2024 Carolina Panthers thread - Schedule release (No primetime games)

[Screamindemon3]

I think that chart is important to show that you don't need an elite RB if you have an ELIte QB. The QBs on that list are generally ELIte - Brady a million times, Mahomes, Peyton, Eli, Stafford, etc. It is no coincidence that the two largest RB components - Lynch and Rice (who were both excellent RBs) - are paired with two of the lesser of the QBs: Wilson and WackoFlaccoFlav.

If you have an ELIte QB, then no you don't need a fantastic RB. But if your QB is just pretty good, then you need a really good RB to win. I don't think anyone thinks Bryce Young is going to be an ELIte NFL QB. Nobody is confusing him with Mahomes or Brady. His range is somewhere from Awful to hopefully Pretty Good. I think Dan Morgan is realistic about that. He had the chance to get the best RB in the draft with the 46th pick. Before the injury Brooks was a definite first round lock. He is a bonafide 3-down RB, and the Panthers don't need him to start Day 1. They aren't winning anything this year and Morgan knows it is a multiyear process. If Brooks is able to start by midseason, but turns into a feature RB, then that is a huge win. I really like the pick as it relates to the Panthers timeline.

I also like the TE pick. That dude seems like a steal from both a production and athleticism standpoint. He was right up there with Bowers in the TE receiving metrics. No he can't block, but who gives a shit? They can find a blocking TE easy enough, Tremble is already really good at it.

If Morgan was able to come out of this draft with a #1 WR, #1 RB, and #1 TE, that is pretty damn good. We'll see if it happens, but he clearly had a plan and made the moves to execute it. Put the pieces around Bryce to see if he can do the job. Offensive/QB coach, upgraded Oline, and improved playmakers. If he can't play better in this setting then they know they need to move on.

From r/panthers from Texas beat writer

I used to cover college football recruiting for USA Today and a few pay sites. Also founder of r/LonghornNation but that doesn’t mean anything.

Funnily enough he was a low 3-star recruit when Texas took him. He came in the year after Bijan from small town in south central Texas where he was tearing up 2A ball. Texas took a waiver on him like we did with D’Onta Foreman but were not expecting him to ever actually play with a five star RB committed to the class below him. He didn’t even win the starting spot at RB this year falling behind a highly touted 5-star CJ Baxter. He has heart and has constantly been the underdog and beat the charges.

Like the other Texas fans in here, I’m a huge fan, however he’s no Bijan. He played behind a much better OL and it showed. I’m a huge fan of his vision as well, but sometime he danced a bit instead of hitting the hole. I think that got better as he saw more reps he improved. I’m unsure if he’s a true 3-down RB. Despite the fact he’s 6’ 220, he’s definitely not gonna go fishing for contact or be able to get you 1 yard on the goal line. Also like Bijan, he lacked in pass pro.

Regardless, still a great player. He has some great wiggle and much better top end speed than Bijan. Bijan is quicker in a phone booth. Brooks is a one-cut dude who can hit a home run. He is a great pass catcher. The obvious concern around all of this is that he tore his ACL. So it’s up in the air what happens to his wiggle and speed. He also does not have any mileage on him which is huge in the NFL. While he does not have elite balance like Bijan his balance is still great as he broke plenty of tackles.

If he doesn’t get hurt, he wins the Doak Walker, Texas probably wins a natty (I’m not just wearing Orange tinted glasses here because I’m usually a pessimist. We had two fumbles from freahmen RB in the CFP and I liked how a Texas matched up vs Michigan better than Washington), and he goes late in the first round.

High risk pick, but there is a reason he was a second round grade despite an ACL tear.

If there is interest, I may do a video breakdown of some plays to highlight what I’m saying.

 

[Biff Tannen]

lol okay

So you think the Panthers are winning the super Bowl with Chuba Hubbard ? Sure there are some late draft picks and UFA's on that list but not valuing a RB is clearly not a strategy employed by these Super Bowl winning teams.

Cam Akers - 2nd Round
Leonard Fournette - 4th overall pick (ahead of CMC)
Sony Michel - 31st pick (ahead of Nick Chubb)
Marshawn Lynch - 12th pick
Ray Rice - 2nd round

I'm totally okay with you criticizing the pick though as I don't know if he's any good or not. He was injured and UT-A has a pro-level offensive line.

Also, Hubbard is a UFA after this season and we have a potential out with Sanders after this season. So Hubbard is likely 100% gone. Sanders is gone if he doesn't produce this season.

 

[JuiceCrewAllStar]

2&2 is consistently committed to outdated old school sport takes and you have to respect his commitment across the many sports he comments on

 

[Screamindemon3]

So you think the Panthers are winning the super Bowl with Chuba Hubbard ? Sure there are some late draft picks and UFA's on that list but not valuing a RB is clearly not a strategy employed by these Super Bowl winning teams.

Cam Akers - 2nd Round
Leonard Fournette - 4th overall pick (ahead of CMC)
Sony Michel - 31st pick (ahead of Nick Chubb)
Marshawn Lynch - 12th pick
Ray Rice - 2nd round

I'm totally okay with you criticizing the pick though as I don't know if he's any good or not. He was injured and UT-A has a pro-level offensive line.

I don't think the Panthers are winning the Super Bowl with Hubbard or Brooks. Which is why I wanted OL/E/DT with that pick. We are not a good RB away like a top team looking to boost their offense. Pick just doesn't make sense based on our roster needs. 3 years from now if Young shows his worth, signs a new deal, then we make a run at the playoffs? Sure, love the pick in that scenario.

 

[Biff Tannen]

I don't think the Panthers are winning the Super Bowl with Hubbard or Brooks. Which is why I wanted OL/E/DT with that pick. We are not a good RB away like a top team looking to boost their offense. Pick just doesn't make sense based on our roster needs. 3 years from now if Young shows his worth, signs a new deal, then we make a run at the playoffs? Sure, love the pick in that scenario.

I'm pointing out to you that we need a running back. The two guys we have suck and are probably gone after this season.

 

[guitardeac]

Kiper wrote that Brooks was the clear #1 RB and would have likely gone in the 1st round were it not for the ACL injury. He said "he's an instant-impact player....who you might want to get on your fantasy team ASAP".

 

[PhDeac]

I'm pointing out to you that we need a running back. The two guys we have suck and are probably gone after this season.

You pointed out we will need a RB next year.

 

[Louis Gossett Jr]

I’m pretty sure that 500 word post was simply to slide his Eli take into something as bait since he has nothing else relevant to add.

 

[Biff Tannen]

You pointed out we will need a RB next year.

You're the one who just argued that drafting Jordan Love was a good move when the Packers already had a MVP level QB locked up who needed weapons for a Super Bowl run.

 

[deacon14]

Kiper wrote that Brooks was the clear #1 RB and would have likely gone in the 1st round were it not for the ACL injury. He said "he's an instant-impact player....who you might want to get on your fantasy team ASAP".

To be perfectly honest, the debate here has pretty much nothing to do with whether Brooks is good or not. It's about whether bad teams should EVER draft RBs with early draft picks.

Considering that RBs have high injury rates, short careers, and (outside of the elite ones) are easily replaceable, I don't think it makes a ton of sense for a team that isn't ready to compete to spend significant draft capital on a RB. However, I also strongly believe in drafting for talent as opposed to need, so if the Panthers graded Brooks significantly higher than anyone else still on the board then I am fine with the pick, but I doubt that's the case here.

 

[wakelaw13]

I think the panthers are trying to surround Young with guys who can make plays, which makes perfect sense.

 

[2&2 Slider To Leyritz]

From r/panthers from Texas beat writer

I used to cover college football recruiting for USA Today and a few pay sites. Also founder of r/LonghornNation but that doesn’t mean anything.

Funnily enough he was a low 3-star recruit when Texas took him. He came in the year after Bijan from small town in south central Texas where he was tearing up 2A ball. Texas took a waiver on him like we did with D’Onta Foreman but were not expecting him to ever actually play with a five star RB committed to the class below him. He didn’t even win the starting spot at RB this year falling behind a highly touted 5-star CJ Baxter. He has heart and has constantly been the underdog and beat the charges.

Like the other Texas fans in here, I’m a huge fan, however he’s no Bijan. He played behind a much better OL and it showed. I’m a huge fan of his vision as well, but sometime he danced a bit instead of hitting the hole. I think that got better as he saw more reps he improved. I’m unsure if he’s a true 3-down RB. Despite the fact he’s 6’ 220, he’s definitely not gonna go fishing for contact or be able to get you 1 yard on the goal line. Also like Bijan, he lacked in pass pro.

Regardless, still a great player. He has some great wiggle and much better top end speed than Bijan. Bijan is quicker in a phone booth. Brooks is a one-cut dude who can hit a home run. He is a great pass catcher. The obvious concern around all of this is that he tore his ACL. So it’s up in the air what happens to his wiggle and speed. He also does not have any mileage on him which is huge in the NFL. While he does not have elite balance like Bijan his balance is still great as he broke plenty of tackles.

If he doesn’t get hurt, he wins the Doak Walker, Texas probably wins a natty (I’m not just wearing Orange tinted glasses here because I’m usually a pessimist. We had two fumbles from freahmen RB in the CFP and I liked how a Texas matched up vs Michigan better than Washington), and he goes late in the first round.

High risk pick, but there is a reason he was a second round grade despite an ACL tear.

If there is interest, I may do a video breakdown of some plays to highlight what I’m saying.

It is interesting that this guy says his weakness is pass protection. When he got picked, the guys on NFL Network were raving about his pass protection and said that is where he will help Bryce significantly more than Chuba does.

 

[guitardeac]

I think the idea was to put starter level playmakers on that offense NOW.

 

[PhDeac]

You're the one who just argued that drafting Jordan Love was a good move when the Packers already had a MVP level QB locked up who needed weapons for a Super Bowl run.

Sure. If the Panthers were a perennial playoff team with an aging HOF RB, I’d be for picking a RB.

 

[tigerswood]

So Miles Sanders is a starter-level player for an NFC champ Eagles team (over 2-3 other RBs who got significant carries) but not the Panthers? Looking back, it was a terrible signing and overpay, but I don't think the dude sucks.

 

[PhDeac]

So Miles Sanders is a starter-level player for an NFC champ Eagles team (over 2-3 other RBs who got significant carries) but not the Panthers? Looking back, it was a terrible signing and overpay, but I don't think the dude sucks.

Two seasons ago, the Panthers had the Bucs starting QB, Niners MVP candidate RB, and DJ Moore, and the offense still sucked. Coaching has been a huge problem and hopefully Canales can solve it.

 

[2&2 Slider To Leyritz]

So Miles Sanders is a starter-level player for an NFC champ Eagles team (over 2-3 other RBs who got significant carries) but not the Panthers? Looking back, it was a terrible signing and overpay, but I don't think the dude sucks.

That Eagles team had great WRs, a great OLine, and Hurts who is basically a RB himself. Sanders capitalized on being the last focus of the defense. Plenty of RBs could have thrived in that role. Complete opposite on the Panthers where the line sucked, the WRs sucked, and the QB was awful. He has to be special to succeed in that environment, and he is not.

 

[Biff Tannen]

So Miles Sanders is a starter-level player for an NFC champ Eagles team (over 2-3 other RBs who got significant carries) but not the Panthers? Looking back, it was a terrible signing and overpay, but I don't think the dude sucks.

Gamewell and Swift both looked better in Philly last season than Sanders did two seasons ago.

You people complain about Legette only having one good year before joining the Panthers. Well Sanders is the poster child for that.

 

[PhDeac]

Gamewell and Swift both looked better in Philly last season than Sanders did two seasons ago.

You people complain about Legette only having one good year before joining the Panthers. Well Sanders is the poster child for that.

It's less of an issue at RB because teams typically put one RB on the field at a time. Also the Panthers didn't draft him. They signed him after years of good to very good NFL production.

 

[tigerswood]

We can revisit this discussion in a couple years, but a promising, relatively-risky RB pick coming off an ACL tear seems like a luxury contending teams like the Chiefs/Eagles/Niners might pick. Not the worst team in the league, with plenty of other holes, at a pick you hope can be a plug and play starter at an impact position.