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!

     

BOLD Prediction: Defense will be Better not Worse

WUnderhill

By WUnderhill,
in Carolina Panthers

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Popular Post
WUnderhill Grand Master

WUnderhill

Posted
  • Popular Post
Posted

Call me crazy, but I’m not seeing the huge dropoff in defense. Here’s the moves so far:

Luvu gone hurts a bit and I think we’ll miss him. Replaced with Jewell who may be an overall step down, however much cheaper and hopefully a little more well rounded. Luvu was terrible in coverage.

Burns gone. 8 sacks can be easily replaced. We aren’t talking about replacing 12.5 sack 2022 Burns because that’s not the Burns we got last year or would get this year. We’re talking low effort, playing not to get injured Burns. DJ Wonnum had just as many sacks and forced fumbles in 2023 and won’t cost half as much. The team was right to get rid of Burns and use that cap space more wisely.

Donte Jackson for Dane Jackson seems like a wash unless I’m mistaken, Dane Jackson officianados feel free to correct me. At least their numbers last year look near identical. Zero interceptions, 5 passes defended. Dane Jackson had less tackles but maybe that means he wasn’t thrown to as much.

Adding A’Shawn Robinson is huge IMO. Legit set the los, run stuffing, 3-4 NT. I think this is the move that changes the whole defense. Our run D looked terrible at times last year. Our DL looks like it will be a major strength, which will make our LBs and pass rushers look a lot better.

Getting Shaq back will help. He hasn’t lived up to the expectations of typical Panthers first round LBs, but he’s a solid presence in the middle who can coordinate the D. From what I’ve read, one of Jewell’s strengths is also coordinating the D, so we should have some strong voices in the middle of the field calling the plays and getting everybody on the same page.

Vonn Bell and Jeremy Chinn were  both low impact players for us last year and should be easily replaced.

So overall, the losses should be easily replaced for cheaper, in some cases have been already, and the addition of A’Shawn Robinson will have more impact on this defense than Brian Burns did. They’ll add somebody to replace bum Burns’ 2023 production rather easily, whether Wonnum, Young, whoever. And if, big IF, Horn actually stays healthy for a season the secondary could easily be better than last year.

  • Pie 16
  • Beer 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
DeAngelo Beason Mentor

DeAngelo Beason

Posted
Posted

I mean... the only guy we lost that was a consistent contributor was Luvu.  Burns was nothing special despite what this forum thinks, and Donte Jackson was inconsistent at best.

Assuming we sign any of the free agents we are bringing in, they will replace Burns' production as a pass rusher while also not being laughably terrible against the run.

  • Pie 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites
rayzor Grand Master

rayzor

Posted
Posted

if the offense is improved at all, that will also help out the D. 

i see us picking up a couple more vets in the next few days and in the draft we could probably pick up a couple more solid contributors. 

i think the quality guys we've gotten so far can be used as a good indication of what we might be able to expect in the draft. o think fitt was more looking at trying to find diamonds in the rough or guys who could be great if given another chance or whatever. i don't know. whatever it was that he was looking for, i think Morgan is looking at something else. probably benefitting more from being a player himself rather than fitt who was a desk jockey relying on input from other desk jockeys. 

  • Pie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
mrcompletely11 Grand Master

mrcompletely11

Posted
Posted
31 minutes ago, WUnderhill said:

Call me crazy, but I’m not seeing the huge dropoff in defense. Here’s the moves so far:

Luvu gone hurts a bit and I think we’ll miss him. Replaced with Jewell who may be an overall step down, however much cheaper and hopefully a little more well rounded. Luvu was terrible in coverage.

Burns gone. 8 sacks can be easily replaced. We aren’t talking about replacing 12.5 sack 2022 Burns because that’s not the Burns we got last year or would get this year. We’re talking low effort, playing not to get injured Burns. DJ Wonnum had just as many sacks and forced fumbles in 2023 and won’t cost half as much. The team was right to get rid of Burns and use that cap space more wisely.

Donte Jackson for Dane Jackson seems like a wash unless I’m mistaken, Dane Jackson officianados feel free to correct me. At least their numbers last year look near identical. Zero interceptions, 5 passes defended. Dane Jackson had less tackles but maybe that means he wasn’t thrown to as much.

Adding A’Shawn Robinson is huge IMO. Legit set the los, run stuffing, 3-4 NT. I think this is the move that changes the whole defense. Our run D looked terrible at times last year. Our DL looks like it will be a major strength, which will make our LBs and pass rushers look a lot better.

Getting Shaq back will help. He hasn’t lived up to the expectations of typical Panthers first round LBs, but he’s a solid presence in the middle who can coordinate the D. From what I’ve read, one of Jewell’s strengths is also coordinating the D, so we should have some strong voices in the middle of the field calling the plays and getting everybody on the same page.

Vonn Bell and Jeremy Chinn were  both low impact players for us last year and should be easily replaced.

So overall, the losses should be easily replaced for cheaper, in some cases have been already, and the addition of A’Shawn Robinson will have more impact on this defense than Brian Burns did. They’ll add somebody to replace bum Burns’ 2023 production rather easily, whether Wonnum, Young, whoever. And if, big IF, Horn actually stays healthy for a season the secondary could easily be better than last year.

I can see it

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PanthersGTI Mentor

PanthersGTI

Posted
Posted (edited)

Luvu hurts, we may feel that one. Burns didn't do much last year on purpose so hopefully another player in his spot playing 100% will AT LEAST be able to mirror his impact if not improve upon it. I still like Haynes Sr personally, hopefully he is healthy and still has that burst. 

 

Robinson will hopefully shore up this run D and let Tuttle shine a little more.

Edited by PanthersGTI
  • Pie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
PappyMay Mentor

PappyMay

Posted
Posted

If we get one of these pass rushers and starting quality safety I think we will be better. If we can force a few more turnovers and the offense looks marginally  better so defense has more time off the field could be a solid side of the ball.  We were terrible but lost a few 1 possession games. Next year we win half of those and keep building!

  • Pie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Khyber53 Grand Master

Khyber53

Posted
Posted

We lost both Burns and Gross-Matos.

That wasn't a bad thing, IMO. One fizzled out as it came time to talk about money (I think he had itchy feet to get to somewhere else for the paychecks) and the other guy just never developed into anything but a back-up, not even a real role-player.

Luvu hurts, but like you said, he wasn't much help in coverage. It will be good to get Shaq back and he brings leadership and legacy there. He will make a difference. 

Losing Jackson, well, yeah. I think we're all on that page. And Bell was, umm, un-notable back there?

  • Pie 1
  • Beer 3
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
Go to topic listing

  • PMH4OWPW7JD2TDGWZKTOYL2T3E.jpg

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • SmokinwithWilly
      Dan Morgan on the Rich Eisen show

      By SmokinwithWilly · Posted

      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. 
    • Jackson113.2
      Unc Basketball thread

      By Jackson113.2 · Posted

    • strato
      Dan Morgan on the Rich Eisen show

      By strato · Posted

      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...