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Shaq Thompson's Legacy?

PantherBoy95

By PantherBoy95,
in Carolina Panthers

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t96 Grand Master

t96

Posted
Posted
19 hours ago, Ricky Spanish said:

Looking back, I don't think there are 64 players better than Shaq in that draft.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_NFL_draft

Some made pro bowls like once but have been JAGs the rest of their careers and bounced around the league or are out of it now. I'd take Shaq over the likes of Vic Beasley, Laken Tomlinson, Jameis Winston or DJ Humphries - All pro bowlers at one point but not better than Shaq has been over the course of his career imo.

Yeah exactly. Drafts don't typically have 2 rounds of long term starters, I didn't even go back and look at that draft but knowing Shaq is still a starter in this league nearly a decade later alone made it completely absurd to suggest he'd be late 3rd in a re-draft (so would need more like 85 players better than him not 64...). Shaq didn't turn out to be quite what we expected nor did he continue our streak of having incredibly elite LBs here in Carolina, but he was not a bad pick at all for a late 1st. In a redraft, without going through every player in that draft, I'd imagine he'd be at worst early/mid 2nd. Hell he may even still be late 1st, where he was taken.

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t96 Grand Master

t96

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1 hour ago, PantherChris said:

Legacy? He isn't good enough to warrant a "legacy" he's a slightly above average LB who played with and followed up two franchise greats...

He's like James Anderson level.....

 

He's not will Witherspoon level.

No matter how good a player is anyone who plays 10+ years for a single team, as Shaq is approaching, has a legacy for that team. Especially if he's a leader, like Shaq is.

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Gapanthersfan Veteran

Gapanthersfan

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1 hour ago, Mage said:

Frankie Luvu is what we all thought Shaq Thompson was going to be.

This. And I don’t think Luvu has peaked.

I don’t know if it is because we overestimated Shaq’s high gear or if it was doomed by injury. Sadly, the only aspect lacking for him to become elite… was elite ability. He was a really good player. A starter. Not a JAG. Not a star player. Not an All pro. He is a JAG+ with elite leadership qualities. 

If we were to sign a free agent LB who had an identical resume and career stats for big money, this place would burn to the ground. 

Shaq’s biggest asset is locker room, not on the football field. Look, I love Shaq. This is not a knock.  I’m glad we’ve kept him, but a first rounder is supposed, one hopes, to be a game changer. Keeps coaches awake at night. Hard to scheme around. Puts a game away at a critical juncture. He never has been. I think it’s because we haven’t seen one in so long we’ve forgotten what that looks like. 

flame away  

 

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t96 Grand Master

t96

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53 minutes ago, PantherChris said:

And how have the Panthers faired while he was a leader? Not well to say the least.

 

 

Sure team success factors in to legacy, Shaq would benefit greatly from the team getting good while he’s still here. But I’d say it’s pretty damn hard to hold team success against 1 player lol. It really is a small factor.

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Navy_football Grand Master

Navy_football

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Really good player in my opinion. But don't think he is a natural in the middle. Will in a 4-3 is probably the best position for him. He just doesn't play like a Mike to me. Luke was the opposite. He was born to play the middle of the field. Becomes a little more mortal on the outside. TD could play, Mike, Will, Sam even SS - at a high level. That dude was really different. 

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frankw Grand Master

frankw

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3 hours ago, pantherclaw said:

Then every player in the NFL must be money driven? 

Yes, it's where talents players can get rich, but that brush your painting with is flawed. 

Nowhere was that statement made. You are making an assumption from a post that doesn't have that context. I'll be happy to provide it since you apparently think that's my POV which is frankly preposterous.

Simply put NFL Salaries have ballooned substantially over the last 20 years. Nobody is saying Shaq Thompson or any particular player are only about the money. Some might be I don't know. The point was the significant increase in salaries for even decent starters let alone star players and their exorbitant contracts makes it at minimum more tolerable to play for a franchise that might not be contending for playoffs or a title. I don't see anything wrong with acknowledging that fact of life. We're adults here. We know how the world works yes? Okay cool.

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pantherclaw Grand Master

pantherclaw

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18 minutes ago, frankw said:

Nowhere was that statement made. You are making an assumption from a post that doesn't have that context. I'll be happy to provide it since you apparently think that's my POV which is frankly preposterous.

Simply put NFL Salaries have ballooned substantially over the last 20 years. Nobody is saying Shaq Thompson or any particular player are only about the money. Some might be I don't know. The point was the significant increase in salaries for even decent starters let alone star players and their exorbitant contracts makes it at minimum more tolerable to play for a franchise that might not be contending for playoffs or a title. I don't see anything wrong with acknowledging that fact of life. We're adults here. We know how the world works yes? Okay cool.

Well no poo Sherlock.  Great post. Won't read again. 

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