"Big men allow you to compete,"--Dave Gettlemen

[CRA]

Sure there will be plenty of O-linemen cut in the coming days. But there are plenty of teams that still need O-line help. Is some guy going to choose us over Dallas? Very few teams can cut O-linemen that can actually contribute.

Please do not hold your breath waiting on a RG or RT to be brought in to save the day. I do not know CPR, so you would be putting yourself in undo danger.

Always a shot at some legit older talent being cut in youth movements.....but you have to act quick and pay them. DG won't pay Wharton....if he is looking for a deal we won't be getting anyone besides guys that will go to the practice squad

[panthers55]

So how much would you pay for a guy like Wharton or a final cut guy at this point. Will we spend or go cheap? If several teams want a guy do we go after him like Hurney did or do we lowball him like Gettleman has done so far?

[CRA]

So how much would you pay for a guy like Wharton or a final cut guy at this point. Will we spend or go cheap? If several teams want a guy do we go after him like Hurney did or do we lowball him like Gettleman has done so far?

I think OL is one of the few places you can justify overspending...OL has such a chain reaction to the rest of your players

But I don't see DG doing that this year.

[FootballMaestro]

We finally get Kugzilla back, but we don't even know what we have in him. We lose Amini, who was having trouble with consistency. So G Williams who was not so good at RG, is now our starting LG. Scott is now the backup RG, because he is better at that than he was at LG.

How was this team a 12th ranked Offense last year? Because they played good smart hardnosed football. Not because the O-line was any better.

Sure we could use some O-line help. But better play, and playcalling, will help us look better as well. These are things I expect to happen in the regular season. Cut out the penalties, open up the playbook, and catch the friggin' ball. Do those, and we will be OK.

 

All true. 

 

If/when the offense plays well to start the season (especially after the first game) all this talk will be placed on hold. 

 

You're right. Good NON PRE-SEASON play calling, movement, schemes, stunts, more shot gun, etc., can compensate for this crappy line, especially in the passing game. 

 

We'll just have to wait and see?

[iamhubby1]

I got no problem with Cam choosing to run....but that is past the line of scrimmage. As a runner he sees where the bodies are coming from.

The most dangerous place for Cam is in the pocket....and I was referring to linemen simply not doing a sufficient job and him pulling Houdini acts. Guys get on Cam too quick too often...scrambling for his life in the pocket bc guys can't block isn't the "running" I support.

There are not a lot of QBs that can get out of some of the mess Cam has....he is the only starter in the league with the skill set to have a shot at a couple of his magical escapes....

We also played weaker defensive lines as the season progressed

There are things you can do to protect your QB. Even with a sub par O-line. At this point in the PRESEASON, we have shown very few of those things.

Quicker throws, play action, mis-direction, screens, and Cam getting rid of the ball sooner are some of the answers to this problem.

AGAIN, we did well last year. Downplaying that to make your point still does not erase the fact. We had the 12th ranked Offense. We played NFL caliber Defenses. We won games because we were the better team. Isn't that how its supposed to work? Other teams play to win just like we do. So downplaying our victories to make a point is false logic.

If we play smart. We can be pretty darn good. Even with our O-line as projected.

[Creep59]

People keep bringing up not signing Wharton to some big contract as a failure of Gettleman.  Why do you think the bungles cut Wharton just a month ago?

[Udogg]

Come on.   We/He knew in February the right side of the line was poor--answer:  4th round G from Valdosta State who was projected by most to go 7/FA.  I think Gman has been watching the wire for a good RT / vet RG for a while.  He brought in Wharton for a reason.  To suggest that everyone wants it done "right now" is inaccurate unless by "right now" you mean the entre offseason, but it does serve your argument well.

 

Let;s pretend for a moment that one person unaffiliated with the Panthers and the NFL does not have all the answers:  There is no right answer, no simple solution. There are many ways to address the issue, but the issue must and will be addressed.  Is "do nothing" an option?  If you want to tank the season.

 

I see what your saying but look at it like this.

First we had no cap flexibility in Feb. Then we used our first picks in the draft to upgrade our DT position.  By the time we had the cap space to negotiate, all the quality free agents were either gone or retired.

 

Second...I mean look at this forum.. coming into the year most people were talking about Amini is not even a worry on the OL.  He has probably been only slightly better than Garry Williams and Bell.  By the third preseason game, we are sitting here wondering how is Cam going to survive the year. We brought back basically the same OL that played fairly well at the end of the year.  Matter of fact with Kalil coming back, theoretically we upgraded the OL. So coming into the season, whether or not our OL play was going to be as attocious as it is now is up for debate.

 

Third... How much of our poor OL play can be contributed to playing good defensive teams.  I mean the Eagles had 7 sacks against the Jags last night..(i know it's the jags).  Chicago basically ruined Matt Flynns career to the point Terrell Pryor might be starting and he just learned how to throw.   Baltimore is baltimore and I think they will 4 ever have a good defense.  Maybe we don't suck as bad as we think...............o.k. I know that's wishful thinking.

 

Fourth... What effect is the full offense going to have on the running and passing game... Shrugs.. maybe nothing but who knows.  I know last year the read option really slowed down speed rushes on the outside.  But who knows.

 

 

I don't think we have a do nothing mentality I think it was more like a Step 1-10 process.  Step 1. Upgrade the DT position which has been a weakness since 05.  Step 2. Try to upgrade secondary with little to know cap flexibility.  Step 3. etc..etc...

Like I said in earlier post, I think our FO feel like the talent is there just not the execution.  However I think with the hammy on Silatolu and our stellar luck with players coming off hamstring issues, we will make moves as soon as we can on cut day.  I'm pretty sure OL will be addressed in 2014, but there is only so much you can do.

[FootballMaestro]

There are things you can do to protect your QB. Even with a sub par O-line. At this point in the PRESEASON, we have shown very few of those things.

Quicker throws, play action, mis-direction, screens, and Cam getting rid of the ball sooner are some of the answers to this problem.

AGAIN, we did well last year. Downplaying that to make your point still does not erase the fact. We had the 12th ranked Offense. We played NFL caliber Defenses. We won games because we were the better team. Isn't that how its supposed to work? Other teams play to win just like we do. So downplaying our victories to make a point is false logic.

If we play smart. We can be pretty darn good. Even with our O-line as projected.

 

Agreed (even though the OL does need help). 

 

Plus, a few Newton Whoudini escapes will keep the defense on it's heels, and allow Cam to throw that extra second longer, as well. 

 

We can't say the offense of 2011, and the past 8 games of 2012 just vanished, before a sample of regular season games have been played. 

[PhillyB]

I hope we're running lots of screens in practice

[MHS831]

People keep bringing up not signing Wharton to some big contract as a failure of Gettleman.  Why do you think the bungles cut Wharton just a month ago

I was glad he left here.  I do not want him after a knee surgery and 3 years older.

[panthers55]

I expect we might open the playbook this game as far as passing goes.  There won't be any running against Pittsburgh.  The offense won't look good at all. The only player who can break down that kind of defense will be on the sidelines all night. The O line will struggle as well.  

 

We won't be bringing in guys until Saturday. After the game and the beginning of the next meltdown.

[iamhubby1]

So how much would you pay for a guy like Wharton or a final cut guy at this point. Will we spend or go cheap? If several teams want a guy do we go after him like Hurney did or do we lowball him like Gettleman has done so far?

As to Wharton. IMO, he is a LG, and we have Amini. He is coming off an injury, is he healthy? And what kind of a deal did he want? Because he was here for a look see, and they let him leave.

As to what I would pay to upgrade our line? I think Gettlemen knows fair market value better than I. The problem comes with, do guys feel they warrant more, are other teams offering more, and will Gettlemen match it? Gettlemen doesn't strike me as the type to over pay.

Is CRA right and Gettlemen is biding his time for the new coach and scheme coming in next year? If so, I don't expect much help to be brought in O-line wise.

If Gettlemen is all in, I would expect him to at least try and upgrade our line if possible. But then again, IMO, it all comes down to Kugzilla. Can he show enough in the next 10 days to give the powers that be enough hope? Trusting Kugz could also mean no O-linemen are brought in.

I have no clue. If we don't upgrade. Does it mean we are happy? Or does it mean we are not all in? Or no O-linemen wanted to come here for what we are offering?

[AceBoogie]

People keep bringing up not signing Wharton to some big contract as a failure of Gettleman. Why do you think the bungles cut Wharton just a month ago?

Because their line is better than ours

[CRA]

People keep bringing up not signing Wharton to some big contract as a failure of Gettleman. Why do you think the bungles cut Wharton just a month ago?

Could have something to do with the Bengals having one of the deeper overall rosters in the NFL....and don't need an average old fart.

I don't think it is a failure of DG's....I think he is simply going to sit on his hands at this point. He is only going to bring in super cheap discounts IMO.....bc I think the Rivera situation is making him avoid touching the offense. Why he drafted like he did and is looking at what next year may bring. That isn't bashing him....that might make him a good GM