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We've never seen them outside of the structure of two very well ran organizations I'll give you that. And yes they are long in the tooth. I do think they are more than capable of getting a franchise turned around in short term capacity though. They are by no means a long term solution.

You're not making a good-faith argument by blaming literally everything on the quarterback when the defense gave him a fat 38 seconds to overcome its ineptitude, but it seems you're dead-set on blaming him for any problem the team encounters. In this case, it's not warranted. Sometimes it is. But he had no time to throw (pressured on 46% of all dropbacks, an insane amount) and that's simply not all his fault -- particularly when they rush 4 or less and are in the backfield in 1.5s or less. Should we have gotten more than 0 yards? Sure! But he hit a WR in the hands on fourth down and it was dropped. Not his fault. He missed one throw on second down but I attribute first down to a bad play call and third down to poor pass protection. I would've called some quick slants, personally, but it really seems you're saying: - playcalling: Bryce's fault - poor pass protection: Bryce's fault - defensive choking away a lead: Bryce's fault, not the defense - Horn dropping a pass: Bryce's fault It's a great way to garner support on here, because when it comes to Bryce, logic takes such a backseat to context that it's not even in the same vehicle. Plenty of games can be attributed to him. Can't take anyone seriously who solely blames him for that one.

I don't see how you can logically make that argument when the team beat two of the top teams in the entire league during the regular season. Now imagine the additional games we would have won against absolute tip top competitors like SF and SEA had we had a professional QB. You can throw any random stat at the problem you want, but the proof is in the pudding. We all watched it live. This roster would have produced 13 wins (wins against SF and SEA, two wins against NO, and would have swept the Bucs) and (almost certainly) a #1 seed with a remotely competent QB. Those were not games where we needed an all star performance to win. Those were games where a very, very modest stat line would have netted us an easy win. Nearly every measurable aspect of the team would have been significantly improved with a competent QB.

He was there for 18 years. Pretty sure he had a part of the roster construction.

It works if the genius is also a defensive mind. But Harbaugh and Tomlin aren't either.

Do we still get draft comp if EE leaves by being hired elsewhere, since he was still under contract? Win-win for us. We get out from under Evero's system and gain draft capital.

And has the same number of postseason wins as the Panthers have over the last 8 years - 0. And that is with a consistently good defense.

Mike MacDonald is doing quite well in Seattle. Former defensive coordinator under Harbaugh.

Yes they do. Any team that wants to hire him would have to work out compensation with the Steelers.

evero doesn't even do a good job of disguising his blitzes. almost every time there is a blitz, we all know who the blitzers are. there was a nickel and safety overload blitz during the rams game that Stafford saw creeping up prior to the snap and he immediately adjusted his protection towards them. no pre snap adjustments were made from our side and the blitzers were immediately picked up

meh. Mike McDaniel is supposed to be a scheme genius but he couldn’t command a locker room. Vrabel is similar to the so called dinosaurs and is killing it. Harbaugh in LA as well, he just needs to figure out the offense. Some teams need a strong, iron fist presence as a head coach to set the standard and demand excellence.

Jarvis

The Panthers should have been drafting OL from jump street. All this salary cap (most in the NFL) in the group and we needed every little thing to go right for us to win the division and get a playoff spot as we lost 6 out of our last 8 games.

Tonight’s game on Hulu/ESPN+

Lol yeah, that statement was a whopper

Harbaugh and Tomlin are both dinosaurs in today's NFL. Their approach doesn't work anymore, you need actual scheme geniuses to be a head coach in the NFL like Shanahan, McVay, Johnson, etc.

Sacks end drives but so does a guy getting in a QBs face and forcing a bad pass. I try not to get hung up just on sacks. I'd rather have a guy that gets 10 pressures and zero sacks a game than one that gets a sack and 2 pressures. The 1st guy is making an impact more often. That was the point I was trying to make. Being constantly disruptive is more important than just sacks. There aren't 100's of 1st round edge rushers to be had. I know that's where a lot of the elite ones are found. All I was saying is you can't close your mind to the possibility that they exist outside of the 1st. Just like every other position, you have to look for the traits that make an effective pass rusher. We haven't been good at doing that. We've been going more for RAS scores and metrics than guys that can actually play football. DJ Johnson is a perfect example. We chose the ideal metrics over a guy like Yaya Diaby that had the explosiveness and power to translate to the NFL game.

Did you watch the end of the Rams playoff game along with the rest of us? Soon to be 38 year old Matthew Stafford with a bum hand went right down the field to take the lead and they kept all 3 timeouts. Bryce Young had 4 chances to get the ball into the hands of one of his receivers and threw one borderline catchable ball. Injecting the word elite into any conversation about Bryce is at this point sheer insanity.

Reese is the guy I really want but no way is he gonna be there. Downs and Reese would be highest ceiling best fits for us but long gone Styles I'm ok with there is a lot of interesting players outside the top 10 and he would be a fine one for our needs. Anthony Hill and Styles are close and consolation is CJ Allen. Honestly it's a fairly good LB pool this year and as big of a need as it's been, double dip. Especially if we commit to the odd front for the foreseeable future.

G/C Austin Corbett: Corbett has had a whirlwind tenure in Carolina over the past four years, but this season was probably the most complicated stretch. He started the year as the top center before sustaining a knee injury that cost him four games on injured reserve. When he returned from the injury, he was supplanted by Cade Mays. However, Corbett was used as a utility fill-in starter at left guard, center and right guard for the remainder of the season. He was also named the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year winner this year, so he’s clearly valued internally by some pretty important decision-makers. 2026 prediction: Tests market but returns on a 1-year deal if he can’t find work elsewhere T/G Brady Christensen: Christensen continued his work as the ultimate utility blocker in 2025. However, his season was cut short when he sustained an Achilles injury in Week 8. Christensen is valuable to the Panthers because he can play all five spots and knows the blocking scheme as well as anyone. Given his injury setback, he’s likely to be a cheap option for returning depth. 2026 prediction: Re-signs on a 1-year deal RB Rico Dowdle: Dowdle’s season got off to a slow start. However, Chuba Hubbard’s calf injury in the second quarter of the season opened things up for Dowdle to emerge. After back-to-back breakout games against the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys, Dowdle supplanted Hubbard as the primary runner in the backfield. Coming off a career year, look for Dowdle to cash in on his productive season. It’ll be hard for the Panthers to pony up the dough with financial and draft-pick investments in Hubbard, Jonathan Brooks and Trevor Etienne. 2026 prediction: Heads elsewhere for a bigger pay day and better role Long snapper J.J. Jansen: Jansen is nearing the end of his career, but he rarely makes mistakes and is a better option than shuffling through undrafted rookies to find his replacement. If Philip Rivers can get a deal to play quarterback at age 44, Jansen should be fine signing another contract to snap footballs between his legs at age 40. 2026 prediction: Re-signs on a 1-year deal P Sam Martin: Martin proved to be a shrewd addition for the Panthers in 2025. He was consistently good at flipping the field and showed no signs of slowing down. Again, why take a chance on a rookie struggling when you’re trying to be a longterm contending team? 2026 prediction: Re-signs on a 1-year deal C Cade Mays: Mays is an interesting case. This same staff cut him to make room for a waiver wire claim before the start of the 2024 season. He was then re-signed off the New York Giants’ practice squad when injuries occurred, and he played quite well as a starting center. He subsequently re-signed with the team this past offseason but lost the center competition to Corbett, whom Mays eventually replaced for the majority of the season. Mays should test his options on the open market, but he isn’t a lock for a huge contract given his inconsistencies on the Panthers’ depth chart over the past four years. The Panthers might want to draft a starting center with all the money they have tied up in the offensive line in 2026 ($86.6 million). 2026 prediction: Heads elsewhere for a long-term deal WR David Moore: Moore spent most of the season on injured reserve with an elbow injury. He’s been a notable veteran leader in a young wide-receiver room, and Panthers coach Dave Canales loves him. He told The Processing Blue podcast in July that he didn’t want to play for anyone besides Canales at this point in his career. Moore is experienced, cheap and knows the offense, so he’s likely back on a short-term pact. 2026 prediction: Re-signs on a 1-year minimum deal to compete in training camp LB Christian Rozeboom: Rozeboom had a rough start to the season. He was originally signed as a depth linebacker but was forced into the starting lineup following the abrupt departure of Josey Jewell before training camp. He was asked to be the signal-caller, and that responsibility seemed to hinder his ability to read and react. Once that responsibility was given to Trevin Wallace in Week 5, Rozeboom excelled. Still, it’s more than likely the team looks to upgrade the position this offseason. 2026 prediction: Heads elsewhere S Nick Scott: Scott was a 17-game starter in 2025. While he wasn’t necessarily a star on defense, he also wasn’t a consistent liability either. Scott is a notable specialteams contributor, and he’s shown he can be relied on with heavy defensive snaps. The Panthers will probably look to upgrade over him at starting safety, but the Ejiro Evero favorite still makes sense as a veteran depth presence if the coordinator sticks around. 2026 prediction: Re-signs on a 1-year deal. OLB D.J. Wonnum: Wonnum started 15 games in his second season with the Panthers. He produced four sacks in eight games in 2024, but he was held without a sack until Week 15 this season (finishing with three), despite a huge uptick in playing time in 2025. The Panthers certainly need to get better production at outside linebacker, and Wonnum will probably need to find a new home this offseason. 2026 prediction: Heads elsewhere LB Krys Barnes: After spending the first half of the season on the practice squad, Barnes became a fixture of the linebacker depth chart. He was mostly used on special teams, beyond a pair of spot starts due to injuries. Barnes was a healthy scratch for the playoff loss. 2026 prediction: Heads elsewhere S D’Anthony Bell: The Panthers claimed Bell off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks during the final week of the season. He will become a free agent in March without much of a foundation in Carolina. 2026 prediction: Heads elsewhere T/G Jake Curhan: Curhan was thrust into the lineup in two of the biggest wins of the season. He was a positive fill-in during the upset win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, and he performed admirably as the starting right guard in the 31- 28 home win against the Los Angeles Rams. He arrived in Week 3 off the Arizona Cardinals practice squad, and he should be a cheap depth option on the open market. 2026 prediction: Re-signs on a 1-year minimum deal CB Akayleb Evans: Evans was a season-long contributor on special teams as one of the team’s primary gunners on punt coverage. He will probably look for a better opportunity for playing time elsewhere. 2026 prediction: Heads elsewhere OLB Trevis Gipson: Gipson was one of a handful of players poached from another team’s practice squad this season. He played quite a bit during the second half of the season, but he probably won’t be in the team’s long-term plans. 2026 prediction: Heads elsewhere CB Damarri Mathis: The Panthers claimed Mathis off waivers from the Denver Broncos following the cut-down deadline. He tore his ACL during his first week with the team and never appeared in a game after going on season-ending injured reserve. If Evero remains in Carolina, Mathis could make sense as training camp depth on a proveit deal. 2026 prediction: Re-signs on a 1-year minimum deal OT Yosh Nijman: Nijman has served as the Panthers’ swing tackle for the bulk of his two years in Carolina. He’s proven to be a much better right tackle than left tackle when called upon to start. Starting left tackle Ickey Ekwonu injured his knee against the Rams, and Canales said he expects the ailment to be significant in nature. 2026 prediction: Re-signs on a 1-year deal based on Ekwonu’s availability with knee injury CB Robert Rochell: Like Gipson and Curhan, Rochell was signed off another practice squad to fill in as emergency depth. He played on special teams when active. 2026 prediction: Heads elsewhere S Isaiah Simmons: The former Clemson standout signed with the practice squad in December and immediately received playing time on special teams. He was eventually promoted to the 53-man roster and played in the final five games of the regular season. Simmons will probably be back as a safety and special-teams contributor this summer. 2026 prediction: Re-signs on a 1-year deal (RFA) ILB Claudin Cherelus: A favorite of the coaching staff and front office, Cherelus has developed into a quality backup linebacker during his three years in Carolina. He is a notable special-teams contributor, and the team seems to be encouraged by his defensive upside. He started four games at linebacker during the second half of the season. Calf and ankle injuries unfortunately curbed a few of his opportunities down the stretch. Still, he started in the Panthers’ first playoff game since 2017. 2026 prediction: Re-signs to 1-year deal without receiving a tender (RFA) OLB Thomas Incoom: Like Cherelus, Incoom is a staff and locker room favorite. He was Carolina’s best special-teams coverage player throughout the season, and he flashed as a pass rusher during training camp. He isn’t going anywhere. 2026 prediction: Re-signs to 1-year deal without receiving a tender (RFA) TE James Mitchell: Mitchell earned a job out of training camp with a strong summer. But with three guys ahead of him on the depth chart, he only played in a handful of games. 2026 prediction: Won’t receive a tender and will look for a better opportunity elsewhere (RFA) DE LaBryan Ray: Ray has played in more games for Evero over the past three years than any other defender in Carolina, including Derrick Brown and Jaycee Horn. If he comes back, which seems likely, it won’t be on a pricey restricted tender. 2026 prediction: Re-signs to 1-year deal without receiving a tender (EFA) WR Jalen Coker: The Panthers and Coker should consider reaching a two-year deal this offseason. With Coker currently set to become a restricted free agent next year, it would make sense for both parties to avoid a potentially awkward negotiation in 2027. If Carolina is thinking about the big picture, giving Coker the extra year, perhaps valued as a first- or second-round tender, is just getting ahead of a formality. He’s been a strong passing option for Bryce Young in each of the past two seasons. Coker is officially the team’s No. 2 wideout heading into the 2026 offseason after his phenomenal performance against the Rams. 2026 prediction: Re-signs on a 2-year deal to avoid restricted free agency next offseason (EFA) WR Brycen Tremayne: Tremayne made the roster after a surprising first summer in Charlotte. He went on to become a top-tier special-teams contributor throughout the season. He also stepped up in several games as a receiver; especially as the offense tried to figure itself out in the first half of the season. 2026 prediction: Re-signs on a 1-year-deal https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nfl/carolina-panthers/

This is indeed excellent news

We both run a 3-4 defense and retain Evero at the insistence of David Tepper.

The "facts" of his limitations are severely overblown. I think Bryce is going to be elite. Pick your jaws up. I'll qualify. I don't "know" that he will reach that status and if forced to give him a contract now I would not. He has up to 2 years to continue to grow and prove he can consistently play at a high level.

Brentson Buckner (who had a talent of grabbing and holding two O-linemen simultaneously without getting called for it -- just masterful), the vastly underappreciated Mike Rucker, the Principal Al Wallace and a fantastic supporting cast behind them... That was a helluva defensive team.

Since he stepped down, does that mean Pitt still has him under contract?