WhoKnows

Exactly, nice that he took a pay cut for 2 years but we’d save way more just releasing a guy who adds very little. Also, I’d rather have the TE3 spot go to a rookie in this really deep and strong TE class. Watch us pass over a stud TE at 39 now and reach for a WR that isn’t as good.

Is it? We save $2M but now he’s likely finishing the contract out as a TE2 splitting time with Tremble. His 2023 salary was $3.2M already so we would have save that and his 2024 salary if we released him. That would have also opened a spot for a rookie TE. Hurst, Tremble and rookie seems like a much better deal and more savings. Why er don’t just rip the bandaid off sometimes, I don’t know. He’s not a good blocker and he barely catches anything and now he’s not TE1.

Hahahahahaha! Completely missed that because of Burns!

No kidding and Smith already played 5 years before the 90s even started. Comparing the sizes of guys drafted 34 years apart? All you have to do is be a Panthers fan and watched games to think Burns makes zero sense as a 3-4 DE. Have his run stops are using his speed to come around unblocked to make the tackle from behind. Hey guys, let’s line him up so he has to go through the tackle and guard first.

SMH. Bruce Smith was drafted 38 years ago. The size of NFL players is drastically different and Smith was bigger. Go ahead and put Burns at 3-4 DE and see how he does.

In what world is Burns a 3-4 DE?

Makes me sad when I read that. We gave Donte a big contract and spent a high 3rd on CJ. We’ll know soon on CJ as I think his 5th year option will not be cheap and I think you have to declare the 5th year option this offseason (year 4). They changed it with Sam where it’s now guaranteed, period, as soon as you declare it.

Let’s hope. Tired of being let down for 5 years. Been a complete suck fest after realizing our “guy” was done in by injury.

You might want to read it again. Skill positions are the guys around the QB. CMC and DJ>>>>>>>>Foreman and Hurst I said the rookie QB is the only way we improve. I hope the rookie we pick does make that much of an improvement.

Yes, it would. His base salary is $3.2M this year. His roster bonus is guaranteed so we pay that regardless. Depending on if you 6/1 him, that money could go across this year and next but the total cap savings is that salary this year. If you keep him on the team this year, that base salary paid comes out of the cap. Releasing him means it never hits the cap regardless of what type of release due to rollover. I’m assuming no way we keep him in 2024 as well.

Skill position-wise, we aren’t close to where we started last year. CMC and DJ are gone and we have Hurst. Rookie QB is the only way we improve on that because there are no FAs available to get us better than CMC and DJ at the skill positions. I’m hopeful the rookie is a stud, we need to catch a break.

Not quite yet IMHO. We are definitely a step down without DJ so let’s see. End of the day, pick #1 is all that matter TBH. If the rookie has it, we’ll be fine. If he doesn’t then we are who we’ve been lately.

He also has the best TE in the game. Hurst <<<<<<<<< Kelce and Mahomes is a bit beyond whoever we pick right now. Also, Reich has never done what Reid did.

Not to be a Debbie Downer but there’s some truth. Dalton, Hurst and Thielin and even Jamal Williams don’t make us close to a scary offense. None of them can be the guy who can still do a lot when the D focuses on them. No matter which FA WRs we sign, there’s no one who can go against the #1 CB or be the doubled guy and perform well. DJ wasn’t elite but no FA is close to him.

Love the optimism but we still need a lot more weapons.

I like it as long as he’s not expensive. He’s 30, so he shouldn’t be but coupled with a TE in the draft it’s not a bad move. I think 39 could be a solid rookie TE or a WRnif a good one drops. It’s a much better TE class. This is a draft where TE is value so not overpaying a FA would be smart. Unfortunately, it’s kind of a bad draft and really bad FA year for WRs.

Well if we pick a Murray or Wilson, does the vet QB matter? Joe Flacco won a SB and he was Wilson’s vet backup. Did it matter? The last two QBs that went #1 were Burrow and Lawrence and they appear to be fine with no bridge QB. Having a vet backup is not a horrible thing if we want to compete if our rookie gets hurt but honestly, I would take it as a bad sign if he didn’t start day 1. This isn’t Mahomes or Rodgers. They were behind QBs who started multiple years in the playoffs including the years right before the rookies got drafted. We aren’t a playoff team looking to improve our QB and Dalton is just as new to the Panthers. If Stroud is going to be successful it’s because he already is more like Burrow and Lawrence than Murray, Mayfield and Wilson. Dalton being here will not change Stroud’s career.

No poo. First, we are pairing a first rounder this year because Houston just says here Panthers, we know you want Stroud but we’ll give you pick 12 because we’d rather Young learns the hard way. Second, it’s let’s trade the farm to get Harrison Jr who’s probably a top 5 or so pick and we don’t have a 2024 1st and we don’t have a 2025 2nd so no farm to be had.

Ok @thunderraiden since you poo’d my post that FA WRs aren’t good this year, what’s your plan? Who should we be throwing money at?

It’s not a bad thing outside of us potentially watching the Bears get some ridiculous stud with our 2024 1st. We aren’t going to win anything with a rookie. FA WRs are honestly atrocious. I’d let that settle and maybe grab a couple cheap vets to round out the squad. We are just going to have to hit on a RB with a 3rd or day 3 and hope a really good TE or WR drops to 39. I think we’d be better off making a FA splash next year than overpaying for WR3 type guys.

Yep. Unfortunately, in this day and age, clicks make money. I like Stroud, but I’d rather have had Lawrence. Back pre-2020 offseason, I should have roofied Hurney’s meatball sub and taken over the FA signings so Grier was all Rhule had after locking his ass in a broom closet until week 1 so he could lead us to 1-15.

Their biggest mistake last year was not trading for CMC. Wasted another good chance and Allen needs a safety valve who can make plays so he stops throwing for 30 yards on 3rd and 2 or 4th and 3. He killed a dozen drives in the playoffs not have the instant first down dump off.

I love hyperbole. Burrow and Herbert, sure. Allen and Mayfield, definitely because Allen had accuracy issues and Mayfield was selected before him. No one had Allen #1. Lawrence and Wilson is ridiculous. Young’s career and potential compared to Wilson isn’t even close IMHO. I’d think Lawrence would likely be close (still 1st) to Stroud but Young as a prospect >>>>> than Wilson coming out of BYU. I hope we pick Stroud and I hope Simms is right but you don’t like to see something like this which looks more like a make some news and get some hits post.

It won’t be because of the QBs themselves but the cost to go to 1. I honestly think Richardson is available at 9. Levis at 5 or also maybe 9. Now that’s pre-trade up as one of the QB that was going to be available at 2-9 is now gone at 1. I would be ridiculously disappointed in getting either of those two at 9 knowing we traded Moore and maybe another pick for nothing.

Our “projected” total was way too high. He’s been ranked right around middle of the starting C pack. Good but not great. One other FA C starter just got like $3M. The people who thought Bozeman would get elite C money were being homers acting like he’s one of the best Cs in the league. I like Bozeman but he’s not elite and this contract is good and about what was expected based on the other FA C projections.