Austin named starting center

[kungfoodude]

53 minutes ago, PantherChris said:

Ummm you didn't unless your really bad at fraction conversation....

The below average comment shows you also dont know how PFF rankings are scaled 60 is an Average Starter.

If you are literally going to be intentionally obtuse, I can't fix that, bub.

[Waldo]

It's not a great sign Mays hasn't just out right won that spot yet. Someone said he is like BC and I can't get thst out of my head. 

[kungfoodude]

8 minutes ago, Waldo said:

It's not a great sign Mays hasn't just out right won that spot yet. Someone said he is like BC and I can't get thst out of my head. 

It's not a bad thing. We need quality backups. I just think the people reaching to see him as a long term starter are drinking from the same fountain as those that kept saying BC was a starting caliber *insert any OL position.* 

They just aren't. Doesn't mean they aren't very valuable and it doesn't mean they can't play competently. 

[Icege]

Icky-DLew-Corbett-Hunt-TMo paving the way for Chuba/Rico is gonna be pretty sweet especially when TMac/XL/Tremble are pretty good run blockers themselves.

[tukafan21]

8 hours ago, kungfoodude said:

And maybe QB, TE, WR, LT, DT, DE, EDGE, S, CB........

There are many questions that need answering in terms of roster future. Far more questions than we have answered. To say nothing of depth.

If we need to draft another WR next year, something went horribly wrong this year, in one season it went from our worst position group to probably 2nd best after our OL.

I have zero fear about T-Mac being a true #1, Coker seems to have shown a ton of improvement and could end up as our #2 all season no matter how improved XL is, if Renfrow stays healthy, I think he re-signs a hometown friendly deal to replace Thielen as the vet slot.

Even if XL and Horn Jr. struggle (and I'm not guessing they will), I'm not so sure WR is a need in the draft next year, more likely a position that would be supplemented through a cheaper FA signing.

[UnluckyforSome]

3 hours ago, kungfoodude said:

It's not a bad thing. We need quality backups. I just think the people reaching to see him as a long term starter are drinking from the same fountain as those that kept saying BC was a starting caliber *insert any OL position.* 

They just aren't. Doesn't mean they aren't very valuable and it doesn't mean they can't play competently. 

Quality backups are absolutely important. This franchise has been plagued with depth problems. That said, there is a little bit of dismay that Mays can't beat out a 1-legged man, and all the talk going into the off-season was how BC would certainly be gone since he had position versatility. 

In the end, it doesn't matter too awfully much, as I would be shocked to no end if Corbett makes it through the season. We know what we have in reserve, and that should surely be better than trying to sign random fat guys mid season to try and take over.

[tukafan21]

1 hour ago, UnluckyforSome said:

Quality backups are absolutely important. This franchise has been plagued with depth problems. That said, there is a little bit of dismay that Mays can't beat out a 1-legged man, and all the talk going into the off-season was how BC would certainly be gone since he had position versatility. 

In the end, it doesn't matter too awfully much, as I would be shocked to no end if Corbett makes it through the season. We know what we have in reserve, and that should surely be better than trying to sign random fat guys mid season to try and take over.

Being plagued with depth problems isn't the root cause, it's problems with drafting and it unfortunately takes at least a few years to turn that around.

You're really never going to be able to build much depth through Free Agency.  It's years of drafting well and having solid players on rookie deals for 4 years, with their years 2-4 being that quality depth who then goes and signs bigger deals elsewhere for a chance at more playing time.

And that's where you need years worth of successful drafting, because as they leave for bigger roles/contracts, they are replaced by the next batch of guys you drafted and were waiting a year or two behind the previous batch.

I think we've greatly improved our drafting the last couple of years, along with seemingly hitting on some solid UDFA's at the same time.  So we're on our way, but it will still take another year or two of quality drafting and coaching up the previous mid to late round picks to really build a quality stable of backup depth.

[kungfoodude]

5 hours ago, tukafan21 said:

If we need to draft another WR next year, something went horribly wrong this year, in one season it went from our worst position group to probably 2nd best after our OL.

I have zero fear about T-Mac being a true #1, Coker seems to have shown a ton of improvement and could end up as our #2 all season no matter how improved XL is, if Renfrow stays healthy, I think he re-signs a hometown friendly deal to replace Thielen as the vet slot.

Even if XL and Horn Jr. struggle (and I'm not guessing they will), I'm not so sure WR is a need in the draft next year, more likely a position that would be supplemented through a cheaper FA signing.

That's an easy thing to say in the preseason but literally a year after taking a WR in the 1st, we had to do it again. 

Nothing is guaranteed. 

[kungfoodude]

5 hours ago, UnluckyforSome said:

Quality backups are absolutely important. This franchise has been plagued with depth problems. That said, there is a little bit of dismay that Mays can't beat out a 1-legged man, and all the talk going into the off-season was how BC would certainly be gone since he had position versatility. 

In the end, it doesn't matter too awfully much, as I would be shocked to no end if Corbett makes it through the season. We know what we have in reserve, and that should surely be better than trying to sign random fat guys mid season to try and take over.

I mean, Corbett was a very good OG in the NFL prior to coming here. His biggest knock was his health, always has been. I don't find it very surprising he beat out Mays. 

I also wasn't surprised that BC wasn't viewed as valuable by the NFL as a whole. He is a career backup, he is a physically limited guy and he isn't exactly a spring chicken. 

I am glad to have guys like Mays, BC and Zavala around. It's been a very, very long time since we had depth like this.

[tukafan21]

16 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

That's an easy thing to say in the preseason but literally a year after taking a WR in the 1st, we had to do it again. 

Nothing is guaranteed. 

True, but even after drafting said WR in the 1st last year, we knew we didn't have a great WR room, particularly as we knew he was more of a project WR than someone who should be able to step into the #1 WR role from day 1 like T-Mac is already doing.  Plus, our #1 going into last year was a player many were hoping we'd end up signing to an extension.

WR room going into this year vs last year

T-Mac >>> Johnson

Renfrow >>> ISM

Coker >>> Coker

XL > XL

Horn Jr > Mingo

Thielen = Thielen

With 4 of them under contract for the next few years and Renfrow a possible re-signing if he finds his old form (unless someone unexpectedly drops a bag at his feet, but I doubt he'll play THAT well for that to happen).

So yes, nothing is guaranteed, but again, it would take a really bad season for us to feel the need to draft a WR next year in anything before the 5th round, which at that point would still likely only be a BPA type of situation, not out of need.

 

Edited 13 hours ago by tukafan21

[Waldo]

10 hours ago, kungfoodude said:

It's not a bad thing. We need quality backups. I just think the people reaching to see him as a long term starter are drinking from the same fountain as those that kept saying BC was a starting caliber *insert any OL position.* 

They just aren't. Doesn't mean they aren't very valuable and it doesn't mean they can't play competently. 

In it self no it's not a bad thing. It becomes an issue when they brought back Austin to play on IR most of the season again. That's not a knock on Mays but the situation. It's BC at LG all over. But on the flip side that's how they were forced to go out and sign a good LG the next year. 

All of the talk and hope of improvement comes down to guys like Mays taking that step. There is something developmentally going on that Im not impressed with going on with this team. Austin and Dalton were 2 guys they obviously can't lean on at this point and yet both are still here taking up space. 

[kungfoodude]

3 hours ago, tukafan21 said:

True, but even after drafting said WR in the 1st last year, we knew we didn't have a great WR room, particularly as we knew he was more of a project WR than someone who should be able to step into the #1 WR role from day 1 like T-Mac is already doing.  Plus, our #1 going into last year was a player many were hoping we'd end up signing to an extension.

WR room going into this year vs last year

T-Mac >>> Johnson

Renfrow >>> ISM

Coker >>> Coker

XL > XL

Horn Jr > Mingo

Thielen = Thielen

With 4 of them under contract for the next few years and Renfrow a possible re-signing if he finds his old form (unless someone unexpectedly drops a bag at his feet, but I doubt he'll play THAT well for that to happen).

So yes, nothing is guaranteed, but again, it would take a really bad season for us to feel the need to draft a WR next year in anything before the 5th round, which at that point would still likely only be a BPA type of situation, not out of need.

 

Yeah, I am not comfortable really saying any of that until it starts happening on the field. I am hopeful that is the case and it appears we are better there than in 2024 but nothing is ever assured with the Tepper Panthers. We will just have to watch and hope.

1 hour ago, Waldo said:

In it self no it's not a bad thing. It becomes an issue when they brought back Austin to play on IR most of the season again. That's not a knock on Mays but the situation. It's BC at LG all over. But on the flip side that's how they were forced to go out and sign a good LG the next year. 

All of the talk and hope of improvement comes down to guys like Mays taking that step. There is something developmentally going on that Im not impressed with going on with this team. Austin and Dalton were 2 guys they obviously can't lean on at this point and yet both are still here taking up space. 

I will give them that the team has had so many needs over the last few offseasons that center can get pushed down the priority list. Most of our attempts have ultimately failed there, while we passed on excellent centers in the draft...mostly to draft busts, even worse.

As for the development, yeah, we seem to struggle with it but it's the age old question of is it evaluation OR development? It's not like we have many(if any) examples of guys not working out here and then flourishing elsewhere. I think our evaluation is far more broken than our development.

[Waldo]

28 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

I will give them that the team has had so many needs over the last few offseasons that center can get pushed down the priority list. Most of our attempts have ultimately failed there, while we passed on excellent centers in the draft...mostly to draft busts, even worse.

As for the development, yeah, we seem to struggle with it but it's the age old question of is it evaluation OR development? It's not like we have many(if any) examples of guys not working out here and then flourishing elsewhere. I think our evaluation is far more broken than our development.

I agree about the evaluations being more broken but then the development hasn't been impressive either IMO.  

[kungfoodude]

2 minutes ago, Waldo said:

I agree about the evaluations being more broken but then the development hasn't been impressive either IMO.  

Yeah, it's really hard to know the full equation without insiders basically talking about it.

Either way it tilts, it has to improve if we have any hope of pulling out of this hole.