Smitty's OTA observations

[firstdayfan]

Wait, Smitty did an interview and no one asked him about Cam or Luke?  

 

BLASPHEMY!!!!

[firstdayfan]

It's not even training camp yet people.

 

No offense but does this ever get old?  Next you'll say, "It's just training camp people."  Then, "It's just preseason people."  Then, "It's only the first three games people."  Then, "Well there's always next year people."

 

At this point its almost a cliche how often this gets thrown around.  If it wasn't at least mildly important I doubt the teams would even bother.  But I get what you're saying, we all do.

[Zod]

No offense but does this ever get old?  Next you'll say, "It's just training camp people."  Then, "It's just preseason people."  Then, "It's only the first three games people."  Then, "Well there's always next year people."

 

At this point its almost a cliche how often this gets thrown around.  If it wasn't at least mildly important I doubt the teams would even bother.  But I get what you're saying, we all do.

 

It will never get old provided people still try to make conclusions based on no pads no contact practices.

 

These practices are important to be sure. They are beginning to shake the rust off, try to get a grasp of the offense, repetition of frequent tiny movements to help form muscle memory, etc. I was watching one the other day and the defensive line coach spent a good 10 minutes on where your hip should be when initial contact is made on the offensive lineman.

 

What is impossible, however, is drawing conclusion on how any of these guys will do once the pads are on and contact is allowed. I know why people talk about it, its a slow time for actual Panthers news. Talking about anything is better than nothing. But I will continue cautioning against drawing conclusions in this time period as some folks do.

[Snake]

Sidney Rice & Percy Harvin

Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and James Jones

Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin

The only two that you can argue are Patriots and Ravens and they have Torrey Smith who is one of the best young receivers in the game. Also the Patriots really isn't a good example because they have two freak TES that they use as WRS...

And how long did that take you to look up. Besides the fact half of the people you listed are role player not top tier players. Fact is we have compatible talent to the league.

[Snake]

Yes because towing the company line and believing every position is chocked full of talented starter level players is what our actual reality is....

Your just a bag full of drama qween.

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

It will never get old provided people still try to make conclusions based on no pads no contact practices.

 

These practices are important to be sure. They are beginning to shake the rust off, try to get a grasp of the offense, repetition of frequent tiny movements to help form muscle memory, etc. I was watching one the other day and the defensive line coach spent a good 10 minutes on where your hip should be when initial contact is made on the offensive lineman.

 

What is impossible, however, is drawing conclusion on how any of these guys will do once the pads are on and contact is allowed. I know why people talk about it, its a slow time for actual Panthers news. Talking about anything is better than nothing. But I will continue cautioning against drawing conclusions in this time period as some folks do.

 

no you're wrong the entire team needs to be in midseason form in the last week of may

[Snake]

Last year...

Packers have has arguably the most praised and deepest WR corp in the NFL the past few seasons. There was some shakeup this offseason....but they had what many dubbed the best group in the NFL. Most NFL fans could come up with Jennings, Nelson, Driver at a minimum. Cobb and Jones as well.

The Pats are always slightly ahead of the curve. Gronk and Gonzalez are basically recievers, Welker, Elderman, Lloyd, Branch.

Ravens...Boldin and Smith.

The other two are running teams that added mobile QBs on top of it....

I wouldn't say those teams just had role players....outside of the running teams

Was talking this year since we are talking OTAs. Still all that you listeded have compatible talent to what We have. Besides the Pats who have less. And to set the record straight, we are set up to be a running team as well.

[saX man]

And how long did that take you to look up. Besides the fact half of the people you listed are role player not top tier players. Fact is we have compatible talent to the league.

 

I wouldn't think many would need to look them up.  Those teams have good WR corps 

 

We're looking at Smitty-LaFell-Hixon (the rest) + Olsen at TE

[AceBoogie]

Let's be real. Smith is at the place in his career where he's starting to look sideways at everybody that is coming for his reps. I know he's not a fake dude, but he's probably trying to remind everybody he's still the best we've got and it's not even close.

There is nobody on this team coming for his reps. Ricky Prohel is probably the second best WR on the field during practice.

[top dawg]

LOL at people flipping over things going on in OTA's.......they're in shorts!

 

 

PS - If Cam is the real deal.............he makes our WR's better.

 

 

Are things so different from last year?

 

I'm not necessarily reading too much into the OTAs, but I do ascribe a certain amount of relevance to a player's career history.  Like was said earlier, we still have a few partially unknown quantities in Adams and Gettis. Lamont Bryant? As for anyone else, we pretty much know what the deal is. Some may not want to admit it, but  mediocre WRs on one team don't usually go to another and become quasi superstars. 

 

It is what it is.

 

A good QB can do wonders in the receiving game, but I can't really only think of one great QB, save one, who has done magic---won a Super Bowl---without at least two legitimate and consistent take-it-to-the-house type threats at WR in the modern NFL era, and he is arguably the best QB in NFL history---an enigma that we will likely never see again in our lifetimes.  

 

Cam has not risen to the top yet. He has not proven that he has the consistency in his decision making or possesses the moxie to consistently pull out tough wins based mostly on his arm, will and ability to project his inspiration up to this point in his relatively short career. I would like to see him take that step this year, but to simply expect him to do it with just one WR who can play up to Cam's level (and even above it at times), may not only be wishful thinking, but markedly and patently unfair.

 

We can give all the excuses for the world for Ginn not stepping up fully at a time when San Fran really could have used him during the last couple of seasons, playing in an inspired atmosphere under an inspired coach and along with two obviously inspired QBs in Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick. Moreover, Ginn had even more of an opportunity to do this when Mario Manningham, another WR that many would classify as a middling type of  receiver, but one who has proven that he will rise his game to the highest level when it counts the most, went down with injury. Ironically, with the departure of Super Mario in New York City, his seeming successor, Domenik Hixon just couldn't fill Manningham's role for whatever reason---step up to the plate---and raise his game to the level enough where Eli Manning, two-time champion, and the champion New York Giants could even make the playoffs. And, similar to Ginn, Hixon had the opportunity to showcase that he could be more than just mediocre because Nicks was banged up during a good part of the season. 

 

Now I am not saying that Ginn or Hixon won't step up, and that Cam won't "make them better", but let's keep our expectations in check until we see what we're really working with as far as our WR corps is concerned, and to what heights our franchise QB can really achieve. Like I said, it's not necessarily about OTAs, but you'd think that there would be a certain level of positive impression that these vets would be making even without pads at this point in their careers upon a man not known to beat around the bush. Perhaps it means nothing, or could mean "everything". We will see the truth in the coming weeks and months.

[C47]

And how long did that take you to look up. Besides the fact half of the people you listed are role player not top tier players. Fact is we have compatible talent to the league.

 

Being that I didn't actually look it up not too long....

 

 

[Miiikey]

f it. either throw it to 89 and olsen or run.

[Snake]

No offense but does this ever get old? Next you'll say, "It's just training camp people." Then, "It's just preseason people." Then, "It's only the first three games people." Then, "Well there's always next year people."

At this point its almost a cliche how often this gets thrown around. If it wasn't at least mildly important I doubt the teams would even bother. But I get what you're saying, we all do.

Its mildly important for the vets to shake off the rust. Other than that its about the playbook and a look ahead of what's going to be in it. As for evaluation of how a teams going to be...

Well it prob shows less than 1%. How about start worrying when pre season starts. That's a good time to be concerned about a team.

[CarolinaCoolin]

Smith Lafell hixon and Olsen should be enough to have the same numbers we've had the last two years if not better. Our running game will be dramatically improved just from play calling alone. The one thing that worries more then anything is the RG and the starting corners. Other then that I think we've improved or stay the same at every other position. But I'm a optimist and didnt Cut myself when the panthers didn't draft a wr.