SCO96

While I agree with you Mr. Scot for the most part, there is one guy/GM who would love for his team to remain mediocre for the long term if the organization could win a Super Bowl. Jerry Jones turns 80 in October. He realizes that most of his life is behind him. If he thought going all in for a season (or two) could get the Dallas Cowboys one more SB resulting in "sustained mediocrity" for the next 5-10 years, I think he'd do it in a heartbeat. He wants nothing more in life than to hoist that Lombardi trophy one last time. The Cowboys have been mediocre for the past 25 years so it wouldn't significantly alter things in Dallas. It's jsut the ways things have been since Jerry has been the de facto GM with the Cowboys.

Good point Waldo. I read an article earlier this month on some site about the Ram's philosophy of drafting. They've been good for the past several years and tend to have late round draft choices. They don't believe there are 31 legit 1st round draft choices in every draft. They may only have first round grades on 18-20 players. The LA front office has no problems dealing what the consider to be a 2nd round pick (or a 3rd round pick) for a proven player who can contribute right away. If you nail the FA and trade acquisitions then you have a window to compete for a title. On the flip side, you have shrewdly watch the salary cap. When you trade for proven starters, they're going to cost more than rookies (most of the time at least). If you trade for a guy on his 1st contract you have be ready to extend him as part of the deal if you view him as a long term piece of the puzzle. Guys like Beckham and Stafford are already on big deals. You may want to get those guys after most of the guaranteed money has been paid out and the cap hits are not as large if you let have to cut them. The problem with the Rams philosophy is that you can create a situation where 8-10 players take up 75% of the cap and you still have over 40 spots to fill on the roster. If you've traded away too many high picks it'll be hard to build quality depth on the roster (or make more trades). You may end up having to rely on late round draft choices, undrafted free agents, and players willing to take reduced pay to stay in the league to complete the 53 man team.

The Panthers were aggressive this past off season. You didn't even mention the Erving, Efflein, and Reddick deals. In pro sports aggression needs to be balanced with some degree of rationality and a good understanding on how to build a solid team. None of us liked the Erving and Efflein siginings because we realized these guys were under achievers with their first teams. We wanted the Darnold signing to work, but we all knew there was a good chance things would go south in a hurry (which they did after the 3-0 start). The Henderson trade was a head scratcher because we still had Donte, AJ, Keith Taylor Jr. on the roster after the Horn injury. Only the Gilmore and Reddick moves looked wise on paper. We didn't give up much or mortgage our future away for either player. We were aggressive with the trades during the 2nd round. Based on the results so far trading down from the 30's to the late 50's was dumb. We passed on several guys who could have started at T, G, or Center for a WR who caught 17 passes. TMJ may become a baller down the road, but he made no substantial contribution to the 2021 season. The Rams gave away picks to get players who could contribute immediately...and are still in their prime. Ramsey, Stafford, and Beckham all appear to have several years of productivity left barring injury. The picks they gave away wouldn't have provided as much benefit to the championship run as the player mentioned above. McVey has a much better understanding on how to build a successful NFL team than Matt Rhule.

Deshaun Watson didn't want to come here either. I don't know why any top FA (especially a QB) would want to come to Carolina in it's current state. We're gonna have to build thru the draft. If we get things turned around like Cincinnati did in 2022, it'll be a lot easier to attract FA's and/or trade for players.

We don't have enough assets in the draft to make run for Jimmy G. even if we wanted to (which most of us don't). And as someone pointed out, the 2023 draft choices should be untouchable unless it'something like a 5th, 6th, or 7th rounder choice. Now if Jimmy got cut, that changes things. I'd consider signing him to a 3 year deal if the terms were reasonable and use this draft/offseason to address the O-line for 2022. If a promising prospect was on the board in round 5,6, or 7 then I'd take them and let PJ go. I would even consider letting Sam go and taking the cap hit. I'd prefer trying to get a better prospect for QB in the 2023 class. If our 2023 picks are intact we could afford to move up and take a guy and get him ready to assume the starting job by 2024/2025. Thing is, I don't think Jimmy would want to come here. In fact I don't know why any veteran QB would want to play in Carolina unless it's their last chance to get starting job or roster spot. We've mismanaged so poorly since Rhule arrived that I think I'd rather ride with Sam in 2022. This would likely result in Rhule getting fired and allowing a new group of coaches to come in and right the ship. Then again, maybe...just maybe...McAdoo can make Sam a serviceable guy who can hold things down until we can draft a guy next year.

The coach, Zac Taylor, is only in his 3rd season. He didn't get his franchise QB until the 2020 season. It's been a 3 year process for Taylor and a 2 year process for Burrows. Their rebuild is eerily similar to what Bill Walsh did in San Francisco. He took over in 1979 and went 2-14. Joe Montana was drafted in the 3rd round that year. In 1980 they were better and finished 6-10. In 1981 they won their division with a 13-3 record and went on to win the Superbowl against... THE BENGALS!!!

Barring unforeseen circumstances, Burrows should be in the thick of things for the next decade. Unfortunately, he may have a more difficult road than Brady did. Tom played in a joke division (AFC East) for most of his career. Burrows will have to deal with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens twice a year. And, the Browns seem to give the Bengals fits. Cleveland swept them this year. If Cleveland had a solid QB, on paper they may actually be the more talented team. The he'll have to deal with either Mahomes, Herbert, and Allen in the playoffs. Brady had two playoff foes in the AFC, Peyton Manning and Joe Flacco. The former beat him 3 times in the AFC title game. And Flacco beat him twice in NE in the playoffs. Big Ben and Phillip Rivers were never obstacles for Brady in the post season. I tend to agree that he may be on the verge of becoming the top QB in the AFC, but the battle for that spot is going to be fun to watch over the next several seasons. The AFC of the 2020's reminds me of the NBA from 1980-1990. 3 teams won multiple titles during that stretch (Lakers, Celtics, and Pistons). The 76ers only won 1 (1983), but lost to the Lakers on 80 and 82. I can see that happening in the AFC this decade.

Two years ago the Bengals had the worse record in the NFL. They drafted a talented QB in the first round to lay the foundation for the rebuild. He played well last year, but missed half the season due to a torn ACL. Now with only 2 years in the NFL, and only a year removed from a season ending injury, Burrows and his young first time coach are headed to the Superbowl...despite a mediocre/poor pass blocking O-line. Contrast that with Carolina. Two seasons ago we were more talented than Cincinnati. On paper, we had good draft classes in 2020 and 2021. Yet, we are worse we were before Burrows enter the league. No one expected a rebuilding Carolina club to make a SB in year 2, although the Bengals proved it could be done. But, we should see progress, not regression. I hope Mr. Tepper sees what a real rebuild looks like.

While I pretty much agree with you 100% on this, I'd like to pose a question to you and the other Huddlers. If Deonte (or Brady for that matter) could master the position, would their conversion to Center be a positive or negative for the Panthers? The way I see it we have 4 spots on the line that need to be addressed. If you could solidify a spot on the O-line with either guy it would make us better in 2022.

Once the staff saw how poorly the LT played Brady should have been plugged in to see if he could man the position. We'd have a much better idea on his future at that spot had we done this. It's common sense, if you draft a LT...and the guy who plays in front of him is below average, then play the guy you drafted to see is he is better. If Rhule was absolutely convinced that Brady's arms were an inch to short to play LT , then at worst he should have been started at LG for the majority of the season. If he proved capable (or incapable), at least you'd know which positions to address in the off-season. The thing that bothers me the most about last season was our inability to develop our rookie class. Jaycee's injury was unavoidable so he gets a pass. Chubba was the only one who really had an impact this year, and that only happened because Christian was hurt most of the season. If you subtracted every other rookie's contribution in 2021 (with the possible exception of Brady filling in all over the O-line) it wouldn't have had a significant impact on our final record. That's telling since we had a league high 11 draft choices for a rebuilding team

I was thinking the same thing. What player in this draft is worth moving up for and giving away 2nd (and possibly a 3rd) round draft choice? As a GM, I wouldn't do it unless a player in the Top 10 was the missing piece to putting my team into playoff/title contention. Even then, I'd have to have an extra pick in the round two or three to seriously consider it. I'm also not sold on the idea that we can simply fix our o-line thru free agency. We picked two FA's last year and we know how that turned out. I already doubt the staff's ability to properly evaluate lineman. Also, after last year's fiasco I don't see quality FA's making a bee-line to Carolina to play under Matt Rhule. Take a stud lineman at 6. If you trade back, I wouldn't go below 12

From what I saw Keith Taylor Jr. held up pretty well when he was on the field this season. He was a great value pick in the 5th round. Rhule should have played him more this season instead of trading for CJ Henderson. As you pointed out, not only did we lose a valuable 3rd round pick, but we also lost our best passing catching TE. Arnold would have been a huge benefit to our offense this past season. I didn't see CJ do anything significantly better than Keith in pass coverage. That's my biggest gripe with Rhule. He did a poor job developing the rookies on both sides of the ball in 2021.

Las Vegas Raiders. Jacksonville Jaguars. Denver Broncos. Chicago Bears. Minnesota Vikings. ... New York Giants. ... Miami Dolphins. ... Houston Texans New Orleans

I think Payton going to Dallas would be troublesome for the entire NFC. Payton is probably the one coach Jerry Jones would probably be willing to cater to in order to get a final chance at a Super Bowl ring. I have no doubt that Dak's play would improve and that offense would perform more consistently week in and week out.

I wonder if the Saints would take Matt Rhule, Sam Darnold, Cam Erving, and John Miller as compensation if we went after Payton?

I've always felt Brady always seems to have the ball bounce his way as they say. After seeing this video and reading some articles online I began to think "Could something else be going on here"

"Maybe it's time to leave the NFC North Aaron and come to the NFC South. Look what this guy said about you on facebook: Aaron Rodgers is learning what George McCaskey knows all too well... Owning the Bears doesn't get you much in the playoffs

This guy seems to have no impact on the passing game. We already have a starter at DT who has no significant impact on the passing game...Derrick Brown. We don't need to waste a high pick on another one unless he slips to the 5th or 6th round and is the best available player on the board.

If I had players on the team capable of replacing them with no (or little) drop-off, and the rest of the roster was solid across the board, then I think I'd do it. None of the guys you mentioned are irreplaceable. However, if would have to be for an established guy (ex: Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson...before assault allegations). I wouldn't trade those guys to draft a rookie ...unless...He was a generational QB...and even then I'd be hesitant.

KillaCam is saying that the Rams have been one of the NFL's better teams over the past 5 seasons. If they win their next two games they could represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. That's impressive without any first round picks for nearly half a decade. But, they've got to win while the window is open. Not having those picks is ultimately going to catch up to them. They've got to win in the next 2-3 seasons to justify the moves.

I came up with this question after thinking about the drama that surrounded 3 of the best QB's in the league prior to the 2021 season. Deshaun Watson, Russel Wilson, and Aaron Rodgers all expressed interest in leaving their teams. The first two had no clear successor to replace them. But this past draft was supposedly full of 1st round prospects. A team could have let them go and picked a QB from the 2021 draft class with the extra picks. The Packers moved up to get Jordan Love a couple of seasons to go. If they were convinced that Jordan Love could be as effective replacing Rodgers as Rodgers was replacing Brett Favre, I could see Green Bay letting Rodgers go for three 1st round picks in the same year...but only if they had a franchise QB sitting on the bench (which in reality they do not).

You'd be swapping places with a team and giving them the 2 extra picks in the first round. The scenario I envisioned would allow you to keep your picks in rounds 2-7, so the line could be addressed during the rest of the draft; or in free agency. I also said "if your team were one QB away" from contending.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/01/18/2022-nfl-draft-order-eagles-hold-15th-16th-and-19th-overall-picks/ As you can see from the above link, Philly has 3 draft choices between picks 10 and 20. I don't think the Eagles are going to do anything drastic at QB this year. But, if you were the GM for the Panthers (or any team for that matter) and your franchise was a QB away from being a legitimate Super Bowl threat would you consider the making the following move(s)? 1) Trade all three #1 draft choices in one year to either move up in the draft to pick a stud QB? 2) Trade all three #1 draft choices in one year to acquire a stud QB in a blockbuster trade? And, If you were a GM for a team would you 1) Accept three #1 picks for a team to move up into your spot the draft? 2) Accept three #1 picks to trade a player you were looking to move? ------- San Francisco gave up a ton to get Trey Lance. The details are below. "The Niners essentially placed their future in Lance's hands, sending three first-round picks to Miami for the right to select the dynamic, dual-threat quarterback. San Francisco doesn't have a first-round pick until 2024 and is also out a third-rounder in 2022." ------ I could see doing this if you were only a QB away from contending for a title. The player you picked or traded for would in essence be your #1 pick and the other draft choices in later rounds would be intact. I couldn't see parting with any picks the following draft. I could see doing it as a GM if there was a strong draft class that season. You could pick 3 blue chip players and pretty much control them for 5 seasons. If the picks were solid, a team could significantly better in a hurry. Thoughts?

Let this sink in, Cousins threw more TD's last year than the Panthers have thrown as team the past two seasons. Our rebuild is a year behind after the disastrous 2021 season. Our problems won't be solved by drafting any of the available QB's in the first round of this years draft If we did get Cousins, then he could hold things down for the next couple of seasons as we address our weak areas (O-line, LB, S, run stoppers)this off-season. We could then afford to go all in for a QB during the 2023 draft and have someone ready to replace him round 2024-2025. I'm just curious as to what type of compensation that Vikings would want in return for a trade.