panthers55

Then you restructure a few guys and get under the cap again like New Orleans did this year to sign Carr. Again the cap is just a number that teams get around a dozen ways. The idea that you can't manipulate it to get who you want is the myth. So yeah it isn't the big impediment that you and others here think it is.

Of course the money doesn't disappear. That is an extreme mischaracterization. But if you actually spend 280 million a year and only have to account for 250 in any one year, it is gone for now given the NFL stands for Not For Long. And you can keep kicking the excess down the line which seems what all the teams are doing these days. So it didn't disappear but it doesn't all show up on the salary cap in the year it was paid. Seems if you aren't doing that then you are at a competitive disadvantage.

The myth is not that there is a cap. Of course there is a cap. The myth is that you can't sign the players you want or need because of the cap. What I said was that there are many ways to manipulate the cap so it isn't worth all the angst that everyone here gives it. Look at Hill as an example. You really think Kansas City couldn't have kept Hill if they really wanted to? Of course they could but it might mean coaching up some cheap rookies and UDFAs instead of JAG vets who cost 5 times as much and will still be backups. The myth is that the cap, if it 250 million, is all you can spend and it is the same for everyone. Not true at all. Cash over cap through signing bonuses and restructures allows a team to spend 10s of millions more that gets prorated. Add on some voidable years and incentives and you can fit most any salary you want under the salary cap without having to gut your roster in the process. It favors owners like Tepper who have deep pockets and want to spend the money to bring a SB to Charlotte one day. They can spend cash over cap to get players just like he spent big bucks for coaches but didn't have to worry about a salary cap or have to disclose the salaries.

Damn good question. Looking at how we could have been offensively with him here, I think it was a mistake. But I know they were thinking to get as many picks as they could while he was healthy given his injury concerns. It wasn't all about the money.

Ancient history. The contracts we have given out lately appear much better but you can always find a few bad ones

No it doesnt matter what the overall numbers are. The only money that matters is guaranteed money. Were voidable years a thing 15 years ago? GMs find additional ways to manipulate the cap and will continue to find new ways to do it. All of this angst is just overblown like usual. Did CMC's contract keep us from signing other folks? The only time teams talk about the cap is when they want to us it to keep from paying someone or justify cutting someone. Teams like Tampa are in cap he'll but it was by their own choosing

Just the truth.

The issue is the guaranteed money. The 122 guaranteed is a much bigger issue than the 170 overall. How many players actually get all that money? Much less than you think.

But that is the big myth. The cap can be manipulated a dozen ways and teams like New Orleans have consistently got who they wanted and paid whatever. They paid a ton for Carr when they were over the cap and are favorites to win the division. So no you and others here are wrong in your thinking that the cap will hurt our roster building and Burn's money will hurt us moving forward.

I might be upset if I cared what you thought but I learned a long time ago to ignore criticism from someone you wouldn't take advice from.

You all act like it is your money. It isn't. And whatever we pay him will fit into the salary cap. Next year his cap hit will be low on a first year contract rising each year along with the salary cap. Samir has this and has been expecting all of it. Expect Burns to be signed in the next day or two.

Fitterer is going to get this done shortly and Burns will get around 26 million per year average. Hopefully it isn't all guaranteed and there is a base around what we want which is 23 and another possible 6 million in incentives for reaching certain levels. A win win. Meanwhile Burns wants it all guaranteed I am sure

Of course on paper we can make the contract whatever Burns wants as long as it isn't all guaranteed. If we can get some incentives in the contract why not give him what he wants if he puts up other worldly numbers like he thinks he can. If he puts up good numbers he gets a bunch but not all the incentives he could. If he drops offs, he get his base pay. Let him gamble on himself and if he puts up then pay the man. If not he is still getting paid commensurate with their production.

Talk to me in 3 weeks and we should know what we are up against. With all the changes it is hard to predict what will happen until we meet head to head.

You are missing the point in your haste to argue with everyone. I am not arguing whether our draft picks or released guys were great or sucked. My post pointed out you took your own opinion and claimed Fitterer said the same thing and he didn't. Maybe it is me but in this age where everyone makes stuff up and calls it the truth, I guess I am oversensitive to it when I see it.

He didn't say we had poor drafts, he said we have changed systems and we need players who fit our new scheme and it will take time to find all those players. You seem to take a lot of poetic license to make your point instead of sticking to what was actually said.

Actually he said that if things work out as he hopes, the goal of the team is to win the division and he felt that was obtainable. Well if we win the division we get a home playoff game. So he didn't exactly pump the brakes either. He said we might start off slow but would finish very strong.

We are nothing like last year on either side of the ball. We had a makeshift defense without a true coordinator once Snow was canned and no secondary coaches at the end of the season. We have upgraded at a few positions player wise and significantly upgraded the staff. Add in the easier schedule and we will be ranked much higher than last year. Truth is ranking differences between 10 and 25 aren't that huge in most NFL categories so a big move is possible and not nearly as hard as folks seem to think.

And your constant complaining about the over the top rhetoric is overblown in your criticism. Fans are reacting to all the accolades that have been heaped on our staff by outside sources not panther sites. So if folks are pretty happy about our staff and talk about it in positive ways, why do you have to come in here and piss on everyone's cornflakes. And Reich was only calling plays at San Diego for 1 year his first year so that hardly is definitive. He didn't call plays in Philly and did for 5 years at Indy. Seems most of the criticism was in 22 and 23 when the Colts imploded for various reasons. So no he wasn't critized everywhere for his playcalling. If you want to criticize overblown responses start with your own.

I expect this game to go much better. The biggest issue is our other opponents used their backup QB for a least a half. We used Corral for the majority of both games. If we improve as much between game 2 and 3 as we did between 1 and 2, this should be a fun game. And Corral might improve enough to be okay as the emergency backup or traded

Tickets emailed. Let me know you got them.

Sounds good to me. PM with an email and I will transfer them to you

I have 3 tickets for tomorrow's game and can't go. They in section 544 row 25 (Home side 15 yard line). I am giving them away. You must be a Panther fan, plan to go to the game, and not resell them. Tell me why you should get them??

Obviously your opinion like mine means little. I do however respect the numerous experts who agree with me about this staff. Show me some credible sources suggesting we are as bad as you suggest or let it go. I pointed out several articles praising this staff and you have nothing but your own opinion. Forgive me if I don't go back and forth anymore but your take has no credibility.

Again our staff on paper is better than the steelers staff as well as Seattle and the Patriots. It isn't about just the head coaches but the whole staff. Reich by himself might be middle of the pack but he was hired based on the staff he was going to assemble. Based on the collective experience of this staff and their accomplishments they together are better than the individual parts which is exactly the goal with staff or players. So again you can pick apart any individual coach but as a group they are pretty impressive. Getting young and old coaches is one of our strengths while you make it out as a weakness.