MHS831

Initially, I did not like the deal, but if he reaches his incentives, it probably means that he is well worth $8m per season. If he doesn't, he costs the team up to $10m. I noticed that Tremble got better when Bryce got better. Coincidence? Tremble has not arrived as an NFL TE, but he has shown flashes and he does things that don't project well in the stats or on TV. While he only had 234 yards receiving in 2024, he caught 23 of the 29 passes he was targeted. He is 24 years old. He turns 25 in June. Overall, Morgan is securing familiar faces that have demonstrated upside or were smart moves. I think his moves have been very frugal and smart. Keeping young guys or guys and not throwing away money in voidable years (dead cap) when he can get something for that money). 1. Corbett: We recently had a thread on Corbett and why cutting him would have cost the Panthers over $7m in dead cap (he had voidable payouts of $7m in 2025 and about $3m in 2026. ) I am guessing that they may have combined those two payments (in which we would have gotten nothing in return) and signed him to a 1-year deal worth $10m. At the age of 30, he may still have something in the tank, but if that is what we did, we turned dead cap money into a year of service from an established player at the back end of his prime. Until the details come out I have to reserve a conclusive approval, but it sounds smart. C? The draft sucks at C. We have 2 who can play other positions on the OL. Win Win, if you ask me based on what I know and assume. 2. Mays: At $3m or so, he is worth it. Played well down the stretch last year. Got better each game. Both our centers were guards turned C, so there was a steep learning curve. I assume Corbett would not have agreed to the 1 year deal if he was not told he'd be the starter, but Mays has played better and will win the job again. Long term, he will, in my view, be the Center of the Panthers for the next 4-5 years. 3. Tremble: Signing Tremble does not mean that we are not drafting a TE, but I think it means we are less likely to draft a TE. I am guessing that they like Sanders' upside and Tremble is only 24 and was improved in 2024. I noticed his hands had improved. He is tough and blocks much better than Sanders. In a perfect world, we draft a TE, but if we can't, special teams ace Franks could become the #3 TE. Is that ideal? No, but the Panthers need 8 starters and two essential depth pieces if you do not include K. By securing Mays and Corbett, you still need 9 starters (or key rotational players. (DE, DT/NT, Edge, CB, S, S, WR, LB) Key depth (RB, RT). Would we love a TE weapon? Yes, but let's see what Sanders and Tremble can do and lets see if Morgan is done at TE. Remember, Thomas' spot is possibly open. I am guessing that is all we can say moving into free agency. The fact that Horn is still in his last year is not alarming but it is interesting. To be honest, it kinda pisses me off that he is asking for top CB money. I think he holds too much and he has been out for half his first contract. That is not elite. (I have not spent any time looking into details, so this is uninformed ranting at this time). Morgan is keeping his young core and being smart and frugal, if you ask me. So far, he has not traded for what might be there in free agency or the draft. He has not kicked the can down the road by reworking Moton's deal or desperately paying Horn in Hurney-like fashion. He is doing what is best for the long-term--I like it, so far.

i take him without hesitation

If they do not stack the defensive front...I am going to give Morgan the benefit of the doubt one more year. $10 bucks says at least one of the names you mentioned here is a Panther in May.

I think we get a DL, WR, S in free agency for sure. I think they are going to let Mike Jackson shop himself.

You could argue that last season, we had Coker, AT, XL, and Moore after loosing our #1. Our best TE was a rookie fourth rounder. Bryce's last 9 games were impressive. KC, Philly games we could have won with a defense. The Panthers were 4-5 and could have been 6-3 down the stretch--with no true #1. We will add a WR or two somehow. I am encouraged that Morgan is not kicking the can down the road by extending contracts. He is trying to keep the core together. Corbett was a smart move. Tremble, with Sanders and a new TE, could be a decent group. So it seems that a RB, TE, RT, and WR are left. I am guessing the T and RB will be drafted; it seems to be the best place to get them.

I agree. !

Bryce could use a stud TE and a stud WR--but dang, making him good is expensive--$80m offensive line--first rounders at WR.... and there will be a day when he wants $60m....Happy Sat.

Just a fun fact: Arguably, our WR corps last season was (ranked in order, imo): Adam Thielen, Undrafted Jalen Coker, Undrafted Xavier Legette, First round pick (32) David Moore, Seventh round pick

I am starting to feel the same way. Reminds me of Gerald McCoy. I think his season here featured a third of his tackles were sacks (5 sacks, 15 unassisted tackles, 22 tackles). He figured out how to get paid and he was going for the glory plays for a DL. A DT averaging one tackle a game is going to make $20m because he gets 5 sacks in a season in which he averaged 1 tackle per game?

We shall see, but this QB group is bad. When the #1 overall pick has nothing at QB and they are in trade talks, that tells you something. In 2034, I will look back at the QB group and I am willing to bet that either all of them busted or the most successful was not Ward or Sanders. Not to say that I would not gamble on Ward because I am wrong about QBs a lot, but my common sense tells me that if I am going to gamble on a QB this year, do it in round 2 and beyond. I am just looking forward to free agency and the dust that settles afterwards. Then we will have a better idea--but I think there are teams that like Ewers, Howard, Dart, and maybe a few others--not sure about Milroe---but the odds are against them ever starting. Of course, you have your Bradys, Purdys. Wilsons, Cousins, etc. and I have a hunch that one in that "second tier" group. A lot of these guys are transfers in the new portal turnstiles--and I know how confusing it is for a QB to learn a new system with new personnel. I watch for the moment the light seems to have come on and judge from that point.

And I translate that to a group of QBs If you eliminate the top 15 picks, that have a pretty low success rate as day 1 starters. That is why, in my view, these bridge QBs are probably going to go to teams that also draft a QB. If you have to sign a veteran mentor and develop your QB for a year, why not just wait a year and draft some pieces to go around the eventual QB? I think I'd rather have a Geno Smith and Will Howard than Shedeur Sanders under center day 1.

I would love to see Mason Taylor there in the third. I also want to see us draft an OT. WR? somehow some way. So when do we draft our DL, S, etc.

I read an article that said the Giants and Titans have already talked about swapping picks. If that happens, the Giants would take Ward--I think they take Ward even if they sign Rodgers. Cleveland then would be in a pickle-they could take Carter over Sanders--giving Tennessee a choice between the two Colorado players, depending on who they sign as a vet QB---they want Darnold and have nearly $70m in cap room....As you say, this is getting spicy.

That could backfire if Atlanta keeps him on the roster to backup Penix, but that makes no sense (financially) for Atlanta. They will cut him. I imagine they are possibly hoping for an offer Cousins would approve, but as you say, the flexibility of shopping as a free agent is better for him because a team is much more likely to pay more if they do not have to surrender draft capital. I wonder if he has any workout bonuses etc. that may push Atlanta?

Spent some time (10 minutes) doing extensive, in-depth research about Tennessee because I was curious that they would cut Landry in a cap move. To me, this means they could be locking into drafting Carter. Now Tennessee has $69m in cap room and the #1 pick. They are interested in Darnold, but not willing to pay him more than Baker Mayfield just got with Tampa (about $33m). They are competing with Seattle, Minnesota, and a few other teams for Darnold. They have also been given offers from the Giants to swap first round picks, adding a high second rounder to do so. The Titans also like Ward, but I get the impression that they would rather have Darnold. So until Darnold signs with a team, they will sit in a holding pattern. Since their odds of getting Darnold are not probable, Ward seems to be the pick at this time, but they would rather have Darnold and Carter or Hunter and a second rounder. I just found the Landry cut to be interesting. Landry was their top edge sack artist with Arden Key, about the same age, with 6.5 sacks but a $7m salary. Getting rid of Landry was a curious move unless you are planning on replacing your top edge. Of course, Carter is not the only edge in the draft, but he might be the only one who can match or surpass Landry's productivity. I think the Titans are holding the #1 pick for Ward until they sign a free agent. Russell Wilson could be a bridge, and they mentioned Aaron Rodgers, which I find unlikely. Let's not forget about Daniel Jones, the free agent dark horse nobody is talking about.

Safety in the NFL is a tricky evaluation that depends on the things you want your safeties to do. Deep zone, run support, man, nickel, etc. I don't know much about it, but I have heard some NFL safeties talking about the fit. I am not that familiar with what we expect our safeties to do, but for some reason, some fairly established safeties were not very established here last year. I think I struggle because the S is often out of the picture on TV. I might need to get a wider screen to be able to see them.

Does this mean the Titans are taking Carter? I think so. It could mean that they will take him first OR they are confident that they can move back to #3 (Giants) and still get Carter--Giants get Ward. Cleveland gets screwed. If the Browns trade Garrett, then the Browns could take Carter, screwing up the Giants' plan. I would not be surprised to see the Titans and Giants making a trade before the draft. If I am Schoen, that is what I do, even if I sign Rodgers. Tennessee does not seem to be too excited about either QB, but if they make this trade and Cleveland takes Carter, they could get a QB (Sanders) AND a second rounder, perhaps another Boston College Edge.

TEA LEAVES: Titans cutting Landry may mean they are drafting Carter first overall. Discuss.

We have Zavala too who was good in small samples. IOL depth is solid if we get another C. I think they also like Jarett Kingston who might compete for swing T, but he can play all 4 positions that don't touch the ball.

Looks like we are working the bottom of the roster for the UDFAs to a degree. Where are the DTs? No WRs (except a 7th rounder?) Graham--that is it (day 1./2)? I think drafting an OT on day 2 is smart.

thanks for this, bro.

Confirmed--no trade clause--not sure it he can waive it or not. Why would he? I would make them cut me, pay me, and then find a team after the draft if necessary.

Allen is 30 and had a down year--roughly identical to Robinson. With DT in this draft, I think teams are shedding their meh DTs in an attempt to save $$ and upgrade. I hear teams are LOVING the DT market. We have Brown and Robinson. I would probably draft a NT and DE. I have always liked Landry.

this is a no brainer move. He got better every game. He is better than Corbett--and he will only get better next year. Yes, playing between our guards, but Corbett did as well for a short while and Mays was playing better. He is a starting C. He is not weak. He needs depth and competition is not a bad thing--I might even try to lock him down--he is 25, great at pass blocking (meh in run blocking)

Seattle: Darnold?