45catfan

19 hours ago, strato said:

Came across this 

Pearsall is ready to contribute now, Legette needs training wheels.  Who knows how long those training wheels stay on.

8 hours ago, ForJimmy said:

Looks like we got 3 top 60 prospects on that persons list with no first round pick. Throw in the 2025 2nd round pick we got that sounds like a solid draft based on the rankings in that article. 

Again, I have have no real issues with the trades, well, maybe the Legette one.  Outside of that, we got good-to-great value out of the trades. I simply don't like what we did once the cards were turned in.  I have yet to see any draft expert in the media love our draft.  It's either average or not that good.  Not all these people are just opining idiots.  Morgan is either a genius or he simply reached.

According to this article every one of our picks outside of Sanders was a reach.  I agree.

https://pantherswire.usatoday.com/lists/nfl-draft-2024-panthers-reach-consenus-rankings/

11 minutes ago, travisura said:

I think going from 2 wins to 8 wins would be enough of an increase to convince Tepper that he deserves one more season, to see if he continues the upward trajectory.

We are going to have 2 wins this year?  Yuck.   FYI, another poster and I were discussing the 2026 draft.

2 minutes ago, travisura said:

If Bryce breaks out and leads us to 7-8 wins then they wouldn't be drafting a QB anyway.

In a 17 game season, that's still a losing record.  Three consecutive losing seasons for a #1 overall pick and yes, they should consider all options even replacing Bryce.

6 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

I've heard the 26 draft will be the best one yet.  Nico and Arch leading the way!

With our luck Bryce will have a break out season and lead us to 7 or 8 wins which will be out of reach for the top two QB.

25 minutes ago, UnluckyforSome said:

Someone could have a breakout year and be in the conversation, but as of now it seems limited. 

Conversely, Young could have a breakout year, and the conversation changes too.

At this time, I do not share your confidence in being the 5-9 range.

Arch Manning 2026!  Let's GO!!!!!

People were like "lol, Fiske who?" when I mocked several times to us in the 2nd round.  Apparently the Rams thought highly of him.  I wouldn't have paid the price they did to move up, but he's a legit disrupting force and can play anywhere on the DL.  Would have been a great pairing with Brown.

We didn't get to fleece them in the Burns trade, but at least we got them to overpay in another trade.  That's unless dude turns into a perennial Pro Bowler.

Bryce will be the starting QB here at least through 2025.  I don't care how bad he is this coming season, teams typically don't give up on the #1 overall pick, especially a QB, just after two seasons. 

Buckle up for the 2026 draft.

16 hours ago, AceBoogie said:

It means teams have gotten lazy and desperate when it comes to drafting QBs

So we can expect six QBs taken in the top 12 from here on out each draft?  Wanna wager that won't happen next year?

Just now, Hoenheim said:

They really should have gotten JPJ or Frazier in R2 and picked up a RB later 

Yup or Edge.  Edge guys take time to develop and we have a bunch of short term rentals there.  Needed a youngster to groom for 2025.  I don't dislike Brooks, just where we drafted him.

My take assuming all the same trades were made.:

Rd1 (32)-Ladd McConkey -WR

Rd2 (14)-Chris Braswell - Edge

Rd3 (8)- Peyton Wilson- ILB

Rd4 (1)- Audric Estime- RB

Rd5 (22)-Chau Wade-Smith- CB (the reason I like this pick)

Rd6 (24)- Beau Limmer- C

Rd7 (20)- Justin Rogers - NT

I know we missed out on a TE, but it was a weak draft and with Thomas and Temble as #1 and #2, dude wouldn't have seen the field much anyway outside of STs.

1 minute ago, UnluckyforSome said:

2025 may not be the best year to need a QB. Sanders and Ewers might be the top 2. 

You don't say?  Regardless, I think we will right there for one of those two.  Maybe not #1 overall, but top 10 for sure...likely 5-9 range.

3 minutes ago, mrcompletely11 said:

I more or less agee but getting a 2nd next year moves this up a grade.  But solely on the players and where they were draft C feels right

Trades didn't factor into my grade.  Solely based on  players, need and value.  Of course I'm happy we got a 2nd rounder back next year. 

1 hour ago, Khyber53 said:

And squirrely as they come.

The more I read up on Smith-Wade, the more I think this might be the best pick we made. Really hoping to see him out there making some QBs look really bad.

 

Yup, my favorite pick too.  Will he pan out?  Who knows?  But the player, round and position all matched up for me. That's a win.  The only one in the entire draft for us for me.

7 minutes ago, PanthersATL said:

We have/had a lot of holes to fill. None of the reviews I read were that negative, other than "let's see" and "a lot hinges on whether these picks will actually help the team right now"

I think too many writers are hesitant to rate higher solely based on last year's situation

Huh?  The Bears, Commandos and Cards got some of the best marks and were bad last year too.  Unless we purge the scouting department, our drafts are going to continue to be lackluster.  It's crazy to me that we keep firing coaching staffs and GMs, but largely keep the scouting department in tact.  Sure there's been some turnover, they go on the information provided by the scouts.  Coaches coach, scouts scout.   I simply think our scouting department blows.  That's the only conclusion I can come to as to why year after year, coaching staff after coaching staff and GM after GM, we still suck.

Sanders, Beck and Ewers will be top 10 picks, if healthy.  I'm thinking probably two more will go mid-to-late first round.  Still, not the draft like this year.  Seen some of Leonard since he played in the ACC. Not being lazy because they were to the same school, but I think Leonard is a Daniel Jones type of QB.  Middling starter, but a quality backup.   I haven't seen enough of Ward yet.  He decided to stay in college when I was studying guys, so I didn't waste my time with his film.  in my very limited time on his tape, his comp would be a hybrid of Tyrod Taylor and DeShaun Watson (now, not 5 years ago).

The rest of the mid round guys are a wide variety of styles and sizes.  You have the tall pocket guys (Howard and Ulagalelei).  There's the shorter and more mobile QBs with moxie (not running threats though) with Dart, McCall and Rogers.  I would definitely take one of these dudes in the mid-rounds.

Again, I'm not sure if Milroe comes out.  Depending on his season, he could be a late first rounder.

To expand more on the above graphic.  We were the ONLY team to get ZERO 'A's and tied with a few other teams with the most 'D's (only Atlanta had more).  Even the Falcons got one top mark with their 32nd ranked draft.

Again, we hit positions of need--kudos, but the players taken and WHEN they were take is my biggest gripe.  Thus a 'C'.

13 hours ago, Basbear said:

Crazy, 20 sports writers also gave us a 'C'.  Only a tic above Cleveland for next to last and third worst overall.  Yet, I'm the negative one.  I guess all those folks are just miserable S.O.Bs too.

7 minutes ago, CPcavedweller said:

I think Pinkney has a shot too. He’s a bigger body guy who does everything you want someone with his size to do. 

I wouldn't shock me if the try to convert Pickney to TE.  They keep holding on to these underweight TEs on the PS like Matthew and Pierce.  I think even Sullivan was lite when he first got here and has put on weight since.  Problem being we can't find the complete package.  We either have blocking TEs that aren't proficient pass catchers (Thomas and Tremble) or guys like I previously mentioned that more like tall WRs, but can't block for nothing.

1 hour ago, ForJimmy said:

So are the scouts or Tepper making these decisions? I’m trying to keep track over here.. 

Scouts scout, they don't make the picks.  However, they give the front office their info. Best I can tell, they are told to look for amazing athletes and not worry so much about those pesky production numbers.  Based off that, the board is collective built and then the coach and GM make a selection...with Tepper's blessing (for the top picks). 

6 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

I gave it a C because I really only maybe two of these guys making a second contract here(Brooks and Sanders). 

Seemed very similar to recent previous drafts to my eyes.

Same... a 'C'.   I think we panicked with Legette.  While the value was good for Brooks, RB was not the position we needed with that high of a pick.  The Wallace pick is a total head-scratcher to me.  I thought TE could have waited until round 5. The rest are flier picks, but I'm hopeful about the corner.

39 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

He's not wrong about the scouts.  Largely the same group of people.

Personally, the team hit most of the positions I wanted.  However, not players or, in several instances, the rounds the player was taken.  That's my biggest gripe.

13 minutes ago, Growl said:

I mean we heard the reports pre draft that brooks was their guy 

there’s nothing to indicate center was ever in play

 

The lack of centers on the top 30 official visits list should have been a tip off that it wasn't a priority.