Post-KB Trade Aftermath Thoughts and Observations

[TylerDurden]

A few things stand out to me in the aftermath of this debacle.

• This organization has this year and maybe a year or two after that to win a Superbowl with the current core of Cam and Luke.  And with the amount of talent surrounding them going out in contrast to the amount coming in, our prospects are not looking too good.
• This organization does NOT stand behind Cam.  I dont know if they ever truly, 100% did, but they definitely don't now, and I don't know what that means about his long-term security with the team going forward.
•  For many on this board like myself, who thought Gettleman was overhyped but was in fact, an average GM, while acknowledging Hurney was average to below average himself, this is a weird situation to judge...  it's like a blurb on a shallow, fly-by-night, rarely updated fashion blog on "who wore it worse?"  The guy who wasted a first rounder on a underachieving reciever with a big body which he had a fetish for?  Or the guy who traded that receiver away for nothing, for no apparent reason, when, depsite his shortcomings, was the best receiver we currently had?  Tough call.  Suckage all the way around.
• Speaking of our last two GMs, this trade didn't do any favors to Gettleman's already weathered and eroded legacy, in which the few good deeds he did are far more outweighed by the bad.  Seeing CMC's poor performance unravel before our eyes, Shaq struggling in anything but pass rush, Vernon barely seeing the field, and now KB being traded for peanuts, all while Norman, who he famously dismissed, is still excelling elsewhere, really cements what a bad job he did for the long-term talent base and outlook of our team.  KK, Star, and Bradberry were hits in regards to value, but he pretty much missed on all of his first rounders.  Sad.
• But, that last point isnt to lift Hurney up.  I've always defended Hurney's strength in never missing on a first round pick, many of whom are the cornerstones of our franchise, and will be for several years to come.  He also brought Olsen here in a trade that was pretty much the inverse of what he just did in terms of fleecing another team.  That being said, he just poo all over the bed.  He got up, cleaned it all up, ate some corn chowder and peanuts, then poo all in the bed again.  Not that KB was all-world, but just as I criticized Gettleman for releasing Smitty, not just because he was one of our greatest to ever do it, but hecause he was the best at his position at the time and we had no one to fill his shoes ready to come in.  This trade is the same thing in that sense...  no, KB wasn't what we ultimately need as a #1, but he was currently the best we had, and again, we have no one to step up and fill his role...  and just as with my critisicisms of how Norman and Smitty's situations were handled, this move essentially is of no value.  Yes, we have a 3rd round pick next year, but that does nothing to plug the hole the trade just created on one of the oldest teams in the league with a rapidly closing window to win it all.
• All in all, this trade only makes us worse.  I was never big on KB, but as I said, due to how our team was constructed coming into this year, he was the best we currently had.  Hurney no longer gets a pass for drafting Cam, Luke, TD, Stew, Gross, etc., and trading for Greg.  What he has done this year has been atrocious.  I don't know if his ego is getting in the way and he is wanting to get rid of Gettleman's guys, but we seemingly have no direction as an organization.  At this point, I'm expecting to finish the year in a disappointing fashion with a continually sputtering offense and a defense that eventually will just break under the weight of holding the team up for entire games because Shula is an idiot and Rivera is a gutless cyborg.  After that, i would not be surprised for us to head into a dark, dark period similar to Cleveland.  And we may eventually end up moving in the midst of all this shortsightedness and dysfunction.  Our organization is dysfunctional, and we are bleeding out as we sit here in this moment.  Sad day of introspection as a Panthers fan.

[Daddy_Uncle]

we completed screwed up our chance at true greatness and it pisses me off. I'm not just saying that because of KB. KB doesn't make or break out. I'm talking about the grand scheme of things and how we have handled business the past few years. We had our window and it has been slammed in our face 

[BIGH2001]

And the guy who should be our GM right now is laughing at how he just ass raped hurndog.

[Bartin]

I don’t hate getting rid of KB but the timing is terrible. Do it a week ago so you can actually get another WR with speed or wait until after the year. Moving on from him to get more speed on the field is a valid decision. Doing so with no actual ability to get a decent speed WR that is ready(I.e. not Samuel) afterwards is not.

[cardiaccat52]

Trying to be somewhat positive in a bad situation. Although I like KB and thought he was a clear #1 WR on this team...Cam did have his best/MVP year without KB on the roster. Perhaps we see glimpses of that moving forward? Also, just read David Newton’s article (I know he sucks), but a new contract and probably top-5 salary cap number on this roster probably wouldn’t have been in this teams best interest. 

We shall see....

[Panthers8969]

3 minutes ago, Bartin said:

I don’t hate getting rid of KB but the timing is terrible. Do it a week ago so you can actually get another WR with speed or wait until after the year. Moving on from him to get more speed on the field is a valid decision. Doing so with no actual ability to get a decent speed WR that is ready(I.e. not Samuel) afterwards is not.

yeah this is the biggest thing for me. If we then traded for Hilton (who was on the block) then id be really happy about the trade. Instead..

[TheSpecialJuan]

Nice rant

[TylerDurden]

2 minutes ago, Bartin said:

I don’t hate getting rid of KB but the timing is terrible. Do it a week ago so you can actually get another WR with speed or wait until after the year. Moving on from him to get more speed on the field is a valid decision. Doing so with no actual ability to get a decent speed WR that is ready(I.e. not Samuel) afterwards is not.

This.  Even outside of this thread, i've made it clear repeatedly, I never wanted KB.  I think he is a great dude off the field, but i never thought he was a #1, all the while simultaneously bordering on being obese, ran poor routes, and had problems with drops.  But, the timing of this is horrible and lacks direction and foresight. 

[d-dave]

5 minutes ago, cardiaccat52 said:

Trying to be somewhat positive in a bad situation. Although I like KB and thought he was a clear #1 WR on this team...Cam did have his best/MVP year without KB on the roster. Perhaps we see glimpses of that moving forward? Also, just read David Newton’s article (I know he sucks), but a new contract and probably top-5 salary cap number on this roster probably wouldn’t have been in this teams best interest. 

We shall see....

Great post! Perspective is a difficult thing for the internet.

I'm torn. I realize Cam was at his best without KB, but are we ready to dump his presence and expectation on Funchess?  I hope it works out.  I'll miss his huge presence.  

I get the point there was something else brewing with this decision.  Like the weight thing, his knee, and emerging prima Dona attitude.

[coralreefer_1]

 

Most of my "feelings" on this revolve around it happening in mid-season and especially a few days before the ATL game we MUST win to stay competitive in the division.

I don't mind 3rd and 7th round picks for KB. To me those are just extra picks most likely to be used to trade/move up during the draft. People have been wondering when Samuel was going to get back and begin to be useful. This move makes that much more likely to happen sooner than later, and also means its trial by fire for him and CM. That worked for Bradberry after the Norman mess, I'm hoping our rookies can get it going.

Ideal situation? For sure not. But I cant sit around griping about Ron/Hurney/Shula. Doing so doesn't change a damn thing. What's done is done. All I can do is cheer on the team.

[RumHam]

Hurney needs that 8 mil to pay Aguayo or Stewart long term. Or even Amini Silatolu. Don't be surprised if we cut TD and Olsen anyways after year's end, which is what GMan probably wanted to do anyways. JR continues to be the problem. 

[csx]

Glad there is a place to express opinions on this trade finally.

[csx]

1 minute ago, RumHam said:

Hurney needs that 8 mil to pay Aguayo or Stewart long term. Or even Amini Silatolu. Don't be surprised if we cut TD and Olsen anyways after year's end, which is what GMan probably wanted to do anyways. JR continues to be the problem. 

At least try to make sense

[Pantherxtreme]

Just now, d-dave said:

Great post! Perspective is a difficult thing for the internet.

I'm torn. I realize Cam was at his best without KB, but are we ready to dump his presence and expectation on Funchess?  I hope it works out.  I'll miss his huge presence.  

I get the point there was something else brewing with this decision.  Like the weight thing, his knee, and emerging prima Dona attitude.

Cam was at his best because he had a running game that helped move the chains, and Ted Ginn who tore the top off of defenses all year. 

Who's our Ted Ginn this season? is our online confusing blocking scheme going to all of a sudden start making holes for the backs?

This was future financial move plain and simple and doesn't do anything to improve this team this season. Which is a strike contrast to the teams positioning themselves for playoff runs approached the trade deadline.