I'm pretty sure everyone saw this coming

[davos]

For TL,DR go to EVERYONE in caps.

 

This is something I'm curious about hearing from you guys:   

 

Last season: The majority of fans and local writers all recognized Bell as a bad RT and wanted him benched.  There was also converted TE to DT to OG that filled in somewhat below average at RG/RT.  We also had Williams as a below average vet backup. 

 

Offseason: Gross retires.  Everyone is curious about what tackles we'll bring in.  The majority of fans, national media, and local outlets all recognize we didn't have talent there.  The staff then hints that Bell could get a look at LT even before the draft and FA moves.  We all kinda disregarded it.    

 

Draft: Not a single OT taken.  Now I completely understand the BPA strategy but don't think it's the right way to go.  Team's have cap space being taken up at certain positions and of course positions of need that give prioritization to drafting certain players.  What I find troubling is grabbing whoever is #1 on your board with NO deliberation (we're the only team that gives no more than 15 seconds to pick 2 years running now; I just find this odd..anyone else?).  Decent haul in the draft but the positions relative to the picks baffled A LOT of people.      

 

FA:  There are like 40+ OTs available.  We grab NONE but did scoop up a Canadian as an UDFA.  Overall, we pretty much grab cheap vets with liability issues rather than the young underachievers with potential route.  I would say Dickson and Webb were the only exceptions.  Underwood was on the fringe in this regard.    

 

TC: everyone kept waiting for a OT signing but after the hearing about a failed attempt at one guy in Anthony Collins, we settled for what we had.  What I'm getting at:

 

--

 

EVERYONE saw there was a major issue on the line.  Seriously, everyone was taken back by our offseason until training camp when we put fan-goggles on.  You'd think the OL should have the most priority given the current NFL landscape (even more so than the DL).  

 

I understand they had "faith" in guys as a staff but it was blatantly obvious we had nothing at the position.  That's what grinds my gears.  They moved the RT everyone wanted benched to starting LT and the DT converted RG fill-in to RT.   There has to be some line of approval from the Scouts to Brown to Matsko to Rivera to DG and those guys completely muffed in the draft, FA, everything.  

 

Even if we finish 10-5-1 I'm done with the coaching staff and DG better prove he can assemble a competent team this offseason.  He will have plenty to work with.  There's no doubt Ron and Dave work together to an extent for what players should be brought in and they're both responsible.  The amount of misses was ridiculous this offseason.  

 

All of the things that gave us a terrible taste in our mouth this offseason are proving to be what we originally expected before the training camp blinders turned on.  We've been reminded twice of this on national TV and it's honestly embarrassing for the organization so I hope they recognize it.   

   

[pstall]

I have always thought the BPA is for lazy losers.

[Chaos]

They will play the cap card anyway. We must learn to accept that Rivera and DG are going to dance with the ugly heffers they brought to the prom.

[KendrickPanther]

I get the Bell move because at least he has played NFL tackle. Chandler had not. Foucalt had not. Garry Williams had a little experience but he did his usual thing (get hurt in the first week). 

 

But there is still something no one wants to consider. There are a dozen teams starting crap tackles. All of their fan bases are as irate as us. The only difference is ours are making less money. We competed with those teams for tackles and ultimately they paid a higher price for the same return.

[Ruff]

I agree. I think Gettleman was given enough rope last season to hang himself this season. When he preaches that the trenches is the way to build the team, and then completely disregard the offensive line because Gettleman's dick gets hard when he sees a sack... Well, that put us in this situation.

And it's not just the past offseason. Even as fans, we all knew that Gross was nearing retirement before last season. We knew that Garry Williams couldn't stay healthy. We knew that Bell sucked, just by watching the games every week. If we notice these things, as fans, how the fug did Gettleman not notice? Was there a sale on Bermuda shorts that distracted him?

Also, the "bigger = better" theory is nice, but there needs to be speed to compliment it. Even the Seahawks, the team that lives and dies by that motto, has already began sprinkling their offense with speedy guys to get a beat on the big, lumbering corners.

The NFL is ever changing. Always different. I think that Gettleman still believes that this is the Giants' super bowl years.

[TheRumGone]

i refuse to believe that DG was so cocky that he thought bell and chandler were the answers. nobody looking at both of them could actually think this was the answer. there might have been some form of hope like most of us here before the season said. but somebody with DG's pedigree for talent evaluating could not sit there and think that. I think he thought Cam could continue to mask deficiencies on O while still having a dominant defense would win us games.

 

i think he just thought in the short term tagging hardy would keep this front seven (the obvious strength of the team) intact and would give us a good chance to be competitive again over anything else without sacrificing long term goals. this backfired obviously. and this is what we have.

 

i think the question should be should we have gone OL instead of Kelvin in the first round. Should we have spent a good chunk of our cap on a marginal tackle this year. I don't know anymore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[davos]

I have always thought the BPA is for lazy losers.

 

I mean you'd think there should be an understanding of what makes sense given what's on the team.  That's why I assume a lot of teams deliberate for a bit in their war rooms.  Seeing who really fits best and makes the most sense.  Dave has a list and it seems whoever is available at the top of it is getting chosen, no ifs, ands, or buts.  Maybe he gets a thumb up from Rivera too haha.  

 

The BPA should have a healthy consideration of a team's needs and I think strictly BPA can hurt more than it helps.  I won't disregard that DG has spotted decent talent in some rounds for us but just really dislike the overall strategy this offseason given we have a young yet vulnerable star at QB who already had to carry the team on his back.   

[PanthersClinic]

Really this team was living and dying on the decisions of Fox and Hurney the past few years, Stew, Dwill, Gross, LaFell, Smith, Hardy, Johnson, Davis etc. (I think it was Hurney who brought in Olsen too) Now you see all the previous regime guys leaving, getting cut, getting injured and now all you see is the bums Gettleman has brought in (Cotchery, Avant, Harper, Ealy, etc)

 

To be fair the books are screwed up heavily. Hopefully if we ever get in a good position financially we can see what Gettleman can put together. 13 million for Hardy looks really stupid though.

[davos]

i refuse to believe that DG was so cocky that he thought bell and chandler were the answers. nobody looking at both of them could actually think this was the answer. there might have been some form of hope like most of us here before the season said. but somebody with DG's pedigree for talent evaluating could not sit there and think that. I think he thought Cam could continue to mask deficiencies on O while still having a dominant defense would win us games.

 

i think he just thought in the short term tagging hardy would keep this front seven (the obvious strength of the team) intact and would give us a good chance to be competitive again over anything else without sacrificing long term goals. this backfired obviously. and this is what we have.

 

i think the question should be should we have gone OL instead of Kelvin in the first round. Should we have spent a good chunk of our cap on a marginal tackle this year. I don't know anymore.

 

It was interesting in the draft.  A lot of tackles that were deemed to be mid to late rounders in the build-up were found out to be highly sought after and have looked good to great.  I'm speaking to James, Britt, and Bitonio (T/G *stud this year at LG).  All went before our 2nd/3rd pick.  The top ones had the adverse effect minus Lewan.  I'm just curious to where some of those guys were on our board.  Also, a good amount of the late rounders made active rosters.  

 

I actually agreed with the Hardy tag if he wanted around or more than the tag amount.  So, we have to live with that unfortunately but even with a dominant DL, you have to give the guy trying to carry the franchise on his back some help or at least depth at offensive tackle.  

 

I remember during the Fox era, people here preached a lot how LT was arguably the most important position on a team and ever since Gross retired, I haven't heard that much.  For the sake of DG's credibility, I really hope that we considered an FA OT other than Anthony Collins.  I don't remember any others we brought in to interview.  

[davos]

Really this team was living and dying on the decisions of Fox and Hurney the past few years, Stew, Dwill, Gross, LaFell, Smith, Hardy, Johnson, Davis etc. (I think it was Hurney who brought in Olsen too) Now you see all the previous regime guys leaving, getting cut, getting injured and now all you see is the bums Gettleman has brought in (Cotchery, Avant, Harper, Ealy, etc)

 

To be fair the books are screwed up heavily. Hopefully if we ever get in a good position financially we can see what Gettleman can put together. 13 million for Hardy looks really stupid though.

 

Given what's happened, at least we just tagged him instead of a monster contract.  Also, don't look past we spent $10 mil on this secondary in the offseason.  DG worked in room to sign guys.  

 

Hardy is off the books next year.  Also, factor in the expiring contracts and potential cuts, we could have up to ~29 million to spend.  Of course we'll be considering Cam's contract but that's a lot of wiggle room regardless of Stewart, Williams, and CJ.  

 

Also, after this season, there will be no more dead money towards Beason, Anderson, Godfrey or Gross.  We're talking over $20 million in dead money this year and they will finally be off the books.  Smitty will be the only above $150,000 in 2015/16.  That's huge and honestly gives us room to cut at least half of double trouble.      

 

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/carolina-panthers/

[DanTheMan]

I am SOOOO FUGGING SICK of it ALWAYS being " Next Year"!! When does this year ever come?

[davos]

I get the Bell move because at least he has played NFL tackle. Chandler had not. Foucalt had not. Garry Williams had a little experience but he did his usual thing (get hurt in the first week). 

 

But there is still something no one wants to consider. There are a dozen teams starting crap tackles. All of their fan bases are as irate as us. The only difference is ours are making less money. We competed with those teams for tackles and ultimately they paid a higher price for the same return.

 

I recognize that but our staff equated the mid to low-end vet FA talent available at OT to UDFAs yet trusted those low-end vet FAs at skill positions (SS, FS, CB, WR).  That, I don't get.    

[TheNewStandard]

Everyone keeps smack talking Gettleman for the Hardy situation. It's a bs argument an asinine statement.

What is truth is that without Hardy, our #2 defense drops to #25. I guarantee you that our DB's would be looking way better with #76 in the game. He's easily worth the $.

We hit a bad year to lose our offensive line from the previous season. There were simply no OL worth picking up, regardless of the cost. We have who we have until starting linemen become available via draft or FA.

Stop ripping Gettleman about Hardy. So sick of hearing that bs. He was well on his way to another probowl, 16+ sack season before JR pulled the plug in him which is where the true failure if this season should be placed.

[AceBoogie]

In March, when everyone was saying it's just March.