What are the Expectations for Shaq?

[TheNewStandard]

Shaquille played only 35% of the defensive snaps last season. 

How much PT increase are we gonna see?

Does Shaq help out our secondary and free up Luke to play blitz packages? 

I will say that Shaq's sideline to sideline speed is phenomenal and he's agile and physical enough to match-up with the leagues better "over the middle" TEs and receivers (as we saw vs Fitzgerald in the playoffs.)

I don't know what to expect, just hoping we get good dividends from our #1 draft pick now, sooner than later.

[Gipetto]

i see something similar to Thomas davis sophmore season 80 plus tackles maybe a pick and 2 sacks. 

[pantherclaw]

Most improved defensive player.

[TheNewStandard]

10 minutes ago, Gipetto said:

i see something similar to Thomas davis sophmore season 80 plus tackles maybe a pick and 2 sacks. 

A TDesque trajectory is a good way to look at expectations. I mean, in my opinion, that's what Shaq was bright in for...to eventually replace TD.

[TheSpecialJuan]

Greatness

[motocross_cat]

He will help mask our apparent nickle problem i suppose.

[KB_fan]

I know they're by definition "homers," but the Panthers.com crew (Mike Kraft, Max Henson & Bryan Strickland) got positively giddy when discussing Shaq's performance during OTAs.... said he was flying all over the field making amazing plays.

Sounds like they have incredibly high expectations for him.

Here are Shaq's player grades & snaps according to PFF for 2015:

[KB_fan]

I forgot the link to the LB Preview video at Panthers.com.  Here you go:

http://www.panthers.com/media-vault/videos/Position-Preview-Linebackers/b5f8982e-d398-45e4-8a71-b6a78a12e31a

 

[MV%doe]

With TD still playing, I don't see shaq how he gets snaps. That was my huge issue with the pick this is the Nickle era of nfl. Even with luke missing 4.5 games, he still didn't get snaps. Shaq was mainly a STer. Sure he did handle Fitz in the championship game, now he has to force the coaching staff to give him snaps.

My thought in my warped mind is this - just say father time finally caught TD and shaq is killing it in training camp. Plus it's clear to everyone shaq is the better player now, how on earth does Ron Rivera(whom loves TD) handle this?

[The Lobo]

2 hours ago, pantherclaw said:

Most improved defensive player.

This. Been saying it since we drafted him. He's a beast. He will bust some heads this year.

[arbnranger]

2 hours ago, KB_fan said:

I know they're by definition "homers," but the Panthers.com crew (Mike Kraft, Max Henson & Bryan Strickland) got positively giddy when discussing Shaq's performance during OTAs.... said he was flying all over the field making amazing plays.

Sounds like they have incredibly high expectations for him.

Here are Shaq's player grades & snaps according to PFF for 2015:

From week 4 on you see a steday progression of Shaq getting more comfortable and being able to get off those blocks in run coverage.

 

[pantherclaw]

1 hour ago, MV%doe said:

With TD still playing, I don't see shaq how he gets snaps. That was my huge issue with the pick this is the Nickle era of nfl. Even with luke missing 4.5 games, he still didn't get snaps. Shaq was mainly a STer. Sure he did handle Fitz in the championship game, now he has to force the coaching staff to give him snaps.

My thought in my warped mind is this - just say father time finally caught TD and shaq is killing it in training camp. Plus it's clear to everyone shaq is the better player now, how on earth does Ron Rivera(whom loves TD) handle this?

Simple, Panthers play more base defense. 

With the coverage ability of our linebackers, we don't have to play nickle defense, and our defense gets the advantage of the matchups. 

[arieslibra1]

6 hours ago, TheNewStandard said:

A TDesque trajectory is a good way to look at expectations. I mean, in my opinion, that's what Shaq was bright in for...to eventually replace TD.

I hope so. So Shaq eventually moves to WLB and CAR drafts a SLB next year or Klein starts at SLB in the future?

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

Shaq is going to absolutely ball this season on defense and special teams. If he starts to flash that game-breaking ability he had taking the ball away and getting into the end zone he displayed in college this defense won't miss a beat. Just a matter of time before he emerges as a constant in our defense and there aren't two better backers in the league to play alongside of than TD and 59.