musicman

I would expect them to kind of follow last years model. Sign 1 or 2 really good FA quickly, then wait a week or so and then get a few on the secondary market, signing to fill as many holes as possible before the draft with more affordable guys, small 1 to 2 year contracts. I would guess a DE and maybe a S or CB to take the pressure off the draft. I see a cheaper WR in FA and not in the draft, or at least a high round pick. This would give the max flexibility to take that TE, or move down and pick up a extra pick or take who ever falls to them (BPA).

Did you watch the video? Justin Jefferson has amazing stats but the Vikings have won nothing in the playoffs with him. In fact he was basically shut down. Having a really good QB is important, but so is an offensive line, add a good OC too and you need running game. Football needs balance so the thread was about do we really need a true #1 of just a few really good WRs, a good catching TE and a running game to be balanced enough to win... in the playoffs. Steve Smith took a few years, he had Mushin on the other side and Walls at TE and great RBs.

Personally I think we need more Adam Thielen's. Kupp would be nice. Guys who can run but know how to get open and move the chains. Coker will be nice with another year under his belt. I would rather have a great TE who can catch and run with Adam, Coker and a Kupp like WR, along with X. Heck Lockett would be an upgrade from David Moore.

But to the Cowherd's point, you don't need the best WR as the teams that win in the playoffs don't have that (facts he listed). Yes to a fast guy who can catch to roll coverages, but to spend $30+ mil may not be worth it. A balance team that can run and pass, with a TE that can do both will be better every time.

https://x.com/TheHerd/status/1897715645858423027?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1897720917888815363|twgr^df54b53cd64f2deb8318934fc606ff7b9528303c|twcon^s2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpantherswire.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fnfl%2Fpanthers%2F2025%2F03%2F06%2Fnfl-trade-rumors-panthers-sehawks-dk-metcalf%2F81791576007%2F The stats back up you don't need one to win in the playoffs.

That draft only works if we sign a top DL and Edge rusher as our 2 biggest FA signings/trade. And a very good CB (either trade or FA). Top Defensive players are needed.

If you listen to the TD song edit and the extra point, I actually edited in South Carolina on every other line.

Truth is, you have to keep trying. Some miss or don't play like you thought, some get hurt, etc. Washington hit a home run with Daniels. But, you need a team around the QB, some weapons, good line, defense and a couple of major play makers. Even the best QBs need that. Dak's problem is Jerry and the whole vibe he puts out running that team. Browns took a shot, who knew he's a perv. Others, it would be the OC or HC or just the offense in general. I believe we saw the best in Stroud his rookie year. He'll be good, but probably not that good. Took the league by storm. How many think Darnold would have played much better under Canales? Maybe not franchise worthy, but better. I believe Tepper did the right thing hiring a OC to be HC. If Bryce turns out to be a top 10 QB, build around him and they've started with the O-line.

Blink 182 "all the small things" and "let me clear my throat" and "we ready" for late in the game.

Videos and prompts have music pre-planned and embedded. It use to be I would get the run down a week before and get ideas of what to play during certain breaks (fan cam, dance for your diamonds, etc). I use to pick like 3 different songs for each part and see how the game unfolded to see which one. Now it became just play this song (and sometimes it was picked for me). Everything else was impromptu. I had thousands of clips but their system updated 2 years ago wiped out my access and I had to rebuild with a new system (political in my eyes). Mr. Richardson was big on nothing derogatory so it was always respectful. Still is. I use to have the freedom to adapt. If I didn't like the call I would play "What's going on" or "blah Blah Blah". When Cam would break a sack and run for 1st down, I would platy like "I get knock down, I get up again..." and so on. Players gave me songs they liked. Mike Tolbert wanted Wrecking Ball when he got a 1st down. Thomas Davis always wanted "Vice Versa" and I played it every game and even every outside appearance I was at with him. Cool stuff like that. We followed the play clock very closely and all audio has to be stopped by 20 second left on the clock or when the center touches the ball. If he stood over it, I could keep it playing to try and disrupt their communication at the line, but once he started going down towards the ball, it had to be out. We needed fans to keep the noise once that the audio stopped and when the crowd wasn't in to it, it sounded like a buzzkill drop. When the kicker kicked the ball, it had to be out before it was caught. My whoops moment was when Luke knocked down Tom Brady's pass in the end zone to win the game in 2018 and I started to play Sweet Caroline and then there was a flag. Jumped too soon. I had others. TV dictates what we did as to timing, so our production was secondary to that. Tough when there was an injury and they would go to commercial and we couldn't do our breaks so we would play catch up all game. That happened 90% of the time. The behind the scenes was stressful, lots of moving parts and most you could not control. Many times I bailed out the video side as it was the wrong video or the audio wasn't right and I had a second to play something that kind of fit the situation so I was always ready to play something. In fact, after every play, especially when on defense, I had to have several songs ready go. They go a 1st down, we made a big stop and it's now 3rd down, interception or fumble recovery, did we get a sack, penalty, etc. As things changed the way to was run (nothing to do with the Teppers) it just wasn't fun anymore. There's a lot of layers there.

What it was in the Cam days to now, it's totally different. Back then, I picked 99% of the music and when to play it. Boom Boom Boom was picked by Mr. Richardson's son. And "I feel good" by James Brown was my choice after I received a personal post note from the Big Cat saying he liked that song I played. When Cam came back in 2018, the intro of the team was the only time ever we did a song special for 1 player. In fact, Cam helped get music in the tunnel for players getting ready to come out for intros and he would actually email songs (and special edits) he wanted. Cam and so many other players gave me feedback of what they wanted. I remember JNo coming to my office (others too) and making special edits for them when they made a play. So much fun. I have nothing to do with volume. I tried to play different songs every game and even only once or twice in a season. The last 2 years was a lot of repetition (3rd down, KO, etc). I made the new TD edit but hated it (it's not what I would have done). And for all you anti-Tepper people, he had nothing to do with anything music related and was actually very cool to interact with. Nicole had some input but was great to work for. They get a lot of slack for everything, even if it's not them. I liked them a lot. Ask questions, I'll share.

Thx guys, it was me. 14 seasons. Had a blast. Now I can be a true fan and just support the team. Looking forward to hanging with the Roaring Riot pregame tailgates and who knows from there.

If you can get Kupp for $5 to $8 mil, even $10 mil - he will make Bryce even better as he knows how to get open, catches everything and can block.

The Texans and Commanders HC's are good coaches that have 2 really good QBs and 2 really good OC's. Their problem will be if the OC's leave, it will take a dip, they always do. That's why Tepper wanted an OC for HC. If Bryce turned out good, the long term relationship is key. The exception was Brady in NE but they didn't win every year like look at KC with Mahomes and Reid. Even Peyton Manning had the same OC for over 10 years.

I would like to see a DT, DE, LB or CB in the 1st round. And then one of the remaining picked in the next few rounds. BPA, the who doesn't matter. I hope they don't take a WR in the 1st, unless they moved back in the 1st and got more 2nd or 3rd round picks.

Bryce can be the franchise QB CLT desperately needs. I believe a top 10 QB if he plays like he did towards the end, but Canales has to keep evolving too for that to continue. He did real good for a 1st year 1st time HC. If we see fans attend off-season things for the Panthers, especially when Bryce is there, that means the confidence in a turn around is high with people, and that's good news for everyone.

Between Bryce and the schemes, those were some really good plays. He faced pressure and showed he could handle it and as the season went on, Canales opened the playbook up more and more and it showed. Looking forward to next season. Very happy for Bryce the person as well as the player.

WE just need a really good speedy receiver with good hands along with an improved XL (hold on to the ball and use his body to box out coverage), Theilen along with Coker, Bryce can have a good year. Coker was a really nice surprise and we needed a break for a change.

I just hope we take DE Carter or Malaki Starks S (or a great edge player) and not another WR with that high of a pick. Or move back a few spaces and get an extra 2nd/3rd round pick but pick defense.

All good comments, both ways. My only point is he did this today with no real #1 WR, no starting 1000+ yard RB, his highest paid lineman out and a defense that had trouble stopping anybody. Give him at least a weapon (like Higgins) and a defense that can be at least middle of the road and he has the tools and a OC/HC that has some structure and play calling skills (DC has a way to go to be real good, but he did make Bryce better) to win and come from behind. I talked with Bryce Friday afternoon. He just looks comfortable and more confident, which probably comes from structure. The more he learns this offense, the better I know he'll be. Consistency is greatness.

I think we are in very good hands. He may not be a top 5, but he's playing damn good for not a lot of weapons around him.

That's my point. Lower expectation to "gradually" work on the team instead of all the outside noise making you feel better than you really are or breaking you down constantly. Small steps. Competitive games no matter the record is what I hoped to see this year.

I am glad we didn't start off really good and fissile out like past regimes. The struggle with Bryce and the benching was just what everybody needed. Look at Stroud and teams like the Giants with Daboll's first year, they surprise everyone and then they can't live up to expectations the following year(s). We looked at Canales and this team as hopeful and saw the struggles from day one. A HC learning on the fly how to be "the leader". A team who had no identity trying to find one in the midst of losing, even benching our #1 draft pick. But having most (fans and media) look past the Panthers as the worst was probably the breather, the space they needed to actually get better. Nobody really cared what or how the Panthers were doing. If we beat KC and/or the Eagles the expectations would have been high again. But playing better, very competitive (without winning) gave the team traction to evaluate the players, make mistakes and not be jumped on by fans and media. We weren't going to playoffs this year and by some chance we slipped in, we would have been a quick out with super high expectations next year. Now, we all just look for continued progress. The team is finding its identity while flying under the radar. The next 2 games with even more injuries, there shouldn't be expectations of winning, just play hard and let's see what the players got. The more the back ups learn the system, the more the system proves it just needs decent players to play within it and not necessarily all to be stars. You can't help but feel Canales, Morgan, Tillis and even Tepper are on the same page. The NFL is not easy and it takes a lot of moving parts to win. A few really good parts and a lot of decent parts working together, FO to the back ups. The future looks bright, how bright? As long as it gradually gets brighter and doesn't die out, we could have a consistently winning team that always has a shot for the playoffs. That's what a winning organization looks like. Look at the many great examples of coaches and FO turning a perennial loser into a winner. It takes time and the right mix of people. That I believe we have.

So far, the High look overview from weeks ago is right on. DE, CB, DT, TE, LB, WR - improve in the one areas with somebody and getting DT Brown back, keep Mayes and Brady C on the O-line, we've got a fighting chance for the division next year. Just saying...

Dang. Hold on to it, we win.