How would you address the OL in the offseason?

[Icege]

Currently, the only members of the offensive line group under contract are Matt Paradis (who will free up $8.53M in cap space if cut at the expense of $3.6M in dead cap in 2022), Greg Little, and Dennis Daley.

Taylor Moton is going to need to be paid, but his contract can realistically be offset by cutting Kawann Short (freeing up $14.5M in cap space). This seems as close to a "must" as there possibly can be this offseason imo.

Other FAs:

• Russell Okung (LT)
• John Miller (RG)
• Tyler Larsen (back-up C)
• Chris Reed (LG)
• Michael Schofield (back-up G)
• Trenton Scott (back-up OT, RFA)

Possible practice squad guys that can be signed to future deals: Mike Horton (OG), Matt Kaskey (OT), Aaron Monteiro (OT), Sam Tecklenberg (iOL)

Teams carry anywhere from 9 - 10 offensive linemen during the season. Greg Little has not looked like the franchise LT that Marty Hurney imagined he would be when he traded up in the 2nd round to get him (famously trying to get into the 1st for him). There were talks during the offseason about kicking him into LG and seeing what he can do. So where do you go from there?

Are there any particular draft prospects that you're looking at? I'm looking at the interior OL exclusively, as I would rather retain Russell Okung than go after any current LT prospects that I expect to be available when the Panthers pick in comparison to other prospects. Currently, I'm watching the following players:

• Wyatt Davis, Ohio State
• Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma
• Trey Smith, Tennessee
• Trey Hill, Georgia
• Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa
• Deonte Brown, Alabama
• Landon Dickerson, Alabama
• Cade Mays, Tennessee
• Michal Menet, Penn State

Potential UFA targets include:

• Forrest Lamp
• Dan Feeney
• Ethan Pocic
• DJ Fluker
• Pat Elfein
• Ryan Groy
• Rashaad Coward
• Mike Pouncey
• Ted Karras
• Hroniss Grasu
• Ryan Ramcyzk

Possible cap casualty targets:

• Andrew Norwell, G, JAX (Cap Hit: $15M, Cap Savings: $12M)
• Brandon Linder, C, JAX (Cap Hit: $9M, Cap Savings: $9M)
• Anthony Castonzo, LT, IND (Cap Hit: $16M, Cap Savings: $16M) 
• Kevin Zeitler, G, NYG (Cap Hit: $14.5M, Cap Savings: $12M) 
• Trai Turner, G, LAC (Cap Hit: $11.5M, Cap Savings: $11.5M)
• Maurkice Pouncey, C, PIT (Cap Hit: $14.475M, Cap Savings: $8M)
• George Fant, LT, NYJ (Cap Hit: $9M, Cap Savings: $8.4M)
• Terron Armstead, LT, NO (Cap Hit: $16.2875, Cap Savings: $11.75) 

So, what do you do?

Personally, I like going after Forrest Lamp on a prove it deal due to his injury history to start at LG, giving Mike Horton a shot as a back-up LG, retaining Scott at LT, signing/franchising Moton, cutting Paradis + targeting a center in the draft (Creed Humphrey and/or Tyler Linderbaum pls), and bringing back Miller on a similar deal to this season. I hate the idea of LT being stuck between Trent Scott & Greg Little, but I don't see a whole lot of cap space to have the bitcoin for Okung.

Additional resources:

• 2021 UFA OTs
• 2021 UFA Guards
• 2021 UFA Centers

[shaq]

6 hours ago, Icege said:

Currently, the only members of the offensive line group under contract are Matt Paradis (who will free up $8.53M in cap space if cut at the expense of $3.6M in dead cap in 2022), Greg Little, and Dennis Daley.

Taylor Moton is going to need to be paid, but his contract can realistically be offset by cutting Kawann Short (freeing up $14.5M in cap space). This seems as close to a "must" as there possibly can be this offseason imo.

Other FAs:

• Russell Okung (LT)
• John Miller (RG)
• Tyler Larsen (back-up C)
• Chris Reed (LG)
• Michael Schofield (back-up G)
• Trenton Scott (back-up OT, RFA)

Possible practice squad guys that can be signed to future deals: Mike Horton (OG), Matt Kaskey (OT), Aaron Monteiro (OT), Sam Tecklenberg (iOL)

Teams carry anywhere from 9 - 10 offensive linemen during the season. Greg Little has not looked like the franchise LT that Marty Hurney imagined he would be when he traded up in the 2nd round to get him (famously trying to get into the 1st for him). There were talks during the offseason about kicking him into LG and seeing what he can do. So where do you go from there?

Are there any particular draft prospects that you're looking at? I'm looking at the interior OL exclusively, as I would rather retain Russell Okung than go after any current LT prospects that I expect to be available when the Panthers pick in comparison to other prospects. Currently, I'm watching the following players:

• Wyatt Davis, Ohio State
• Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma
• Trey Smith, Tennessee
• Trey Hill, Georgia
• Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa
• Deonte Brown, Alabama
• Cade Mays, Tennessee
• Michal Menet, Penn State

Potential UFA targets include:

• Forrest Lamp
• Dan Feeney
• Ethan Pocic
• DJ Fluker
• Pat Elfein
• Ryan Groy
• Rashaad Coward
• Mike Pouncey
• Ted Karras
• Hroniss Grasu

So, what do you do?

Personally, I like going after Forrest Lamp on a prove it deal due to his injury history to start at LG, giving Mike Horton a shot as a back-up LG, retaining Scott as a back-up LT, signing Moton, cutting Paradis + targeting Tyler Linderbaum/Creed Humphrey in the draft to start at center, and drafting Wyatt Davis/Trey Smith/Deonte Brown to start at RG (or start Dennis Daley there). I hate the idea of Greg Little as the starting LT, but I don't see a whole lot of cap space to work with to retain Okung + Moton.

Great super in depth post!! Personally I would resign Taylor Moton, give Paradis one more year before cutting him and draft Creed Humphrey round one and play him at LG year one then after cutting Paradis the next year move him back to Center, then move Daley to RG while also resigning John Miller to a one year team friendly deal. Then my unpopular opinion would be I would let Okung walk and give Little another chance to win the LT spot while drafting a tackle prospect around the 3rd to 5th round range and let them compete for the starting LT spot. I know my idea is not flawless but I think it’s unreasonable to invest an absurd amount of money to OG and tackles in free agency they always end up being overpaid and a ridiculous cap hit(Matt Khalil, Matt Paradis.)

[raz]

without marty hurney.   

and great post.  

[Panthercougar68]

We will extend Moton and keep Daley at tackle unless we fall into Sewell territory. I fully believe that we will start seeing us develop and keep oline like the steelers do. We will draft an olineman with the first 2 picks we have

 That is one of the main things that I believe Tepper wants is for us to draft oline and keep oline like Pitt does.

[SmokinwithWilly]

Fire Hurney. You cant properly address the line until you get rid of his abysmal gut feeling for guys that arent good. 

[Chief Keek]

Through free agency and the draft. There are no more excuses next year for the piss poor O-line play. They'll be in position to draft a top O-lineman and there's plenty of money to spend.

[Sean Payton's Vicodin]

you have to start with firing hurney. he lucked out with jordan gross and kalil over a decade ago, and hasn't even come close to hitting since

[SmokinwithWilly]

5 minutes ago, Sean Payton's Vicodin said:

you have to start with firing hurney. he lucked out with jordan gross and kalil over a decade ago, and hasn't even come close to hitting since

He oline drafts since look like this 

[stirs]

With a lot of profanity

[TylerDurden]

*except moton and daley

[onmyown]

Reign Moton. Draft an olineman with the first pick if talent and reach is reasonable, and maybe even the second round. Then LB and then Wr or S. Same for next year as far as oline. It will take more investment than one draft. Do not rely on patching up more than one position on the line and certainly not LT. Create a future, now is the time. Build the fundamentals for whatever QB we have in 2-3 years.

but this is not the issue...

The issue is we have no scout, no FO personnel who is able to evaluate olineman. FA or draft. It has been proven over and over again. This FO desperately needs someone who can do that. Thus far too many resources have been wasted at failed attempts to fix a consistent yet essential fundamental aspect of all successful teams for the past decade.

That is the big problem this franchise is facing.

[Icege]

With the team's current cap space, I can see them being able to retain Moton and bring in a decent vet starter at G. Being able to move on Paradis' contract will help tremendously, and there are some solid prospects in the draft. The Chargers will likely be looking at Creed Humphrey, so if the Panthers pick before them I hope they give him a look. I'm a big fan of Tyler Linderbaum as well and wouldn't mind picking him up to develop behind the vet FA. Moton is going to do his job, the question now is the interior.

I would laugh my ass off if the Panthers were able to squeak by next season with Greg Little as the LT and nobody at QB dying only for them to turn around and sign away Terron Armstead since he won't be protecting Brees anymore.

[*FreeFua*]

The Broncos f’d up by declining Garett Bolles 5th year option. If the Broncos don’t tag him I’d like to sign him. 

[shaq]

5 hours ago, TikTOK said:

1. Fire Hurney
2. Extend Moton
3. Cut Paradis
4. Sign Brandon Scherff
5. Sign David Andrews
6. Draft Walker Little in the 2nd round  
7. Draft Alijah Vera-Tucker in the 3rd round 

LT: Walker Little, Greg Little
LG: Alijah Vera-Tucker, Dennis Daley
C: David Andrews 
RG: Brandon Scherff 
RT: Taylor Moton

To much money tied to the oline especially the interior.