panthers55

Actually it isnt the same. Cam had one of the steepest learning curves of any quarterback coming into the league. Plus he was severely behind guys like Wilson, Ryan and Luck coming out of college in terms of understanding the pro concepts. He overachieved his rookie year and everyone thought he was fine without realizing he still didn't really understand many of the basics of the game. If you think about the fact he only had 1 year of D1 ball coming out of college and even then the offense was simplified, going into his fifth year in the pros is really equivalent to what a guy like Luck knew at the end of his rookie year given he was in a pro offense for 4 years in college and would be way ahead of Cam. So no you are wrong, the he is still learning is not the same thing as every quarterback. Cam still is learning the basics like consistent mechanics, throwing to spots and reading defenses. Things that many of the other quarterbacks have mastered. The fact that Cam has done so well and overachieved makes it appear that he is on the same footing at other guys in terms of football knowledge but he is still playing a catch up game. People thought he would need 2 years to simply be a starter. The fact that he has done so well is a testament to his hard work and the fact he picks things up quickly. But to translate that to doing it automatically and effortlessly takes time and repetition. Things he is still learning to do and is behind many other guys who had a pro offense for years in college.

actually you can. Your job is to see that the ball gets to where it belongs based on the play called. It is the receivers job to be where he is supposed to be. Is it hard to throw it without confidence in your receivers? Absolutely. A good reason for not having fruit basket turnover every year. But if you remember how Cam did in the combine drills you know this was one of the big knocks on him coming out of college. He struggled when asked to throw the ball on an out route to a spot because he had always thrown to the man or where he was at, not to a spot or where he should be. It was a fault of his offense in college You can get away with it in college but not in the NFL.one of the reasons I said he was not as prepared as other guys coming out. He has done it since he got here and is only now really able to anticipate.

If you listen to Polian quite a bit you know that he can be opinionated which sometimes clouds his judgement. But he does know football and is a fairly good judge of an organization and what it takes to build a good team. He was the GM for the only time that Buffalo has contended consistently for a super bowl. Then he went to Carolina where he was charged with building a contender right away. He took us to a win in the playoffs in only year 2. Then he went to Indy where he built them through the draft and did so very successfully. In each place he had different challenges and did them fairly well. He is far from a hack and anyone who thinks that is the case is just demonstrating how little they know about football and about Polian.

Pollen is spot on. The organization is being run right at present. No one is talking about the past simply the present. Secondly If people would stop being so defensive about Cam they would know that Polian is saying the same thing that Gettleman and Rivera has said. Cam is an incredible physical specimen but he still is learning for example how to throw to spots instead of waiting for the receiver to clear. He is still learning to read defenses and figure out what he needs to do. He came into the league with one year D1 experience starting and that was with a simplified system that didn't really teach him about NFL defenses. He has made tremendous progress but is still behind guys like Luck and Wilson who came into the league after 4 years of college and were more pro ready than Cam. He is definitely our franchise guy and should be paid a ton but let's not underestimate the distinct disadvantage he had coming into the league which he made up for initially with athletic ability but ultimately needs to be overcome with experience and time.

So some sleepers and late round guys. how about Eric Rowe from Utah Ladarius Gunter out of Miami. Perhaps Josh Shaw at USC if he interviews well and isn't a problem he appears to be. One of my favorites in the late rounds, Cam Thomas from Western Kentucky university.

Did you have Benwikere as a starter in the later rounds last year? The guys who usually stand are are the one being hyped by the various drafting services, those from big schools/ conferences, and the guys projected high in the draft. If you look at our starting corners you have a guy picked in the fifth round from San Jose State and another fifth rounder from Coastal Carolina. The guy who we pick could be a big name guy but just as likely will be a later round guy from a smaller school with good measurables, speed and size who will be drafted later because he is relatively unknown. I think that picking popular big name guys may not be as accurate as saying the likelihood is another 4 or 5 round pick again. Hence the overall draft philosophy.

At this point I would like to pick up a corner in the draft but not in the first 3 rounds unless a real difference maker who could start right away falls to us and other positions like OT and WR don't have the same level of talent. Truth is that Norman and Benwikere are our starters on the outside and Jones was very good in the slot in 2014. At this point I can see the need for depth and grooming someone for down the road but honestly corner is not the big problem it was at this point of the year going into the draft last year. I could see Gettleman finding another stud in the mid to later rounds like we did in Benwikere last year. If we can avoid the injury bug this year we might not have to start 8 rookies again this year.

Sean Golbert was one of the reasons we didn't go after big names for a while after that. He really burned us after paying him a ton and giving up 2 number 1 picks for him.

We are a long way from last year proven by how active we have been and the fact that for example Ginn is back in the fold. Gettleman knew we were going to take a dip last year and must be ecstatic is wasn't worse. He is a first time GM and is learning as he goes. He has learned from last year and likely won't make the same mistakes. He was full of himself in 2014 after a successful 2013 and mismanaged free agency. So far this year he appears to be doing a better job. Check back with me in 2 weeks and I bet things will have changed for the better..

The problem for me you are bitching about 7 weeks too early. If we havent done better than Bersin by the end of the draft then you have a point.I have full faith that we will sign another WR in free agency and pick one up in the draft I just saw that Patterson is being shopped and Bowe is being released. I wonder who else might get the ax over the next 2 or 3 weeks who would be cheap and as good as Shorts, Nicks, and Crabtree. I am fine with letting tings play out and see what happens. There will be plenty of time to bitch between the draft and the start of training camp.

Brown is still an unknown. He really didn't play enough for us to know how he will do long-term. I hope he is fine and continues to improve but I wouldnt bet the farm he will develop into a number 2 for us. Anyone who has been around long enough have seen folks like Brown (Ryne Robinson, Joe Adams, etc.) to not get too overly excited. Lets be real here, you keep bashing Bersin as if he is a top receiver on the team and that he will even make the roster this year. Unless he seriously improves he will likely be a camp casualty. And Cotchery was really an add on when our initial free agency plan blew up last year. The guy he replaced is back with us in Ginn. The best think Cotchery gives us is veteran leadership and a good third down option when we send out 3 or 4 receivers and they double Olsen and KB. The thing for me is not going after pricey mediocre talent instead of drafting someone like we did with Benjamin. I would like to see another free agent WR signed next week and then draft another one in the first 3 rounds. But Crabtree and Shorts would not be my top choices. One due to injury and the other price. Then again what do I know, I am just a fan.....

If he tore his achilles last year I wonder what he runs the 40 in now. I'm betting it isnt close to 4.3

Glad you are not the GM. Shorts will be overpaid by the Jets or someone else and really isnt that good. He had 53 catches on 110 targets in 2014. His drop rate was 11.67 in 2014. Plus he had soft tissue issues and injuries and ran a 4.5 40 which would be fine of he were like Benjamin but at 6ft tall and 200 lbs he really is not worth that much. I would take Ginn over him in a heartbeat. He is a slow Ginn who can't return punts or kickoffs. When the Jaguars dont even want you, there are issues. Crabtree had achilles surgery after 2013 and has never returned to form. How many wide receivers have achilles surgery and gain back all of their speed and acceleration? The only one out of those I would consider is NIcks because he will be relatively cheap and will be worth taking a flier given he wont be asking a lot of guaranteed money. Even then he isn't someone who you count on for a number 2 receiver with his injury history.

Actually it is his first rodeo as a GM. Sure he was in the player evaluation business as part of the Giants but never a GM so there is a learning curve just like Rivera's time as a coordinator helped but didn't totally prepare him for head coach. The beauty of it is that his basic philosophy and instincts are already good and will only improve as he Gaines experience.

Crabtree has never Ben the same after the Achilles injury. He ran a 4.5 before the injury and likely runs a 4.8 or worse now. Most times speed never returns. For the money I would take Nicks who while injured at least doesn't have a career limited injury.

Who thinks we haven't already talked to Long's agent to discuss bringing him in? If we dont pull the trigger you can assume we have questions or feel he is not a good fit or not worth what they are asking. Players who are getting contracts this week are getting what they want and likely getting the better end of the deal. As time goes by, the agents start feeling the heat and are more likely to negotiate. Those are the guys we want and will pursue. BTW, anyone have Remmers on their radar last year? Who thought that would work out like it did, Lets see what Gettleman can do with what is out there before we decide we have to have the big names and high priced guys. Long is surely very risky and might be a one year rental or less if he gets hurt again. We need someone who can anchor the left side for some time. And that likely will be a draft pick.

I actually think Remmers and Oher and going to good perhaps not great. I also think we will find someone at wide receiver as a number 2. Have faith grasshopper.

Because they can't afford the 16 million cap hit and he wasn't going to renegotiate his salary. I really doubt they were going to reduce his role and still pay him 12 million.

Johnson is on the books to make 11 million in salary and roster bonus and his cap hit is 16 million. Obviously Houston can't afford that so they are moving on. Unless another team has a ton of cap space that they have to spend, no one is going to trade for him. If he is cut, exactly how much of a discount do you expect him to take? He will want to get paid at least 8 million or more. He will also want a multi-year contract. If I were going to spend 8 million on him I would spend 10 on Cobb who is much younger. There are a ton of free agents who could be productive who you can get at a better price than either of them. Both Nicks and Crabtree would sign for much cheaper and they are both younger than Johnson. Torrey Smith, Dwayne Harris and a slew of other guys could come in and make an impact and fit much better within our salary structure.

I dont think many folks loved Cotchery so much as they hoped he would be able to help. I think those that thought he was going to replace Smith were hoping he would but I doubt they would have bet much money on it happening. He was a cheap option little else. Just about every expert in the summer was saying we had the worse wide receiver group in the league.

I heard him say that he actually doesnt like stop gap vets because it hurt consistency and chemistry when you have to turn over your roster every year. He has had to resort to that given the cap hell we have been in, but I dont think it is the plan. He wants a core of young players and to build through the draft. Vets are important but I dont think they are seen as stop gap so much as part of the long term plan. In 2013 we gave out a bunch of 1 year contracts. In 2014 we gave out more 2 year deals. I expect that trend to continue. Even guys like Remmers last year were given a 2 year deal which now appears to be a fantastic move.

The question is not whether you want Cobb because everyone knows he would be very productive but do you want him at 12 million a year and who else could you get for that kind of money. There are other guys who are cheaper and still will be productive. It isnt that we arent competing for a Super bowl simply that we arent one player away or that Cobb will be the missing piece to winning s Super bowl. As for Johnson, he may still be productive but at 34, he is a stop gap not a solution. We need a guy who is productive and in his mid twenties, not one or 2 years away from retirement. DG is building for the future and looking at being a winning franchise consistently. That requires building around a young core not patching things together with expensive free agents. We did that in the late 90s with poor results. I dont want to go back to that failed strategy. We are on the right path and honestly AJ is not part of the plan IMO.

He would be our third best option assuming we dont upgrade elsewhere or pick up another stud in the draft. Secondly, the comparison with Cotchery was an age one not a skill one. And lastly who says he would be great with the young receivers He might have been a great option a few years ago, now he is just over the hill.

We are not going to be interested in him at any price. He is 34 years old and not part of any teams long term future. That may work for a team that is a wide receiver away from a Super Bowl but honestly we are looking for younger guys to build the future with not over the hill like Johnson. If we got rid of a 34 year in Smith we won't be adding another guy just as old. Cotchery was 31 when we picked him up I doubt we want to go even older at the position.

Way too early to know who we are going to even need until free agency plays out somewhat. Unless we pickup a WR or 2 in free agency you can count on us drafting one in the first 3 rounds. Drafting an OT is very likely also. Don't see us picking a safety in the first. I think that building around Cam is the big priority this year.