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Sorenson analyzes Gettleman

Mr. Scot

By Mr. Scot,
in Carolina Panthers

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Mr. Scot Grand Master

Mr. Scot

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GM Dave Gettleman grinds away at improving Carolina Panthers

 

Good general managers are true to their philosophy, and Carolina’s Dave Gettleman is a good GM. His philosophy is obvious.

He wants to sign free agents to fill obvious gaps on the roster. Once the gaps are filled, he is free to draft the best available player regardless of position. (Last season he had to take a wide receiver with his first pick.) Although the presumption is he’ll take an offensive lineman on April 30, he’s not obligated to.

What if Todd Gurley, a long-striding running back out of Georgia, unexpectedly slips to No. 25, where the Panthers draft? If he’s there, will Gettleman take him? I don’t think he will.

 

About free agency: Why didn’t Carolina sign Jennings or a better player? Why didn’t it sign a player with the potential to be a star?

The Panthers did. They signed tight end Greg Olsen. Olsen’s lone drawback is he is not new; he has played for Carolina the past four seasons.

Aside from being slightly used, Olson, 30 has: proven he can play; proven he can play with quarterback Cam Newton; proven he is a leader; and proven he’s a guy you want in your huddle, locker room and town.

The biggest name the Panthers will attempt to sign is Newton, who also is not new. The Panthers on Tuesday offered no comment when asked about the negotiations with their quarterback. In other shocking news, a golf tournament in Augusta, Ga. is about to begin.

Even if the Panthers fail to sign Newton, he will be tethered to the team for the 2015 season. And if they fail to sign him before the 2016 season, the Panthers could apply the franchise tag to their franchise quarterback. If they do, it’s tough to envision their franchise temp signing a long-term contract.

 

For Carolina, free agency is nothing more than a warm-up act, and Gettleman’s approach has been quiet and quietly effective. Ted Ginn Jr. is the most impressive of his acquisitions. Ginn ensures that, as he awaits a punt, fans will put off the beer or bathroom run until the play ends.

At 29, Ginn still is one of the league’s fastest players, his speed immediate and his stride a testament to track-team grace. When I see Newton prepare to step into his throw and go deep, I stop watching him and look for Ginn.

The riskiest free-agent signing is potential starting left tackle Michael Oher. Oher is coming off two poor seasons, one with Baltimore and one with Tennessee. Can he again be the player he was? That obviously is Gettleman’s guess.

Gettleman has made mistakes. You might be angry with him for putting a line in front of Newton early last season that would have been overmatched by a stiff wind.

But by the end of the season that line was sufficient. Once 3-8-1, the Panthers won their final four regular-season games and made the playoffs with a record of 7-8-1. They won a playoff game and lost to Seattle 31-17 in the NFC divisional round. That finish is a testament to the players Gettleman provided and the work coach Ron Rivera did with them.

 

For Carolina to improve, Gettleman must sustain his draft night and day success. At one juncture last season seven rookies started.

He had five picks in his first draft with the Panthers and six in the second. This year he’ll have nine.

In early April everybody, including New England and Seattle, has holes to fill.

 

Sorenson also lobbies for the team to sign Greg Jennings in this piece, but accepts it may not happen.

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O-Ther Newbie

O-Ther

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Nine picks this year.  I wonder what his hit rate will be?

 

His past success might be setting himself up for failure in the eyes of fans. Normal hit rate for GMs is high in 1st, decent in the 2nd, ok in the 3rd, and anything in 4th or later is gravy. Gettleman has been killing the drafts, so we don't have as many holes to fill now starter-wise. If we take a RB or DT that shares touches or snaps with guys already here instead of completely taking over the starting spot, will Huddlers say it wasn't a good pick? I bet they will if the sportswriters start saying the picks were just depth guys that couldn't claim a starting spot all to themselves.

 

Or what if we take an OT, but his best position is on the right side? Another wasted pick because he isn't playing the left side or great pick because we're set at RT for 8+ years? Doubt the Huddle will be happy with Gettleman since he didn't give them what they wanted, even though what he got is still making the team better.

 

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Mr. Scot Grand Master

Mr. Scot

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His past success might be setting himself up for failure in the eyes of fans. Normal hit rate for GMs is high in 1st, decent in the 2nd, ok in the 3rd, and anything in 4th or later is gravy. Gettleman has been killing the drafts, so we don't have as many holes to fill now starter-wise. If we take a RB or DT that shares touches or snaps with guys already here instead of completely taking over the starting spot, will Huddlers say it wasn't a good pick? I bet they will if the sportswriters start saying the picks were just depth guys that couldn't claim a starting spot all to themselves.

 

Or what if we take an OT, but his best position is on the right side? Another wasted pick because he isn't playing the left side or great pick because we're set at RT for 8+ years? Doubt the Huddle will be happy with Gettleman since he didn't give them what they wanted, even though what he got is still making the team better.

 

 

I'm pretty sure there will be plenty who will be calling some of them bad picks and busts within a few seconds of their name being called.

 

We have a lot of psychic friends onboard.

 

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KendrickPanther Apprentice

KendrickPanther

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The one thing encouraging about Gettleman is he doesn't come off as a fool. When he signs a crap player he knows and we know they are a crap player. He's just trying to manage the cap. We don't see Gettleman defending the Artmanti Edwards and Eric Sheltons right up until the day he cuts them. Hurney famously fell for buzz players like Clausen, Jarret, Everette Brown, and Armanti Edwards. Gettleman sees those guys on the board, gets a call from the Patriots, and says "What? Do you think I have brain damage?". 

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KendrickPanther Apprentice

KendrickPanther

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How is Olsen the answer to our number 2 receiver hole? He's the answer at TE, not receiver number 2. That makes zero sense. That position was a problem last year, having Olsen again doesn't change anything for said position.

 

When people say Olsen can be our number 2 reciever they mean he can be our second option in the passing game. Get the second most targets/yardage. Olsen had some really unproductive games last year when he was forced to be David Foucalt's on field coach. He probably could have had 1200 yards if he wasn't forced to pass protect so much. 

 

Obviously WR 2 is still a concern but if we draft a running back and run well, that number 2 won't get many targets anyways. 

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KSpan Grand Master

KSpan

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How is Olsen the answer to our number 2 receiver hole? He's the answer at TE, not receiver number 2. That makes zero sense. That position was a problem last year, having Olsen again doesn't change anything for said position.

 

Elite TEs don't grow on trees and most teams don't have someone like Greg, meaning that he fills the role of a high-quality second receiving option that other teams have to fill with a WR.  Not saying that Carolina doesn't also need a better receiver across from KB, because they do, but Greg has shown to be more effective than a traditional #2 receiver anyway.

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L-TownCat Grand Master

L-TownCat

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I'm pretty sure there will be plenty who will be calling some of them bad picks and busts within a few seconds of their name being called.

 

We have a lot of psychic friends onboard.

 

 

"Yeah, like who the fug is this Benwikerersfgs?  WTH is G-man doin?  We traded up for this kid?  I cant even say his freaking name."

 

 

-Not an actual quote but damn close

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