Jump to content
  • Welcome!

    Register and log in easily with Twitter or Google accounts!

    Or simply create a new Huddle account. 

    Members receive fewer ads , access our dark theme, and the ability to join the discussion!

     

Panthers to draft Cam Newton


venom

Recommended Posts

I will man up and say I was wrong for not wanting Cam. I wasn't a harsh vocal critic of him in these forums, I didn't really get into it with anyone. I would voice my concerns from time to time after the Gruden interview and accuracy concerns.

But you guys we're right and I was wrong (along with most football fans) and I really hope this thing continues in the direction it's going and I can't remember if I ever was this excited to be a Panthers fan with the exception of the Super Bowl and the day the Panthers became an NFL organization.

<3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I dont have a problem with people who thought Cam would be a bad QB. Obviously they were wrong, but there were certainly some questions about him heading into the draft. He only started 1 year at a D1 school, played in a pretty simple offense and ran the ball a lot. Those traits dont usually translate well to the NFL, even though now its easy to go back and explain all the concerns. Heck, you could have explained all the concerns back then, but people posting on fan message boards arent draft experts.

Of course, the draft experts who dismissed his potential and thought he would be a bust I have no respect for- they are either lazy and did no research on the guy, or they are just incompetent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Honestly I think if a lot of us had access to the kind of stuff the FO did, then we might have made the same decision. They actually got to meet him and look at his work more in depth than any of us could have.

I was never big on drafting any QB, but it has really paid off for us so far. I'm glad for that.

Look, I was wrong too. But at least majority came back and said so and rallied behind our QB. The ones that didn't either disappeared or trolled the boards because we all know that the only thing that matters in life is E-REP!!!!

I can look like a fool with out guessing what the Panthers will do in every draft. I have no control or input in thier decisions, so I supoport what they do and hope they take the right players.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

bo jackson is the only one who believed in him. and dont forget warren moon taught him some tricks and chris weinke helped him(ken dorsey helped him too i think..). newton had a willngness to learn the qb position, constanly picking experienced qbs brains. newton did well because he studied tape/playbook and worked hard like an over acheiver. then he has the body type and talent to back him up.

combine those two and you might be looking at a superbowl winning hall of fame player. most impressive is no offseason but it showed he lacked experience in the close games and not winning without a defense. you can win in the regular season without d if you are an elite qb but someone with a better d usually beats you in the playoffs......

i think cam is another tom, peyton and rodgers....meaning he will catch on quick and become a winner real fast(superbowl?) with consistent success. cam's offense should be in the top 5 next year, just better in the 2nd half, which i have seen improve a little.

also cam is not fast but he has a burst of quickness when it comes to gametime that rivals dj's(i know dw) speed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can look like a fool with out guessing what the Panthers will do in every draft. I have no control or input in thier decisions, so I supoport what they do and hope they take the right players.

The second that Cam was drafted I supported him and I have supported him ever since... I don't mind being wrong about him and I'm glad I was.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I dont have a problem with people who thought Cam would be a bad QB. Obviously they were wrong, but there were certainly some questions about him heading into the draft. He only started 1 year at a D1 school, played in a pretty simple offense and ran the ball a lot. Those traits dont usually translate well to the NFL, even though now its easy to go back and explain all the concerns. Heck, you could have explained all the concerns back then, but people posting on fan message boards arent draft experts.

Of course, the draft experts who dismissed his potential and thought he would be a bust I have no respect for- they are either lazy and did no research on the guy, or they are just incompetent.

What Cam did in his year at Blinn and then at Auburn is pretty much what he's doing with the Panthers'....whatever is asked of him as a QB. I don't understand what was so hard about that to understand. Most QBs are limited and need the team receivers to step up their game to help them look good. Even when those QBs are being bragged about by our media as being strong and athletic.

The bottomline is, very few of them can do what Cam is doing consistantly and successfully. And I strongly believe those in our media knew that but wanted to play down Cam's talent by jumping on whatever little flaw they might find with his game. Cam has always been a throw first QB who runs when he has too.

And honestly, I really feel that what him and The Golden Calf of Bristol really do have in common is their work ethics. They both will do whatever it takes for them to improve and their team to win.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

bo jackson is the only one who believed in him. and dont forget warren moon taught him some tricks and chris weinke helped him(ken dorsey helped him too i think..). newton had a willngness to learn the qb position, constanly picking experienced qbs brains. newton did well because he studied tape/playbook and worked hard like an over acheiver. then he has the body type and talent to back him up.

combine those two and you might be looking at a superbowl winning hall of fame player. most impressive is no offseason but it showed he lacked experience in the close games and not winning without a defense. you can win in the regular season without d if you are an elite qb but someone with a better d usually beats you in the playoffs......

i think cam is another tom, peyton and rodgers....meaning he will catch on quick and become a winner real fast(superbowl?) with consistent success. cam's offense should be in the top 5 next year, just better in the 2nd half, which i have seen improve a little.

also cam is not fast but he has a burst of quickness when it comes to gametime that rivals dj's(i know dw) speed.

Part of me hated how the media treated him during his days at Auburn and hated even more how they intentionally stereotyped him to feed the masses. But when it's all said and done, what doesn't break you, strenghtens you. The only way to tell what a person is really made of is to put them through the fire. Cam has gone through the fire and came out a better and stronger person than before, IMO.

Many college athlete would break under the media scrutiny Cam went through. And sometimes, not really knowing what these QBs are made of and how they will handle adversity until it's to late isn't always a good thing. At least you guys know what Cam is made of and how he will handle adversity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i think a lot of people doubted cam because we, the average fan, aren't privy to certain information. months before the draft we had no idea WHO cam newton was. we didn't know about his drive to be the best, his work ethic or his leadership qualities because the media twisted just about everything there was to twist about him.

that being said, i wanted to draft him and i thought he was going to be a stud :cam:.

i remember debating with friends about this, and i projected his statline for the season to be something like 3200 total yards, 24 total touchdowns and 15 picks. obviously he exceeded those expectations

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remembered reading on a Charlotte sports site, the editor arguing with some fans to give Cam a chance. Many were so whipped into a fear frenzy over Cam being a Panther by our rabal rousing media that someone wanted to create tee-shirts and hand them out stating they didn't want Cam on their team. I wonder where are those folks now.

Simply had to shake my head.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • PMH4OWPW7JD2TDGWZKTOYL2T3E.jpg

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • I can't wait to go through this analysis 
    • What's more likely? An entire competant NFL front office (as many here suggest Morgan runs) has watched Bryce struggle week in and week out to perform at the bare minimum of NFL QBs for 3 years and has decided that's the future of this organization, OR our owner who has proven repeatedly he can't keep his nose out of team decision making has declared Bryce is our QB until he decides otherwise, especially given he's the one that drafted him in the first place? 
    • It is time to take a look at the defense.  Without further ado do.... Edge (OLB):  I think we overpaid for Jaelan Phillips, but he is constant pressure with 73 pressures in 2025, ranking 9th in the NFL.  In all, he was the 20th (of 111) rated pass rushing edge in 2025 according to PFF, putting him in the top 20% in the nfl.  With a pair of solid ILBs beside him and if we can get Wharton going, I think the sum of the parts will make him better than he was in Philly.  Furthermore, with second-year pro Princely Umanmielen behind him, I expect him to grow with the tutoring and competition. On the other side, the duo of Nick Scourton and Patrick Jones II is strong, in my view.  Scourton generated 34 total pressures as a pass rusher. That total included 8 sacks, 23 hurries, 3 hits. Against the run, he recorded 28 solo tackles. For a rookie, second round, edge, that is great.  He also forced 1 fumble on the season. Jones was decent in 2025 in just 131 snaps, but he is solid veteran depth.   We seem to lack the elite pass rusher, but this rotational unit will be a big upgrade over last season.  Expect Scourton and Princely to show improvement. While it is unlikely that we add more to edge this draft, you can never have too many pass rushers (well, you can--two sophomores and two veterans is a good mix). Would the Panthers take an edge if one was sitting there? Absolutely. Defensive End:  Derrick Brown is a stud.  I did not notice how dominant he became as a pass rusher.  His PFF pass-rush grade of 72.0 ranked 23rd among 134 qualified interior defensive linemans. His run-defense grade of 66.3 ranked 22nd at the position. He generated 35 total pressures as a pass rusher. That total included 6 sacks, 23 hurries, 6 hits. On the other side:  What the hell?  Tershawn Wharton earned a 40.8 overall PFF defensive grade in the 2025 season, 127th among 134 qualified interior defensive linemans. His PFF pass-rush grade of 57.0 ranked 95th among 134 qualified interior defensive linemen. His run-defense grade of 34.8 ranked 125th at the position. However, Wharton needs to be situational and we really need a few DEs who can plug and pressure.  LaBryan Ray is an interior defensive lineman for the Carolina Panthers who earned a 45.7 overall PFF defensive grade in the 2025 season.  You cannot tell me that we are not going to add a DE.  In my view, this is a HUGE need that we have not adequately addressed.  There were only 3 DEs in the NFL who played more snaps that Derrick Brown.  We have to give him more blows during the game.  So After Brown, we have 2 other players who need to improve a lot to reach mediocre. Nose Tackle:  Of course, a NT might move out some to help stuff the run at DE opposite Brown, and stats do not always reflect on a NT's actual value.  Bobby Brown III earned a 54.1 overall PFF defensive grade in the 2025 season, 80th among 134 qualified interior defensive linemen.  His PFF pass-rush grade of 51.1 ranked 126th among 134 qualified interior defensive linemans. His run-defense grade of 57.8 ranked 51st at the position.   Behind him, Cam'Ron Jackson is an  earned a 45.5 overall PFF defensive grade in the 2025 season.   The defensive line is weak, based on 2025 performance rankings in PFF.  After DBrown, they pretty much suck.  These are the guys our ILBs will be counting on. Inside Linebacker:  Devin Lloyd earned a 89.1 overall PFF defensive grade in the 2025 season, 3rd among 88 qualified linebackers. His PFF coverage grade of 81.1 ranked 3rd among 88 qualified linebackers. His run-defense grade of 83.2 ranked 11th at the position. His pass-rush grade of 82.2 ranked 5th among qualified linebackers.  He's good.  At the moment, beside him is Trevin Wallace  who earned a 55.9 overall PFF defensive grade in the 2025 season, 57th among 88 qualified linebackers. His PFF coverage grade of 64.5 ranked 25th among 88 qualified linebackers. His run-defense grade of 42.3 ranked 85th at the position. His pass-rush grade of 64.2 ranked 45th among qualified linebackers.  Wallace was best as a coverage LB, and based on my memory, I am not sure he was in the top third, but if PFF says so...however, he was nearly last vs. the run.  We need better to play beside Lloyd.  Bam Morris-Scott earned a 37.6 overall PFF defensive grade. To put that in perspective, I was rated by PFF at 32.3 on my couch.   Cherilus Claudin is the third best ILB on the roster right now. He earned a 59.2 overall PFF defensive grade in just over 200 snaps.  Having lost Rozeboom, the Panthers are very thin behind Lloyd.  Look for a starting-caliber ILB in the draft.  Wallace is not the guy, but he is decent depth. Nickel CB:  Chau Smith-Wade  earned a 57.0 overall PFF defensive grade in the 2025 season, 79th among 114 qualified cornerbacks. His PFF coverage grade of 57.2 ranked 79th among 114 qualified cornerbacks. His run-defense grade of 55.4 ranked 77th at the position.  For a nickel, he played a lot--garnering over 600 snaps.  Corey Thornton was a pleasant surprise, until he was injured.  However, in just 127 snaps, he was very good, earning a 68.5 overall PFF defensive grade.  I think he can play outside in a pinch, but nickel might be his gig.  I am not sold that Nickel is in good hands, but Thornton is promising.  Smith-Wade is average, and with the experience he has accumulated, we are probably not prioritizing Nickel, but there are some good nickels in the draft. Cornerback:  Michael Jackson should have been in the pro bowl.  He earned a 79.1 overall PFF defensive grade in the 2025 season, 4th among 114 qualified cornerbacks. His PFF coverage grade of 80.9 ranked 3rd among 114 qualified cornerbacks. His run-defense grade of 67.2 ranked 36th at the position. He recorded 4 interceptions on the season. Jackson broke up 9 passes in coverage. He allowed a 72.9 passer rating when targeted by opposing quarterbacks --SOLID!!  Our second-best CB, Jaycee Horn, was in the pro bowl.  He earned a 57.8 overall PFF defensive grade in the 2025 season, 76th among 114 qualified corner.backs. His PFF coverage grade of 61.6 ranked 61st among 114 qualified cornerbacks. His run-defense grade of 50.5 ranked 87th at the position.  He recorded 5 interceptions on the season.  Our CBs had NINE interceptions in 2025.  It is doubtful they duplicate that figure, but Jackson was our best CB.   We are thin at CB, but the two we put out there are solid.  Nickel, at this time, is "meh," but both are developing and should improve.  A great draft for Nickel.  The Panthers will add a CB somehow. Safety:  For now, Trevon Moehrig is as advertised--above average vs. the run, below average in coverage, making him average. He earned a 64.3 overall PFF defensive grade in the 2025 season, 50th among 98 qualified safeties. His PFF coverage grade of 55.3 ranked 64th among 98 qualified safeties. His run-defense grade of 73.5 ranked 37th at the position.  Lathan Ransom got some valuable experience in 2025, getting in on 330 plays or so.  He earned a 62.9 overall PFF defensive grade in the 2025 season, 56th among 98 qualified safeties.  (Average, not bad for a day 3 rookie) His PFF coverage grade of 55.8 ranked 63rd among 98 qualified safeties. His run-defense grade of 85.1 ranked 4th at the position.  A pure strong safety, if you ask me.  Nick Scott  earned a 67.8 overall PFF defensive grade in the 2025 season, 36th among 98 qualified safeties. His PFF coverage grade of 67.3 ranked 31st among 98 qualified safeties. His run-defense grade of 69.3 ranked 56th at the position.  Expect a draft pick at FS.  Demani Richardson is a safety for the Carolina Panthers who earned a 71.5 overall PFF defensive grade n 29 plays.  Nothing to see here.  Isaiah Simmons is probably more special teams than defensive player.   Overall:  We are thin on defense.  No real depth at CB, S, and DE/NT.  However, we have 5 starters who are pro bowl level players (D. Brown, Lloyd, Jackson, Horn, and Phillips--and I might throw Scourton in on that pile for the sixth potential pro bowler).  We are weak at NT, and if Wharton does not step up, DE.  Funny, I see Edge as our strength (and we really don't have a sack artist) and I love our starting CBs.  Moehrig is making too much to be average.   Expect:  In the draft, I think we have to draft a DT.  Having done this, I am not sure that we go after a S when we have such glaring needs at other positions.  We could upgrade at nickel and give the CB room more depth.  OLB?  Wallace is decent depth, and he could start in a pinch.   DE is our biggest need.  The answer could be on the roster?            
×
×
  • Create New...