MHS831

I cra, but hear me out. It would not take us too much work to run a 4-3. I even think, with the personnel we have up front, we could be better off in a 4-3. Nothing we have says 4-3 OLB, but look at this: 4-3 DEs: Wonnum (6-5, 260), Scourton (6-2, 265), Jones (6-4, 265) Princely (6-4, 250 speed rusher), Incoom 6-2, 265) They could add 5 to 10 lbs each, imo. 4-3 DTs. Brown and Brown, Robinson and Wharton (who can play DE in some situations), Cam Jackson 4-3 MLB Wallace (6-1, 244) Rozeboom, Bam Scott 4-3 OLBs This is the position that would need to be addressed. Depth: Kris Barnes (played OLB at UCLA) Add 2 players and sign a cut OLB as depth...

I think--just a hunch--that the competition is between Ransom and Richardson. Keep them both hungry and do not hand the job to an UDFA or a 4th rounder. It is a motivational thing. I could be wrong.

I would say this--obviously, we have not seen enough to know how good we will be--but I think the difference between good and possibly great rests on the shoulders of three people--and you are right to rely on these guys for insights--I would say, however, that there is a lot of pessimism and skepticism right now, understandably. This may sound crazy, but those three people are TMac, Young, and Sanders. TE: If Tremble and Sanders can step up, and I expect them to do so, we could have another dimension to the offense that we have not had for some time. I think Bryce, who has become better at his progressions and checkdowns, will benefit. WR: With TMac and what seems to be an improved and maturing Coker, Young has WRs he has not had since arriving. He relied on AT, and AT is a third-down slot WR at this point. If XL develops into what he can be--you could argue that in one year, Young has 3 WRs better than his best WR in years 1 and 2. OL: Hunt and Lewis have made a huge difference, but C is still an area where we could improve. HOWEVER, Mays was strong at the position at the end of the season last year. I think we have 2 serviceable centers. Key to the OL is that Ickey continues his development, and I expect him to, and Moton stays healthy. On paper, Brady Christensen, Mays/Corbett, Zavala (who played at a starter level at the end of 2024) are pretty good backups. The OL is probably as good as it was in 2003, when the Panthers went to their first Super Bowl. RB: We have had former first rounders Stewart and Williams (Double Trouble) in the backfield and it worked well. Now we have RBs who are a notch below that level, but with a better OL. Dowdle and Hubbard are a strong combo (both 1000 yard rushers last year) and Etienne is a serviceable third down option who can catch passes. As Young improves his progressions, a checkdown RB is important, as is a TE--and I expect us to be better in these areas. The only real question mark is QB. Bryce has 8 solid (not great, just solid) games under his belt, but that improvement was probably based on his OL. XL did not help much, and Coker came on midway through the season out of necessity. Now Bryce has weapons instead of check downs--he has to step up and get them the ball. I saw two good signs Friday--1. His fade pass to TMac was on the money and a good read, and his slant to TMac (dropped) was an excellent, confident pass. He is starting to develop swag. I hope he can stay healthy and keep progressing. If so, the offense goes as he goes.

No, I agree. It has to be based on optimism about players at this point, but we are talking about players like Ransom, Sanders, Coker, Wallace, Richardson, Thornton, etc. playing key roles. Normally--in the past--we were not doing that beyond round 2--I simply feel that the focus is on the bottom of the roster.

About depth: S: I think we have 3/4 that can start. CB: With Thornton, Horn, Jackson, and Smith Wade, Bartholomew and Evans behind them--we are deep (somehow). ILB: No depth. We need some badly OLB: Wonnum, Jones, Scourton, Princely, and maybe a fifth--we are deep. DE: Brown, Robinson, Wharton---and Ray, who I think sucked last year--maybe we could use one more. DT: Brown, Cam Jackson, Shy Tuttle--not bad--Shy better play better OFFENSE WR--TMac, XL, AT, Coker, Renfrow, and Horn--good depth TE--Tremble, Sanders, Evans--not flashy but solid OL--Christensen, Mays, Zavala--that is pretty good depth. RB--Chuba, Dowdle, Brooks, Etienne---stable full QB--Young, Dalton, Plummer---not much depth So I think we have depth issues at 1. ILB (personally, Rozeboom is a backup and Wallace is not without flaws) 2. DE (need a fourth) 3. QB (Hard to find a backup better than Dalton, and that is sad) Surprisingly, DBs on paper look good.

Oh, they will be busts alright----in Canton!!!

I did not like the edge options at the top of the first--as much as I liked Javon Walker the person, I just did not see the fit. Others had red flags. When we got Scourton, I was very happy, but I had not researched him. I saw it. Since I was not expecting him to be there, my second round hope was Princely. Can you say, "happy camper?"

he is not there yet--but I am liking what I am seeing in Jimmy Horn. AT, XL, TMac, Coker, Renfrow, Horn--man, that could be a sick room if they can get it together.

Yeah, a one year deal to get us through this mess.

Yeah I was going to add Young--my only concern was when he had a free play (offsides) and then did not throw it deep--opting for a wide open WR (Thielen, I think) near the sideline and missed him horribly. I would add Ja'Tyre Carter (LG) to the "Losers" list--second and third teamers ate his lunch. Brady Christensen looked bad at LT at times, giving up a sack, but he is decent as a utility OL. Cade Mays was strong at C, based on the moments when I watched him. They really do not like to show instant replays during preseason games--I think every play should have an endzone instant replay fwiw. Mays, Zavala, and BC is pretty good depth on the OL, fwiw. As for Etienne, several people seemed to have trouble gauging the ball (speed, depth) early on--I think the 7 pm time messed with some perceptions (In high school, it was harder to see incoming passes when the lights were on and the sky was not black yet--so I base that comment on my experience--not sure if there is any legitimacy behind it)

Watch the cuts (ILB) for the following teams that are loaded at ILB and will have some tough decisions to make: Eric Kendricks, 33, is currently a free agent, fwiw.

Hats off to Morgan. Brilliant. Look at what he has done in just 2 years after rounds 1 and 2 of the draft and free agency--All third rounders or lower and UDFAs.... DEFENSE Wallace (3rd round)--Starting ILB Princely Umanmielen (3rd round) rotational Edge, future starter Ransom (4th round)--Will be a starting S unless UDFA Richardson is the starting S--still, some defenses have calls that require 3 safeties. Richardson (UDFA)--has a shot at starting FS Smith-Wade (5th round) Currently starting nickel Thornton (UDFA)--tremendous start--looks to be our third overall CB Cam Jackson (5th round) should be a factor at NT is a year or two. OFFENSE Coker (UDFA)--will be a stud WR in this league for a long time J. Horn (6th round)--a burner who will help this team at WR and on STs. To recognize his talent and ability playing in the shadow of Hunter, Morgan gets an A+. Etienne (4th round)--another sleeper with dual threat capabilities, Etienne is an ideal third down RB. Better hands than Hubbard. J. Sanders (4th round) dynamic pass-catching TE who is starting now and will rotate with Tremble and play in 2-TE sets. M. Evans, (5th round)--a number three TE who is very balanced. Not flashy, but versatile. Put this in perspective---The 12 players listed above are very likely to make the roster. I see most of them becoming starters in a year or two....Understand that 12 players in 2 years who are projected starters or key rotational players is incredible succcess. 23% of the roster will be occupied by players drafted in the third round through UDFA over the past 2 seasons. ODDS AGAINST BECOMING A STARTER IN THE NFL BY DRAFT ROUND 3rd Round: About 16% of players drafted in the third round become solid starters. This is to suggest that a third-rounder becomes a starter about once every 6 years. Wallace last year, Princely this year is very SOLID. 4th Round: The success rate drops to around 8% for fourth-round picks. That percentage suggests that one 4th rounder in 12 years of drafting fourth rounders is going to start. Morgan drafted J. Sanders TE, Ransom S, and Etienne RB in the fourth round. I see 2 starters and a rotational, third down RB. Very SOLID. 5th Round: Only about 4-5% of players drafted in the fifth round become solid starters. A fifth rounder becomes a starter once every 20 years. CB Smith-Wade is already starting at Nickel, and M. Evans (TE) will be a third TE. The Panthers think Cam Jackson will emerge into a key role by next season. STRONG. 6th Rounds: The success rates in these rounds are even lower, with only about 2% of sixth-rounders. At 2%, a sixth round pick becomes a starter every 50 drafts on average. Jimmy Horn Jr. will make the roster and has a good chance of taking on a bigger role in a year or two. UDFAs make NFL rosters at a rate of 20% (because there is a bigger pool of talent)\, while only 12% ever become starters. To me, this area of signing players was often overlooked in the past, but Morgan seems to have found 3 UDFAs with starting capability in just 2 drafts. In my view, Scourton and TMac were great picks. Legette and Brooks are not as promising, but time will tell. Rosters are built from the bottom up. This will become evident next year, if not sooner. Hats off to Morgan--I am not sure we appreciate what he has done.

defense has been terrible--angles bad, no contain. LBs terrible in coverage.

ready for Plummer

They are about to start the 10-minute interviews with some player about nothing in the fourth quarter---

Just curious--when was the last time a backup QB took a team to the playoffs? I don't recall.

Dalton is actually the perfect backup, imo. He and Bryce have a great relationship.

Question: Why do people say, "He loves the game of football" instead of "He loves football?"

I suddenly like our CB depth/

About the unbiased David Tepper plug--I think he is coming around as an owner.

A WR hitting a Db in a practice game with his fists/hands in the helmet is pure dumbassery. People who have said this get it. I love Coker. what a find. (I was begging for us to draft him last year--been a fan for a while.)

TMac is going to be fine.

dammit young!! don't miss that pass.

Is it me, or do the blue jerseys look darker and the stripes a bit more streamlined.

exactly. His reads look slow and timid so far--but his LG has sucked.