Am I missing something? WR

[Tepper's Chest Hair]

I looked at:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2833601-2020-nfl-mock-draft-matt-millers-way-too-early-predictions#slide0

Quote

After adding pass-rushers and an offensive tackle through the 2019 class, the Carolina Panthers can look back to the skill positions and try to give Cam Newton some help at wide receiver.

Coupled with the previously posted:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001028927/article/nfl-power-rankings-new-orleans-saints-on-top-after-2019-draft

Quote

Did anyone else notice that Carolina avoided taking even one wide receiver in the first two days of the draft? A bit surprising, especially when you ponder the names that were in the 2019 class. 

Why do people seem to think that WR is our highest position of need?  And yes.  I know that first link is a "way too early" 2020 mock.  But I am mostly focusing on the fact they seem to think the Panthers are desperate for WR help.  Who knows, by next year it *might* be.  I just feel like I am taking stupid pills, in that these "experts" are regularly saying that WR is a huge need right now.  If I am in fact stupid, someone please correct me and explain to me something I am obviously missing.  Please use small words.  

[Pejorative Miscreant]

From a roster standpoint we have two good/very good/pro bowl potential young receivers in Moore and Samuel that I would define as core players. Couple that with Wright, Hogan and the handsomely paid Torrey Smith.  I’d say we are in a decent place and don’t “need” to draft at that position.  We could get better by swapping Smith for a cheaper vet alternative but from a  team nucleus point of view the position is solid.

 

TLDR:  National media gravitate to high profile position not addressed and point it out because it’s easy to do and round out an opinion. 

[FakePlasticTrees]

Prior to the draft the Panthers' brain trust did mention that one goal of the draft was to add weapons for Cam. That did not happen. I assume that the draft just fell in such a way that drafting a WR  was not in the cards.

Of course, the offseason is not over yet. I do wonder why the Panthers did not use a late round pick on some WR talent. There was highly rated players that went undrafted. Clearly, the Panthers did not think highly of them.

[WarHeel]

26 minutes ago, Tepper's Chest Hair said:

I looked at:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2833601-2020-nfl-mock-draft-matt-millers-way-too-early-predictions#slide0

Coupled with the previously posted:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001028927/article/nfl-power-rankings-new-orleans-saints-on-top-after-2019-draft

Why do people seem to think that WR is our highest position of need?  And yes.  I know that first link is a "way too early" 2020 mock.  But I am mostly focusing on the fact they seem to think the Panthers are desperate for WR help.  Who knows, by next year it *might* be.  I just feel like I am taking stupid pills, in that these "experts" are regularly saying that WR is a huge need right now.  If I am in fact stupid, someone please correct me and explain to me something I am obviously missing.  Please use small words.  

You can always tell who hasn’t watched a single game of ours. Anyone who thinks we haven’t upgraded with letting Funch walk and adding Hogan is kidding themselves. 

[bababoey]

WR has become what TE was for the Panthers.  Every draft expert just thinks they need one even when they don't.

[Grendel]

Until our wide receivers step up and ball out for a whole season they will be doubted.

[Moose Hoover]

44 minutes ago, FakePlasticTrees said:

Prior to the draft the Panthers' brain trust did mention that one goal of the draft was to add weapons for Cam. That did not happen. I assume that the draft just fell in such a way that drafting a WR  was not in the cards.

Of course, the offseason is not over yet. I do wonder why the Panthers did not use a late round pick on some WR talent. There was highly rated players that went undrafted. Clearly, the Panthers did not think highly of them.

Godwin 

[L-TownCat]

Moore, Samuel, Wright, Smith, Hogan, Olsen, CMC.

Thats plenty to throw to.

[ForJimmy]

CMC, Olsen, Thomas, Samuel has Moore are all solid and need catches. Wright and Hogan are decent possession WRs. No one would complain about another WR, but it’s a luxury. Also we drafted Godwin from UGA late who looks to have potential.

[Eazy-E]

Now that FA and the draft are basically over the media needs random bs to talk about from now until August.

[Mr. Scot]

I'd say a lot of the national media doesn't really see much in Curtis Samuel yet. Likely don't see Jarius Wright as much more than an average third down guy either.

Pair that with the fact that most of them seem to see Funchess as a loss and this is the take you wind up with.

[CarolinaNCSU]

On paper, we could be really good at WR with development. 

However, we also can look at the pessimistic view.  We have a few journeymen (one that is expensive) who are average at best, a dynamic young guy in Samuel who was also a college HB with a heart condition and stayed hurt much of his first two years, and a promising rookie who had a fumbling problem.  Taking off the homer glasses and not knowing as much as we know about Samuel & Moore's potential, iWR is need.  I still think it's a need if they reach their potential, solely from a future standpoint as well, as in the 2020 season. 

[Tepper's Chest Hair]

18 minutes ago, CarolinaNCSU said:

On paper, we could be really good at WR with development. 

However, we also can look at the pessimistic view.  We have a few journeymen (one that is expensive) who are average at best, a dynamic young guy in Samuel who was also a college HB with a heart condition and stayed hurt much of his first two years, and a promising rookie who had a fumbling problem.  Taking off the homer glasses and not knowing as much as we know about Samuel & Moore's potential, iWR is need.  I still think it's a need if they reach their potential, solely from a future standpoint as well, as in the 2020 season. 

I am not sure I am sold that DJ Moore has a fumbling problem.  He had 4 total fumbles last year.  2 in the same game, early on, when he was starting to first be actually used (Washington).  I feel he recovered pretty good from those early rookie jitters.

As of right now, to me, WR is not a 1st round quality need.  Outside of there being some crazy talented guy that drops in the draft to us.

I imagine that S/CB will be a much larger need going into the draft next year.  While we may find a plug to last a season this year as FS I expect that to be our largest need going forward.  That and DT/DL.

While I am not opposed to expanding our WR group via the draft, I am not seeing "we need to focus on WRs in the first round".  I just see much larger areas of need.

[Mr. Scot]

2 minutes ago, Tepper's Chest Hair said:

I am not sure I am sold that DJ Moore has a fumbling problem.  He had 4 total fumbles last year.  2 in the same game, early on, when he was starting to first be actually used (Washington).  I feel he recovered pretty good from those early rookie jitters.

As of right now, to me, WR is not a 1st round quality need.  Outside of there being some crazy talented guy that drops in the draft to us.

I imagine that S/CB will be a much larger need going into the draft next year.  While we may find a plug to last a season this year as FS I expect that to be our largest need going forward.  That and DT/DL.

While I am not opposed to expanding our WR group via the draft, I am not seeing "we need to focus on WRs in the first round".  I just see much larger areas of need.

Fumbling is an issue, but honestly my concern with DJ Moore had more to do with the fact that at least early on, it seemed like we were getting more out of him on handoff / gadget plays than on passes.

I get that you love that kind of versatility in a guy, but ideally speaking he is supposed to be a wide receiver first.

By season's end, it felt like he was starting to get more passes so that problem may not exist this year. I'm certainly hoping it doesn't.