Ron Rivera: Panthers may not need number 1 WR in 2014

[Panthro]

We did it in 2013

[Snake]

Why do we always play fox ball. Even when Fox is not playing it anymore. I have a feeling we will be begging for Chud to come back by the end of this year.

[SCP]

Is he under the impression the panthers could run the ball lastly year? Take away Cam's frantic scrambles and there is no run game.

Sent from the Carolina Huddle App

Exactly. Do they think we are that stupid or do they believe this crap? Rivera actually mentioned a potential oline of Bell-Silatolu-Kalil-Chandler-Williams. That oline would not create any run lanes and would be a huge liability in pass protection. Not to mention Bell would be the only one north of 310lbs. And they are all under 6'4". That's smallish by NFL standards.

[Proudiddy]

This has got all kinds of problems....

 

Seattle was definitely a run-first offense. Look at RW's attempts per game and the number of deep passes he had. If you're talking about their receivers last year: Tate is not a #1, Harvin was hurt constantly, Rice was hurt, Baldwin was a UDFA, Kearse was a UDFA.....where is this #1 you keep referring to? They have done a great job finding receivers to step up and be play makers, but they do not have a legitimate #1 receiver like a Green or Bryant or whoever. This is the model that the Panthers are going after.  Again....a strong OL + strong QB + more than decent running game = open WRs. 

 

I don't want to talk about this season because the rosters are incomplete.  But the fact that they let Tate walk and cut Rice should tell you something about their belief in their "plug and play" WR system. 

 

I agree the 49ers have good receivers....but who is their #1?  Davis? Isn't his production in line with Olsen's? Maybe a little higher? They still win by running the ball and playing great D - not by having a stud WR playmaker.

 

Olsen is our best receiver - not Smitty - and he's still on the team

 

You can call it "patient by fault" I call it waiting to see the final product before assessing how our team is going to be for the upcoming season. I see no reason to freak out until the roster is set (doesn't mean I won't freak out then).  

 

If we improve the line significantly and add a WR, there is no reason why we can't control the TOP like we did this past season. You do realize we only gave up around 13 points a game last year? That means 14 points will win the game for you.  

I appreciate your contributions to the board RR, and I don't intend to turn this into a long-running debate, because the truth is, we don't know what the team will look like come September.  I just don't like what we're doing right now, nor do I like what we have done to this point or what we're saying we will do...  And what troubles me about that is if you aren't getting better, then what are you getting?

 

But, to hit on a few of your points.  I never said Seattle had a bonafide #1 WR.  I said they had plenty of weapons and looking at their roster last year, accounting for injuries, it's likely Tate was their #1, and he was very good in his role.  Then Harvin came back for the Superbowl and gave them another dimension, and he will likely be their #1 WR this season.  Even if we were wanting to copy Seattle's model, the idea is to have accumulated several threats across the board and the guy projected as your #1, even if he isn't truly a #1 but is just your best WR, has to have gamebreaking ability.  Tate had it.  Harvin has it.  Baldwin has it.  Kearse has it.  LOL...  All their WRs had the ability to break a small play open for a huge one. 

 

We did not have that.

 

Same with the Niners.  It doesn't matter who you want to label their #1 WR...  If you want to say it's Davis.  Fine.  You want to say it's Crabtree?  Cool.  Boldin?  Alright...  Point remains, just as with Seattle, they have multiple weapons and guys that can break a game open on any one play.

 

AGAIN, outside of Cam, we did not have that last year, and we don't have it right now.  And it's an awful lot to expect a rookie to come in and be that when we are lacking weapons in so many areas.  Outside of Cam, DWill is our closest option and he is a RB over 30 years old...  No telling when he'll fall off that production cliff.

 

And back to the Niners, the reason we lost to them is because they were more diverse offensively.  If you have to account for Kaepernick, Gore, Crabtree, Boldin, Davis, etc., on every single play, it creates problems for a defense.  So, maybe your defense gives up a few scores...  What do you do?  Come back and match those...  Which we couldn't because we didn't have the personnel, nor the philosophy to do so.

 

My point remains, all of the teams being discussed had and likely will have a better WR corps across the board.  We signed two #3-4 WRs and our fanbase acts like that is how a champion is built.  NO.  The blueprint has been laid out, and whether you want to be a run-first or pass-first offense, the philosophy remains the same - you have to be diverse offensively and have weapons across the board, in the run game and the pass game.  We didn't have that and we don't have that. 

 

Our fanbase has long had problems with delusion...  We have a successful season and everyone gets stuck in that moment.  We believe we're better than what we are.  And we're not.  We got knocked out of the playoffs on our homefield by a team that was better constructed than us, and that's why we lost.  So what do you do?  You improve.  You build on your strengths.  You attack your weaknesses aggressively in FA and the draft...  That doesn't mean signing career situational players at positions of need.

 

That is my issue.  We have no playmakers outside of Cam.  Even adding a rookie is no surefire thing, and still, that's one or two guys...  It's beyond frustrating to see our approach thus far.  And comments like, "we don't need a #1 WR" are like a slap in the face when that is the reason our season ended...  WE HAD NO PASSING GAME.  Olsen is great.  He's reliable, he's consistent, but he isn't Vernon Davis either.  He isn't Jimmy Graham.  You're not counting on him to bust a small gain for a huge one.  That's what we need.

 

 

 

[Donald LaFell]

Rivera is talking in Fox speak with that mess. Who doesn't need a Calvin Johnson? 

 

Are we going after another tight end? 

 

We better be drafting O-lineman with the first 3 picks or of the offense is not going to be running the ball much if at all. Hopefully we draft some defense too because they'll need to be the 2000 Ravens to survive with what we have right now. 

 

This is silly business. 

[lola]

I know it doesn't really matter what we want or think. These people do this for a living and know way more about this team and needs than we do, and it is still early. If we get the Oline shored up properly and at least give Cam some time and room to make plays, perhaps Cotchery/Olsen/underwood/?? Will be ok. Our D will be good enough to keep us in most games....

[RoaringRiot]

I appreciate your contributions to the board RR, and I don't intend to turn this into a long-running debate, because the truth is, we don't know what the team will look like come September.  I just don't like what we're doing right now, nor do I like what we have done to this point or what we're saying we will do...  And what troubles me about that is if you aren't getting better, then what are you getting?

 

But, to hit on a few of your points.  I never said Seattle had a bonafide #1 WR.  I said they had plenty of weapons and looking at their roster last year, accounting for injuries, it's likely Tate was their #1, and he was very good in his role.  Then Harvin came back for the Superbowl and gave them another dimension, and he will likely be their #1 WR this season.  Even if we were wanting to copy Seattle's model, the idea is to have accumulated several threats across the board and the guy projected as your #1, even if he isn't truly a #1 but is just your best WR, has to have gamebreaking ability.  Tate had it.  Harvin has it.  Baldwin has it.  Kearse has it.  LOL...  All their WRs had the ability to break a small play open for a huge one. 

 

We did not have that.

 

Same with the Niners.  It doesn't matter who you want to label their #1 WR...  If you want to say it's Davis.  Fine.  You want to say it's Crabtree?  Cool.  Boldin?  Alright...  Point remains, just as with Seattle, they have multiple weapons and guys that can break a game open on any one play.

 

AGAIN, outside of Cam, we did not have that last year, and we don't have it right now.  And it's an awful lot to expect a rookie to come in and be that when we are lacking weapons in so many areas.  Outside of Cam, DWill is our closest option and he is RB over 30 years old...  No telling when he'll fall off that production cliff.

 

And back to the Niners, the reason we lost to them is because they were more diverse offensively.  If you have to account for Kaepernick, Gore, Crabtree, Boldin, Davis, etc., on every single play, it creates problems for a defense.  So, maybe your defense give up a few scores...  What do you do?  Come back and match those...  Which we couldn't because we didn't have the personnel, nor the philosophy to do so.

 

My point remains, all of the teams being discussed had and likely will have a better WR corps across the board.  We signed two #3-4 WRs and our fanbase acts like that is how a champion is built.  NO.  The blueprint has been laid out, and whether you want to be a run-first or pass-first offense, the philosophy remains the same - you have to be diverse offensively and have weapons across the board, in the run game and the pass game.  We didn't have that and we don't have that. 

 

Our fanbase has long had problems with delusion...  We have a successful season and everyone gets stuck in that moment.  We believe we're better than what we are.  And we're not.  We got knocked out of the playoffs on our homefield by a team that was better constructed than us, and that's why we lost.  So what do you do?  You improve.  You build on your strengths.  You attack your weaknesses aggressively in FA and the draft...  That doesn't mean signing career situational players at positions of need.

 

That is my issue.  We have no playmakers outside of Cam.  Even adding a rookie is no surefire thing, and still, that's one or two guys...  It's beyond frustrating to see our approach thus far.  And comments like, "we don't need a #1 WR" are like a slap in the face when that is the reason our season ended...  WE HAD NO PASSING GAME.  Olsen is great.  He's reliable, he's consistent, but he isn't Vernon Davis either.  He isn't Jimmy Graham.  You're not counting on him to bust a small gain for a huge one.  That's what we need.

 

 

I get what you're saying, but honestly what could DG have done differently? We're not in cap position to be aggressive in the WR FA this year. Not to mention, when Decker and Nicks are headlining the WR FA class is that really the time to dump a bunch of money to a WR? Have you looked at the UFA WRs for next year when we should have more cap flexibility?

 

I want to have some studs on O, too, but I don't think that's what's going to keep us from winning....it didn't last year.  After seeing the holes in the secondary at the start of the season and then how well they played at the end of the season, I've truly bought in to the "big men" theory and think beefing up the OL will have tons of positive results on the entire O.  With our style of O and desire to control the clock, a sure-handed possession receiver is more important than a HR threat.  

 

I do a pretty good job at looking at the team objectively. I think last year we were better than we really were - not the other way around like you said.  What our fan base also does is get panicked when we have one good year and believe we need to do everything it takes to win NOW. We're not good enough to compete with SF or Seattle now - we're close but they're better. This is why I am not frustrated by the approach. We may take a step back next season, but we're building around a great core and getting in position for consistent success. If that means we build a solid line and run with Cotchery, Underwood, two no-names, and a rookie next season....I'm ok with that to get us to 2015.  

 

EDIT:  Because I think we can still win with our D, a solid OL that helps the running game, and those receivers. 

[Mr. Scot]

Either this coaching staff is delusional or they think we are stupid.

I'd say there's some evidence to support that second point in some cases.

[mav1234]

There's a difference between having no true #1 and a good group of #2s that can each step up at a different times, and having one okay target and a group of totally unproven players. Meh.

 

 

But, Gettleman is building for the future... so he's not going to try to burn tons of cash on a WR in FA.  I suspect he'll get us some offensive help in the draft, as I highly doubt he is happy with where are there.

 

[CatMan72]

Question: who is the Seahawks certified #1 WR?

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[RoaringRiot]

Question: who is the Seahawks certified #1 WR?

Sent from my SM-N900V using CarolinaHuddle mobile app

 

They don't have one.  They have guys who have performed higher than they were expected to because they have a solid run game, more than decent OL, and a QB who can create time for himself if needed to find an open receiver. 

 

Good formula! 

[SCP]

I know it doesn't really matter what we want or think. These people do this for a living and know way more about this team and needs than we do, and it is still early. If we get the Oline shored up properly and at least give Cam some time and room to make plays, perhaps Cotchery/Olsen/underwood/?? Will be ok. Our D will be good enough to keep us in most games....

My only problem with DG's philosophy this offseason is it looks like 2014 will be an audition or evaluation year for the offense. But with that said, I still think 2013's record of 12-4 was a shock to Gettleman. His plan all along has been to evaluate the young guys for a couple seasons until our salary cap mess goes away. 2013 happened and raised expectations. He's sticking to his plan in 2014 to see what he has on the roster. As a fan it sucks ass because I want to win now. I honestly think DG would be fine with 6-10 to 7-9 next year because his plan all along has been to navigate a calculated course through Hurney's mistake minefield. If he can somehow find young guys in the draft who step up again this year like last year, then all hail Gettleman.

[Jmac]

If you have a good QB, couple of decent wideouts,TE, and a running game then you can win in this league with a dominating defense (without a typical #1 wide receiver). Its not rocket science and DG learned this from his previous job. That's why some on here freaking out because we still don't have a #1 WR don't get it. This isn't the game plan for this team. Spread the ball around,run the ball like you mean it and dominate the clock...... the defense will do the rest.If they find a couple of OLine gems in the draft and June cuts. DG will find WR prospects in the early to middle rounds and let them fight it out in camp for their jobs.

[Cary Kollins]

People be trippin.