Sports Illustrated says Panthers and Broncos have had worst offseason in NFL

[SCP]

After FA and the draft, one publication used their "formula" to rank offseason success and failure. I'm not linking the article but SI says we had the worst offseason while the Falcons and Jets have had the best. It's a topic of discussion on local sports radio this morning. I'm not so sure if I agree. Special Teams was a serious issue last season that lost us games. We have made significant upgrades that should have a positive effect on special teams play. Our WR core has improved. Left tackle is essentially a lateral move. We played an entire season without Greg Hardy already so from 2014 to 2015 DE is a push unless we see a jump from the young group opposite CJ. RB group should be improved with a healthy JStew and Tolbert and a younger compliment in draft pick Cam Artis-Payne. With what we have done, I'd rank our offseason at around middle of the pack in that 18-20 range. I wish LT was taken more seriously and I wish we could have seen Cam's contract signed, but the later is out of Nippleshorts' hands to a certain degree. But in the end our team improved. If a team improved, how can the offseason be worse than a team like the 49ers.

[Biggdaddi1022]

can't make everybody happy

[L-TownCat]

After FA and the draft, one publication used their "formula" to rank offseason success and failure. I'm not linking the article but SI says we had the worst offseason while the Falcons and Jets have had the best. It's a topic of discussion on local sports radio this morning. I'm not so sure if I agree. Special Teams was a serious issue last season that lost us games. We have made significant upgrades that should have a positive effect on special teams play. Our WR core has improved. Left tackle is essentially a lateral move. We played an entire season without Greg Hardy already so from 2014 to 2015 DE is a push unless we see a jump from the young group opposite CJ. RB group should be improved with a healthy JStew and Tolbert and a younger compliment in draft pick Cam Artis-Payne. With what we have done, I'd rank our offseason at around middle of the pack in that 18-20 range. I wish LT was taken more seriously and I wish we could have seen Cam's contract signed, but the later is out of Nippleshorts' hands to a certain degree. But in the end our team improved. If a team improved, how can the offseason be worse than a team like the 49ers.

You worry too much.

LT went from a cold cadaver to an actual living person. Improvement.

[Cary Kollins]

Seriously, our offseason aside, the 49ers have had one of the worst off seasons of all time.

 

 

But yeah it's clear the Panthers have upgraded their roster so I don't know how that can be viewed as a negative. Well, I do know how and it's called lazy journalism.

[chknwing]

speaking of the falcons...

[Ornias]

Lets see, we improved the O line, receivers, rb's, and special teams. We have not panicked "signed" any FA's to massive contracts. We will have a chit ton of cap room next year, and yet there are 30 teams that did better than us? 

[the butch]

I see the DE spot being much improved this year.  Last year CJ struggled big time early in the season.  Alexander was riding the pine after some boneheaded decisions.  And we replaced Hardy with a second round rookie.  

 

1.  Alexander is back [and should be chomping at the bit.  

2.  CJ will probably be back in full form with a more cohesive unit, and we won't see the struggles like we did last year.

3.  Ealy came on strong at the end of the season, and will carry that over to this year.

 

As for ST, yeah, we DESPERATELY needed to upgrade the entire unit, and that's just what we did.

[SCP]

Lets see, we improved the O line, receivers, rb's, and special teams. We have not panicked "signed" any FA's to massive contracts. We will have a chit ton of cap room next year, and yet there are 30 teams that did better than us?

That's what I'm saying. Doesn't make much sense to me. Last offseason was worse with us losing so many FAs.

[ed bell]

CJ played hurt last year didn't he? Came on strong towards the end of the season.

[mbarbour21]

Totally agree with everything you said. We really came close to losing to the Cardinals in the playoffs mainly because we had horrible special teams play (coverage/blocking/returning), and lacked playmakers/protection on the offensive side of the ball.

Todman, Ginn, and Boykin all have special teams ability while also having the ability to contribute on offense.

We added Funchess and Williams through the draft to help the offense as well.

Other guys brought in to bolster STs:

Coleman, Teddy Williams, Trusnik, and Mayo.

Plus, we got another special teams coach, and the offseason isn't even over yet. I imagine anything can happen to the roster once other teams start trimming down. Sometimes you just have to let talent go. We have def upgraded.

[d-dave]

Sadly, we didn't follow "their" guidelines to NFL success!  I mean, if a magazine writer knows more than actual coaches and personnel guys...wait, why is he just a writer?

 

They are simply writing click bait.  The news media get's a hold of it, spouts it off on the radio, gets the fans rilled up and has them call in.  They are just trying to create traffic.

 

Come September we'll see how well paper champions do versus the paper losers...

[TheRed]

Well obviously this is crap. For the most part we addressed our needs.

 

In regards to LT though, we essentially replaced a terrible player with a player who could either be mediocre or really good.

 

Right now the feel good/nice guy/hard worker story behind Oher has most people satisfied, which we saw countless times as an excuse for Bell and how "he'll get better, just give him time fellas". Of course then those sentiments finally turned to "oh poo, this guy really is terrible, get him outta here!".

[chknwing]

whats the word on Alexander any ways, he in rehab or are we trading him to Denver?

[caatfan]

After we win the division again the story will be that 'the Panthers persevered despite making a mess of the 2015 draft', and they'll ignore the contributions from any and all new players. If that won't fly, due to undeniable contributions from the draft picks and FA's, they'll just pretend they never gave us a bad offseason grade.