MHS831

It works out for us--you can get DL in the second, S and LB later---As for TE and WR--yep, but we have players who are developing there--not what we want or maybe need--and we need to address that somehow. If XL and Coker step up, are we OK with a Restrepo, Bech, or another mid round WR? If Sanders steps up at TE, can we do some bottom fishing for TE depth? I would love to have pro bowlers everywhere, but we agree the D is where the attention needs to go..There is already writing on the wall that we are overhauling the D--no extensions for safeties or NT/DEs--maybe I am premature, but I feel that we are shedding our skin.

Not saying I am right and you all are wrong, but I strongly believe in developing your rookies through errors and bruises and not by flooding people at their position until someone rises. For this reason, and it is hard to say at times, I hesitate to bring in a veteran or a high draft pick where a first or second year player is developing. I have seen too many players become good after we give up on them--and others become good years 2 or 3 (Charles Johnson, Greg Hardy, Josh Norman, Steve Smith, Bryce Young, Chuba Hubbard, etc.) so I believe addressing the positions where you have NOTHING or AGING players. For example, I think I might not prioritize these positions as much as others: 1. Wide Receiver--(developing players) while it is hard for me to say that XL might step up in year 2, but he has all the tools. Coker will get better as well. AT is back. Maybe adding an WR#1 is counterproductive right now. Add a WR, but the priority could go somewhere else. Have faith in your developing players. We need another WR, don't get me wrong. 2. Tight End--(developing player) Sanders flashed enough to know that he has a chance to be a good TE. Again, we need to add a TE, but maybe we don't need the best TE in the draft. 3. Center--developing, established player) I have repeatedly said that Cade Mays did a good job at C. He beat out Christensen and outperformed Corbett when he was healthy. Maybe depth at the end of the draft, but not early. Priorities Defensive line. (Aging player, no player) We get Brown back and have a "meh" Robinson who is 31 or so. We need a DT/NT who can take on double teams and get to the passer. We need a DE behind 31-year old Robinson. Safety. This is easy. (No players) We have one, a 2024 UDFA. We need to upgrade in free agency and draft. ILB. (aging player) Not behind Wallace, a developing player entering year 2, but behind Jewell, an aging veteran (30). Edge. (aging players) We have Wonnum and Clowney for now, but we really need to get a young super star to groom for the future--I think we need 2, a strong and rush edge. CB--(no player) if we don't re-sign Jackson or find a starter nearly as good as Horn, we need a starter at CB. Nobody behind him developing, since Smith Wade seems to be the Nickel. I think this gets addressed before the draft, however.

I think Baltimore, KC, Miami, LA Rams, and a few others will want one of the top 2 OTs and they get ripe around the back of the top 10. We shall see.

DIdn't they want Brooks too? And WR class, which is why I backed off on TMac. I read that he would have been 4th overall WR taken last year---stuck in my head.

I have the same concerns. Not playing this year makes him tough to gauge.

I have said the same thing

Here is another question: If you drafted Hunter, where would you play him?

Good thread idea, 45. I get why you added McMillan, but I think I would keep my list to 2--Carter and Graham. I might add Will Johnson if we don't land a free agent CB who is starting caliber--

These numbers do not measure a player's prime. Do these numbers include OL pulled up from the practice squad for a game or two then cut? Do they include players who might have been injured or cut for reasons other than they were past their primes? The average career for an NFL lineman is 3.63 years, and that is because there is a lot of turnover--regardless of a player's prime. In fact, if only 55% of Offensive linemen drafted in the first round succeed, then the failure rates of most offensive linemen drafted and undrafted would be much lower, cause them to skew the average age of the OL. This suggests that most players' retirement from the NFL is not based on their prime, but other factors. They are cut, released, injured--and that is based on their level of play compared to others, not their levels of play within their personal skill range--something that peaks during your prime. In this case, I was talking about Moton, an elite offensive tackle, one that avoided the factors that shorten careers unrelated to their primes. I identify Moton as the team's best offensive lineman on an impressive OL--that distinguishes the type of player being referenced, so I did not provide a lot of qualifiers--as you didn't with your stats. In this article below, one that evaluates established Offensive tackles, it states the following, which supports my comment: "Most elite offensive tackles start to decline at roughly the age of 32 if they haven’t already." So to say that Moton was at the end of his prime was not a reach or careless speculation. If a player has the skill to be competitive and they can avoid injuries, their career expectancy is much higher than an average of all offensive lineman on a fluid roster. https://www.milehighreport.com/2017/2/27/14724674/age-wall-for-offensive-tackles-nfl

I honestly thought about that--however, his kickoff with the score tied in Super Bowl 38 that gave Tom Brady the ball on the 40 yard line with about 2 minutes to go kept me from it.

Tom is a very smart person. He knew the answer. I once said to him "Ron Rivera is undefeated as a coach when his job is on the line." He asked me if he could use that line. Later, I asked him why he did not use it. He said, "Gerry (my name), you know we can't rock the boat around here." I was there during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings and that controversy about Anita Hill was going on. A colleague there, Angela Wright, was called to testify on Hill's behalf--they had worked together in the past and she witnessed it. Now remember, the CO building has a Pulitzer prize under glass at the entrance for their investigative journalism concerning the PTL scandal, but she talked to me just after (days after) being on every news channel in the world--getting off her plane. I was at a table (the sports department worked nights 4 pm-1 am, and her department worked 8am to 5pm--so we barely spent any time together. She came up to me and said, "That was scary. I have been told (by the CO management?) not to say a word about it." She then asked me to meet her later when she felt comfortable talking. I barely knew her, but we chatted a few times and it never came up again. That brings me to the Jerry Richardson "Pie Chart" presser in January (I think) of 2011. Darin Gantt had written an article about the possible NFL strike, and Richardson was on that committee. During the rare presser, he snapped at Gantt a few times and seemed to flirt with Morgan Fogerty. After that conference, Gantt was reassigned to something like Volleyball at Winthrop. Maybe Tom was aware of something he could not talk about--but you were within your rights to question him about it.

Before I read others' responses, The site is so full of ads I quit going. He is a former scout, I believe, but he is getting obsolete. Sometimes, I think he ranks players for shock value, and his write ups are summaries of stats for the most part. It is a different perspective, and sometimes, he hits the nail on the head when everyone else misses.

I do not recall that story. I used to know Tom.

In college, (grad school) I worked at the Observer on weekends. I got to know Sorenson, Ron Greene, Rick Bonnell, David Poole, etc. very well. I worked with Bonnell the most (he was great) and he was all over stories. In fact, I talked to a drunk Jim Valvano once (Rick had me calling him to get a story while he covered a Hornets game) when it was rumored that Valvano was going to coach the Nets. As I was talking to Valvano (he had a crowd of people with him--I could barely hear him), Bonnell walked in from the game and I waved him over. 10 minutes later, it was on ESPN that "according to Rick Bonnell and the Charlotte Observer, Jim Valvano will be the Coach of the NBA's Nets..." Rick called me the next day to tell me what happened. "We had to retract that story. Valvano was drunk and said that to get some laughs in front of his guests in his hotel room." The Nets had reported that Valvano and the Nets had struck a "deal in principal," but Valvano's attorney had not confirmed it , so Rick called Valvano directly (don't know how he got the hotel room #). Valvano told Rick he was going be the next Nets coach (at the time, he was an ESPN analyst). Rick said, "He called today. He said he doesn't remember it at all." Funny, to me. Rick was not that amused. I was just proud to be a part of it.

If you have a list of 8-10 RBs, one will drop to day 3-

If we had reporters covering this team who were worth their weight in salt, we'd know. This is an lingering injury from 2021 that he re-aggravated week 9--He claimed to need surgery on December 12. David Newton and Joe Person should be all over this until they have a response--which should take one phone call

I realize that Skattlebo (sp?) might be a college novelty, but I saw a "dawg" who can catch out of the backfield, block, and I think he even threw a pass. I think he would be more than depth and become a fan favorite--I think his toughness would be contagious. I also have not researched the backs, so I could be way off. I would not be mad to see him taken on day 2.

Brooks is reminding me of Marcus Lattimore.

Good point--I think this draft is great for us at this time--At the top of the draft, the DT (DEs/NTs in 3-4) are loaded. The Edges are deep. We need to double dip there--hoping to move back so we can add three players to that pool. In free agency, if I were Morgan, I would focus on DBs and ILB--fix the back end of the defense. If he signed a S, CB, ILB, and TE, it would be cost effective. In the draft, DE, Edge, and WR should be the priorities. After that, OL Depth, QB depth, DB depth, RB depth. My Free agent Targets: TE: Juwan Johnson, Saints. 29, had over 500 yards with Saints. S: Julian Blackmon, Colts. He will be one of the top free agents--gonna cost us, but not like an edge or WR. ILB: Tyrel Dodson, Dolphins. 80 tackles on just 854 snaps--under 27 years of age. CB: Mike Jackson, Carolina. He is 28 and had 3 picks and was on the field at all times. 68 PFF score. NT: best available for Evero's system.

Khalil Mack is the best case scenario. I see your point--the combine should help

The most consistent Panther in team history. Full Stop.

that would be cool. I want to get a Hoover Jersey--I dont want to spend $30 (weal NFL jewsees friend) or $200 for a jersey everyone else has--Make it a conversation piece. Not a "one and done" vet either. Nice call.

it can happen to anybody.

I like him better.

My record of predicting successful NFL QBs is so bad, I can say this: At the SR Bowl, they really got impressed with his timing when throwing to WRs covered by CBs with their back to the QB (Man coverage). back shoulder, dropping in the bucket, etc. He was really reading the defense-this from an article about the Jets being "intrigued" by the young QB--some say he will creep into the back of the first round--Jets need an OT and they could take one at #7, then trade up a bit to get Dart in round 2 late 1.