Icege

Some possible UFA QB options if Carr and Lamar hit free agency: Lamar Jackson Derek Carr Jimmy Garoppolo Sam Darnold Jacoby Brissett Geno Smith Mike White Cooper Rush Baker Mayfield Gardner Minshew? Starting to accept the increasing possibility of Sam returning to start for one more season and/or the team moving up for a passer. If the Saints land Carr, Lamar stays in Bmore, Geno stays in Seattle, and JimmyG reunites with McDaniels that's going to leave Jacoby Brissett or back-ups Mayfield, White, Rush, and Minshew. Not exactly the most inspiring group... I think that if nobody trades up with Chicago for the #1 overall pick we could see Carolina make a move to slide up to #3 for whoever is left between Stroud and Young. If they're confident enough in their scouting + coaching, maybe they stay put and take who remains between Levis and Richardson. Phew... this offseason seems even more stressful than what we've experienced lately.

I can get behind signing Carr on a 3yr deal with the final year giving the team an affordable out. While I liked Corral as a prospect, the team is able to compete now with the current roster (and current state of the NFC South) so they need to get a starting QB that can get them to the postseason. It'd also allow the team to spend that 1st round pick on BPA and make the squad even stronger overall. My primary concern with Carr isn't his quality of play, but rather what type of contract he will be seeking. Is he going to look for a 4+ year deal from someone that believes in him and is desperate enough to try and avoid QB purgatory? That could be tough... but it's hard for me to look at Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Teddy Bridgewater, PJ Walker, Matt Corral, and the shell of Cam Newton without acknowledging that Carr would be the best QB we've had since prime Cam.

I hear you, but even you were saying Howell and maybe Willis were above Pickett even after all of those established mock drafters and community writers. DJ's co-worker, Chad Reuter of NFL.com, also had Corral going #6 to Carolina, Ridder going to PIT @ #12, and Howell going to TEN @ #14: link Which all supports my original point that it is way too early to assume that all of the top QB prospects will be unavailable at #9. If we want to assume that the top 2 are gone, that's fair, but that could also change based on how teams address their QB position in free agency when it begins in March.

Post quoting an Observer article pointing out the possibility of Ridder going at the end of the first. There are other examples out there showing Corral and Howell being discussed as potential late 1st rounders, especially with Howell (some here even considered him QB1 in the class). Malik not going in the 1st was a huge shock here after all of the clamoring during the offseason.

That's normal for this time of year, especially since it's before free agency and the veteran QB carousel has gotten up to full speed. Last season, we were all told that Kenny Pickett, Malik Willis, Sam Howell, Desmond Ridder, and possibly even Matt Corral would be gone in the first round. Pickett ended up being the only QB selected in the 1st round at #20. Corral, Willis, and Ridder all went in the 3rd and Howell in the 5th. In 2021, we were told that all 5 QBs would be gone within the first 5 picks. 3 went 1-2-3 (which, iirc, is only the second time that happened during the modern draft), but Fields lasted to #11 and Jones to #15. 2020 was the year of Burrow, Tua, and Herbert. While we famously missed out on Herbert by one game, a Super Bowl-bound Jalen Hurts was drafted in the 2nd round. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a "You don't have to find a QB in the 1st round," post. I'm just attempting to highlight how at this time of year, as fans, we get googly-eyed over any prospect that isn't on the team and the FOMO (fear of missing out) becomes almost unbearable. I also think that folks tend to forget that a lot of teams, because they spend the most money on their first round selections, want to get an impact starter for a position that will also help them save money. It's one of the reasons why we don't see centers taken often in the 1st (much to my dismay), because contractually you end up saving next to nothing if you get a center in the 1st when comparing them to average second contracts. If a team is in the right position (or desperate enough), there's always the potential gamble, but for the most part you're going to see guys that can immediately start go early. A franchise QB is the apple of every team's eye, but if they're not ready to start they had better have some damn impressive tape to justify the selection. Nobody wants a guy to sit and learn unless they can afford it.

I'm reading that we're going to get Quenton Johnston in the 1st and Max Duggan in the 4th because I crave chaos.

No doubt, but it's fun to read the tea leaves sometimes. Even if they're just making tea.

Very interesting... Kunkel: "I think it's fair to say years ago you would just pluck any talent, like, this roster needed any talent anywhere. Now is it fair to say that you can pluck specific guys for specific positions because you're kind of fine tuning now?" Fitterer: "There's always certain value to a player at the position, but at this point, um, if you know you can move back and maybe pick up a receiver or a linebacker, you can do that. Or if you want to take the picks that you have and move up, you know, and take a quarterback, you can do that. So we're in a position, we're flexible. Uh, we haven't started the process yet of free agency or the draft. Our scouts have been getting all of the information, uh, you know over the next couple of weeks and we'll start building that board and developing a plan." @Ivan The Awesome Anything you notice body language wise during that part? I remember the CJ Henderson write up that you did. I thought it seemed to lean towards trading back and acquiring pieces.

Direct link: https://h104216-hcdn.mp.lura.live/1/938887/1659/23/02/01/8354857/8354857_63334C45BE0A1E94087EEDD2708F1F67_230201_8354857_Exclusive__1_on_1_Panthers__general_manager_Scot_3000.mp4

Definitely has made some good moves, and the bad ones thus far haven't seemed to set the franchise back any significant amount of time (unless the stickler meeseeks want to forecast what they think a Brian Burns trade would have resulted in). Not the biggest fan of the Sam Darnold trade, but it's hard to look at some of the moves made and not smell Matt Rhule wafting from them.

Seeing posters invalidate arguments for Corral that they turn around and use in support of Stroud is adorable.

Really excited for the possibility of Brian Johnson as the OC. Sounds like he was the target whether or not it was Wilks or Reich. I wonder who they'll target for QB coach if they opt to move on from Sean Ryan.

I've found that most of the beat writers, reporters, insiders, etc are on Twitter now. I've got a list that I click on every now and then to catch up on Panthers-related news and discussions. As far as discussions... I will politely disagree there. Discussions would require that folks listen to understand rather than listen to respond. At this point I think that I still click on the Huddle out of a weird addiction or nostalgia. Maybe both? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Reddit is better

As a QB coach? Absolutely. As an OC? I'd rather see what Brian Johnson can do.