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Ramses Barden looking for new start. Martellus Bennett resolved to his fate

top dawg

By top dawg,
in Carolina Panthers

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top dawg

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Well, Ramses Barden has already been mentioned as a possible landing spot for the Panthers, especially considering that David Gettleman is our new GM. At first thought, he may seem like a virtual nobody---an irrelevant addition that will fit in well with the less than stellar question marks at WR that we currently have. The thing is that the 6'6", 230 lb. WR is difficult for many Panthers fans to ignore after he torched us on national tv last season on TNF. It could have very well been an aberration---a combination of a good night for him, and a bad night for an under-performing---if not underwhelming---Panthers secondary. But, what a Megatron-like performance it was, and if we could get some of those out of someone other than Steve Smith, particularly on the cheap, then Barden may really be worth more than just a cursory look. When he came out of college, he had suspect hands and needed work at running routes, but could it be that three years doing a little spot duty has finally gotten him over his hump? Is his lack of production still about not proving that he is worth being on the field, or is it more about being buried on the bench behind Nicks, Cruz, Mario Manningham and Hixon? I don't know, but if Gettleman signs him, then I would lean towards being optimistic. At worst, we have another big-bodied WR competing for a roster spot catching balls from a big-bodied QB who sometimes has a tendency to throw the ball high. Furthermore, Barden is looking for a spot to re-energize his career:

"I'm really kind of excited for the offseason, because as much fun as I've had in New York -- yeah, I was comfortable there -- it's probably best for me to start looking in other places for a new system, a refreshed sense of welcoming," Barden told SiriusXM NFL Radio, according to The Star-Ledger. "I think everybody can benefit from newness in their lives at a certain time, and this is going to be one of those for me."

Another Giant who may be on the chopping block is Martellus Bennett. His remarks on Twitter seemed to be a little more cynical.

"I've come to the conclusion that we are just temporary investments to the owners," and "they have other priorities that come before little ole me. I'm just a small piece of what they're trying to do there."

Bennett basically was the second fiddle in Dallas for years, and was happy to get away from the Cowboys (good for him). He always said that he could do more, and he proved it with 55 catches for 626 yards. Also 6'6, Bennett has proven that he can catch and would seemingly provide another big target for Cam Newton, particularly in the red zone and short yardage situations. He may be a nice complement to Greg Olsen, and should come relatively cheaply---perhaps cheaper than a Jared Cook for example. In my opinion Bennett does tend to let his mouth get away from him sometimes, but I like the fact that he has a little chip on his shoulder. The Panthers need more attitude in their game as far as I'm concerned.

Ultimately, I am not saying that either Barden or Bennett are optimum choices. They would have to earn their respect with production in the teal and black, but considering our cap, needs, and Gettleman's reported penchant for finding value, these two Giants may be worth a look once (if or when) they become available.

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CarolinaPanthers8789 Newbie

CarolinaPanthers8789

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Um Brandon LaFell is one of the better two's in the league. Everyone compares our wide receiver situation to Atlanta because they are in our division when I would take our wide receiving corp over about 15 other teams. It would obviously be ideal to find Smitty's replacement ASAP but if it doesn't happen this year, then it will definitely happen next year.

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SCP

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Um Brandon LaFell is one of the better two's in the league. Everyone compares our wide receiver situation to Atlanta because they are in our division when I would take our wide receiving corp over about 15 other teams. It would obviously be ideal to find Smitty's replacement ASAP but if it doesn't happen this year, then it will definitely happen next year.

I hope you aren't including Armanti in that core.

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Stroupe-a-loop Newbie

Stroupe-a-loop

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how in the world do you only get 29 career catches in 4 years at 6'6?

I don't know. And 9 of them came in the game against us where every other receiver on their team was hurt.

Dude is talented and has upside, and might be good depth, but acting like he's a proven 1, 2, or 3 is dumb and wrong.

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    • tukafan21
      something to feel good about in the offseason..."could be something special brewing in Carolina"

      By tukafan21 · Posted

      Then don't tune in. It's really not a hard concept to understand, if your making your decision based on your own personal needs/feelings as opposed to what is best for the future of the franchise, then it's a you problem, not a Panthers problem. When the season is already lost, every fan should be rooting for the same thing.  The team plays hard until the final whistle of the season and keeps improving as a team and individually, but in the end, we still come up short and lose games, and preferably because the other team beat us, not because we screwed up and found a way to lose due to our own fault. Look at it this way... If we are up 1 or 2 points with 3 seconds left in the game and the other team is lining up for a FG.  Beyond the joy of victory or the disappointment of defeat, what impact does the other team making or missing the FG have on our team the following season? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING Except where we draft and what teams we play due to our finish in the division. The players and coaches on the team would have the exact same level of improvement and learnings about themselves individually and as a team whether the FG is made or missed.  The ONLY difference in the end is the record in the standings and if the win or loss number changes. If you want to argue if making the playoffs to lose in the first round or just missing them is better or worse, that's totally fair and I can at least understand the other side of it.  But in what is already a lost season, if you're not hoping your team plays well but ends up losing, then you're cutting off your nose to spite your face.  You're hoping for a moment of happiness at the detriment of the franchise's future, and in turn, you're basically then happy for a moment to only set yourself up for future further disappointment.
    • HaricotVert
      something to feel good about in the offseason..."could be something special brewing in Carolina"

      By HaricotVert · Posted

      If we’re eliminated I want the wins more.   The season is already a disappointment and if I’m not pulling for wins why bother to tune in?
    • tukafan21
      something to feel good about in the offseason..."could be something special brewing in Carolina"

      By tukafan21 · Posted

      Two things terribly wrong with this post. First is that not one time has myself or anyone else agreeing with me said that the team themselves should think that way or try and lose for positioning.  Never once have I suggested the team should purposefully lose games, ever.  I honestly can't understand why people keep saying this in posts, not one fan has ever said the players should or would purposefully try to lose. And second, is yes, that has happened and it's happened very recently.  The 2020 Bengals were 4-11-1 and then were playing in the SB the very next season.   And while it might have been 2 years later and they didn't quite get to the SB, the 2021 Lions were 3-13-1 and then the 2023 Lions were up 24-7 at halftime of the NFC Championship game. The season between those two? They finished 9-8 and only just missed the playoffs. Which is why I keep trying to compare us to the Lions in where we are at in our re-build.  Throw out Bryce's rookie year with the Reich staff who just didn't work out and he looked god awful.   This past season when we were 5-12 in Canales' 1st season is that 2021 season for the Lions and their 1st season under Campbell.  This year is their 2022 where they grew a ton and Campbell's culture building was clear, where I'm saying we'd likely be better off in the long run if we go 8-9 or 9-8 and just miss out on the playoffs (which is still a significant improvement from last year).  Then our 2026 is their 2024 when we have a chance to be a real contender after adding a few more pieces and our key players having another year of experience under their belts.
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