in that area (as the media thought), but Rivera and his kangaroo staff aren't getting the best out of Cam. What Cam has right now, he obtained by self motivation. (Seeking out guys like Weinke and Moon to get better)

Defensive Coordinator:

Kris Richard

This man got that Seattle secondary balling! Think about it for a sec, Browner was an undrafted free agent and CFL player, Sherman was a 5th round draft pick, Chancellor another 5th round, and he got these boys being the best secondary in the league with only Earl Thomas being a first round selection. This secondary is the main reason why Seattle's defense is one of the best in the league. Now, we are pretty good with two book ends at DE, and our linebacking core is our strength. Yet we stink in the secondary. If anyone can get the most out of drab talent in the secondary, it might be this guy. I'm also bringing over another guy from that Seattle coaching staff in Rocky Seto, and make him our defensive backs coach. (Just in case Richard has a great year with our defense and teams try to hire him as their HC. Seto would immediately take his place at DC)

Free Agent Signings and other moves:

Jairus Byrd

Position: Free Safety

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 205

With our cap situation, it would be hard to bring him here. I think we could sign him for decent money, but not big money. Hopefully he will see Carolina as a franchise ready to contend, and will be willing to leave money on the table to play for us.

Sean Smith

Position: Cornerback

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 214

A young and up coming corner. He doesn't strike me as someone who deserves big money, but there's definitely many teams that can offer him a bigger contract than Carolina. Again, hopefully he will leave money on the table for now, and come to Carolina

Ramses Barden

Position: Wide Receiver

Height: 6'6"

Weight: 224

Cam needs a big receiver, as he tends to throw a little high at times. Now I expect Cam to improve on his accuracy, but Barden could become a fan favorite here. (Kind of like how Brian Finneran was with Atlanta) Ramses have talent, but he's been underwhelming with his time on the Giants' roster. His biggest game so far in his career of course, came against these Panthers. I think Marc Ross will bring Ramses with him.

Trade Chris Gamble for a 3rd round pick

Trade our 1st round pick (final record 6-10, 12th overall pick) for 19th overall/2nd/3rd

Release DeAngelo Williams

Release Haruki Nakamura

Release Ron Edwards

Release Charles Godfrey

Release Armanti Edwards

Release Jimmy Clausen

Mock Draft:

1st round (19th overall trade)

Xavier Rhodes

A good and physical corner. I'm hearing lately that Josh Norman gives his guy too much cushion, well Rhodes will do no such thing.

2nd Round

TJ McDonald

One of USC's star defensive players. Reminds me a lot of Adrian Wilson of the Cards. He should come in and start right away.

2nd Round (Trade)

Alvin Bailey

A big guy who can run block as well as pass block. Can help sure up the right side of our line.

3rd Round (Trade)

Devin Taylor

To complete a monster rotation at DE. (CJ, Hardy, Alexander, Taylor)

4th Round

DJ Swearinger

Great guy to have on special teams coverage.

5th Round

Jordan Matthews

He's had a splash year in the SEC. Could be someone who steps his game up to become a playmaker.

6th Round

A bruising fullback to help pave the way for our runners

Undrafted Signing:

Justin Jones

Roster Projection:

Offense

QB- Cam Newton, Derek Anderson

RB- Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert

FB- Trey Millard ®

TE- Greg Olsen, Justin Jones (UFA)

WR- Steve Smith, Ramses Barden (FA) Joe Adams

WR- Brandon LaFell, Jordan Matthews ®

LT- Jordan Gross

LG- Amini Silatolu

C- Ryan Kalil

RG- Alvin Bailey ®

RT- Byron Bell

Defense

DE- Greg Hardy, Frank Alexander

DT- Frank Kearse?

DT- Dwan Edwards

DE- Charles Johnson, Devin Taylor ®

OLB- Thomas Davis, James Anderson

MLB- Luke Kuechly

OLB- Jon Beason

CB- Xavier Rhodes ®, Josh Thomas

FS- Jairus Byrd (FA)

SS- TJ McDonald ®, DJ Swearinger ®

CB- Sean Smith (FA), Capt Munnerlyn

K- ?

P- ?

KR- Joe Adams

PR- Joe Adams

[Ruff]

Jairus Byrd*

[FattyFatFat]

Much respect for you guys that do this much research. I love the panthers but couldn't put one of these together past the first round.

[skarbar001]

Kyle Williams is signed through 2016. Both starting guards for Buffalo are free agents though, one restricted and one unrestricted.

If Buffalo tags Byrd, William Moore is free agent. Wouldn't mind picking him up. Good player and weakening a divisional opponent. Also, Stevie Brown is a FA.

[Matthias]

Kyle Williams is signed through 2016. Both starting guards for Buffalo are free agents though, one restricted and one unrestricted.

If Buffalo tags Byrd, William Moore is free agent. Wouldn't mind picking him up. Good player and weakening a divisional opponent. Also, Stevie Brown is a FA.

Ah, you're right about Kyle. Yeah it will take a miracle to get him out of Buffalo. Interesting thing about Stevie Brown, the Panthers had him on the roster for a short while. Now, even if he did become a free agent, we couldn't afford him after the season he's had. (Of course we probably couldn't afford Byrd if we couldn't afford Brown.)

[Jackofalltrades]

Is Darius Byrd related to Jarius?

I don't think we could cut those guys without significant cap problems. Where's Josh Norman?

[Delhommey]

That first round trade would get absolutely no more than a 3rd rounder. We're as likely to get Calvin Johnson as we are a 2nd and 3rd in that trade.

[Matthias]

Thanks for correcting me on Byrd's name. Releasing Williams and Edwards should help with our cap. The other guys won't help that much. Of course my biggest reason for releasing them is I don't think they will be on the team next year. I would trust our GM to make cap room for us. As for the trade, I think it is very possible. I've seen more outlandish trades in the past, and there are a couple of teams who have extra picks within the second and third rounds. If they see a player they really like at our spot, I could definitely see them trading away an extra 2nd and 3rd to get them.

[Delhommey]

Look at last year's draft. The cap has made trading up in the draft much, much cheaper. If we wouldn't take a third, the person at the 11 spot would gladly.

[Matthias]

Of course I would take any trade possible, even if I just manage to pick up one extra pick. Yet I think every team that picks before us aren't willing to move out of their spot. They will probably take the best guy available for them, instead of trading down to pick up just one pick. I see us as the only team that would be willing to trade down for the minimum. Teams with extra picks who are on the verge of success, I can see them giving us a second and third. The Rams for example I know for sure have two first round picks. (May even have two 2nds or 3rds, someone correct me if I'm wrong) The Bengals also have a couple of extra picks within the first three rounds. It's possible.

[Bwood]

I almost stopped reading at "chip Kelly would be worse than Rivera"

I laughed at the madden like fantasy offseason.

And then I stopped reading officially when you reached for a decent DB and then reached again for a below average safety.

[carolina-chuck]

Like:

-GM Marc Ross

-OC Wishenhunt

-** DC Kris Richard** (nice pickup)

-Jarius Byrd FS

-Sean Smith CB

-Xavier Rhodes CB

-TJ McDonald (great comparison to Adrian Wilson)

-Swearinger

-Releasing Naka, Gamble, Dwill, AE, Ron, and Clausen

Dislike:

-HC David Shaw (I dont think he's Harbaugh)

-Releasing Godfrey, why?

-Alvin Bailey in the 2nd

-Devin Taylor in the 3rd

-Frank Kearse as a starting DT

-Where's Josh Norman in the "lineup"? (Capt may possibly leave via FA)

Overall decent mock. But where's the DT help?

[Matthias]

Like:

-GM Marc Ross

-OC Wishenhunt

-** DC Kris Richard** (nice pickup)

-Jarius Byrd FS

-Sean Smith CB

-Xavier Rhodes CB

-TJ McDonald (great comparison to Adrian Wilson)

-Swearinger

-Releasing Naka, Gamble, Dwill, AE, Ron, and Clausen

Dislike:

-HC David Shaw (I dont think he's Harbaugh)

-Releasing Godfrey, why?

-Alvin Bailey in the 2nd

-Devin Taylor in the 3rd

-Frank Kearse as an starting DT

-Where's Josh Norman in the "lineup"? (Capt may possibly leave via FA)

Overall decent mock. But where's the DT help?

I originally wanted to put Randy Starks in my free agency section, yet people already think my mock is mostly fantasy. :D Then I was looking at Darnell Dockett's situation with the Cards and how he wants to play for another team, but they would have to release him. Even if they did release him, we could only offer him a minimum contract. So I just plugged Kearse in there, perhaps he will show something over these next three weeks.

As for Norman, I guess he just kind of faded from the roster projection. I don't know what to make of him this season based on these recent events of his benching. We'll see what happens to him as well over these three weeks.

[Jackofalltrades]

Norman isn't going anywhere, his only weakness is giving up too much space off the LOS.

Once he gains some confidence that won't be an issue.