Khyber53

Expect to know something local by Monday.

This starts a whole new set of dominos falling. Next week, we should hear some kind of announcement.

Remember when I said at the beginning of last week that we'd know what our real HC situation would be in two weeks? Tune in Monday.

Okay, so maybe he can't lift Deonte Brown... but if he can coach him up, we're golden.

That's something we haven't had on the o-line for a long while... people who have a mean streak. We don't have to find the next Richie Incognito in terms of meanness but about 70% of that would be nice.

I'm not mad at this pick at all. NFL experience as a coach and player for the positions he is coaching. Maybe Rhule has wisened up. Then again, he looked pretty smart this time last year, too.

We apparently have no other choice. So, Rhule, impress us. I really, really want to be saying how wrong I was about Rhule and Co. at the end of next season. I really do. But dang, I don't think I will be.

Drafting a QB in the first round is always a crap shoot, especially when your team isn't very good or your coaching is suspect. However, in the end, getting the right QB is the only way to win in this league. It doesn't have to be a Brady or a Manning, but you've got to find the steady guy who can will a win when needed. All the rest of the team is just ancillary. And on defense, you've got to have just the right middle linebacker out there being the QB for the defense. Personally, I think we move Jeremy Chinn there and we're set. His brains, knowledge of the game, leadership traits and ability to punch way above his weight outweigh any other considerations. So, yeah, grab the best QB still on the board when we draft if you think that's the guy that will work for Rhule. If there isn't a guy that Rhule can make into a winner, then grab Linderbaum, set the center of the line and wait for next year, because of Rhule hasn't solved the QB problem by the end of training camp, we're going to have a top 10 pick again next year.

Okay, that is really special. Nice gift!

The Super Bowl is always a match-up of the best built team that avoids major injuries versus the team that caught lightning in a bottle. And that's what we have again. Now as to the Panthers, we're going to have to get a bottle ready if we want to make it soon, because we're neither well built nor resilient in this incarnation.

Bengals/Niners would be awesome. Sadly, it will be Rams/Chiefs, though. Stafford finally gets to go to the big dance.

Honestly, we just need someone to whisper in the owner's ear: "You don't want to do that." That would be massively helpful if you have a guy like Colbert with all of that accumulated wisdom to be that whisperer.

I heard we're doubling down and taking another long snapper in the draft. We're going to be nothing but DBs and LSs next season. It's part of the process.

Danhausen has joined AEW!

Hey OP, when Carolina travels to Cincinnati next season, will you be wearing a Burrows jersey at that game?

Wouldn't we all. But so far, he's been the guy who could be blamed for axing Cam, Greg Olsen... a few other favorites since he came on board. But he was also the guy, as I have been reminded of, who had to have given a thumbs up to the Robby Anderson contract extension and the fifth year option on Sam Darnold. Perhaps he's more of the Red Queen (City) for this organization.

Ow.

Hmm. He was touted as the team's throat cutter earlier on, the hatchet man when it came to the salary cap and players who ate more of it than they should. And here we are about the time when those cuts are being considered. He's gotten a promotion. Let's hope it doesn't remind anyone of the ascension of Robespierre.

Right you are!

I wish I could get in there and argue against this and say, "Naw man, Burns is a beast -- best in the league." He's good, really good, but he hasn't had that great "take the league by storm" season we've all been waiting for. What he is, however, is a darn good edge player who doesn't just specialize in sacks and disrupting the passing game. A bit underweight still, he is a remarkably stout run defender and he is an active, vital part of what little run defense we've sported. A guy that can get nine sacks a season and about the same number of TFLs, plus 50+ tackles a season gets a career like Mike Rucker and the well-deserved praise that goes along with it. Ain't a thing in the world wrong with that. Not everyone can be Julius Peppers. Still, I think he has another gear to hit. Maybe this will be the year and it will still be with us.

Even if Brady retires, you've still got an excellent Arians running the show in Tampa and Atlanta is working the rebuild like we are -- but they still have a capable QB, which we don't. Coaching in Atlanta might be a bit better than we are, as they've had so odd losses of stars -- particularly Ridley. (Hope he gets well and right). In truth, even if Brady retires, all it does is sets up the NFCSouth into a four-way Prove It contest as each team tries to prove it can build a winner again. The good part is that in the early 2000s after realignment, the whole division was that and it became to toughest division in the league for about a dozen years. Now, we're in danger of being the AFCSouth if we aren't careful. We aren't diddly squat right now but if Rhule was going to prove that what he is doing is really, really working, he couldn't ask for a more shaken up field. It's time to pop the popcorn and watch this thing, but it sure isn't time to put the champagne on ice.

Fitt and Rhule, just trying to lock up all the DBs like this was frikkin' Pokemon.

Right now, I think we need a center much more than we need a tackle. Keep Brady and Taylor at the tackles, keep working with Deonte at guard and move Elflein to LG and let him train up both Brady and the next tackle. Look for a young guard with a couple of years experience out there in free agency, doesn't have to be a starter if he's been on one of the teams with a first class o-line already -- strong, smart and mean are the three key traits as he may have to take over at either LG or RG. Draft Linderbaum even if you think it is too early. Grab him and set the center of your offense for the next decade. This is you Ryan Kalil move. Do not make it your Matt Kalil move. Got it?