d-dave

I've heard and read a fair amount of nuance on this very topic. I think it played out like this: Everyone happy to work together. Cam wasn't willing to give up money/security to make Rhule & Co feel secure. Based on his injury history the past two season, Rhule & Co didn't feel great about rolling with Cam and Kyle Allen. Brady & Rhule wanted Teddy because of system familiarity and they loved the guy. Cam is Cam - both the good and the bad of things. Rhule decided to break with Cam over contract/health issues. A business decision for the team. Then began the complete cluster fug of QB mistakes leading to tons of money to Teddy and Sam when the guy they needed was always there... I think it was a decision that seemed good at the time, but it's very easy to point to who wrong it was. And heck, maybe Cam needed his current experience to realize how important being a Carolina Panther was to him? You can't go back in time and play what-if games. Instead, you have to keep going forward!

They have a strong DL, even without Chase. If we can keep the energy, play for the home crowd, I think we can win this. On Defense - don't get beat by McLaurin - a real star in the NFL. If Taylor get's time, he's going to hit #17, and that's going to be rough. Still have to control the line of scrimmage and keep them from establishing the run. I just hope that Panthers don't get cute. Play good solid football, protect the ball, force some turnovers and get after the QB. If we can do that, then we'll be good.

He's been so sneaky good! I think we have to try to keep him, but if someone is going to overpay, then we'll have to figure something else out. If nothing else, he's been great for Brown's development as a run stuffer for sure.

It was an incredible moment. As far as all time history? Meh, I'm not sure there. We've had some incredible plays over the past few decades of the team. BUT! If the Panthers turn their season around and make the playoffs - then this moment is transformational for team for sure. It really needs to be followed up with more wins. A fantastic moment, I was jumping up and down and making a deal in my house. My dogs were quiet worried. My wife just smiled that sad smile of "I said yes to this?" I will remember that moment for a while. I was so pumped up! But for that to really be a franchise altering moment, then this team needs to win, win, and win some more. If Cam is able to elevate this team, and we truly become contenders; then this is going to be a turning point moment for sure. I hope it is!

It's not a matter of getting cute, in my opinion. It's much more a matter of giving yourself the best chance of winning. If Cam is able to get the offense under his belt, that's a great step. Another part is to get his timing with his receivers down. What Cam can do with CMC is pretty magical, they have excellent chemistry. I think it's going to depend on how quickly Cam and the WRs get comfortable with each other. I have no problem is PJ starts, plays, and Cam has more packages. We NEED to win next week. Our margin for error this season is so thin.

I'm not tape guy, but I did see a lot more pocket space for PJ. Someone was making the right calls and adjustments. Was it Elfein? Was it PJ/Cam? I have no clue. All I know is that it looked SO MUCH BETTER. So I'll take that!

A fan doesn't have to qualify their fandom. How insecure do you have to be. You can not like the Cam signing. That's fine. You can't deny that this helps to reenergize the fans base.

Man, I hope that's the case! Rhule needs to really concentrate on making the team better on the field. Let Fitts do his job. I agree 100% that this was to get the fans back in seat. Getting butts in seats, buying soda, beer, programs, whatever is a LOT of revenue. It also doesn't hurt that every QB decision Rhule has helmed as backfired spectacularly... Cut Cam, Sign Bridgewater to $31 million guaranteed, then trade after a season, trade for Sam, not sign a vet backup... Just a bunch of piss poor decisions. I have no idea what Cam has left, but it was about the best move the team could have made. If it upsets rule, he's got $70million to cry into. Tepper showed he gives zero fugs about spending cash to improve the team. Speaking the Boss man, I think back to the 88/58 retirement, when Tep made it a point tell them that they would bring Cam home when the time was right, or something a long those lines. Guess it's that time.

I don't think we'll be back to Cam getting 20 carries a game, but I do think the strategic use of the zone read is going to help slow defenses down and open up the rest of the offense. He'll also be the redzone threat he's always been. I have no doubt that Cam can do anything Darnold could do, just better. God, if he cut down on the turnovers, got us 3 more 3rd down conversions a game, that's MILES better than Sam.

Well, Brady is a "boy genius" of an OC so this should be pretty easy, right? The reality is Brady has worked some zone read into his plays the past few years with Teddy and Sam. That's now a much more important aspect of the playbook. Cam can still make all the throws so as soon as Brady and Cam get on the same page, there should be zero training wheels. Honestly, the team needs to let Cam be Cam. Don't pull him unless he's hurt. If he has a bad game, let him bounce back. No more training wheels. Heck, Brady should be thrilled at this development!

My son just loved Cam "Newkun" Newton (he called him Newkun when he was 4), and he would actually watch games with me to see Cam give balls to kids in the stands. He loved that. Since Cam got released, he has shown considerably less interest in the Panthers. Today, when my wife told him, he ran around the house in joy, dabbing and doing the Superman. Who knows what the final tale will be this season, but he brings excitement and joy back to the team. That's got to count for something!

Looks to me that Cam wants to remain here. I think this will be an interesting off season. Going to have to pull some cap magic if Cam turns out to be a good QB for us.

So....spot.....on!!!

I have no idea the value of any of this. I just know I'm so pumped right now. I'm so excited again! I love that. I was pretty much meh on the rest of the season. I'd rather scrub toilets on a Sunday than watch the Panthers. If nothing else, that changes for a while. I'm excited again! If Cam helps us score more points, covert 3rd downs, then we will be a MUCH better team. He doesn't have to be a Madden Cheat Mode, he just needs to be competent. Now if our OL can give him some time...

Right now, it's hope. I'm thrilled to have Cam back. He's meant so much to this city, team and community. I don't expect 2015 Cam, but I'd love to see a QB who makes good decisions and throws the ball with some accuracy. If Cam can help us score some points, covert some 3rd downs, then we will be so much better.

Thinking more immediately, we need to go back to what was our success in the first three games - quick passing game. Spread guys out. One of the problems we've had with packing it in for running plays is that it gave defenders a shorter route to the ball. Rhule can say he wants to be a pound the rock team, but that's not going to happen. If you look back at those first three games, there was more shotgun, spread, and passes that were ready when Sam dropped back. We were also more willing to throw into that 2nd level. This team was made to run this Joe Brady version of the Saints offense. We don't have the big bodies to pound people into submission. I have no idea what the future holds, but going back to what they actually spent TC doing probably won't be worse than what we're seeing now.

That's been my big thing. You need to design the offense to play to the player's strengths instead of weaknesses. We aren't running plays that match our strengths and give players a chance. Instead, each offensive possession is just a train wreck... Brady has been hailed as this offensive guru. Maybe he can be, but it's not here. I think he lucked out with a LSU team with first round NFL talent that looked really good. He's been too inconsistent. Like you can find a hundred plays where he makes is dead easy for Darnold to read and react. Then you can also see how discombobulated the team is right now and no one knows what they are doing. I think Brady will finish the season, but he's going to have to show he can figure it out.

It's Tepper's money so let's enjoy that part at least I'm not unhappy they tried, but the prices they paid is just crazy. Just crazy for some of those deals, which weren't great when they were inked, and have continued to look like poo. It's going to be very interesting to see what happens this off season...

Right now, it all feels like poo because we keep losing. I get it, it sucks. The owner and coach ran Teddy out (and most of us were happy to see him go, let's be honest). We needed a QB, and the team wasn't quite sold on Fields being ready to contribute or Jones' ability to be the QB we wanted. When we traded for Darnold, I was hopeful. He was leaving a dumpster fire. We didn't quite realize he was the one with the gasoline and matches... But we took a risk, and I'm ok with a 2nd round pick (we made up for the value via other trades) on a QB. Henderson is a very talented man corner. He's having a rough go right now. It was a potential trade. Trading Arnold away was something the team was willing to do because they thought Tremble was ready to be the man. I think the MUCH larger issue isn't these two moves, it was the decision to try to be a power team without power players.

Man, what a depressing article.. Very true in all regards about Darnold. We'll have $23 million in space for 2022, and not a lot of freedom to cut players so we're kind of stuck with who we have through next season. I think the plan SHOULD be to trade down our 2022 #1 pick to try to get other assets, and see if we can keep guys like Moore, Reddick and Burns. As far as the draft we have 1 (13th after yesterday), 4, 5, 7th round picks. Not a lot of ammo after blowing the wad this year with acquiring players. The team is going to have to get very creative in how it handles players, contracts, as this protracted rebuild continues.

As much as the draft is a crapshoot, especially with QBs, I'm fine going all OL this year in the draft. We have to fix that. It won't matter who the QB is if the OL is escorting DL to them and we can't run the ball.

Carter was a 5th round pick. Smaller, not blazing fast, but fiesty. He needs Shaq. Carter is an adequate NFL starter, which is pretty good for a 5th round pick. I think he's a little better than a JAG. I mean, we've seen Whitehead who is kind of the ultimate JAG. When Carter and Shaq are in the game, we play well. Shaq is a really good LB. He's got athleticism, the smarts, the vision, and he sat and learned from two of the best to play in the modern era with 58 and 59. Carter can't man the fort the same way Shaq can, but he's a nice complimentary player who is smart and studies. He just doesn't have the physicality Shaq does. Could we upgrade? Sure, but he's not the issue. Getting our offense to stay on the field and score TDs is the big issue.

I think it's too early to really tell if Rhule is a good NFL coach. He's always had traits: excellent motivational speaker, seems very hands on in practice, and engaged in all areas of the team. The Panthers also haven't quit. They are still fighting. Sure, the offense may go no where, but the D is still bringing it each down. That means something. But he's got some major issues in game management (timeouts, situations), and he should probably back off being a dictator and concentrate more on being a coach. There is nothing wrong with a coach telling the GM the types of players they need, and letting the GM do their job. It's another thing to be the final voice in all decisions. I think if Matt really just let other do their jobs and concentrated more on his own, then it will only do better for the team.

How do y'all think that Miami isn't as much of a cluster as we are? Could be that Watson would rather have the larger city to disappear in with a much more "exciting" nightlife. He could also be looking at the tax situation and thinking that Miami is a better because he keeps more of his cash. He could just love the beach, and Miami is closer to that than Charlotte is. Sure, the complaints about the Panthers are all very valid, but let's also not forget about the non-football aspects of the various locations.

The whole thing is so heartbreaking. He was so recklessly irresponsible. Not just his life, but the lives he ended, and the families and community...damn, it's just so terrible. I've been drinking a long time. I've been driving a long time. Never have I ever driven drunk. That's one of those responsibilities that people need to learn - no matter their gifts or lack there-of. These kinds of stories just make you sick. All the wealth and opportunity wasted, lives lost, and more.