Mage

Yeah, Thielen wasn't good. His numbers were what they were because of sheer volume and playing all 17 games. I'm cool with bringing him back if we're going to pay him anyway. But he needs to be the #3 WR and really should be the 4th or 5th option (RB and/or TE) in the passing game at this stage

I'd rather wait and see if the Chargers end up releasing Joey Bosa or Khalil Mack. They have to do something today because they are over the cap. Bosa is a bit too injury prone for my liking, but Mack would be an amazing signing to help instill a new, tough culture.

The truth that very few people want to accept is that the defense wasn't good last year. It just wasn't more obvious because teams had no incentive to go all out and score against us. We were the least-thrown against defense in the NFL, and it ain't because we have lockdown corners. There is a reason why in the 4 games we scored 20+ points in, we gave up 37, 42, 42, and 33 points respectively. When teams wanted to score, they did.

Improving the OL helps the entire team. Even if Bryce doesn't work out, these are good moves for whoever the next QB after him is. I get the frustration with the team. I share it too. But feels like this conversation is too focused on Bryce, when in reality the Panthers also need to make sure the offense is in a good spot for if they need a new QB in 2025. Unless we want to run into the same problem next year where we need both OL pieces and a QB. It is better go ahead and invest in the OL now than trying to do it in the same offseason that you are also needing to commit assets to new QB. The reality is that investing in the OL was always going to be expensive, whether through the draft or in free agency, you are going to have to pay a high cost or get extremely lucky if you want a talented OL across the board.

So, watching them play, you think Nacua and Mingo are on the same level?

Are we going to just ignore the fact Mingo's hands are terrible? How would playing with a different QB change that? The reason I have very little faith in Mingo improving is that he's built to be a possession receiver, but he has terrible hands. It just doesn't compute. And he's not nearly good enough of an athlete to overcome that major issue. It was an issue for him in college. It was an issue for him last year. And hands aren't something that just get better over time, not by the time you get to the NFL. Mingo is like a shorter Jonathan Baldwin

When we trade Burns and he goes off on his new team (and he will), it will be hilarious next year seeing all the threads bashing us for not extending him as our defense tumbles to the bottom. To clarify, I do think the Panthers might be better off trading him considering the position they have put themselves in. But Burns is such a better player than he gets credit for on this forum.

4 1,000 yard seasons in 6 years (and one of the years he was below 1,000 he only started 10 games as a rookie). Just finished 6th in receiving yards and tied for 8th in TDs. "Has his moments"

This is an online internet forum. You know how many wild opinions are posted on this site? Fans on a message board (who represent a very small minority) /=/ NFL front offices. How about this. Name me one legit draft analyst who switched up on Bryce/Stroud because of the cognitive test. Just one is all I ask for. Someone who had Stroud above Bryce, then switched solely because of the cognitive test.

What am I revising? Has it not been widely reported that the Texans wanted Bryce had they picked first? This is common knowledge, but maybe it isn't common for you. Please, enlighten me. What evidence do you have that suggests the Panthers pivoted from Stroud to Bryce because of the test? How did Stroud have his stock damaged and yet still go No. 2 overall?

How was the stock of a player who went 2nd overall hurt? Given it has been widely reported the Texans wanted Bryce if they picked first, what do you have that suggests the Panthers were swayed into a different direction because of a singular test?

Why do people continue to act as if the test hurt Stroud's stock? He went 2nd overall. Bryce was generally considered the frontrunner long before the test came out (although yes some people had Stroud over him, but nobody changed their mind about that because of some test). And there is nothing at all to suggest the test played any role in who the Panthers preferred first.

I love Cam Newton. There is no way he makes the Hall of Fame. If you think he is deserving, you are entitled to your opinion. But he is 100% not getting voted into the HOF.

Damn, I need to keep up with the news more.

McCaffrey

It is an EASY choice to pick it up. It is only $11m. It would be moronic not to. Paying him $11m won't stop us from making any other potential moves.

This definitely reads as a sign that Tepper is letting the dudes he hired do their thing, right?

The decision-making for this team got 20x worse after Matt Rhule got fired, so who really knows.

Canales is here to win football games, not be a family man. There is nothing to suggest his personal life has ever made a negative impact on his coaching.

We should start hearing about Brian Burns soon.

I really can't see the 49ers losing this game, but I am rooting hard for the Lions

What are we saying is significantly less? Sweat went for a 2nd round pick, but he's older and less productive than Burns. Frank Clark who was similar in age and production to Burns went to KC for a 1st and conditional 2nd (KC/SEA swapped 3rds). I don't see any reason why we shouldn't get or expect at least a 1st round pick.

Rivera had to change his ways to stay here. It was that 2013 Bills game that turned me on him. We were up 20-17. It was 4th and 1 at their 21. We had Cam Newton, Mike Tolbert, and Williams (Stew was hurt). Instead of going for it, we kicked a FG and ended up losing the game.

One positive (on paper) is that we finally have a HC and GM that are aligned. That should help a lot with making moves that make sense.