Jump to content
  • Welcome!

    Register and log in easily with Twitter or Google accounts!

    Or simply create a new Huddle account. 

    Members receive fewer ads , access our dark theme, and the ability to join the discussion!

     

The 33rd Team previews Panthers free agency


Mr. Scot
 Share

Recommended Posts

Carolina Panthers Free Agency Preview (The 33rd Team)

Key points...

Carolina’s Impending Free Agents:

CB Stephon Gilmore
C Matt Paradis
QB Cam Newton
EDGE Haason Reddick
IDL DaQuan Jones
S Juston Burris
RT Trenton Scott
CB Donte Jackson
RG John Miller
LB Julian Stanford
CB Rashaan Melvin
RB Ameer Abdullah
WR Alex Erickson
P Lachlan Edwards
K Zane Gonzalez
S Sean Chandler
WR Brandon Zylstra
TE Ian Thomas
EDGE Marquis Haynes
LB Jermaine Carter Jr.
IDL Mike Panasiuk (ERFA)

 

Potential Franchise Tag Candidates:
EDGE Haason Reddick (expected $20.186 M)

 

Top Team Needs:

Quarterback
Entire Offensive Line, except right tackle
Cornerback
WR Depth

The biggest need for the Panthers this offseason is the signal caller under center. Sam Darnold did a decent job the first few games of the year, but he quickly fell back into his old habits, while Cam Newton and P.J. Walker just could not put sustainable drives together at the latter end of the year. Carolina may be willing to work with Darnold for one more season, but it may be just as a bridge for a younger QB.

Aside from quarterback, the Panthers need help all along the offensive line, aside from right tackle Taylor Moton, with two starters as free agents this offseason and an incumbent left tackle and left guard who should not be counted on for the foreseeable future.

With both Stephon Gilmore and Donte Jackson as free agents and Jaycee Horn coming off of a season-ending foot injury, the Panthers could look to expand their cornerback depth, especially if they cannot retain Jackson and/or Gilmore.

Lastly, Carolina’s wide receiver group was inconsistent last year with D.J. Moore garnering a lot of targets, especially at the beginning of the year. Once teams started to key in on Moore, the offense stalled and did not have their star running back to bail them out in crucial downs. Look for Carolina to add more pieces in that group in order to be able to spread the ball around more this upcoming season.

  • Beer 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Mr. Scot said:

Top Team Needs:
Entire Offensive Line, except right tackle

Already knew this was obvious, still its just sobering to see. Even worse is the fact that that's been glaring problem damn near the last half decade.

Just looking at the list of left tackles we've fielded since Gross left is crazy. (Save Oher and Okung)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, PNW_PantherMan said:

That's crazy to think we need help at WR.  Beyond DJ, they extended Robbie Anderson and drafted Terrace Marshall and Shi Smith just last year.  I had pretty high hopes for Marshall and Smith this year.  But Marshall didn't do anything, and Shi Smith was barely on the field.

What duds will we draft or sign this year?

kind of harsh to label someone a dud as a rookie. most skill positions need a couple of years to adjust and really contribute. Marshall had basically the same stats as 89 his first year, with a much deeper WR corps to fight through for touches.

  • Pie 2
  • Beer 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, PNW_PantherMan said:

That's crazy to think we need help at WR.  Beyond DJ, they extended Robbie Anderson and drafted Terrace Marshall and Shi Smith just last year.  I had pretty high hopes for Marshall and Smith this year.  But Marshall didn't do anything, and Shi Smith was barely on the field.

What duds will we draft or sign this year?

We don’t need help at WR. We need a game plan and a QB that can get them catchable balls consistently. RA, DJ and the rest have all shown they can play. Fix the QB and you fix ALOT of problems.

  • Pie 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Mother Grabber said:

kind of harsh to label someone a dud as a rookie. most skill positions need a couple of years to adjust and really contribute. Marshall had basically the same stats as 89 his first year, with a much deeper WR corps to fight through for touches.

Yea that was bad wording.  I don’t mean that Marshall and Shi are busts. I’m just pointing to the fact that we drafted 2 receivers last year that made close to no impact on the team.

I can see us taking another one this year even though we have bigger needs.

  • Pie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, PNW_PantherMan said:

That's crazy to think we need help at WR.  Beyond DJ, they extended Robbie Anderson and drafted Terrace Marshall and Shi Smith just last year.  I had pretty high hopes for Marshall and Smith this year.  But Marshall didn't do anything, and Shi Smith was barely on the field.

What duds will we draft or sign this year?

If we parted ways with Robby Anderson, I wouldn't exactly be upset.

I suspect I'm not alone in this.

  • Pie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, pantherj said:

Non-QB Free agent moves are sort of like rearranging chairs on the Titanic. We're dead in the water until we find a top quality QB.

It's never a bad or useless thing to improve any spot on your team.

We have bigger issues than QB though.

As long as we have an incompetent head coach, the Titanic metaphor applies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Mr. Scot said:

It's never a bad or useless thing to improve any spot on your team.

We have bigger issues than QB though.

As long as we have an incompetent head coach, the Titanic metaphor applies.

Yes making good free agent moves is a good thing, but I can't drum up the energy to care. Just thinking about QB atm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure what has them thinking CB is an area of concern.  We have two first round draft picks at corner already.  Those guys need to sink or swim this year before we make a call like that.  Yes, I realize there are a lot of question marks around Henderson.  Nevertheless, this is the year he needs to turn it on.

Likewise, I think it's hard to project what our WR situation might be when our QB play has been so awful.  

  • Pie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share


  • PMH4OWPW7JD2TDGWZKTOYL2T3E.jpg

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • So he became GM and decided not to address the weakness in the QB room following one of the worst rookie QB performances in NFL history?  There were options last season other than signing Dalton to a 2 year deal. Brissett and Jones by a wide margin, both of whom outplayed Bryce, Wilson, Winston, hell even Rivers off the couch was more exciting at the QB position. The time to address the failure in the QB room was last year but instead people on the Huddle cheered when we brought Dalton back then cheered when we were able to get anything for him after they finally realized he was washed up like a few of had been saying all along and got poo'd for even mentioning.  This year, the options were more limited obviously, especially since we lost Icky. It changed the dynamic of our draft. I think we were stuck this year keeping Bryce, but i still think giving him a 5th year option for what has amounted to replacement worthy performance was the wrong move. Why guarantee 25m if you're planning to replace him? You think he's going to want to be a bridge QB? Hell no. He's going to want out and we'll end up cutting him if he has another lackluster season because no one is trading for him with that price tag.  Were there better options as far as production available. A couple. Were there guys available with more physical tools than Bryce, Pickett or Grier, you damn well better believe there were. I've been saying all along, you always keep looking for your 1b. Bryce has yet to prove he can be a starter. Keep looking for someone who may. Put competition in camp. Let the best QB lead the team. Stop settling for less than mediocre. 
    • Reasonable. I mean I didn’t see a clear path to relief this season myself. As I have typed already, I think the QB FA class is more interesting next season and that draft is supposed to be stacked as well. There just weren’t many options this year.  When you have Tepper to contend with you have to tread lightly around this unless you are 100% certain and willIng to stake your job on it.   There were a couple of outings that helped Bryce a lot in terms of  thinking maybe he can do this, and if you are a supporter you are giving them a lot of weight. You are likely to think just get him some more help and he can do that every week. Which I think Tepper falls into that category.  And the playoffs, division champs, regardless of the way I see that, the supporters will also give that a lot of weight.    And the big one, the atmosphere In BOA for that WC game, Tepper had to be soiling himself over that. If you pulled Bryce out right now you had better be right and your new guy had better make the playoffs and look good doing it or you will be gone and your chance to build your old team back into respectability will be gone too.  So here we have Pickett on a one year deal, and Grier and King. I understand it.  
×
×
  • Create New...