Raleigh PF

Now there's a skills competition I could get behind.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Chinn traded. He's a talent without a position.

I'd like to see the Panthers sign David Long (LB), Drue Tranquill and re-sign Ioannidis. The second round pick should be spent on DT or DE, using FA or trade to fill out the WR/TE spots. Is it time to consider trading Jeremy Chinn for draft capital? Dude just seems like a man without a position anymore.

They could still be interested in Garoppolo, unless the Panthers think Stroud/Young is going to start from day 1, which I think is highly unlikely.

Corral is in a tough spot. If they draft a QB, that's where the focus of the coaching staff will be. The QB room doesn't work well with two inexperienced QBs vying for one spot.

To be fair, he's following a HoF linebacker - of course he's going to be a bit of a disappointment. Having said that, he's maybe slightly above average, but didn't warrant the contract he was given.

That could be. I'm thinking the Panthers would want to have their plan in place before FA starts. If they are able to trade into the top-3, maybe they don't need someone like Jimmy G. If they aren't able to do that before FA, then he could be an aggressive target. In on every deal...(except Aaron Rodgers).

One of those being Jimmy G, if I'm thinking right. IF the Panthers lose out on a top 3 pick, I can see them signing Jimmy G, then entertaining their own trade down scenario in hopes of maybe picking up a first rounder for the QB derby next year.

I'm guessing that's a fall back position if the Panthers are unable to land a top 3 draft pick.

@Vergehow do you see the Bears playing this out? If I were the Bears GM, I would try to trade down first with Houston, then with Indy, collecting as many picks along the way as I could. And, what do you see the Panthers having to give up to get to #3? Has Arizona indicated they are willing to trade back to 9?

If you look at the Ravens offer to LJ ($250M, $133M guaranteed), it falls in line with other QB contracts at that time. The Ravens are looking to reset the market based upon the Watson deal being an anomaly, not the norm and the other owners are in line with that attempt. That being said, let's see what happens when Burrow and Hebert get new contracts. You don't think they are going to settle for less guaranteed money, do you? The difference here is they have an agent and LJ does not. In this case, it is really going to hurt his negotiating ability.

All of these teams say this now, but let's wait until the draft is over, the music stops playing and one or more of these teams is left without a dance partner.

Nah, it will only cost two. This year would be a swap of 1st round picks and then the next two years added on.

I answered your questions. Not my fault if reading comprehension is an issue. You seem determined to make a point about the Ravens being big ol' meanies who aren't treating Jackson like they should. I tend to look at it more like a business transaction. I don't care what the Ravens are offering or what Lamar would like to get. I'm trying to read between the lines to understand if it's likely a deal gets done and I just don't see it likely that one will.

No one has asked him to take a pay cut. Even on the non-exclusive tag, he'll get a significant raise. The Ravens are in a tough spot. They can't afford to pay free agents if they keep Lamar because they will be over the cap with the franchise tag. In fact, they'll have to cut people. So even if we agree that he doesn't have talent around him, whatever his salary turns out to be will restrict them from improving.

I think the Ravens give Lamar the non-exclusive tag and here's why: 1. The Ravens are up against the cap. Giving LJ the non-exclusive tag means they won't have to cut as many guys from their roster to reach the cap, which they have to do by March 15. 2. Although LJ is then eligible to negotiate with other teams, the Ravens have a right to match the offer. 3. The price for a team wishing to sign LJ is two 1st round picks. That means the Ravens would receive an additional pick this year and next. If they like one of the QBs this year, they could then draft one for a lot less money then LJ would require AND/OR position themselves for a QB option next year. 4. I get the feeling the Ravens don't think LJ is going to take them to the Super Bowl. If that's the case, it makes more sense to get something for him now and not make a long-term commitment to a QB that can't take that final step. It would be a smart move by the Ravens.

Apparently Rodgers is the Jets Favrerite QB.

Better than average chance Shaq is gone as well.

Yeah, the PC thing for GMs to do is talk about how they always want to select the BPA. Bullshit. The best strategy is getting the best value for the pick. That means making selections that make the best economic sense AND fit the philosophy of the coaching staff. The most expensive positions in the NFL are QB, DL, WR and Edge, which is why we typically see those positions come off the board quickly. There are exceptions for unicorns like CMC but even that pick has been questioned. Draft early to fill the most expensive positions unless you find a unicorn. Robinson is going to be a very good RB, but I don't think he's a unicorn.

From Wikipedia... "David Wesley was charged in 2000 with misdemeanor reckless driving in the crash that killed his friend and teammate Bobby Phills. A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police report said Phills was speeding at more than 100 mph (160 km/h) when Phills lost control and crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with a car. The report said both Phills and Wesley were driving "in an erratic, reckless, careless, negligent and/or aggressive manner".[9] In a non-jury trial, a judge acquitted Wesley of the charge of racing Phills.[10]"

Gesicki seems like a Swiss Army knife to me. Can do some things well, but isn't great at anything. As a TE, his blocking is a liability. No other way to say it. As a WR, he's not a burner. However, by signing him, the Panthers accomplish two things - they sign a WR and a TE. Gesicki seems to know how to get open, much like Greg Olsen did. Olsen was a great TE, but he was no burner. He developed into a competent blocker the older he got. It could be that Gesicki best fills that role.

Thinking about the Bears and their #1 pick... If they have tunnel vision, then they set their sites on Anderson/Carter and don't move down beyond the 4th pick. But that would be silly. They aren't winning anything next year. What they need is an infusion of talent - more quality picks, really. They can get that if they first trade with the Colts, which likely lands them a first-rounder+ next year. Then they trade back again with the Panthers which likely nets them another first round pick and more. They could set themselves up nicely for the next couple of drafts, if they wanted, and could be in the driver's seat for next year's QB crop along with SEVERAL other pieces. So, I don't believe they are not considering trading back as far as the Panthers pick, but they have to at least seem like they won't to drive up the price. If it happens that the QB the Panthers want is at 4, I don't think they'd hesitate to pull the trigger.

I say this partially in jest, but I'm still waiting for that first, highly-touted Ohio State franchise QB to emerge. Ain't happened yet. We look at players as simply plug-n-play. Fantasy fodder. There's a lot going on for a guy in his early 20's being hit with life-changing money, status and options. Not all of them are ready to make the best decisions.

Let's accept that the 49ers busted on their Trey Lance pick. Doesn't seem like they are suffering all that bad for it, at the moment. On the contrary, I'm sure they're an org a good number of FA QBs would like to play for. I think the Panthers are working to build something similar.

Okay, let's say they pull the trigger, dump all the draft picks on the Bears and find out that the QB they chose isn't any good? Does that mean they are hamstrung for years to come? Not necessarily. The Panthers have been in cap hell for so long we don't know what it's like to have options. Even if they bust the pick this year, they are going to have a pretty good amount of cap room available in the next couple of years. It's not the end of the world if they muff the pick. Wouldn't feel good, but so be it.