Recommended free agent targets from roppster report

[kungfoodude]

2 minutes ago, PNW_PantherMan said:

If you're a contender and have a legit QB, you can find some deals in FA.  But every other signing is an overpay.  I don't think there's any real evidence for the Panthers tax when you look at what every team pays for the top free agents.  Everyone gets overpaid in FA.  It's how it works.

The Panthers tax is just the "terrible franchise" tax. It has existed forever. You get guys motivated by extreme money and ignore the fact that they won't win. For higher level competitors that want to win, they will just avoid bottom tier franchises entirely unless there are no other options available.

That is basically us.

[PNW_PantherMan]

1 minute ago, kungfoodude said:

The Panthers tax is just the "terrible franchise" tax. It has existed forever. You get guys motivated by extreme money and ignore the fact that they won't win. For higher level competitors that want to win, they will just avoid bottom tier franchises entirely unless there are no other options available.

That is basically us.

Its more of a contender discount than a bad team tax.  Since probably 25 teams fall under the "terrible franchise" tax by FA money paid.

[kungfoodude]

Just now, PNW_PantherMan said:

Its more of a contender discount than a bad team tax.  Since probably 25 teams fall under the "terrible franchise" tax by FA money paid.

Yeah, I suppose that is one way of looking at it.

I would disagree about the 25 teams. The truly terrible franchises are relatively small in number each year. 

[strato]

27 minutes ago, PNW_PantherMan said:

Agree but we can't have an entire offensive line on big contracts.

If the guy has enough years left in him, a premium C allows you to bring in cheaper guards. In our case, if it is gonna be Bryce.. find some big old college tackles that can move to guard in the NFL. 
Apparently we aren’t gonna be paying big money long term for Icky nor Moton within another year maybe. Two at the outside. So the Tackles shouldn’t cost a ton which allows us to maybe get out from under at least Hunt’s deal.

I think if you want to pay a C you can.  
 

FWIW, the reason Hunt is here is because they had to pay Tua in Miami. We are going down that same road. Hunt may be that guy again.  

[raleigh-panther]

45 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

I agree, hence why I have repeatedly said we need to cut Hunt in the 2027 offseason. He isn't elite but he has the third highest RG contract. That's insane. Plus Moton is very close to coming off the books.

If we paid Linderbaum as the #1 overall center, he would still be significantly lower paid than Lewis, Hunt and Moton.

This is why I keep stressing the need to do something at center. It the biggest bang for the buck on any NFL OL.

Yes 

icky is on the books with zero certainty of return, Moton getting older with knee issues…draft  that versatile  OT in the first or second if one is there…rookie contract

[imminent rogaine]

Milano at LB.  We just have Jags at the position. Can still draft an LB.

Likely has to be in consideration at TE. Sanders hurt. TT FA.

Doubs, Alec Pierce, Shaheed. All three could really help this offense in totally different ways. Doubs feels the most redundant of the group but he is also the most polished and talented wr. Be done w XL. 

I still argue that Bryce needs an elite, Houston-type, defense in order to succeed here. I would legitimately find out the asking price to both Myles Garrett and Vita Vea. Cleveland is transitioning and will have a new coach. Vea is in last year of contract.  Assemble the best dline in football. Bring in Milano to fix ILB. Corners are good. Safety’s aren’t terrible and Ransom looks promising.  You’d have a 3 year window or so.

 

Biggest issue w any plan is going to be LT. Idk what the fix is there. 

[kungfoodude]

1 hour ago, strato said:

If the guy has enough years left in him, a premium C allows you to bring in cheaper guards. In our case, if it is gonna be Bryce.. find some big old college tackles that can move to guard in the NFL. 
Apparently we aren’t gonna be paying big money long term for Icky nor Moton within another year maybe. Two at the outside. So the Tackles shouldn’t cost a ton which allows us to maybe get out from under at least Hunt’s deal.

I think if you want to pay a C you can.  
 

FWIW, the reason Hunt is here is because they had to pay Tua in Miami. We are going down that same road. Hunt may be that guy again.  

Yeah and Linderbaum is 25 years old. You can make him the literal and figurative centerpiece of a newly overhauled OL in 2-3 years. 

I will never understand paying megabucks for OG's but running OT's and OG's at center. It's insane.

[strato]

1 minute ago, kungfoodude said:

Yeah and Linderbaum is 25 years old. You can make him the literal and figurative centerpiece of a newly overhauled OL in 2-3 years. 

I will never understand paying megabucks for OG's but running OT's and OG's at center. It's insane.

Agreed. Well, we know the reason the mega panic bucks went to those guards. 
That wasn’t a normal situation and doubt it will ever be repeated here. That wasn’t building it was a desperation move. 

[kungfoodude]

1 minute ago, strato said:

Agreed. Well, we know the reason the mega panic bucks went to those guards. 
That wasn’t a normal situation and doubt it will ever be repeated here. That wasn’t building it was a desperation move. 

Don't be surprised to see more desperation roster moves in the near future.

I don't think Morgan would go down quietly with the ship and thinking of the future of a team he wouldn't be a part of.

A lot of GM's before they get canned start making panic moves.

[strato]

32 minutes ago, imminent rogaine said:

Milano at LB.  We just have Jags at the position. Can still draft an LB.

Likely has to be in consideration at TE. Sanders hurt. TT FA.

Doubs, Alec Pierce, Shaheed. All three could really help this offense in totally different ways. Doubs feels the most redundant of the group but he is also the most polished and talented wr. Be done w XL. 

I still argue that Bryce needs an elite, Houston-type, defense in order to succeed here. I would legitimately find out the asking price to both Myles Garrett and Vita Vea. Cleveland is transitioning and will have a new coach. Vea is in last year of contract.  Assemble the best dline in football. Bring in Milano to fix ILB. Corners are good. Safety’s aren’t terrible and Ransom looks promising.  You’d have a 3 year window or so.

 

Biggest issue w any plan is going to be LT. Idk what the fix is there. 

Bryce hasn’t elevated anyone in three years. Well maybe Rico, unintentionally. Theilen maybe if you really squint. I don’t think I am lying. 

He needs elite everything. 
 

LOT is definitely now a crapshoot.  Instantly the most pressing need. It cut the line and put the other needs back one slot. 

[kungfoodude]

37 minutes ago, imminent rogaine said:

Milano at LB.  We just have Jags at the position. Can still draft an LB.

Likely has to be in consideration at TE. Sanders hurt. TT FA.

Doubs, Alec Pierce, Shaheed. All three could really help this offense in totally different ways. Doubs feels the most redundant of the group but he is also the most polished and talented wr. Be done w XL. 

I still argue that Bryce needs an elite, Houston-type, defense in order to succeed here. I would legitimately find out the asking price to both Myles Garrett and Vita Vea. Cleveland is transitioning and will have a new coach. Vea is in last year of contract.  Assemble the best dline in football. Bring in Milano to fix ILB. Corners are good. Safety’s aren’t terrible and Ransom looks promising.  You’d have a 3 year window or so.

 

Biggest issue w any plan is going to be LT. Idk what the fix is there. 

The draft seems to have a good group of RT/LT guys. Some that can play OG too(or project there). If you can plug a decent rookie in, I think we can survive. Remember the bar is pretty low. We just need someone better than Nijman.

[Jay Roosevelt]

2 hours ago, kungfoodude said:

1000% disagree. One is an elite center and the other is a bottom 10 center.

The difference will be extreme.

No shade to Mays, would love to keep him around as our utility IOL but he has never played above an average level and that is him balling out.

I'm not arguing that Linderbaum isn't a better player than Mays, just that the difference isn't as much as people might think. At least not compared to the difference in cost between the two players will be.

In any event, I don't expect the Ravens to let him get to the open market.

Edited 1 hour ago by Jay Roosevelt

[strato]

2 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

Don't be surprised to see more desperation roster moves in the near future.

I don't think Morgan would go down quietly with the ship and thinking of the future of a team he wouldn't be a part of.

A lot of GM's before they get canned start making panic moves.

 I just can’t see Morgan as being under the threat of unemployment at any time this upcoming season. 

As little as ‘winning’ the division and making the playoffs impressed me, I think to Tepper it was like nectar of the Gods. A milestone for him. And the team did play well in the Wild Card.

That has to buy him 2027. I would think. Unless we start 0-8 or something. Which I don’t believe will happen. 

[Soul Rebel]

I want the following:

• LB - Devin Lloyd (our big money splash)
  • I'm also interested in Nakobe Dean if we go the cheaper route. His size is a concern beside Wallace, but Dean is a Dan Morgan type of alpha leader of the defense. He's often called the heart of the Philly defense and would absolutely bring a swagger and be our field general on defense. We need this so badly and I'd almost rather go with him because Wallace is no guarantee to ever hit his potential, so maybe we go with Dean and find a Wallace replacement in on day 2.
• EDGE - Boye Mafe (SEA)
  • I think he's a great blend of pass rush prowess, age and experience. We have our potential youngsters in Scourton and Umanmielen, let's add a vet from a successful franchise to bring some heat. Bye bye Wonnum....bye bye Jones. We roll with Mafe-Scourton-Umanmielen
• TE - Cade Otton (TB)
  • Again, we have youth in this position w/ Sanders and Evans. Sanders is tracking similarly to Ian Thomas (age/stats) and wonder if he will ever be the TE we thought we stole in the 4th round. Evans looks legit, but more of a balanced/blocker. Sign Otton, who Dave is familiar with and save some money by cutting Tremble. Also allows us to roll Otton-Sanders-Evans in 13 personnel
• WR - Wan'dale Robinson or Rashid Shaheed
  • I wonder if either of these will be priced out of our range based on age and what they bring. We do already have a 5'8" WR with Horn, Jr. so I'd see the argument against Robinson. However, the latter is still only 25 and just hit a 1k yard receiving season with suspect QB play in NY and an elite talent in Nabers on the roster. SEA gave up two '26 draft picks for Shaheed and he has stepped in nicely for the 'Hawks...doubt they let him walk. I also saw Doubs on the FA list and wonder if he'd be what we need. We need a separator that can be a deep threat to keep defenses honest. TMac/Coker are the bigger receivers, but not necesarily guys that scare a defense....would Doubs be that guy?
• SAF
  • I'd like an upgrade here and wonder if we wait out the FA period until the latter stages if someone like Ar'Darious Washington or Jaylinn Hawkins lingers and there's a discount later in the game. Nick Scott can F off and I hope he never suits up for us again. 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by Soul Rebel