ESPN's Analysis of Our Pick, And Why I Feel It Was The Wrong Pick

[Proudiddy]

Seattle actually tries to get Wilson weapons

They drafted Richardson, they trade a 1st for both and Harvin and Graham. The panthers don't even try

LOL, forgot about all of those... I just know they invest in helping their QB. We don't. That's what matters.

Wait, wait, wait... We signed Jarrett fuging Boykin and his blazing 6.8 speed.

[GoobyPls]

It's well known that I'm not a Gettleman fan, but there is no way he gets fired while JR is still alive. I think things with Cam are going to be interesting. I think it's been made quite clear that Gettleman isn't building a team around Cam, he's put bandaids together as if Cam is temporary. It all goes back to when Cam first got here, I think the reason we draft the way we do is because Gettleman isn't sold on Cam being his long term guy and isn't going to invest picks in him.

 

If JR is the one holding this team back then I hope he's gone also.

 

 

I knew from his first press conference Cam wasn't "his guy"

[gettlemanjack]

I have never really outright poo poo'd a pick we have made the same night. I didn't like the KB pick last season initially, but I still said I hoped to eat crow and felt there was a strong possibility I would. And for the most part, I did (although he needs to shore up that drop issue). But I would've been lying to myself if I didn't see him contributing immediately and ignoring his potential.

I am going out on a limb here, but I don't have that feeling about shaq. It's the first time, possibly ever, that I just don't like anything about the pick. I predicted both Cam and Luke months before they happened and said both of them would be among the best in the NFL before we ever took them... So, I feel like for a fan, I have a good eye for talent and fit... I just don't like this pick... Again, considering what lost us our season, it just doesn't make sense to me and was an obvious reach for a front office that swears they won't do just that.

Flame away.

i gotta respect you for your honesty. Much more refreshing than the "hurr whatever Gettleman does is absolutely genius and we should never question him ever" crowd

As for me, it is easy for me to love this pick because I have loved the idea of Shaq at #25 from the beginning. Why? Because I am a college football nut. It has been my 1st love in sports since the 80s (before that it was MLB). I'm literally psycho about college football, i can't get enough of it.

And Shaq was one of the most dominant players I've seen, and I'm talking about since back in 2012 when he was a true freshman. Dude was freaking awesome in college (the 18 to 22 yr old amateur league). Being that he tested out as an elite All-Pro caliber athlete at the Combine, I'm optimistic he will dominate in the NFL too, or at worst case be a very good starter (low chance of being bust).

But yeah, there were other players we could have took that i would have liked as much. For ex, seeing the Colts get Phillip Dorsett for Luck at #29 kinda hurt. But this draft is deep with WRs i love. We will get one

[Rags]

Here's...what people need to try to understand. And please, do you best with this.

 

 

Gettleman is aware. He's aware that we need a playmaker or two on the offense. He knows this. He's said so himself. Hell we even told Dorsett that. And I'm sure he weighed drafting players like  Dorsett, Perriman, even players who are still on the boad like Strong and Smith.

 

But at the end of the day. You have to build a team. They thought Humphries and Thompson would be the best at 25.  They would both help the team. Humphries is obvious, but Shaq less so, as we have TD and Keek.

 

Shaq is an athlete. He can lay LB and S hell even RB. But the LB/S thing is important. He fits us like a glove when you think about it.

 

We play nickel a ton. And having a fast, play making LB/S like Shaq helps a to, He can cove really well, and just having a prescience like him there helps a lot. He's going to be playing early and often, at both LB and Safety. He's a three down linebaker who can make amazing plays for us. He helps us. He makes us better.

 

Gettleman was there when the Giants made it to the supebowl both ties. Packers, Saints, Ravens, Seahawks...all made it to the superbowl on the backs of strong defenses. Everyone praises the Ravens GM for being one of the best GMs in the league. Look at the Ravens. Look how many o their 1st rounders are defensive players.

 

Now we know both WR and OT are still on the needs chart, and Gettleman is going to get us those players f they'e there. All  you can do is have faith in him.

 

The Panthers are ascending under him. Even if it doesn't make sense now, t'll make sense in when  we'e playing in January. 

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

I'm hitting the hay. Lets hope Cam gets two guys for his offense in rounds 2 and 3.

[Fidel Cashflow]

I see Shaq starting beside Luke and TD and sliding to SS in nickle. 

 

Immediate impact

 

BOOM

 

[mcdougal]

*keeps bringing up how we need offense.*

 

*Seattle gets to Super Bowl two yeas i a row with 2 UDFA WRs starting and a strong ass deense.*

 

 

"BUT WHY DO WE PICK DEFENSE."

 

The Seattle Seahawks do not GO into the season expecting for rookie WRs or UDFA WRs to be their QBs No. 1.

 

Percy Harvin was on the Seahawks at the start of the season...

 

Jimmy Graham is on the Seahawks at the start of this season...

 

The Panthers are about the only franchise that expect to compete for a playoff spot and EXPECTS for rookie WRs followed by 4ths and 5ths WRs to produce in the passing game...

 

Then we wonder why we have trouble throwing against defenses ranked in the top 25... 

[TheRumGone]

I have been detailing this for the past month. I did not want to go into it too much because the Panthers slow played this to perfection.

 

As for the people who understand the growth of the spread offense and hybrid TE in short yardage, they get this pick. For everyone who still thinks teams play a base 4-3 most of the time will throw out the Thomas Davis comparison from 10 years ago. The NFL has changed.

 

There was one position the Panthers could not fill and that was the hybrid LB/SS. Colin Jones finished the season in this spot. When you see the S or CB playing near the line and in the box this is called the Big Nickel. I have talked about it previously. Here is a link if you need to read about it.

 

google the articles here

 

Read up there are several articles on it.

 

Shaq Thompson is going to play OLB - not safety. He will line up in a 4-3 and when the offense spreads out Shaq becomes the Big Nickel. Spread offenses have been using this to give an edge to their QB to pre snap read the defense and know if it is in zone or man. With a hybrid OLB that is no longer an advantage. Why do you think the Seahawks do so well on defense? This throws QBs for a loop and causes more mistakes and delays.

 

Last season the Panthers had AJ Klein/Chase Blackburn getting caught in pass coverage, and Bene Benwikere would get caught in a run play and crossing routes from these spread formations in short yardage. Shaq instantly solves that and he frees up Kuechly and Davis on day one.

 

The Panthers now have the defensive personnel by adding Shaq and Tillman to run big nickel and big dime packages that will rival that of the Seahawks while neutralizing QB pre snap reads and spread offenses. For long passing downs the Panthers will still use a traditional nickel and dime which will replace Shaq with Tillman or Bene in the nickel. Shaq will be in that OLB and Big Nickel postion on all short yardage downs.

 

This is huge. The Patriots and Seahawks have been doing this for a few years now.

 

Also, keep in mind Shaq can team with Ginn on kickoff returns, and he can play gunner.

 

What I find interesting is this notion I have heard rumblings of that the Panthers want to select Ty Montgomery later in the draft. The idea is to pair Ty and Shaq at the RB position in a read option package with Cam Newton. Might be 6 to 10 plays a game in the red zone. You can go from having Ty and Shaq in the backfield to a spread offense in the red zone with both at receiver. 

 

Hope this helps. If you do not understand the formations and the amount they are used, then just wait till the season and the 4 game stretch against the spreads on short yardage you will see against the Packers, Eagles, Seahawks, and Colts. You will be thrilled to have Kuechly, Davis, Shaq and Tillman then when those QBs are left guessing if it is man or zone pre snap. If it were Kuechly, Davis, Klein/Colin Jones, and Bene in the box, I guarantee you those QBs will know where they are going and if they are audibling to a run or screen 5 seconds before the snap.

[Proudiddy]

I'm trying to figure out how people forgot Seattle absolutely teeing off on our guys because they looked like they were playing downhill on us... Our receivers couldn't get separation on top of horrible, long-developing routes. What happens when guys can't get open? The QB has to hold onto the ball and the pass rushers pin their ears back...

That wasn't just Seattle, that was all fuging year.

Of you don't have a problem with our WR corps, then you must enjoy masochism and also must be an advocate of cam newton abuse.

Thsts not even taking into account the numerous times our all-star receiving unit dropped open to passes, tipped passes up in the air for ints, and just straight up quit on routes (also resulting in ints). I've been involved with, played, and watched football for 20+ years and never before have i seen the crap I saw last season from our receiving unit.

[TheRumGone]

I'm trying to figure out how people forgot Seattle absolutely teeing off on our guys because they looked like they were playing downhill on us... Our receivers couldn't get separation on top of horrible, long-developing routes. What happens when guys can't get open? The QB has to hold onto the ball and the pass rushers pin their ears back...

That wasn't just Seattle, that was all fuging year.

Of you don't have a problem with our WR corps, then you must enjoy masochism and also must be an advocate of cam newton abuse.

Thsts not even taking into account the numerous times our all-star receiving unit dropped open to passes, tipped passes up in the air for ints, and just straight up quit on routes (also resulting in ints). I've been involved with, played, and watched football for 20+ years and never before have i seen the crap I saw last season from our receiving unit.

 

proudiddy read my quoted posted above.

 

if you think a WR at #25 is going to help this TEAM more than what shaq is going to allow us to do then i wanna know how.

 

AND. we have 8 more picks. calm your tits.

[Rags]

I got a lot of Quote replies and I'm not gonna bother replying.to them individually because they all say the same thing.

 

 

"They use Lynch as a workhorse." You mean like we did with a healthy JStew and a solidified interior line? 

 

"They don't plan to go n with UDA as their starters." And Gettleman does? With our cap and whatwas dealt with us in the drat, he did what he thought was best.

 

"They traded a first for Percy Harvin, at least they tried!" And it worked out so well.

 

"They traded for Jimmy Grham!"  i still think he was a product of Brees targeting him 20 ties a game and he's soft and won't have anywhere nea the type of success in Seattle, but, yeah, they did. Good for them.

 

"They drafted Paul Richardson." And we're more than likely to draft a WR this draft as well. Just because we didn't take a WR in the firs doesn't mean we won't with our other 8 picks.

 

[AceBoogie]

Is what it is

[Proudiddy]

@rags and trg.

I'm willing to bet most here understand the spread, the nickel, and even the "big nickel" role, whether they know it or not...

And this leads us back to the issue with the pick... As the quote trg posted mentioned, Colin Jones played that big nickel role perfectly last season. Coincidentally, around that time he was put in that position, our defense turned things around and became elite again... Now, that coincided with increased roles for Norman, bene, and Boston as well, but still. Point is, we had a guy that already did what he is coming in to do, and did it well. And Colin is a phenomenal athlete as well.

To me, no matter how you cut it... WR is a gaping hole. Anything we did defensively was redundant and unnecessary when compared to WR.

[Rags]

Nobody's saying that WR isn't a Glaring hole, we all know it is. Gettleman has said so himself.

 

But not drafting a WR in the 1st =/= ignoring the WR position.

 

You don't draft for need. You draft to get better. And Shaq Makes this defense and therin this team better.

 

Drafting for need gets you Terrel McClain.