TheMaulClaw

We actually didn't get blown out by the Steelers or Bucs. It is reasonable to say we would have likely improved next year with Wilks. I think 6-6 was really impressive after the abysmal start. Also I don't think it's unreasonable to say the Panthers mismanaged their communication with Wilks through this process. The hiring of Reich's daughter several weeks ago is very peculiar. I am just not sure if Reich represents such a massive upgrade that warranted not just holding Wilks. Frank Reich is growing on me, but he hasn't been truly great as an HC either. Reich didn't have a great qb situation, but Wilks went 6-6 with how many qbs? He didn't do a bad job managing qbs.

I learned nothing from Matt Rhule. A coach who came in over his head with gimmicky sayings and an unauthentic feel. I don't remember much of the Rhule era, it's all a blur. A systemic response designed to prevent emotional drama, memories of Rhule have been cast out of my memory bank in an attempt at preservation. Matt Rhule had many sayings that he used and stored for speaking engagements. They were all hollow, non memorable, and unauthentic. His firing was a weight lifted off the city of Charlotte. Collective exhale. Collective relief. Enter Wilks. Wilks was able to use nostalgia as a weapon. He knew Panther fans associated him with better times, and he seized the opportunity to recreate that mantra. Keep Pounding and it's real meaning became a spirit rekindled. The effort on the field. The determination and focus in Wilks' eyes were striking. Wilks' hyper-discipline was palpable. Yet behind his serious nature, you could see a glimpse that he was also deeply empathetic, and wise with leadership. Relatively speaking he was a man of few words, but occasionally he would share some wise sayings. Sayings so good we can apply it in our own lives. "Don't let the great be the enemy of the good." What a wonderful saying. What thoughtful advice we can use in our own lives when it comes to risk assesment and decision making. Here is the thing about Charlotte, the Carolina Panthers, and winning: The coach of the Panthers just isn't the coach of a football team. They are Charlotte's coach. Whenever the Panthers have been successful it's not only because the coach has galvanized the players. It's also because the coach has galvanized the city. In a short period of time Wilks accomplished this. The team improved greatly. Each week with Wilks at the helm, it felt like we had a shot. The city of Charlotte and Panther fans felt acknowledged because of the return of our mantra, and our tradition. There is no coincidence that Wilks was able to draw the best out of the players by understanding this. This is a sign of a man who truly understands the importance of that connection. The Carolina Panthers obviously weren't expecting Wilks to succeed. I actually find it hard to believe that they ever even considered Wilks. They hired Reich's daughter weeks ago. In retrospect, an obvious tell. The Panthers did a false flag operation. They leaked that WIlks was a finalist, and that he interviewed well. They pretended like it was a painstaking decision, when really Wilks was never in consideration. They were not honest with WIlks the way Wilks was honest to the players. It's a shame and a burned bridge that could have been saved. A Tepper tactic that is making Carolina fans and city officials very leary. We see this same dishonestly play out in land development deals surrounding Tepper's other ventures. From the Panthers' perspective, they evaluated what they needed from a coaching perspective prior to firing Rhule. They had a direction they wanted to go. They want the quarterback situation fixed. They want to go offensive. It all makes sense. It follows the latest trends. Frank Reich is a good man, an ex Panther, and a good coach. This isn't his fault. While the team was good under Wilks, it has the potential to be great with Reich finding a qb. They think. The Panthers were likely to be good next season with Wilks at the helm. Albeit Wilks wasn't perfect. Decisions in the Bucs game we're questionable, and the Steelers manhandled us, but we saw enough to see a clear trajectory. We were going to be good, and that's what this city needed. Good is not good enough for the Panthers. Now they've put the pressure on themselves. They better be great, because otherwise they ran a good man, and coach out of town for nothing. I have a sneaking feeling that the Panthers let the great be the enemy of the good.

Foxy catches a lot of poo on this board. But I love him. He was a good coach for us. I'd love to have him back in some capacity.

Feel bad for Wilks.

So I'm going back and listening to some Frank Reich press conferences going back a few years to get a feel for the guy. This guy is unbelievable at coach speak. This is a quote I heard. "I'm glad you asked that question. I'm not saying it's not true but I'm not saying it is true either, know what I mean? I'm glad you asked that question." Had me dying of laughter.

To be fair Kellen Moore he did win a ton of games with a backup this year.

I don't have anything against Reich personally. I don't think he is an awful coach. I'm just not sure how much of an upgrade he is over Wilks. Also the coaches have input. GMs do talk to their coaches about personnel fits. To say Reich had absolutely zero to do with that QB list you put up there would not be accurate. He was hired because he was a QB. They leaned on his decisions.

I get the staffing argument. I will say though that Wilks did a good job with another man's staff (no pun intended). I think we saw great improvement with Wilks with a staff in flux, injuries at QB, and the CMC trade. It's an easier mental gymnastic to be able to prorate that success if Wilks gets a full season with his own staff and training camp. With Reich everything is new again and I wouldnt know our trajectory.

That's a bad take. 99 percent of coaches have been fired and don't do squat. At least give me a guy who has had won some playoff games. Gruden and Bellicheck were both traded for btw. Andy Reid had sustained playoff success in Philly. He went to 4 straight NFC championship games and a SB. Shanahan had John Elway, the best RB, an elite Online, and two HOF receivers.

I don't think there is a great coach that is available right now. I would say Payton but the Saints want too much and Tepper is only looking for yesmen. The better question I would go with would be who I can I deal with? If I have to chose between Reich and Wilks I'd probably go Wilks. It's not that I think he would take us to greater heights then Reich but because he earned the opportunity. Smaller learning curve for the players with Wilks, conversely Wilks also has more familiarity with our players. The players love him. Also we got a chance to see improvement with Wilks at the helm. Reich, we know nothing. I would reluctantly take Reich if Wilks didn't find a new DC and OC. I just feel like we all know what's going to happen if we hire Reich. We are going to end up with Carr. We need a coach who can deliver a big time game plan in big games and I just don't think it's out there right now. I know I probably would have explored Harbaugh a bit more.

If we are just trying to get to the playoffs and then lose then you are right. Great hire.

No it's because he has mediocre results as an HC. We also just watched the Colts do the same thing at QB we have done except on steroids.

No to Reich please. No retreads with a history of bad veteran qbs.

I'm leery of your opinion. Turning down a vaccination isn't forcing yourself onto anybody. He never condemned anyone who believed in the vaccination. How did he force himself into the politics of Covid? It looked like he was dragged into it because the powers that be didn't like his view. In retrospect he wasn't wrong. I got the vac for work but it was a hard decision for me and I'm not sure it made any difference in the end whether I did or didn't.

I like Aaron. He keeps it real. God forbid if a man is honest about how he feels. There is nothing he has said that's indicated he isn't a decent guy. All he has done is have is own opinion, while going out of is way to let people know that it's okay if they don't agree. Most of the hate towards him is politically motivated, it's not real world.

We are going to have a ton of money to spend by this time next year.

I understand politically why this would be the move. I believe in the political motivation of being paid off of merit and not because of prejudice. However, If I performed admirably at a job that I had to fill in for and they decided to give me a shot after I wasn't intended to be the hire, I would be under more scrutiny and there would be less guarantees. Conversation may go like this. "We're going to give you a shot at this because you performed over expectation on an interim basis. We know what the statistics are on interim coach full time hires. We want to protect ourselves if we see a decline in production. We're going to give you an opportunity to make the playoffs this year and if that happens we will look at a long term extension, if not we may go another route. Sound fair?" I think it's fair to offer an unproven commodity a smaller deal when you are offering the opportunity of a lifetime to that person that they would otherwise not receive. The reason I use the term "otherwise" is more of an observation on offensive coaches being hired rather then an aging defensive backs coaches. I don't think Wilks has enough a body of work as a HC or DC to really warrant contention in a normal year. Now he did a great job as an interim, which is why he may get the job, but it's very risky and if Steve stagnates this coming season we will need to let him go. I want the team to have an exit strategy if Wilks is the hire and he doesn't perform.

That's true but ultimately we have a good foundation built with a ton of cap space coming up. I never felt that under Hurney. Also not sure if it's fair to have his time here associated with Rhule.

I'd like to see us address TE, WR, and CB in the first two rounds. I wouldn't mind moving back for Jalin Hyatt and then moving up to get a legit TE.

It's one a few times where I was joking and serious at the same time.

I wish we could get Cooter on our staff.

I think what Sean is doing right now is genius. Regardless of where Payton lands what's happening is fascinating. He is low key warring with the Saints. First he comes out and says he is worth a mid to late first rounder. A totally fair assessment. Something that is good for the Saints but doesn't handicap his future team. He also says the Saints would receive less compensation if he sits out another year. This is also true. This was a thinly veiled threat to the Saints. It communicated that he would sit out and they would get nothing if they tried to play with him. The Saints in a counterattack said that Payton would be worth multiple picks because they know his value. This was the Saints attempt to mitigate loss of value, protect potential draft compensation, and a signal to other teams that they would be playing hardball. All the teams that Payton have interviewed with were also in contact with the Saints regarding compensation negotiations. The Saints asked for a premium and all the organizations have balked. The potential teams know that the longer Payton doesn't have a deal done the Saints will walk back their trade price and accept less compensation. We have even heard pro Saints media try to make the argument that the compensation would be the same next year....lol. Now it is leaking that Payton is considering returning to tv. This is the final warning shot at the Saints. I expect the Saints to be more motivated to come to an agreement the longer this goes on. Teams are being diligent conducting interviews while the Saints come back down to earth with what they are asking. The teams know they all aren't going to end up with Payton so they are developing their contingency plans. Payton and is agent are gradually caring around a crying toddler (the Saints) and slowly but surely he is making them eat their broccoli. Payton tried to signal for a fair return for the Saints (and for all sides) but the latest developments seem to indicated that now he is pissed at the Saints as more cutthroat negotiating tactics seem to be taking shape. If this keeps going he may come to Carolina just to drag them twice a year.

Did we try hiring someone who we thought was the Burrow whisperer before?

I don't really care who wins your debate, but people pushing all their chips in with Corral blows my mind. Dude was a 3rd round pick, didn't look good in preseason action, and was injured for the year. Guy can barely take a snap from under center. No plans should be made centered around Corral as the future of the franchise. I think you give him a window with an opportunity to be pleasantly surprise the organization, but he isn't the future. Maybe the future backup.

I think that Fitterer is our GM this time around which is why our process is different. Fitterer knows he has to get this right.