David Newton: We're not far behind champs re: UDFA gems

[top dawg]

Much was made prior to Sunday's Super Bowl blowout about how smart the Seahawks were in building the team, because they had 19 undrafted players, including five starters. 

Well, the Panthers had 16, or 30.1 percent of their final 53-man roster. Seven -- offensive tackleByron Bell, outside linebacker Chase Blackburn, guard Nate Chandler, defensive tackle Colin Cole, strong safety Quintin Mikell, fullback Mike Tolbert, and cornerback Melvin White -- were starters. 

 

 

 

I get what David Newton is trying to do here, but it doesn't quite work. 

 

Sure we have/had a fair number of "undrafted gems" like the Seattle Seahawks (16 compared to their 19). The thing is (as Newton somewhat breezed over), many of our guys are older, and had already made decent impressions with other teams. But, more importantly, the Seahawks really have found diamonds in the rough, whereas our "discoveries" have been more like...perhaps, rubies.  

 

The biggest question about Seattle's Five starting UDFAs is whether or not they will be able to keep all of them this coming season. Our true UDFAs who got some starting time this year like Melvin White, Mario Addison, Robert Lester, and Nate Chandler still provide big questions as to whether or not they can be longer term answers on the gridiron. 

 

Nice try, Mr. Newton. The comparison is a nice thought that may be valid on the service, but the Panthers have many more questions to answer as to the efficacy of their UDFAs being able to do what the Seahawks did last Sunday.

[CatMan72]

Yeah, most of our UDFA gems were found by someone else before they came to us. 

[Zithers]

John Schneider has had four seasons to pick up UDFAs...

 

Gettleman's first year resulted in Robert Lester, Wes Horton, and Melvin White. Not a bad haul if you ask me. Who knows how many other contributors could be found in three years. Long time.

[panthersphan]

Gettleman is solid at UDFAs

 

ie: Victor Cruz....... Lester, White for us this season

 

 

[LinvilleGorge]

UDFAs are the least of our concerns.  Most of our roster holes right now were mid-round swing and misses by Hurndog. 

[top dawg]

John Schneider has had four seasons to pick up UDFAs...

 

Gettleman's first year resulted in Robert Lester, Wes Horton, and Melvin White. Not a bad haul if you ask me. Who knows how many other contributors could be found in three years. Long time.

 

Good point. I am not trying to downplay G-man's pick-ups here, I am just saying that many more questions surround our "gems" in reference to their ability to play championship caliber football as opposed to those who have already helped produce a Lombardi for the Seahawks.  We have seen some flashes of good play (amid incompetency), but their ability to consistently help bring that vice-like pressure that the Seahawks produced, particularly in the playoffs, seems like a stretch at this point. But perhaps I am being a bit critical as I am looking from the perspective of a diehard Panthers fan, as opposed to viewing the Seahawks from the outside in (so to speak).

[top dawg]

UDFAs are the least of our concerns.  Most of our roster holes right now were mid-round swing and misses by Hurndog. 

 

UDFAs can play a very important part of building a championship team, as the Seahawks' championship/FO just proved. They can be a big a part of the puzzle as anyone, and sometimes cover over potential mid-round whiffs that you referenced.

[t96]

I'd agree that we're not FAR behind them, but yeah we didn't get a shutdown corner in White or even a starting caliber safety in Lester (yet). Tolbert, how can he give us credit for that, he had a 1000 yards rushing year in SD before he got here....

[Pejorative Miscreant]

UDFAs can play a very important part of building a championship team, as the Seahawks' championship/FO just proved. They can be a big a part of the puzzle as anyone, and sometimes cover over potential mid-round whiffs that you referenced.

Agreed . And we have had plenty mid round whiffs to make up for.

Sent from my DROID4 using CarolinaHuddle mobile app

[Porn Shop Clerk]

UDFAs are the least of our concerns.  Most of our roster holes right now were mid-round swing and misses by Hurndog. 

 

Hurnball!

[Who Said What?]

Don't forget AJ Klein who was a late pick.  He will be a terror along with Keek and TD as a full time starter.  Our defense rose to number one when this kid played.  I want him to start next season.

 

[updownsigma]

I guess its technically right, but I have a hard time thinking of guys like Blackburn as undrafted rookies in the context Newton means.

 

I think with the way he means it, guys who maybe aren't necessarily rookies but were undrafted and have maybe bounced around the league on practice squads for 1-2 years...those are the UDFA I *think* he should be referring to. They're most relevant to the "build a team cheaply" philosophy, as these guys are actually diamonds in the rough who can be signed for next to nothing. With a guy like Tolbert, teams know what they're getting and pay according.

[ctrcat]

UDFAs are the least of our concerns. Most of our roster holes right now were mid-round swing and misses by Hurndog.

Otah, Brown, Edwards, and Clausen weren't mid-round.