Darin Gantt: Inside the Panthers draft room

[ProcessBlue2]

I know people get mad when I point this out but there are usually only 1-2 maybe 3 solid players each draft. Everyone likes to hype up in the offseason and think all 7 will be Pro Bowlers but realistically in my opinion:

Freeling- Solid Starter for a while probably makes it to 2nd contract.

Hunter- Turns out to be best player of the group. Turns into a Kawaan Short type DL.

Brazzell- Serviceable, some flashes but doesn’t make it to a 2nd contract. Too slow in the short game, takes a while to build up speed, runs awkward on routes.

Lee- I just don’t see it on tape. Maybe a taller version of Troy Pride. 

Hecht- I think he will be around for a little while. Reminds me of Mays, where he was shaky at first but eventually became dependable.

Wheatley- Really like him. Think this will be a guy that sticks around a while as a borderline starter/solid back up. He’s already probably better than Nick Scott.

Kuwatch- Probably a depth/practice squad guy a few years and fizzles out. 

[SetfreexX]

Preferred Freeling over Bain Jr. 

I like what we've done in the Edge room (Phillips / Scourton / Princely / Jones) as the primary four.

Keep the arguable 2nd most important position (LT) on the team strong / deep / cost-effective (4M for Walker / Rookie deal for Freeling) and relatively future-proof in the event Ickey can't return to form.

If Ickey returns, he takes over the cap hit Moton currently accounts for after he is eventually released outside of other contractual options, and the OL cost balances back out as it relates to the cap.

[strato]

21 minutes ago, SetfreexX said:

Preferred Freeling over Bain Jr. 

I like what we've done in the Edge room (Phillips / Scourton / Princely / Jones) as the primary four.

Keep the arguable 2nd most important position (LT) on the team strong / deep / cost-effective (4M for Walker / Rookie deal for Freeling) and relatively future-proof in the event Ickey can't return to form.

If Ickey returns, he takes over the cap hit Moton currently accounts for after he is eventually released outside of other contractual options, and the OL cost balances back out as it relates to the cap.

Yeah we have good reasons for keeping that OL strong and young.  

[strato]

4 hours ago, ProcessBlue2 said:

I know people get mad when I point this out but there are usually only 1-2 maybe 3 solid players each draft. Everyone likes to hype up in the offseason and think all 7 will be Pro Bowlers but realistically in my opinion:

Freeling- Solid Starter for a while probably makes it to 2nd contract.

Hunter- Turns out to be best player of the group. Turns into a Kawaan Short type DL.

Brazzell- Serviceable, some flashes but doesn’t make it to a 2nd contract. Too slow in the short game, takes a while to build up speed, runs awkward on routes.

Lee- I just don’t see it on tape. Maybe a taller version of Troy Pride. 

Hecht- I think he will be around for a little while. Reminds me of Mays, where he was shaky at first but eventually became dependable.

Wheatley- Really like him. Think this will be a guy that sticks around a while as a borderline starter/solid back up. He’s already probably better than Nick Scott.

Kuwatch- Probably a depth/practice squad guy a few years and fizzles out. 

The only way you can get starters out of every draft pick is if your team sucks.  Upgrading positions is pretty easy. 
That is the reality. 
If you do it right it definitely gets harder to do.  
 

I hope we can built up to where it takes a quality 1st rounder to supplant a starter. 

Edited Friday at 09:28 PM by strato