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Silver Linings: Unheralded Player Shoutouts

Bear Hands

By Bear Hands,
in Carolina Panthers

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Bear Hands Grand Master

Bear Hands

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It has simply been a bonkers year with everything that's happened. Rhule assembles a hodgepodge staff of drifter coaches, finally canned, Baker Mayfield has a Clausen level performance, went through like 4 QBs to get back to Sam.  And we didn't fall out of contention until a week to go in the year.

I've got 4 shoutouts.  Outside our core/big talents, I view these dudes as ones to stick around into the next regime. 

They're part of why we stayed in it this year:

Frankie Luvu

107 tackles, 7 sacks, 17 TFL, 3 PDs, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 TD

I can't begin to say how strong of a year Frankie had.  He became a proven NFL starter this season, I'd argue a top-20 overall LB performance in the league.  Made huge splash plays when we needed them.  Just really stepped it up and I'm thankful to have finally found a diamond in the rough on D.  It has been a while.  

Sam Franklin 

20 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 FF

He's someone that we may have scoffed at getting playing time because of Rhule, but hell, he was a vital part of our ST unit and has shown up when he played.  It's a bit hard to prop up anyone in our secondary after what Evans just did, but he did have a great punchout early against Godwin and has been a bright spot in recent weeks.  Xavier Woods is a leader and communicator, Chinn has been hit/miss as of late, but Franklin stepped up.  The rest of the unit, yeah, been a bit shaky.  

Tommy Tremble

18 receptions, 172 yards, 3 TDs, 4 ST tackles/stops

Not a huge line, but he does more than just catching the ball.  People can bash our TE room, understandable, but I think Tremble showed a lot of great progress this season.  He was already a great blocker, showed a lot of spark when he came in his rookie year, and then this season, he's worked his way McAdoo's playbook didn't have a ton of designed plays for our TE2, but he was effective and stepped up virtually every time the ball was thrown in his direction Props.  If we get a stud TE, he's a perfect compliment that could turn into something.  3rd round investment going into his 3rd season.  Next year could be a glow up.

and last but not least:

usatsi_13410396_168388579_lowres.jpg

Marquis Haynes

27 tackles 5 sacks, 7 TFL, 4 PDs, 1 TD

Here's a guy that deserves some big props in my opinion.  He was a college sack artist who's honestly done exactly what we needed from him when called upon.  Has also gotten better every year, a bit larger, a bit stronger.  He's another guy like Tremble that's going into a year where he could bloom.  Baseline would be settling into a long term strong rotational guy on a D-line.  

If he sticks, he'll have made it through Rivera and Rhule, and just feel the man deserves some more props.  While we've been searching for a 3-down compliment on the line for Burns, he's filled into a specific role very well.  I'm personally a big fan.

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Bear Hands Grand Master

Bear Hands

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1 hour ago, PappyMay said:

And the best news is they’re all under contract next year. If Luvu does this performance again though he won’t be cheap.

Yep, good spot for all of these guys. Felt like highlighting the non Brown/Burns/DJs of the world that can survive the next rebuild.

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mav1234 Grand Master

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Great "shout-outs" there. Luvu has been amazing.  Easily the brightest one of Rhule's misfits (well, at least those still on the team).

Tremble, I wanted and expect more. But he hasn't been bad, and he's had a couple of nice catches.  But I think we need a real receiving threat at TE. Maybe he can help develop along those lines, but he's not there quite yet.

All of the OL took a step up. Yes, Icky hit a rookie wall, but that's OK.  He is our franchise LT for a long time.  

And I'll go with another one... dunno if I'd put unheralded, but I do think it's a bit controversial:

Sam Darnold.  9 TDs, 1 int, 1100 yards, 8.8 y/a, 105 QB rating on the year so far.  I've been cautious about him, I think.  But I decided to see how this five game compares to starters on other teams. I was shocked, actually. It really shows how much he has been an active part of this offense, not just along for the ride.

His TD% of 5.6 puts him in the top 10 this season, currently at 6th between Josh Allen (6%) and Geno Smith (5.4%).  His 0.8% INT% is phenomenal and is the best in the NFL among multi-game starters - nobody else has less than 1%. He's using every level of the field, and his adjusted air yards per attempt (9.6) is above Tua (9.4), Jalen Hurts (8.7), and Patrick Mahomes (8.4). PFF has his ESPN QBR at 57.5, which puts him at 12th between Lamarr Jackson (59.7) and Justin Herbert (56.8). His bad throw percentage is also down to 9.7%, from ~18% in previous seasons.

And perhaps most importantly, he's gotten the ball to our main playmaker. DJ Moore has 376 yards, 4 TDs, and ~19 y/r over the last five games, and is averaging almost 40 yards more per game with Sam. Over a 17 game stretch, that's ~1300 yards receiving and 14 TDs.  

Sam resurrected his career and has a shot at being a good backup / bridge QB for us, or if he continues to play well, perhaps someone's gamble as their long term starter (despite all these numbers - I do not want him as that for us...).  He was also the only reason we were at all in the TB game, but also just wasn't able to push us over the top. This is the best 5 game stretch of his career and whether with us or someone else, he's played himself into a shot at a starting role on a team next year.

Edit: And before the Darnold bit gets trolled, I do not want him as our long term starter and I don't believe that he'll necessarily maintain level of play like that. But I think we can acknowledge what a huge step up it has been for him to be able to even have a stretch like that...

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Bear Hands Grand Master

Bear Hands

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6 minutes ago, mav1234 said:

Great "shout-outs" there. Luvu has been amazing.  Easily the brightest one of Rhule's misfits (well, at least those still on the team).

Tremble, I wanted and expect more. But he hasn't been bad, and he's had a couple of nice catches.  But I think we need a real receiving threat at TE. Maybe he can help develop along those lines, but he's not there quite yet.

All of the OL took a step up. Yes, Icky hit a rookie wall, but that's OK.  He is our franchise LT for a long time.  

And I'll go with another one... dunno if I'd put unheralded, but I do think it's a bit controversial:

Sam Darnold.  9 TDs, 1 int, 1100 yards, 8.8 y/a, 105 QB rating on the year so far.  I've been cautious about him, I think.  But I decided to see how this five game compares to starters on other teams. I was shocked, actually. It really shows how much he has been an active part of this offense, not just along for the ride.

His TD% of 5.6 puts him in the top 10 this season, currently at 6th between Josh Allen (6%) and Geno Smith (5.4%).  His 0.8% INT% is phenomenal and is the best in the NFL among multi-game starters - nobody else has less than 1%. He's using every level of the field, and his adjusted air yards per attempt (9.6) is above Tua (9.4), Jalen Hurts (8.7), and Patrick Mahomes (8.4). PFF has his ESPN QBR at 57.5, which puts him at 12th between Lamarr Jackson (59.7) and Justin Herbert (56.8). His bad throw percentage is also down to 9.7%, from ~18% in previous seasons.

And perhaps most importantly, he's gotten the ball to our main playmaker. DJ Moore has 376 yards, 4 TDs, and ~19 y/r over the last five games, and is averaging almost 40 yards more per game with Sam. Over a 17 game stretch, that's ~1300 yards receiving and 14 TDs.  

Sam resurrected his career and has a shot at being a good backup / bridge QB for us, or if he continues to play well, perhaps someone's gamble as their long term starter (despite all these numbers - I do not want him as that for us...).  He was also the only reason we were at all in the TB game, but also just wasn't able to push us over the top. This is the best 5 game stretch of his career and whether with us or someone else, he's played himself into a shot at a starting role on a team next year.

Edit: And before the Darnold bit gets trolled, I do not want him as our long term starter and I don't believe that he'll necessarily maintain level of play like that. But I think we can acknowledge what a huge step up it has been for him to be able to even have a stretch like that...

Nice points.  Agree on Tremble.  Can't act like he's our set future at TE but he's continuing to develop more and more.  

I'm happy with the entire OL.  Bozeman and Corbett especially.  Re-signing Bozeman should be the first thing we do.  He's such a good player & teammate.

For Darnold--I'm thinking he should get signed to a 2-year type deal.  You look around the league at these other backups like  McSorley, Huntley, Rypien, Ehlinger, Perkins, Wolford, and they just can't move the ball, can't produce.  You can produce and win (~.500) with Sam.  

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Just now, Bear Hands said:

Nice points.  Agree on Tremble.  Can't act like he's our set future at TE but he's continuing to develop more and more.  

I'm happy with the entire OL.  Bozeman and Corbett especially.  Re-signing Bozeman should be the first thing we do.  He's such a good player & teammate.

For Darnold--I'm thinking he should get signed to a 2-year type deal.  You look around the league at these other backups like  McSorley, Huntley, Rypien, Ehlinger, Perkins, Wolford, and they just can't move the ball, can't produce.  You can produce and win (~.500) with Sam.  

I think Tremble has also had a very long way to go at being a complete TE.  And with Rhule as his coach for his whole career until now, what can you say?

Bozeman is our highest priority, I agree.  The growth of the OL is undeniable. It is so nice not to be going into an offseason with multiple OL positions as complete unknowns.

RE: Sam, yes. He's a top tier backup it seems.  Given how desperate teams are, it is possible he will get a starter guarantee elsewhere and with it good money, but I do hope he comes back to be our bridge, and we actually do the bridge QB thing right.

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