[The Athletic] Carolina Panthers roster reset: Where they’re in good shape and where help is needed

[pantherclaw]

On 3/19/2025 at 4:15 PM, frankw said:

My thing with the Panthers is we keep taking half measures in addressing our strikingly obvious suckitude. Fired Ron Rivera and kept Marty Hurney. Fired Matt Rhule and kept Scott Fitterer instead of cleaning house. Fired Fitterer and kept all the Scouts and promoted Dan Morgan. Now we've kicked the can with Evero. Honestly we should have gone with a clean slate at defensive coordinator. I think it was best for both parties. We'll see if the Panthers decision on that continues down the same path. But unfortunately there's one constant that remains from all that I just mentioned. The Tepper's.

Oh to have casual Fridays back again. 

[csx]

There has been significant scouting turnover since Fitterer 

[Icege]

20 hours ago, kungfoodude said:

Check the record, there were definitely people amped about the pick. I have no idea why, it was clearly a reach on a UDFA.

The "perpetually sunny" is the group of cheerleaders in which every year is our year and we make no wrong decisions. Basically the firmly delusional that cannot grasp the reality of our situation.

We all hope this turns around but it's admittedly a longshot.

Please point these people and/or posts out because all I've seen is abject misery and pessimism. Having some optimism and joy would be a welcome change here.

[frankw]

14 hours ago, csx said:

There has been significant scouting turnover since Fitterer 

Pro scouting yes. College scouting has not had major changes.

[kungfoodude]

7 hours ago, Icege said:

Please point these people and/or posts out because all I've seen is abject misery and pessimism. Having some optimism and joy would be a welcome change here.

If you care to dig them up from the post draft time, have at it.

Optimism is typically in short supply in laughingstock franchise fanbases. I am guessing you have never been around lifelong Browns, Bengals, Jets, etc fans? 

The optimism and joy will come whenever that turns around but I really have no idea why anyone would be amped and joyful about being 7 straight years with a losing record. I mean I suppose other than abusing drugs or alcohol.

 

[Icege]

12 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

If you care to dig them up from the post draft time, have at it.

Optimism is typically in short supply in laughingstock franchise fanbases. I am guessing you have never been around lifelong Browns, Bengals, Jets, etc fans? 

The optimism and joy will come whenever that turns around but I really have no idea why anyone would be amped and joyful about being 7 straight years with a losing record. I mean I suppose other than abusing drugs or alcohol.

 

The problem with that theory is that the doom and gloomers will admit that things are looking like they might be getting better. We've already seen that's not true re: Bryce.

Edited March 23 by Icege

[kungfoodude]

15 minutes ago, Icege said:

The problem with that theory is that the doom and gloomers will admit that things are looking like they might be getting better. We've already seen that's not true re: Bryce.

I mean, I think most are happy that Bryce is looking competent and I think most reasonable fans also see that he still has to prove he is really a franchise QB, especially given the extreme price he was obtained with.

All that being said, this Renaissance did net a 4-6 record. So until we start to build anything close to a winning team, I think most of the fanbase is going to remain disgruntled.

That is likely to extend into 2026 if not longer, as I think most reasonable people can see that even with an improved roster on paper, that it still remains in the bottom 5 in the NFL. Make no mistake, this building process is exactly that....a process. It's gonna take patience and competence. The worry is that Tepper has not displayed any sign he has either.

We will see what happens.

[Icege]

14 hours ago, kungfoodude said:

All that being said, this Renaissance did net a 4-6 record. So until we start to build anything close to a winning team, I think most of the fanbase is going to remain disgruntled.

I think that this is where we diverge on this.

Some see the 4-6 record during Bryce's development and decide that it justifies being miserly. Others look at that same record and ask, "Why was the record not better than 4-6?" The former is a straw man, the latter isn't. 

I mean... for Christ's sake we've got people in here complaining about signing Trevon Moehrig because of his PFF coverage grade which is wild when there's stuff like this just sitting out there about the strong (not free) safety:

Quote

Las Vegas Raiders Tre’von Moehrig is having a career year in a contract season and a season in which the Raiders needed him the most. Injuries to the Raiders’ defense have placed even more of a workload on Moehrig, but he has responded just as an established veteran ready to take the next step in his career should.

With three games remaining in the season, Moehrig has the most total tackles, assisted tackles, tackles for a loss, and quarterback hits of his four-year career in the NFL. In a season where the Raiders have lost nearly half of its defensive starters at one point or another, Moehrig has started every game for the Raiders.

Moehrig has played nearly 99 percent of the team's defensive snaps, more than any other player on the Raiders' defense this season. He has undoubtedly been one of the most dependable players on the Raiders' defense weekly.

According to Pro Football Focus, Moehrig has had the third-highest PFF grade among safeties over the last two weeks. He also has the fifth-highest run defense and sixth-best coverage grade, and his two forced fumbles are tied for third among safeties during that time. 

I get it. I'm not saying that folks have to be optimistic and joyful all of the time; that'd be insane (though constantly looking for reasons to stay sad/mad isn't exactly stable behavior either). If anything, folks could at least try to be better informed. "We went 4-6 during Bryce's resurgence, this team can't do anything right and it's all because of the owner and we'll never be good while he's around" isn't very informed nor is it trying to be. "Why did the team go 4-6? They had an historically bad defense that lost key pieces to start the season and the offense was leaning heavily on rookie playmakers outside of Chuba," I think we can all agree is a bit more of a balanced approach that leads to being better informed, more resilient towards bad outcomes, and less toxic towards other fans.

Edited March 24 by Icege

[kungfoodude]

5 hours ago, Icege said:

I think that this is where we diverge on this.

Some see the 4-6 record during Bryce's development and decide that it justifies being miserly. Others look at that same record and ask, "Why was the record not better than 4-6?" The former is a straw man, the latter isn't. 

I mean... for Christ's sake we've got people in here complaining about signing Trevon Moehrig because of his PFF coverage grade which is wild when there's stuff like this just sitting out there about the strong (not free) safety:

I get it. I'm not saying that folks have to be optimistic and joyful all of the time; that'd be insane (though constantly looking for reasons to stay sad/mad isn't exactly stable behavior either). If anything, folks could at least try to be better informed. "We went 4-6 during Bryce's resurgence, this team can't do anything right and it's all because of the owner and we'll never be good while he's around" isn't very informed nor is it trying to be. "Why did the team go 4-6? They had an historically bad defense that lost key pieces to start the season and the offense was leaning heavily on rookie playmakers outside of Chuba," I think we can all agree is a bit more of a balanced approach that leads to being better informed, more resilient towards bad outcomes, and less toxic towards other fans.

There are no guarantees with anything. I don't think this is any more or less of a hopeful situation than we have been in the previous two "rebuilds" under Tepper.

It's just wait and see time. Not much else we can do but debate and follow. The rest is out of our hands.

Edited March 24 by kungfoodude

[SOJA]

On 3/22/2025 at 12:31 PM, kungfoodude said:

Bro, it was not a small amount. Not a majority but a very vocal minority.

Same as many of our headscratching picks over the Tepper years. The fanboys just want it all to work out. I get it.

I just don't see things as perpetually sunny in the NFL.

lmao I don't remember this but that's hilarious. 

[panthers55]

 Being optimistic is a choice based on looking at the positives rather than the negatives. The idea that optimists dont see the reality of the situation in that we have had really bad teams since Tepper arrived is totally wrong. Not only do they see the obvious but get reminded daily that they were wrong and foolish for believing in the team.  When that happens year after year it is easy to turn to the dark side. Most have. But they like being positive and look for opportunities to be positive about the team. They are just as upset when things go wrong, but have the emotional control to take things in stride and come to the realization that we are not going to turn the corner this season without throwing in the towel on their fandom. Frankly on a message board,  optimists should be appreciated because it takes a lot  more effort to be optimistic and state it publicly knowing you will be taking a beating if thinks turn ugly in December, than it does to go along with all the doom and gloom. But to think that an optimist is deluded and not a realistic is looking at it backwards. They see the reality and understand that half empty and half full indicate the same amount but the expectations are different. One is a scarcity mentality while the other is a hopeful mentality. 

While it is totally understandable to be negative or at least taking a wait and see approach considering our dreadful results, I would think that in April we would be more positive given there is lots of time to be angry and upset if we suck once again.

I for one am looking forward to the draft and training camp. I am optimistic we will be better. How much I don't know,  but I hope it is substantial. But that's just me...

[ForJimmy]

13 minutes ago, panthers55 said:

 Being optimistic is a choice based on looking at the positives rather than the negatives. The idea that optimists dont see the reality of the situation in that we have had really bad teams since Tepper arrived is totally wrong. Not only do they see the obvious but get reminded daily that they were wrong and foolish for believing in the team.  When that happens year after year it is easy to turn to the dark side. Most have. But they like being positive and look for opportunities to be positive about the team. They are just as upset when things go wrong, but have the emotional control to take things in stride and come to the realization that we are not going to turn the corner this season without throwing in the towel on their fandom. Frankly on a message board,  optimists should be appreciated because it takes a lot  more effort to be optimistic and state it publicly knowing you will be taking a beating if thinks turn ugly in December, than it does to go along with all the doom and gloom. But to think that an optimist is deluded and not a realistic is looking at it backwards. They see the reality and understand that half empty and half full indicate the same amount but the expectations are different. One is a scarcity mentality while the other is a hopeful mentality. 

While it is totally understandable to be negative or at least taking a wait and see approach considering our dreadful results, I would think that in April we would be more positive given there is lots of time to be angry and upset if we suck once again.

I for one am looking forward to the draft and training camp. I am optimistic we will be better. How much I don't know,  but I hope it is substantial. But that's just me...

I agree with most of this. My attitude has always been if being a fan of anything ( which is just a hobby) is bringing me nothing but frustration and thinking everything is doom and gloom then I’ll stop being involved in that fandom. Life is too short and time is too valuable to be an active following fan for a team I have zero confidence in. 
We finished the year much more competitively than we started with a first year HC who seemed to turn around our young QB to some degree. I’m not sure that I’m hopeful, but definitely curious to see what this year brings. Constantly posting online about how terrible a team is always seemed like a waste of time to me, but everyone has their own opinion about that. 

[frankw]

On 3/24/2025 at 3:19 PM, kungfoodude said:

There are no guarantees with anything. I don't think this is any more or less of a hopeful situation than we have been in the previous two "rebuilds" under Tepper.

It's just wait and see time. Not much else we can do but debate and follow. The rest is out of our hands.

Icege should inquire to the Panthers about being a paid spokesman.

There is a whole world of middle ground between being a miserable fan who probably wants the team to suck and basically being an unpaid sycophant.

The overwhelming majority of people are rational and want the team to succeed. However that does not mean they are giving ownership and the front office any benefit of the doubt because that has not been earned in any capacity to this point. That's life.

[kungfoodude]

31 minutes ago, frankw said:

Icege should inquire to the Panthers about being a paid spokesman.

There is a whole world of middle ground between being a miserable fan who probably wants the team to suck and basically being an unpaid sycophant.

The overwhelming majority of people are rational and want the team to succeed. However that does not mean they are giving ownership and the front office any benefit of the doubt because that has not been earned in any capacity to this point. That's life.

Yeah, I mean the team has been bad for so long it doesn't even make me mad when they fug up anymore. I just laugh about it. It's just who we are at the moment.