Who is best value at the 5 slot?

[Catalyst]

Kalil will be gone before 5. Blackmon likely as well. Claiborne would be the BPA in that scenario, IMO.

[mav1234]

Otah could have played more this year... I'm pretty sure Hurney was giving him yet another chance to get healthy again with intentions to have him back next year. Again, not risking losing him for good. Shows the value Otah has to hurney. He ain't gunna be replaced yet folks. He may be injury prone but he does have talent. IMO, the FO will want to fill a need somewhere else.

I'm pretty sure that if Otah could have played within any short amount of time of his injury, he would be playing. This year is about Cam and the offense growing together, and the best way to do that isn't to just IR one of the (supposedly) best offensive linemen on the team. Otah's injury was for real IMO and while I expect him to be back, it's time we stop relying on him to be a starter. If the opportunity presents itself to nab a high quality LT, I say we do it.

[carpanfan96]

DT, OT and possibly CB are out of the question in the first round. The team really likes Bell at RT, plus Otah is coming back. At CB the team really likes Hogan and he's expected to start opposite Gamble when he's healthy. DT's take a year or two, plus Edwards will be back. On top of that there isn't a sure fire DT in the draft.

That leaves LB with the major questions about Davis being injury prone and having no clue on Beason's condition after his injury, ("yes medicine has upgraded, but not enough to allow full recoveries from Achilles tears" "No one in football has ever comeback 100% from the injury")

Then you have DE, FS, WR and then depth for ST's.

With all those in mind, the best "value pick" is going to be either Oline or Dline. Since Oline isn't likely, then you go Dline. Since DT isn't likely going to be answered in this upcoming draft, then you go DE. It's never bad to have multiple DE's who can play well, it gives you a rotation of guys for 3-4 years that all have starter ability.

Going based off of value in regards to the impact of the position and importance, you have to go Dline and DE for the pick. While Hardy has been more consistent of late, he's never been good at defending the run. He gets sealed off way too much to be a major starting DE for a playoff team. He would be a great rotational guy though.

If you go Coples, you have a big framed guy who can play all 4 dline spots in the 4-3 and possible the 5 in a 3-4. He brings more versatility then any player has on the defense in the ways the team can line him up and on passing downs, the team could bring out a line of Hardy, Coples, Keiser/McClain and Johnson.

[GamecockSmitty4]

Fua impresses me. He actually gets a push up the middle. He's doing this without having any offseason training. Not to mention that Ryan Kalil has been extremely impressed with him and has said that he will be a great DT.

[Nicbsbll2]

If Kalil is available when we pick, you have to take him. The value is too good. If Kalil is gone, you have to decide how much more of a value is Blackmon over what will be available at CB in the second. If Hurney thinks he can get a good CB in the second, or free agency, then you take Blackmon. If not, then Clairborne should be the pick.

edit: And if/when they address the dline, it has to be in free agency. We are way too young on the line as is.

[prowler2k8]

Otah could have played more this year... I'm pretty sure Hurney was giving him yet another chance to get healthy again with intentions to have him back next year. Again, not risking losing him for good. Shows the value Otah has to hurney. He ain't gunna be replaced yet folks. He may be injury prone but he does have talent. IMO, the FO will want to fill a need somewhere else.

With Otah being in the final year of his rookie contract, this will be make or break for him. A chance to come back completely healthy and show the team he's worth a longer financial commitment. He'll make about 1MM next season, which is a bargain for a starting OT. If he can't stay healthy, the Panthers lose nothing after his contract is up.

[Matthias]

If Otah wasn't healthy this year, what makes us think he will be healthy next year? Besides, Gross is getting older, and we will eventually move him to RT. So if Gross moves to RT, where will Otah play? LT? Sure, if you want Cam to be lit up like a christmas tree.

We need to cut ties immediately with Otah, and draft Kalil. Then we won't have to worry about this mess later on.

[frash.exe]

if kalil's already selected you go with the most dynamic defensive player on the board, whoever that happens to be come draft time

[Lout]

unless they really fall in love with some DT, going Dline at #5 would be a mistake. we have solid ends and already have two young, largely unknown tackles (and tbh I've liked Mcclain so far all things considered). We need OLB and CB on defense, but it's possible that we may want to pick up an upgrade on the O-Line with Martin or a different prospect.

anyway, I doubt we'll be picking at 5 tbh, but if we are, and if the draft goes as predicted above, we may also get a nice option to trade down for a QB hungry team.

and here I thought he put Otah on IR because Otah is hurt every year...

I don't think Rivera is too enthused about McClains play as of late.. he mentioned in his presser than McClain has 'hit a wall' and Fua has been improving rapidly.

[unicar15]

Indy - Luck

STL - Kalil

Minnesota - Claiborne

Jacksonville - Blackmon

Is my guess if those are the 4 teams ahead of us and no trades are made. Should have a great spot to trade down for a team wanting a QB. I think Barkley will stay at USC and the new Jax coach may want to dump Gabbert and bring in his own QB.

I see Minnesota going Blackmon if he kills the combine. Right now they have two weapons for Ponder and he is going to need more than that to be successful.

What are the chances a new coach comes in and takes Barkley or Griffin and just chucks Gabbert to the side?? They are paying him about as much as we paid Clausen I believe...

[unicar15]

if kalil's already selected you go with the most dynamic defensive player on the board, whoever that happens to be come draft time

If Kalil is as good as everyone thinks he is then he's not going to be there when we pick.

[Lout]

If Kalil is as good as everyone thinks he is then he's not going to be there when we pick.

Not only will Kalil not be there when we pick, we wouldn't take him if he were there. If you guy's listen to Rivera at the 11:00 mark in his latest presser he say's "If we continue to shore things up on defense, we give ourselves a better chance to win." Now I may be reading too much into it, but it seems like he is pretty satisfied with the Offense, and wants to concentrate on defense in this draft. Does anyone else kind of get that vibe, or am I looking too much into it?

http://www.panthers.com/media-vault/videos/Ron-Rivera-Presser/d8cc4fb4-ca0a-45c4-9200-0291d4bfe26c

[CPF4LIFE]

Not only will Kalil not be there when we pick, we wouldn't take him if he were there. If you guy's listen to Rivera at the 11:00 mark in his latest presser he say's "If we continue to shore things up on defense, we give ourselves a better chance to win." Now I may be reading too much into it, but it seems like he is pretty satisfied with the Offense, and wants to concentrate on defense in this draft. Does anyone else kind of get that vibe, or am I looking too much into it?

http://www.panthers.com/media-vault/videos/Ron-Rivera-Presser/d8cc4fb4-ca0a-45c4-9200-0291d4bfe26c

I get it too. Hurney said when they shut Otah down it was to make sure that he be would be good to go in 2012 last year of his contract. They will take so much heat next year if they dont address the defense in the off season and we get the same result from this year next year. There not gonna take that chance. I have said when it comes to Blackmon or Kalil i want Blackmon. Playoff bound teams are winning with LTs nowhere near the talent of Gross and we will have other OL coming back off injuries too, but for me i have also said i wouldn't be mad whoever they picked because they are all gonna be great players in that top 5.

[Nicbsbll2]

Not only will Kalil not be there when we pick, we wouldn't take him if he were there. If you guy's listen to Rivera at the 11:00 mark in his latest presser he say's "If we continue to shore things up on defense, we give ourselves a better chance to win." Now I may be reading too much into it, but it seems like he is pretty satisfied with the Offense, and wants to concentrate on defense in this draft. Does anyone else kind of get that vibe, or am I looking too much into it?

http://www.panthers.com/media-vault/videos/Ron-Rivera-Presser/d8cc4fb4-ca0a-45c4-9200-0291d4bfe26c

I didn't watch the video, but from the quote you gave I would say you are reading too much in to it. The defense can be shored up through free agency just as much as the draft. Plus, when you are picking in the top 5 you don't take a defensive player just because you suck on defense. The value has to be right to take any player that high, and if there isn't a defensive player worthy of our pick, they will go with the best overall player.

And right tackle is just as big of a question mark as any of the defensive positions IMO. We made a huge investment in Cam last year, and we have to protect it. Bell has been getting beat like a rug for weeks now, and Otah is nothing but a lazy, fat pussy. He's had a full year already to come in healthy, but he couldn't do it. Absolutely no reason to believe he'll be fine next year.