raleigh-panther

Well, it’s unfortunate that the Panthers are in this self inflicted place but they are my opinion if they come out of this draft with a starter at LT or QB1 potential starter, it’s important no one, other than opposing fans, are going to pay to see Sam darnold. They have seen him up close and personal They don’t want to see him again end of story nor should the Panthers bring in more veteran scraps there are skill players on the team whose careers are being wasted They are not going to be thrilled with Darnold staying either Too, remember those skill players have incentives in their contract I see the panthers taking a Qb, either through 1st rd or moderate 1st trade down with Seattle. If they can’t find a trade partner, then Duane Brown will be brought in as a stop gap LT they also need to hope that McAdo is capable of pro QB evaluation and he keeps Mr Huggy Bear in control, never, ever underestimate the power of hope to a pro sports fan. Right now, Panthers fans have none

Thanks for sharing

He is a narcissist. …pity about all of this….all self inflicted by a narcissistic moron…every single piece of it I think if they want an LT, they need to trade down with Seattle in rd 1. Pick up a second from them this year and get a lower ranked LT and a QB like Riddler or Corral or they sign Duane Brown, who is in decline, still trade down to at least get back the two or at least a third seattle maybe intrigued with Willis plus, the ties with Fitterer and Seattle and it’s not too far down that they can’t get good value Who knows.

I think it’s more an audition…..if you know what I mean

Talk about an oxymoron

Tepper is worth $16.7 billion he paid an idiot $65 million if he wants this bad enough it can be done with tax breaks and incentives to make it worth his while I don’t care what he does or does not do. rock hill was stupid to go for a pipe dream with a snake

I always appreciate your posts it is really difficult to believe that Tepper approved the Darnold trade. If he did, zero respect for him. I know I know. He doesn’t care about my respect or anyone else’s but, I guess that’s just as believable as hiring a mediocre Div 1 coach, paying him more than the very best pro coaches, and handing him the keys to a nfl franchise with Marty Hurney as the doorman

It’s ok to like someone. A lot of the ‘experts’ miss i like Dane’s write up because I believe them to be fair The full write ups on the other QBs are very balanced as well 4th rd, if there, Panthers might take the chance I’m like, with Darnold and Walker in the QB room, why not

From Dane Bruegel in the Athletic, additions to overviewing shared yesterday STRENGTHS: Tall passer and checks the size boxes ... strong, confident arm and not afraid to rip throws into quick-expiring windows ... has a natural feel for downfield touch on verticals ... puts too much air under deep passes but gives his receivers ample time to track the ball ... can work left-to-right progressions with tempo, and not shy taking the checkdown if available ... makes subtle, short steps in the pocket to navigate the rush ... coaches are able to open the playbook and add more to his plate midweek (former head coach Jay Norvell: “Very intelligent kid. He can handle volumes of information we give him.”) ... set the school record with 299 consecutive pass attempts without an interception (second-longest streak in MWC history) ... named a team captain ... is all over the Nevada passing record books, finishing third in school history in passing yards (730 behind Colin Kaepernick) and passing touchdowns (eight behind Kaepernick). WEAKNESSES: Doesn’t have the quickness or escapability to consistently move the pocket once flushed ... not a threat to run (only 37 rushing yards in 2021, not including lost sack yardage) ... setup and release tend to lag, giving defenders a chance to jump throws ... too many throws have a low launch point ... relies too much on his arm and not enough on his hips or legs to drive throws ... doesn’t have the body twitch to accelerate his process when the walls close in ... needs to do a better job staying on schedule with his eyes and placement ... smart, but still very young (NFL scout: “He won’t be ready to run an NFL quarterback room for another year or two, at least.”) ... has been beaten up over his career, including a collarbone fracture in his first career start (August 2019) ... major durability concern relates to the health of his right knee — diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans lesions (July 2017), where the cartilage detaches from the bone, requiring surgery and sidelining him for his senior year of high school; underwent another surgery (February 2021) to have cadaver cartilage added to his right knee; had an knee arthroscopy to clean scar tissue (August 2021) prior to his final season in college. SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Nevada, Strong played in former head coach Jay Norvell’s version of the air-raid offense and became the first player in school history to earn Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year (and he did it twice). Although his early season consistency in 2021 didn’t match his 2020 film, he rushed back from his offseason knee surgery (normally a 10-month recovery time), and that affected his performance. He still managed to set a school-record with 36 passing touchdowns as a junior. Strong has the arm talent to make the defense cover every inch of the field, and his velocity helps mask average anticipation with his reads. Aside from questions about his knee durability, his lower body fundamentals aren’t a strength to his game, as he lacks the foot quickness to easily move the pocket and regain his balance as a passer. Overall, Strong has natural passing instincts and can rip throws all over the field when on schedule, but he is a limited play-extender with mixed results versus pressure that will limit his NFL ceiling unless addressed. As long as the medicals on his knee come back clean, he falls somewhere in the range of Mason Rudolph as an NFL prospect. GRADE: 4th-5th Round

Your point is taken howeverThey had Sam Darnold, who was going to be the savior now you could say that they felt darnold was better so they made the move before the draft and the rest is history I would like a LT as well but the fact remains Darnold is not the answer the fact also remains that darnold has never played a full season and yet again, they just have PJ as backup. That is not tenable. It wasn't tenable last year and less so this year Before opening day, they need a NFL backup and a potential starter not named Darnold if they don’t answer those needs then consider the possibility that they are letting the season go as it does and Rhule is history my hope is they manage to move down two spots, get that LT and get a qb in the second people who spend money on this franchise need hope there is zero tight now and as long as Darnold is under center, that won’t change

If it’s addressed to me, I truly have no opinion. however , I would say Rhule hitched his wagon to Bridgewater and Darnold so I’d say his wagons have either a suspect team of horses pulling it or shoddy wagon wheels I suspect the team’s best hope is that McAdo’s wagon is better at evaluating QBs…and that’s concerning

It really is. Mr Bruegler’s guide is excellent

this is a paid subscription with the Athletic and the write ups behind these overviews is very extensive If you want that, subscription too much to put here OTs 1. IKEM EKWONU | NC State 6040 | 310 lbs. | JR. Overall, Ekwonu isn’t a refined blocker and must improve his landmarks, but he is nimble, powerful and should continue to get better and better as his technique and awareness mature at tackle. He has the traits to become an elite run blocker in the NFL and should be a rookie starter at tackle or guard. GRADE: 1st Round (No. 2 overall) 2. EVAN NEAL | Alabama 6074 | 337 lbs. | JR. Okeechobee, Fla. (IMG Academy) 9/19/2000 (age 21.61) #73 Overall, Neal lacks elite lateral agility and needs to clean up his leaning, but he is an effective blocker thanks to his rare mix of size, athleticism and flexibility. He projects as an immediate NFL starter with Pro Bowl potential and multi-position versatility. 3. 3. CHARLES CROSS | Mississippi State 6046 | 307 lbs. | rSO. Overall, Cross lacks ideal bulk and power, especially in the run game, but he processes things quickly and shows outstanding hand exchange and movement patterns in pass protection. He projects as an NFL starter with Pro Bowl-level talent thanks to his pass blocking. GRADE: 1st Round (No. 7 overall) 4. TREVOR PENNING | Northern Iowa 6071 | 325 lbs. | rSR. Clear Lake, Iowa (Newman Catholic) 5/15/1999 (age 22.95) Overall, Penning’s fundamentals and on-field discipline need to be coached up, but he has an impressive blend of size, length, fluidity and power along with the physical presence to dominate the man in front of him. With his traits, he can be a rookie NFL starter as he works out the kinks GRADE: 1st Round (No. 16 overall) ————————————————————————————— QBS 1. KENNY PICKETT | Pittsburgh 6032 | 217 lbs. | rSR. Overall, Pickett has some skittish tendencies, and the hand size (throws with a glove) will be a factor for some teams, but his football IQ, functional mobility and accuracy from various platforms are an impressive package. He projects as an immediate starter who can be an upgrade for several NFL GRADE: 1st-2nd Round (No. 30 overall) 2. MALIK WILLIS | Liberty 6004 | 219 lbs. | rSR. Overall, Willis needs time to mature his anticipation, vision and placement, but he has the potential to be a dynamic NFL playmaker because of his natural athleticism, armtalent and intangibles. He will likely need a redshirt year before seriously competing for an NFL starting role. GRADE: 1st-2nd Round (No. 32 overall) 3 DESMOND RIDDER | Cincinnati 6033 | 211 lbs. | rSR. Overall, Ridder needs to become more consistent with his release, timing and accuracy, but his loose athleticism, self-confidence and experience are strong selling points. He has the physical tools and mindset to compete for starting reps early in his NFL career. GRADE: 2nd Round (No. 40 overall) 4. MATT CORRAL | Ole Miss 6015 | 212 lbs. | (age 23.24) #2 Overall, Corral is still unproven in several integral aspects of playing the position, but he is an instinctive athlete with the live arm and competitive toughness to create plays. With continued development and less hero-ball, he has a chance to be an eventual playmaker in the right scheme GRADE: 2nd-3rd Round (No. 56 overall) 5. 5. SAM HOWELL | North Carolina 6005 | 218 lbs. | JR. Overall, Howell needs to clean up his footwork and develop as a pocket passer, but he has NFL-quality arm strength, athleticism and work ethic and operates with a slow heartbeat. He projects as a low-end NFL starter, flashing similarities to Baker Mayfield. GRADE: 2nd-3rd Round (No. 60 overall) 6 Carson Strong | Nevada 6033 | 226 lbs. | rJR. Overall, Strong has natural passing instincts and can rip throws all over the field when on schedule, but he is a limited play-extender with mixed results versus pressure that will limit his NFL ceiling unless addressed. As long as the medicals on his knee come back clean, he falls somewhere in the range of Mason Rudolph as an NFL prospect. GRADE: 4th-5th Round

Incorrect I just found person’s take interesting as most National media say Pickett and Person is local . I’m unconcerned as long as they come out of this draft improved and they don’t be the bone heads they have been Rhule has made stupid decisions and if he has to live with Darnold so be it

His little alliance with Germany comes to mind the nfl wants to expand to Europe. Jax has been talked about for years going over to London. it would not surprise me either if Tepper went to Germany. More power to him

I don’t care what Tepper does His nfl decisions haven’t exactly been stellar if the reports are true, if only he dropped Rhule as quickly as his little pet project in South Carolina I have enjoyed the Panthers in Charlotte but life goes on whether they stay or go but as far as Tepper as a. Owner and his decisions or his hurt feelings or hardball, my ‘give a damn’ is broken

I think so too

Yep. Its just funny to me that all the talking heads at ESPN think it’s Pickett still others a LT the local guy who follows the team thinks it’s Willis It’s just all very interesting with the NO trade which positions them to move up ahead if the Panthers if they choose. I can’t see them doing that for Pickett

Joe Person The Athletic Disclaimer, right off the jump: This is going to be a weird Panthersmock. Not weird in the sense that I’m going to draft a long snapper in the sixth round or have every pick come from one side of the ball. I mean, both have already been done. For the sake of simplicity, at least in this initial mock, I’m picking straight-up for the Panthers with no trades, which, if last year is any indication, is about as likely as a buddy flick starring Will Smith and Chris Rock. General manager “Trader Scott” Fitterer was wheeling and dealing throughout the 2021 NFL Draft, his first with the Panthers. And we’ll try to channel that cellphone-buzzing, deal-making energy in our next mock. But we’ll play it straight in this one, which — if it happens on draft weekend — would allow time to cut the grass, hit the gym, smoke a Boston butt, wax the minivan and drive to Rock Hill to see the remains of the Panthers’ would-be headquarters in the window between their first pick Thursday night and their next one Saturday afternoon. (Free The Athleticswag for anyone who checks all those off the to-do list on Day 2 of the draft.) Second disclaimer: I leaned on The Draft Network’s mock draft machine to carry me through that long lull between the first and fourth rounds for the Panthers. All that said, the envelope please, Mr. Rock: First round (No. 6) Liberty QB Malik Willis Also considered: Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett, Mississippi State OT Charles Cross, Northern Iowa OT Trevor Penning If the Panthers could find an interested team, they would be tempted to move back to recoup some of the draft capital they traded away last year in the deals for Sam Darnold, C.J. Henderson and others. Depending on how far back they move, there’s still a good chance they could get Pickett, Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral or one of the tackles in the tier just below Evan Neal and Ikem Ekwonu. But they might miss out on Willis, who has the biggest arm and highest upside among the highest-rated quarterbacks. It’s not just Willis’ skill set that has impressed the Panthers. Like everyone at Willis’ pro day two weeks ago, Fitterer felt “the excitement in the building” that stemmed from Willis’ energy, enthusiasm and 65-yard rainbows. If you hadn’t noticed — and owner David Tepper certainly has — the energy was missing around the organization during the last month of the 2021 season. Cam Newton brought the juice during those heady days from 2013 to 2015 and again last season when he returned, though it turned out to be short-lived. There’s only one Newton. But Willis, who went to Newton’s south Atlanta high school and spent two years at Auburn, has the same type of charisma and confidence. It’s time for the Panthers to draft a first-round quarterback, and Pickett certainly merits a long look. The decision to take a QB becomes trickier if Neal or Ekwonu is available, but I like Willis as the pick at No. 6. Fourth round (No. 137, from LAR via HOU) Louisiana OT Max Mitchell Also considered: North Dakota OT Matt Waletzko, Arizona State C/G Dohnovan West Teams don’t usually find their franchise left tackles on the second or third days of the draft, although the Panthers believe Brady Christensen — last year’s third-round pick from BYU — will start somewhere along the line this season. If the Panthers go quarterback at No. 6 and opt not to bring in a veteran tackle such as Duane Brown or Eric Fisher, Christensen could be the starting left tackle, where he was a consensus All-American at BYU. But with swing tackle Cam Erving and Dennis Daley in the final year of their deals, the Panthers could stand to add another tackle. And the 6-foot-6, 307-pound Mitchell, who started at both tackle spots for the Ragin’ Cajuns, makes some sense. Mitchell has good length and drew praise from former Louisiana coach Billy Napier and his staff for his toughness and leadership skills. His experience at right and left tackle also is a plus and could allow him to transition into a swing tackle role. Mitchell played in a zone scheme in college, so that could give the Panthers pause as they shift to a power run game. But Mitchell, whose pro day is Monday, had a good week at the Senior Bowl against better competition than he faced in the Sun Belt. Fifth round (No. 144, via JAC) Miami (Ohio) edge Dominique Robinson Also considered: Appalachian State LB D’Marco Jackson, UAB edge Alex Wright Robinson, who grew up in the shadow of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, is one of the more interesting prospects in the draft. Robinson arrived at Miami as a quarterback, moved to wide receiver and eventually switched to defense during the COVID-19-shortened season of 2020. The RedHawks played only three games that season, but Robinson flashed his playmaking potential last season when he collected 8 1/2 tackles for loss, 4 1/2 sacks and four hurries at defensive end. Robinson didn’t stand out at the Senior Bowl, according to some observers. But his athleticism was evident at the combine, where the 6-5, 253-pounder finished among the top 10 defensive linemen in the 40-yard dash (4.72 seconds), 225-pound bench press (25 reps), vertical leap (41 inches) and broad jump (10 feet, 1 inch). Robinson is still far from a finished product, and draft experts are mixed on where he’ll get picked. Some have him listed as a sixth-round prospect or later, while ESPN’s Mel Kiper in February pegged Robinson as a third- or fourth-rounder. Given Robinson’s ceiling and the Panthers’ need for a young edge rusher, getting him with the first pick in the fifth round does not feel like a reach. Fifth round (No. 149) Ohio State OL Thayer Munford Also considered: Kentucky OT Dare Rosenthal, Arkansas CB Montaric Brown, Clemson WR Justyn Ross I don’t think it’s a stretch to have the Panthers doubling down at offensive tackle, whether they draft one of the top guys in the first round or not. New offensive line coach James Campen has been impressed with Christensen’s tape from his rookie season. But if the Panthers are still wavering on where Christensen fits best, it’s not a bad idea to keep loading up on tackles. The benefit of using a fifth-round pick on Munford is that he, like Christensen, could slide inside if needed. The 6-6, 329-pounder started three seasons at left tackle for the Buckeyes before shifting to left guard for much of 2021. Munford has good length and bulk, but his footwork could give him problems with speed rushers at the next level. And anyone who saw Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson steamroll Munford will question his ability to handle the bull rush, as well. Matt Rhule knows Ohio State coach Ryan Day well from their time together at Temple, though, and will get the skinny from Day on whether Munford is worth a fifth-round flier. Sixth round (No. 199, via LV) Michigan LB Josh Ross Also considered: Indiana LB Micah McFadden, Baylor WR Tyquan Thornton At 200 picks into the draft, the Panthers aren’t looking for their future middle linebacker. But it’s always good to mine the late rounds for backup linebackers who can contribute on special teams. Ross was a two-time captain at Michigan, where he racked up a team-leading 106 tackles in 14 games in 2021 to go along with two pass breakups and eight quarterback hurries. Ross is not particularly big (6-foot, 227 pounds) or fast — he was clocked at 4.79 seconds in the 40 during Michigan’s pro day last month. But Ross has good quickness playing downhill, makes a ton of plays in the run game and has drawn the attention of the Steelers, who reportedly took him to dinner after his pro day. It was tempting to use a late-round pick on Thornton, the Baylor blazer who ran the fastest 40 (4.28) of anyone at the combine this year. Seventh round (No. 242, from NE via MIA) Virginia Tech WR Tré Turner Also considered: South Carolina TE Nick Muse, Texas Tech WR Erik Ezukanma The Panthers sent a big contingent to Liberty’s pro day to see Willis. But they also watched a lot of his throws go to Turner, the Greensboro, Ala., native who participated in Willis’ pro day to showcase his receiving skills for scouts and then drove to Blacksburg for Virginia Tech’s pro day that same afternoon. Turner, who was also a basketball standout in high school, comes from an athletic family. His dad played football at NC State, while his brother P.J. Hairston was a first-round pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 2014. At 6-1, 184 pounds, Turner led the Hokies in receiving in two of the previous three seasons, but he did not test well at the combine, where he ran just a 4.51 in the 40. But he’s developed some chemistry with Willis after catching passes from him at the Senior Bowl, the combine (they were in the same throwing group) and the Liberty pro day.

Carolina Panthers’ David Tepper is one of the world’s 10 richest sports team owners BY ELLIS L. WILLIAMS [email protected] 1 hour ago Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper doesn’t speak much publicly, but his money sure is loud. Forbes magazine released its annual ranking of the world’s richest sports team owners Tuesday. Tepper, 64, who also owns Charlotte FC and has a net worth of $16.7 billion, came in at No. 8 on the list. Despite rampant inflation and a volatile market, Tepper’s worth has increased by nearly $1 billion from year year, an improvement of 15 percent. He is still the NFL’s richest owner, worth $6 billion more than the league’s second-wealthiest owner, Stanley Kroenke. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is the third richest owner ($10.6 billion), followed by Patriots owner Robert Kraft ($8.3 billion). The Panthers have not had a winning season under Tepper, who bought the team in 2018 from Jerry Richardson for $2.275 billion. But NFL teams make money regardless of record. Carolina is worth an estimated $2.91 billion, $600 million more than what Tepper bought the Panthers for. Tepper is the fourth wealthiest American sports owner. Steve Ballmer (Los Angeles Clippers), Dan Gilbert (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Steve Cohen (New York Mets) all rank above Tepper. Due to his stake in Microsoft, Ballmer is the world’s richest owner with a net worth of $91.4 billion. Tepper jumped Memphis Grizzlies owner Robert Pera after his wealth decreased by nearly 20% this year. Of Forbes’ 400 richest people in the world, Tepper ranks 103rd.

That knee situation is a bit dicey, agree?

Truth I’d just like to see a professional looking team, you know that can move the chains and complete a pass ….reaching for the stars….

It’s hard to say what will happen sometimes, hope has to be given to the paying faithful attending games and buying gear and food at the stadium, drafting a QB would do that .….……..until it doesn’t but giving the illusion of having a qb in waiting may be they can sell the ‘Sam just needed people around him’ pipe dream again frankly, given all the very tragic things going on in the world today that none of us can fix, at least we do have this distraction if I had to guess they will draft a qb in the first rd and Try and sign Duane brown or perhaps get lucky, trade down, pick up a second and bring in a qb in one of those rds

Thank you for saying this not many on here realize, too, that it’s nit year by year. It’s a four, six, 8 year commitment and it doesn’t matter if they suck or not the price each year is guaranteed to not go above x percent it’s up to the owner to find another PSL buyer if you want out

Nfl players have incentives (production targets and increasing numbers for playoffs, pro bowls, etc. In their contracts, particularly Wide Receiver Logically, they are going to favor someone who can help them hit those it’s about the money in the nfl and who can help a player make it during their mostly short careers