Fantasy Panthers GM 2013

[Bronn]

So, let's just assume we'll play the rest of this season out the way we've started it... Give us a 5-11 record as a starting point heading into the offseason.

Do Rivera. Chud, and McDermott stick around?

If no to any of the above, who do you replace them with?

How do you even begin to evaluate our current roster?

Are there any realistic trades you would make in the next 2 weeks before the deadline or before the draft?

What free agents do you re-sign?

(for reference, our FAs this offseason are:

Derek Anderson, Antwan Applewhite, Thomas Austin, Gary Barnidge, Richie Brockel, Ben Hartsock, Sherrod Martin, Captain Munnerlyn, Louis Murphy, Andre Neblett, Ron Parker, Jason Phillips, and Jordan Senn)

Are there any non-FAs that you cut?

What free agents do you go after?

What positions and/or players do you target in the draft?

My next post in this thread will be my responses to all of the above. I don't know how long before I post it, but this thread idea has just been in my head the past couple of days.

[Bronn]

Do Rivera, Chud, and McDermott stick around?

At this point, I say No, No, and Maybe. I believe Rivera has sealed his own fate because he has lost the players and the fans. As a coach, the fans aren't really a concern, but if you lose the players, you lose pretty much everything a coach needs to succeed. Chud is gone because of his apparent refusal to adapt and abandon a scheme that isn't working, and mainly because new coaches usually like to bring in their own coordinators. McDermott MIGHT be able to stick if he can convince a new HC that he's doing an adequate job with what he has to work with and, at this point, he has convinced me of that.

If no to any of the above, who do you replace them with?

I'm not entirely sure at this point. We've never had a coach with "fire" and I think that has transitioned to the teams they have been in charge of. The next coach should be someone who can light a fire under the players' asses as well as be someone they can trust to do what is best for the team. Jerry Richardson needs to step out of his comfort zone and hire someone who isn't afraid to disagree with him sometimes.

On the offensive side of the ball, we should be a lot more prolific than we currently are. Cam Newton, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Steve Smith, Greg Olsen, Jordan Gross, and Ryan Kalil are all potential All Pros, and to waste away their skills the way we are currently doing, and have done at times in the past, is a disgrace. We need a coach and a coordinator who can recognize this and correct it immediately.

If McDermott doesn't stick, I hold the standards the same for our next DC. We potentially have the best LB corps in the league, when healthy, and our DBs' skillsets are undervalued and underutilized. We need a lot of help on the D-Line, but our guys out there now have shown that they can keep us in it without much change in personnel.

How do you even begin to evaluate our current roster?

Me personally, I use mathematical formulas and stuff. Stuff I don't necessarily want to share because it is kind of embarrassing to be into something so much that you do such things. But any outsider should be able to come in and see that we have a very young and talented team on paper. Sure, we have some weaker positions via depth and talent (such as the aforementioned D-Line, maybe the O-Line not named Gross or Kalil, the DBs (specifically CB #3 and both Safety spots)) but, overall, whoever comes in has a great core to start with.

Some contracts are a little bulky due to lack of current player usage, and some for other reasons (poor GM decisions (Charles Johnson, namely)). Some you can fix down the road, some maybe you can't. A good GM won't have any trouble balancing the bottom line, so this isn't huge deal as long as you can keep your core players happy.

Are there any realistic trades you would make in the next 2 weeks before the deadline or before the draft?

I know I will catch a lot of flak for this, but I would absolutely find a trading partner for Charles Johnson ASAP. I've long thought he's been overrated by the Panthers fans, and even the front office, and to have him as pretty much our highest paid player is a little ridiculous. Not only that, but he's obviously unhappy and vocal about it. I'm sorry, Charles, but you're not Julius Peppers. Stop acting like you deserve that much attention.

We have good young players at DE behind him (Hardy, Alexander, and Applewhite) that can finish out the year and gain some experience in the process.

I'd take a 2nd or 3rd rounder for CJ at this point and cut our losses down the road.

What free agents do you re-sign?

(for reference, our FAs this offseason are:

Derek Anderson, Antwan Applewhite, Thomas Austin, Gary Barnidge, Richie Brockel, Ben Hartsock, Sherrod Martin, Captain Munnerlyn, Louis Murphy, Andre Neblett, Ron Parker, Jason Phillips, and Jordan Senn)

Anderson, Applewhite, Barnidge, Martin, Munnerlyn, Murphy, Phillips, Senn

Are there any non-FAs that you cut?

Jimmy Clausen

Armanti Edwards

Jeff Byers

Frank Kearse

Kenny Onatolu

Doug Hogue

Josh Thomas

James Dockery

D.J. Campbell

What free agents do you go after?

It is a little early to tell right now as far as specific names go, but some interior Offensive Linemen with some experience, and maybe even an Offensive Tackle to start opposite Gross. We could also use a lot of help on the Defensive Line, and maybe a Safety and a Corner.

What positions and/or players do you target in the draft?

Whatever we can't adequately cover above. I'd love to get a stud young CB, DT, or OLB, and maybe even a stud WR somewhere in there.

Overall, the pieces are already in place for the Panthers to contend. The biggest problems we have are leadership and coordination. If we can fix those and fill in some of the holes on the roster, there is no reason the Panthers can't succeed next year and beyond.

[KasayKickz]

Interesting. I can see a need to trade DeAngelo, but Johnson is still a solid DE. But that contract is insane. If you can move them, do it - but football trades are so hard.

As far as needs, if we can somehow sign a veteran/slightly above average safety, CB, DT and WR that are good enough to start and draft a solid safety, DT and bolster the O-line with the rest of the picks, we could be in a nice spot.