SCO96

In hindsight you are right because we didn't even resign Burns and let him go for less. Let me ask you this. Would you take the same deal for Derrick Brown? I would in a heartbeat. I'd probably do for just one 1st round pick.

Canales is a young guy learning the ropes. Give him time. He is saddled with arguably the worst starting QB in the NFL. I have yet to see a game in the past couple of seasons where I went into it thinking "We've got the best QB on the field" or "Our guy can hold his own against any QB in the NFL". We are out-manned/over-matched at the QB spot in every game we play. You can't build a competitive team in today's NFL like that.

Too much is made about the trade that never was. At that time Burns was the ONLY legit pass rusher we had on the team. If you had got rid of him you who was going to supply the pass rush? I think at that time he was viewed as cornerstone of the team going forward. Even now he's still only 27. And, we still have not added a pass rusher to replace him. I would have made more sense to try get get them to take Derrick Brown. Burns has more sacks in a season than Brown has had in 5 seasons. Those picks would have been in different years so we would have only had one extra pick in each year. And, let's be honest. You see how this team has drafted over the years. We used #1 picks in Bryce Young and XL. Do you really think those picks would have made a difference on this team?

The offense made a turnover that resulted in a TD. You take that TD off the board and this would have been an entirely different game. I think Evero has the same problems that Canales has. I think they are both handcuffed to some degree due to a talent deficiency on their side of the ball. Canales doesn't have a QB capable of running his scheme. Evero doesn't have enough talent on his side to be effective in his scheme. Our highest paid d-lineman is a good run defender but contributes little to our pass rush. None of LBs would start on a contending team. Our current starting safeties don't make impact plays. Only 2 of our 11 starters (Brown, Horn) have to be accounted for on each play. Some of this may still be their fault. It appears both have lobbied for players (via FA or the draft)who haven't contributed much. They seem hesitant to play their younger players or remain loyal to guys who just don't produce when they are on the field. As bad as this team is, you'd think they'd be dedicated to getting the young guys on the field as much as possible. Wasting #1 picks on Young and Legette and questionable selections on the defensive side of the ball has set this team back for years.

Those seasons from 1995-2017 were indeed our "Glory Days"

I don't think Canales is the 2nd coming of Vince Lombardi by any means, but I'd still like to see him with a legit QB who could push the ball down field and execute the entire playbook.

I'm surprised so many of you believe that Bryce has trade value. I don't think that many teams in the NFL are looking at him and saying he'd fill a major void in our roster. He's not going to start on another team in the league. I don't even think too that many teams would want him for a backup. If the Panthers are wise they'll refuse to pick up his 5th year option at the end of the season. So, 2026 should be his last season with the team. Why would a team pick up the salary of a subpar QB in 2026, when they can get him at a much more reasonable deal in 2027 (probably as a backup and not a starter of course)?

Do not pick up the 5th year option which means 2026 would be his last season with the team unless he suddenly begins to ball out for the next two seasons (highly unlikely). He'd be free to walk after 2026 unless we decided to TAG him for 2027 (again, highly unlikely). Bryce isn't the type of player who could leave this team and leave you with the feeling "we are going to regret letting a player of his caliber go". Draft a QB within the within the 1st two rounds of the 2026 draft no matter what happens from here out.

This is why I wasn't overly disappointed when we didn't trade Burns for two #1 picks. Based on who we have drafted in the first round since 2020 I don't see how anyone would think we would have used those choices to pick any exceptional players that would have made the team immediately better. And, we still haven't found an edge rusher to replace Burns.

I posted this under another top (Morgan's drafts), but it applies here. I don't know if the problem is our scouting department, the front office, or both. What has become apparent is that our team is terrible at drafting. Every round we seem pass on players who could fill hole in our roster in favor of players who contribute NOTHING on the field and are often out of the league before their first contract expires. Are the scouts providing good intel but being ignored? Are they giving bad intel and the FO is going on their recommendation? Tepper needs to hire a consultant who is knowledgeable of the game and have him do a top to bottom examination of our personnel department and find out why are arguable the worst drafting team in the NFL. Why do we pass on players who excel in the league for garbage players who probably couldn't even make most rosters in the NFL as backups.

I don't know if the problem is our scouting department, the front office, or both. What has become apparent is that our team is terrible at drafting. Every round we seem pass on players who could fill hole in our roster in favor of players who contribute NOTHING on the field and are often out of the league before their first contract expires. Are the scouts providing good intel but being ignored? Are they giving bad intel and the FO is going on their recommendation? Tepper needs to hire a consultant who is knowledgeable of the game and have him do a top to bottom examination of our personnel department and find out why are arguable the worst drafting team in the NFL. Why do we pass on players who excel in the league for garbage players who probably couldn't even make most rosters in the NFL as backups.

It does seem ridiculous in hindsight that he was the first person chosen in the entire 2023 draft and a player like Shadeur Sanders dropped all the way down to the 5th round in this year's draft.. We don't have a great track record with most of our draft picks in any round (with the possible exception of the 1st). I'd gladly trade a 4th or 5th to Cleveland to see what Sanders could do in this offense. He couldn't play worse than Bryce has on opening day the past 3 seasons.

Bryce is appears to be a subpar QB, but he isn't a bad person. There's no need to humiliate the guy. I actually feel bad for him. Put yourselves in his position and imagine how much mental anguish he must be experiencing today. Not picking up the 5th year option would send a strong enough message.

There is absolutely NO WAY I'd pick up his 5th year option at season's end. I'd be planning to take a QB in round 1 or 2 of the draft or bring in a vet via FA or trade to compete for the job in 2026. If I couldn't find a trade partner I'd have him play out the 4th year and let him move on. If BY somehow managed to turn things around this season and next, I still wouldn't give him a big deal. I'd make him play under the TAG in 2027 to see if he could play well 3 years in a row. If he did, only then would I even consider offering him a new deal...and it wouldn't be a deal to "reset the market". If he insisted on that I'd let him fleece and his agent fleece some other team.

I agree with both of you. My point is that since Rivera's last season in Carolina (2019) we have primarily a run a 3-4 and drafted our defensive players to field a 3-4 as our base defense. I was just saying we need to change direction next season. We should move DB to a 4-3 DT and find some true 4-3 lineman and a MLB to carry on the tradition of Dan Morgan, Jon Beason, and Luke. That alone would improve or run defense. That said, I don't think we have the FO to these moves.

We don't have the personnel to field a strong front 7 in a 3-4 defense. They need to transition to a 4-3, but I don't think Tepper would allow it. DB would thrive in a 4-3 as a NT if he had at least one legit pass rusher on the line with him.

I can't disagree with that.

If we could keep them off the field with some sustained drives that resulted in TDs instead of FG's I think that would at least keep us out of the top 10 worst defenses in the NFL. I also think they'd play harder if the thought they could win if they could hold the opponent to 24 points or less.

I said this in post yesterday (but under a different topic). When you go on the field the defense needs to feel that the offense is capable of winning the game if they hold up their on their end. The Panthers go into every game outmanned at the QB position. The team doesn't put up enough points or have the ball long enough to lighten the load on the defense. I think Canales gets too much blame as well. He was hired to "fix Bryce". At least for now, Tepper isn't going to let him bring in a guy who has a legitimate shot at taking his job. Bryce is limited in his talent, which limits what Canales can do in games. We've all seen plays where guys were open but BY failed to see them or made a bad throw. Put Cam Newton in this offense with the exact same players and we'd easily average 3 TDs a game and probably contend for the NFC South. Take the same team and add in Greg Olsen type talent at TE...we'd win the NFC South.

You have a point. I don't think he's the answer. But, we can all agree that He looked a bit different on the field when he returned from his benching. People tend to wake up and strive to get better when they are in danger of the losing their job. Back in the 1970-1971 the Cowboys went to back to back SB's with 2 different starters (Craig Morton/Roger Staubach). That was one of the most intense competitions in history. Staubach missed almost all of the 1972 season and Dallas still made the 1972 NFC title game. Montana got better when Walsh brought in Steve Young Favre had some excellent seasons after Aaron Rodgers was drafted. Phil Simms got hurt in 1990, and their back up QB Jeff Hostler beat the 49ers who were going for 3peat on the way to a SB win over Buffalo. You need to have a guy who can at least push the starter so he doesn't become complacent, especially when he isn't elite.

Yep. Our $25 mil per year D-lineman didn't get close to the QB yesterday. We haven't had a legit interior pass rusher since Kwann Short. I don't understand why our FO tends to focus in on College DT's who can't rush the passer in the 1st round. We did it with Vernon Butler and we did it with Derrick Brown.

But, PRIME CAM could score points with this OFFENSE! We all know the defense sucks. But if we went 6-11, but average 24 points a game we could live with that because we could then focus solely on the defense for the next 2 off-seasons.