Seltzer

Bryce led the league in down the field throws the last 5 weeks of the season... You've lost me on this totally. The YPA in 2023 was abysmal for sure. But Bryce was throwing it all over the field by the end of last year... were we not watching the same games??!

just curious... have they announced all the TNF games? If so, this is good news! We need all the help we can get to prevent injuries, and between both teams playing, it seems like there is at least one significant injury (where player misses multiple weeks or more) from TNF

I'm genuinely OK with a lack of prime time games. And certainly more than OK with no Thursday games that statistically greatly increase injury risks. This team has been ass for years, and even though I am optimistic for this upcoming season, the last thing I want is to see us poo the bed again in prime time. If we're good enough, we will get rewarded at the end of the year. Also, while watching prime time games is fun, going to a 1PM game is so much better from a scheduling standpoint with kids.

I think the plan and hope is that Moehrig, Richardson, and Ransom can be the long-term core at S. Still for depth reasons I think we need to bring in a veteran safety on a 1-year deal as a contingency

Under Evero we have usually had 5 safeties on the active roster. Right now, we have only have Moehrig, Richardson, Nick Scott, and Ransom. Not counting the UDFA, that's only 4 safeties right now on the roster. Even if Nick Scott is the 5th S primarily for ST, there's still a spot that needs to be filled. I'm wary of depending on a 2nd year UDFA or a rookie 4th rounder to be the Week 1 starter. Signing someone else would allow Nick Scott to compete with the undrafted guys/anyone else we bring in for the final spot. The only question I see is the timing of the move. Because on one hand, maybe one of these guys can step up. But of course the risk is waiting and potentially losing out on quality guys thay could help you. So, I guess to be clear, I think the Panthers safety depth is still extremely questionable, and i think it would be malpractice not to sign another S that has logged significant snaps in the NFL. In terms of the timing for signing someone, that's for someone above our pay grades (Dan Morgan) to figure out

I understand where you're coming from, but we need another safety IMHO. Other positions, especially on defense, dont have ideal depth, but to me at least S is the one position we can't stand pat at even when thinking about the future

100%. Nick Scott was awful last year. Like, even for a franchise that hasn't historically invested in that position, it stood out for how awful it was. If he sees meaningful snaps at S again we're cooked. Maybe he has value for ST, but I certainly hope we can upgrade. Jordan Fuller, who was by all accounts an Evero guy, was almost as bad. Xavier Woods was bad, but not complete garbage. Still did not want him back. Those 3 guys seriously may have been the worst S group in the NFL. And they all were brought in, especially Fuller, as good fits for this system. Everyone knocks the defensive line, and they deserve a lot of blame, too, but so, so many times our safeties inability to tackle let 4-5 yard runs turn into 10+. And it happened over and over and over again if you watch the film. Honestly, Demani Richardson was the only S by the end of the year I remember making positive plays. I have no issue with Richardson being in the mix and/or competing to be a starter, but we still need another S desperately IMHO who has actually played meaningful snaps in the NFL. The only caveat/excuse for our secondary was the fact our pass rush was nonexistent for large stretches last year. Maybe that helps with coverage, but I dont see how that makes any of these guys better at tackling. I know it somewhat feels like piling on at this point, but I feel 100% confident in saying this was the worst tackling team in franchise history. The 70ish yard pass play we gave up to Jamarr Chase where he ran through and past everyone in the secondary has to be up there in terms of most embarrassing plays I've ever seen. I can't imagine how embarrassed Kuechly must have been watching from the booth... I think bringing back Evero was a mistake, but for a team that has had nothing but change over the past 5 years, I'm willing to see this through. I definitely think we added significantly to the floor of this defense with the additions we made. I dont think Evero has any further excuses if he cant field a unit that can at least somewhat hold their own. Fixing the safety play is going to be a big part of that.

Also a good point

Vets aren't in any hurry to sign and teams want to see younger guys in OTAs first anyway. Not signing a guy today by no means indicates they won't sign someone before TC

Exactly. We have almost $20M in cap. We are definitely signing another safety and probably CB. May not be until TC or beyond to see what we have with some younger guys, but Dan Morgan has stated multiple times they're not through in free agency

That, and he can play NT & DE in this system. That is the only reason I could see him sticking around another season (and the fact he already took a pay cut). Still think it's just as likely as not he doesn't make the final 53.

I would add CB to that list

As it stands now, OLB will be: Wonnum, Jones, Scourton, Umanmielen And then it comes down to DJ Johnson & Amare Barno. I think Barno would make it based on ST, but they could still look to sign/claim another OLB for that final spot. It does seem like Canales is telling it straight when he says the rookies are going to play a lot.

let's hope

I certainly hope so. Foster had several injuries early in his career, and was able to bounce back and have some good years.

As much hate as he got (mostly deserved), Ian Thomas was/is an above average blocker which is why is still in the league. I like Jordan Matthews but I think he is just too much of a tweeter to be good at WR or TE. That being said, he was a great veteran presence on the team. And I could definitely see him being brought back (yet again) if we need another TE. I just want us to get better across the board. If the coaches think these are the right moves, I'm good with it.

100% agree

T-Mac put up good numbers for 3 consecutive seasons on teams without a good QB situation, and in an environment where T-Mac got game planned against weekly and still performed. Teams threw all kinds of defensive coverages against T-Mac, and he still found ways week in and week out to contribute at a high level. XL was basically a 1-year wonder. Doesn't mean he cant be great (and I think him & T-Mac will compliment each other well), but i think T-Mac is the more polished of the 2 right now. This certainly isn't a perfect comparison, but I hope XL & T-Mac can approximate what we had with Smitty & Moose (Although i think T-Macs ceiling is higher than Moose and XLs ceiling is lower than Smitty). Both those guys were multiple Pro Bowlers and even All-Pro. T-Mac & XL have a long way to go to actually being comparable, but the potential is there. And regardless of how this season turns out, you can actually see a strategic plan being executed. On paper, I think this offensive roster has as much talent as any Panthers team since 2017. Defense is still a question mark, and it's unrealistic to think we will go from being historically bad to great in 1 year, but based on historical and statistical data, we stand a much better chance of turning the defense around in 1 year than the offense. I still want us to potentially add at S, CB, and ILB, but this roster is exponentially better than the roster heading into the 2023 season. Which still begs the question of how & why the team thought they were in a good position to trade all the way up. Regardless, it's in the past, and while the past 2 years have mostly sucked, we are strategically in a much better position than we have been in years. This is easily the best WR group since 2020 IMO (Moore, Anderson, Samuel). I'm super excited about what T-Mac can bring to this offense and team, and I'm really hoping we continue to build off where we ended last year offensively, and hopefully we've made enough improvements on defense to be competitive. I've also been vocal for the most part in supporting BY9. He came into an awful situation and to a team that was in no position to make such a trade. Still, this is Year 3. And this is a team that IMHO has both the talent & depth on offense to score and score a lot. Most QBs that ever amount to anything are competing by Year 3. There are no excuses for the offense not to perform. I think BY9 knows full well what's riding on this year in terms of his long term future. And I think T-Mac is a massive piece in helping Bryce and the team get over the hump and back into playoff contention.

Again, he led the NFL in big-time throws with what was objectively might have been the weakest WR group in the league, including going toe-to-toe with both SB teams. Some of these posts aren't grounded in reality. Delusion then was not thinking Bryces career here wasn't in jeopardy after Week 2 of last year. Delusion now is currently thinking Bryce hasn't done anything to prove he belongs both in this league and as the face of this franchise heading into next season

Dude led the league in big time throws after Week 8 throwing to freaking David Moore, Jalen Coker, butterfingers XL, and 100 year old Theilen and people here still want to trash him... Seriously, why be a fan of this team?? Nobody is crowning him MVP but Bryce unequivocally proved he should go into this season as the starter. Sometimes I genuinely wonder what some people look for in being a fan. I've watched almost every snap in this franchises history, and this is the most excited I've been heading into a season since 2018. This team on paper could be a Top 10 unit without hyperbole or exaggeration. Who knows how well the defense will gel, but after years of borderline unwatchable offense, I'm signing up for this immediately. The Bryce hate is pathetic at this point. Literally everyone across the league who knows ball is excited to see what BY9 can do this season without the almost comical dysfunction he came the league into and you have goobers on here you have staked so much on Bryce sucking they just can't let it go...

I 100% agree about the kicker. However, depending on who we still sign in FA, there is a legitimate chance for an UDFA at S, CB, or ILB to make the team. I guess it's not inconceivable at WR either

Give me all the priority UDFAs we can get for S, CB, and ILB. Still have some open spots there in filling out the 53. It's been a while since the offense looked this solified leaving the draft

I get your frustration but I think it's evident now we are going to sign at least 1 FA safety and maybe 2, and i still think we use one of our final picks on it

Kyle Pitts and OJ Howard were both top-10 TE picks by the Falcons and Bucs. Howard was a bust (and I think out of the league) and Pitts has been a massive disappointment so far. They both were seen as incredible prospects. TE might be the hardest position in the entire NFL to project. Greg Olsen was a 1st rounder who showed some flashes, but he didn't really flourish until he came here. Many TEs have their best seasons several seasons in... just far too many unknowns for a team that still has so many major needs.

Vegas had the preseason projection for Washington at 6.5 wins last year. I feel more confident that we will exceed that number than any time since before the 2019 season