Tag: GM Dan Morgan

Panther Football

Panthers building a roster, not a Dynasty, Coloring Outside Lines is OK

by gshorkeyblt2Leave a Comment on Panthers building a roster, not a Dynasty, Coloring Outside Lines is OK

Training camp doesn’t start until July 26th, C-MC winning a Super Bowl before Panthers organization is a legitimate fact, all else is negotiable. Player skills will be delineated, displayed, discussed, eventually becoming a 53-man roster.

No hard core trips to Wofford for practices, but keep that roasted alive feeling, the effort of being a fan.

Great Panther Debate Topics

For the first time in 28 years, the Carolina Panthers won’t start that process with training camp at Wofford College in Spartanburg, but with a downtown Charlotte practice field near their stadium. If you’ve ever attended a practice in the cauldron that is South Carolina in mid-July, keep that memory as a standard of team support. Cam won’t be around, a LOT of new faces will be.

Football Operations-wise, with a documented, valid free agent group signed and draft completed, there’s no reason for early May naysaying by NFL ‘expert wannabes.‘

The emphasis is on getting righter-better personnel – and Panthers ripped off the proverbial cap hit bandaid by losing most of their linebacker experience (except Shaq Thompson), who got big money elsewhere. Anyone who expects ends Clowney, DJ Wonnum, Josey Jewell et al to do better than replace 18 of a paltry 27 sacks in 2023, that’s both legitimate and necessary.

Dave Canales supposedly radiates positivity – #1 FACT is still turning around Geno Smith to Comeback Player of Year for Seattle, and Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay last year. *WE saw* Baker in Charlotte, possibly the wrongest thing I’ve ever written (https://cdtalententerprises.com/2022/03/25/panthers-6-pick-cant-fill-two-major-needs-so-7-ideas-for-gm-fitterer-to-consider-along-the-way/ (Nine wins for Rhule to keep his job, what was I thinking?) Canales as OC and Idzik did that much with him, you *GOTTA* give them some love up front when working with an advertised brainiac like Bryce Young.

Accept that Morgan knows how to spot talent. Forget ‘Prove you’re not a robot’ for every player now because of that rosy 2023 bs. Rhule and Fitterer shouldn’t be invoked further regarding roster building, where every ex-Temple or Baylor person available seemed the answer.

GM Morgan – Stretch picks?

Lots of online ink being spilt about the turning-building of the Panthers roster. I wasn’t there for the expansion Tampa Bay Buccanners, who went 0-26 before finally breaking through to win a game, but sportswriting in ’80s, we often talked about Suckaneers. Asked about how he felt regarding his teams execution, original Bucs Head Coach, the emminently quotable John McKay said, “I’d be in favor of it.” (rimshot)

Things aren’t really like that in Charlotte. Those recently signed free agents Morgan has coming in, that level of talent wasn’t how it rolled when Bucs joined (1974) and played first game in 1976. It was 90% castoffs, economic hits, or problems. Charlotte was 12-4 and went to the NFC title game in Year 2.

Morgan clearly knows how to get together better talent, a skill proven for years in Buffalo and elsewhere before coming back to Charlotte. He worked with Canales in Seattle. If he hasn’t gotten enough props for making a deal during draft that gives Panthers a #2 next year, its a legitimate part of doing things right on the way back.

Many asked, ‘Why not wait one pick for USC’s Legette, instead of making a trade with Buffalo?’ 1) There was a mid-round run on all those receivers teams wanted, and Buffalo *actually*needed*one*, but they traded with Panthers, who got Xavier Legette, a player they seriously wanted. 2) The 5th year option is much better for budgets with #1s who flourish, than guaranteed $$ for same person at front of contract. 3) Organizational and personal pride is allowed here – GM Morgan wasn’t slated for a 1st round pick, and deserves taking a Big Boy Bow for first step in a place where smart hasn’t always flourished.

Morgan wasn’t fishing

Morgan wasn’t just fishing around, didn’t expect anyone special to jump in the boat – he landed those talents the brain trust agreed they wanted and actively kept up with, especially South Carolina star Legette. In a solid example of ‘Why this instead of that?’ at #101, Panthers selection in 4th round was a praise-worthy (and rated much higher) pass-catching tight end in Ja’Tavion Sanders, and first complaint on several sites is, he’s apparently not much of a blocker. Geeez!

A nerdie numbers guy might say, ‘He looks like a bazinga! guy in red zone situations!’ and ‘Damn straight about getting better targets for Bryce Young, throw it near those 10.5″ mitts!’ His speed is rated as just below Elite. He should be Greg Olsen’s first guest of the year, and if Steve Smith likes (Lee-gette) anywhere near as much as he did DJ Moore, that’s good by me.

Head Coach Dave Canales

Morgan-Canales-Tillis are building from rubble, not nursing a Dynasty. At some point, Tepper has to get some attaboys! for personal silence part nobody expected he’d accept. Would anyone have given Baker Mayfield a 3 year/$100M/$50M guaranteed contract without the (4,044 yds/28 TDs/10 INTs) stats he put up in 2023? No, and HC Canales is the Whisperer that made that happen, and he’s working HERE now, not Tampa.

Panthers added some heft to go with Mr. Brown on defensive line, we’ve seen the $$$ tags attached to the O-linemen they brought in early, a best possible signal about fixing a considerable problem for Panthers, 62 sacks of their rookie QB. Could there still be injuries…? Hushhhhh…

Third-rounder, Trevin Wallace – maybe a hitting machine, but wasn’t rated as going that early – let’s call that ‘coloring outside the lines,’ compared to last year’s ALL IN! on Bryce Young. Losing top three linebackers, DC Ejiro Evero needed a weapon to improve defense’s Top 5 yardage given up-Bottom 5 in points scored efforts. Why select Brooks as a running back, six months after ACL surgery? Compared to 4 yr./$180M contract Atlanta gave to 35 year old QB Kirk Cousins, also for ACL surgery, Panthers believe he’s right where supposed to be. Yes, we’ll see about his versatility.

Canales says having several running backs (5) and three QBs was how he wanted to roll, but on a team that might consider using a top running back on the bomb squad, thats taxi squad talk, not 53-man roster.

Lacking few transformational opportunities for credibility over the next two months, my Little League umpire, mid-May POV is essential response Morgan and Canales should give any fannie – We’ve got a way better look at the situation than anyone else, and your opinion about too many running backs is (meh) noted.

Business, Panther Football

Panthers have more good players than before, In Football & Poker, You can’t win it all first few hands

by gshorkeyblt2Leave a Comment on Panthers have more good players than before, In Football & Poker, You can’t win it all first few hands

May 17th is old group’s first poker gathering in years, but post-draft, the Carolina Panthers brain trust has put check marks next to what makes a better hand in 2024. Don’t mention that – whatever number this dawg was called at – Trevin Wallace might hit like a young Dan Morgan.

Rating it a C+ draft as one industry name did, doesn’t seem very accurate, especially when top-end producing receiver, 90%-studly linebacker, and versatile running back all got checked off Must Have list. Those naysayers who point to lack of career production vs. comeback quality in newbies back stories, Panthers organizational zen is tight with Canales and Morgan – its about dawgs and guys you’d want in proverbial fox hole.

Needed: WR1 type, a burner with size, worthy of organizational approval as exceptional person. People know about Xavier Legette’s injury, I’m trusting nobody is hiding shaky info otherwise, so 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven TDs, CHECK. You can’t fault the PR value of Morgan making that ever so humbly great step of selecting in 1st round, so extra CHECK.

It was stated throughout pre-draft period Panthers wouldn’t have a first round pick, so for Panthers GM *and* that young man, already a local kids dream fulfilled, motivation! There’s no denying (Lee-gette’s) physical tools and attitude, quantifying the fight in dog thing, really, no reason to consider the resumes of Panther selections as puffed up. Small trade to gain 5th year option on rookie $$ scale, that’s better thinking than last year.

Charlotte fans not ‘believing’ until meaningful games ending with Ws happen, gotcha. Snarky about everything being hype, nah. Be a better fan.

Not an A, But Lots of Checks

So having second documented good WR1 to Dionte J. seems like a no-brainer Goodness, and same with Jonathan Brooks. Plans were for another running back and a 3rd QB, thats how HC Canales wants to operate. Chuba Hubbard had 902 yds. last year, good overall, so stated goal of adding depth at all positions, CHECK.

Brooks late injury, after TX back was behind Bijan Robinson (now ATL Falcon) is supposedly a legitimate bonus, two less seasons of getting whacked a lot, which can’t really be a flaw. Of course he got downgraded as light on numbers, this isn’t a baby-bathwater deal though – he’s less dinged, not less valuable. Nobody is expecting the second coming of McCaffrey, just versatile. Its not humanity, its competition.

Okay, Trevin Wallace is going to get some play about Morgan self-image or whatever, but reading elements under ‘Weakness’ in scouting profile reveals nothing close to fatal. ‘Over-pursues, and doesn’t read trick plays great?’ Hmmm… ‘You know when he’s hit you.’ What, we have to choose between those attributes? Its called coaching. Here you go Ejiro Evero, a really good weapon.

Numbers-wise, Burns sack totals are mostly a wash with Clowney acquisition, and FA pickups are balance. Getting off the field on third down means knocking people down for real, nothing says knocking down can’t be learned better by a rookie banger. A personality trait and physicality – why should that be any reason to DQ a guy based on where others thought they should land?

Morgan may have been dancing around with picks, but its no small thing he got back a #2 for next year out of his activity.

#4 pick J’Tavion Sanders

Was pass-catching tight end on the Get List? Hell yes, has been for years. Report said his speed is *just short of elite,* his strength on contested catches has real red zone value (!!!) a super run after catch (RAC) guy. Tough guy, could have been a linebacker out of high school if he wanted? Noooo, Panthers don’t need anyone like THAT, 10″-plus hands, touch it-count it reception guy with wheels?

There’s any question of how 6’3″ 245 and 15.2 yards a catch could affect TE room with Panthers? Ian Thomas is still on the roster? #4 pick J’Tavion Sanders, the TE from TX, sounds good to me. Put twenty pounds on him as a pro and see how he still runs and does some blocking. If teams know he’s the receiving guy who gets eight yards and first down AND/OR gashes you for thirty-five on a seam route, let them stop it.

Noooo, Panthers don’t need anyone like THAT, 10″-plus hands, touch it-count it reception guy with wheels? We’ve already got the Ninja, Olsen. Oh, right, we don’t, or had anything that looks close to that Legend since forever.

–GShorkey, 4/27/24 Post first draft, no way a C+.

Dismissing team evaluation process is beyond silly, ‘They got their guys’ with #1 Legette, Sanders.

There’s a DT pick but no nose guy, and I know there’s a Michigan LB, Michael Barrett, at the end too. Why kick about a guy until you see how things look on the field – that Michigan defense played pretty well all year to NCAA championship. Did Harbaugh drafting a major slab of beef for Chargers #1 shake anyone’s confidence?

Panthers #5 Chau Smith-Wade, D-back with some attitude? Pretty sure that was on the list. Pet peeve with supposed fast-fast Jackson was whacking people after they already made catch instead of tipping it away. A dude about my size gets territorial about giving up catches, nothing wrong with cheering for that picture. Explosive recovery y’say? Difference maker in secondary? We’ll see.

Again, peanut gallery agreeing with every pick and priority is like my Little League umpiring, where periodically reminding people how much better view, and opinion that counts, is from here. Tell me you knew jack about where Smith-Wade played… (Washington St.) If they actually get (soon to be 34, but maybe still a player) Stephon Gilmore signed as a leader, things will work better. No, he’s a DB, not the center you think they could’ve maybe gotten, but nobody should say Smith-Wade didn’t fit the Get List.

Leave #MrTeppers$ Alone

Recognizing Panthers 2023 draft Reality was rosy glasses and BS if not lies, doesn’t mean we automatically assume 2024 crew would be presenting over-pretty backup info about picks, or injuries plus-minus situations with documentation not up to snuff. Panther Head Coach Dave Canales has only ONE YEAR as an Offensive Coordinator before gig in Charlotte, and same is true about Idzik getting OC post. Nobody in Panther org questions their cred, nor should Others concern themselves with Morgan’s eye for talent.

After free agency and draft, Phase Three is the blending part, and if the cash pile available for more signings gets smaller, Fortune (still) favors the bold. I haven’t looked at a price-odds for Division Title bet, but maybe I’ll cash the big payoff at upcoming poker game, putting my version of Big Boy Chips on the table like Dan Morgan on a roll, striking for a WR1 with a first round pick he wasn’t supposed to have. (I can hope, because good cards don’t always show up as needed.)

Without going for any wholesale Homer Attitude, picks #1-5 were definitely above average. Everyone knows Panthers had a lot of holes to check off, so filling many of those, I wouldn’t think less than a B. Certainly no guarantees expected on Legette or my bluffing a flush, but if Steve Smith has an opinion about Legette, I’m willing to hear it.

Mom wasn’t much of a football picker, but she would’ve agreed with letting Dan Morgan doing the selecting, and naysayers should hush up.

Business, Panther Football

Dionte J, Fuller, Clowney, Gilmore – Seems like serious Panther GM work

by gshorkeyblt2Leave a Comment on Dionte J, Fuller, Clowney, Gilmore – Seems like serious Panther GM work

Panthers might not have ink on Gilmore, who turns 34 in Sept. yet, its okay to say Jadevon Clowney coming back to Carolinas could be a great experience for all. Fans don’t have to approve of every signing or possibility, Tilis will do the important financial figuring, #MrTeppers$ is still quiet on football decisions. Default to not believing *anything* after rose-colored glasses optimism of 2023 is wrong.

$100M guard for Young is a Big Boy Chip to Start

Could a freak accident blow up 2024 Panthers? They had a *mess* of guards (15) pass through the position last season. Based on running attack being responsible for7-10 finish in 2022 under interim HC Steve Wilks, offensive line was supposed to be a strength last year. Panthers had better depth body-wise than organization has usually done, but still, 15 bodies…

‘Next man up’ attitude being someone arising from a couch watching NFL games to, ‘Are you available to come, like now?’ was more than just an excuse.

GM Dan Morgan putting $$$ where it meant most, Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis (4 yr/$53M, $26M guaranteed) and protecting Bryce Young MUCH better in 2024 was nailed down quickly. Shipping an about-to-be-released (to save $4M roster bonus) DB Donte Jackson, to Steelers for Dionte Johnson, a strong, veteran WR1 who runs great routes, that’s not smoke and mirrors stuff.

Little bit of diva? You’ll get chances, Dionte, (literally) just hold on to them.

Should there be any concern about emphasis on offense, while three top linebackers all went elsewhere off DC Ejiro Evero’s #4 ranked unit? Losing Burns and Frankie Luvu AND Gross-Matos at same time seemed like momentum killer, but the cupboard isn’t bare, Tilis and GM Morgan are solid by all league metrics.

Yes, Clowney’s reported two year/$20M (plus incentives) looks more in line for Panthers budget-wise than yikes! contract Burns got in NY. He was considered a bargain buy for Baltimore Ravens last year, 9.5 sacks is part of what earns the big bucks, but at $10M, Clowney’s definitive holding an edge against the run factor will count too.

Free agent safety Jordan Fuller (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/panthers-signing-jordan-fuller-carolina-continues-improving-defense-adds-former-rams-safety-per-report/) will be valued in secondary, and Stephon Gilmore, late of the Cowboys, previously passed through Charlotte (2021) between stints with Patriots and Cowboys. His 2019 Defensive Player of Year (6 picks, 20 passes defended) would come with being 34 in September.

A 68 tackle, 13 passes defended, 2 INTs, and punch-out fumble 2023 for Dallas, and team friendly terms? Parsing out the Carolina Panthers money under a salary cap is not the same as #MrTeppers$, ‘team friendly’ and Morgan’s player level assessment here is new, righter way forward.

Tackling is always important, but #1 slam against ‘Action’ Jackson for Panthers was using his speed to whack someone AFTER they made the catch vs. tipping it incomplete.

–Me, often, after “I’m fastest guy stepping out of bed,” didn’t end drives because he allowed receivers to make possession catches.

Its not like Cleveland in movies, or Vegas Golden Knights

Owner David Tepper is pretty far from the former Vegas showgirl and diabolical Indians owner (played by Margaret Whitton), who was angling to move franchise to Miami in ‘Major League’, and every Panther management voice speaks of following a slower, more reasonable course back to NFL relevance. Those Indians were a team deliberately put together to lose, there might have been room to wonder the same over several disasterous seasons here.

The NHL Las Vegas Golden Knights of 2017-2018 deserve to be a legend-Holy Grail for terrible teams to aspire to, even more so than current Detroit Lions. Lions are just three years from a 3-13-1 record in 2021, and scaled to within the shadow of ending Super Bowl failure (never been) before spitting the bit in NFC title game vs. 49ers (17 pt. halftime lead. FYI, Panthers have been twice).

The first year expansion Knights set records for NHL newbies, then won three rounds of playoffs, going all the way to Stanley Cup Finals with a combination of cast-offs and hopefuls, losing to the long-suffering Ovechkin-Washington Capitals in five games.

Again, thats not the same read as here in 2024. The success of offensive line in 2022 had been linchpin to pre-Young confidence, I wasn’t only pundit who missed that by a mile. Receivers, beyond 1,014 yards by Thielen, you can’t go downfield when quarterback in down on the field, under three guys wearing the other teams jersey.

Acccording to The 33rd Team’s Ian Valentino, the $100M contract is one of the five riskiest of free agency.

Hunt, 27, played in 11 games in 2023 but ranked as a below-average pass blocker and run blocker in ESPN’s win rate metrics. Now, the 6-foot-6, 330-pounder is the league’s second-highest-paid right guard.

Could be Charlotte’s overpaying, or just extra good PR about progress, but how it reads now is decisive, an early result on Tilis-Morgan tandem about hard core football decisions being made.

Canales developing ‘personal bond’ with Young

It sure looks like Canales has the receipts on being a Quarterback Whisperer, which was a strongly promoted feature of Reich’s coach-for-every-player (so it seemed) rationale for the Panthers top job. In Seattle he put ex-Jet Geno Smith back on track, winning a Comeback Player of the Year award (and long-term contract), and his reclaimation of Baker Mayfield in Tampa sounds like a major cha-ching! long-term situation, after Mayfield was a major disappointment in Charlotte.

Few blame Bryce Young alone for a deflating season, and 2-15 was an NFL welcome maaaaany college winners got on undertalented teams. Some might remember John Elway stating he’d be playing baseball instead if drafted by wrong team (1983, Colts- was drafted anyway and traded to Denver, where he played 16 seasons). Bryce also wasn’t the guy who gave away both DJ Moore AND this years #1 to hear his name called first. Just sayin’.

Is there anything wrong with declaring pursuit of such bonding in public? Shouldn’t that be expected of a Whisperer, and doesn’t personal mean *not public*? When ‘What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger’ is the operational attitude, let’s go with that as Bryce’s take on 62 sacks. How much Canales will get compensated for bonding and better overall production isn’t any sweat, its still #MrTeppers$ for years into the future.

Perhaps for contrast we’ll get to watch how new Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh – last seen winning a national championship at Michigan – espousing the value of offensive line play and long drives, which works a line of thought opposite the statisticaly well-known arm talent of his QB, Justin Herbert.

Based on contracts signed and talents highlighted factually (Hunt only gave up one sack in Miami, Johnson had 25 TDs in five years as Steeler), three heads are doing better than any two did before. Panthers have 33rd and 39th picks, early in second round, and spent well in free agency – take those as positive facts. Jadevon Clowney at $10M a year, absolutely, and count on USC jerseys worn proudly in BOA Stadium in 2024.

Panthers *needed* to do a biggie for a DE, and they chose better than most would have guessed. By end of 2024, ‘Fitterer’ won’t be a negative you’ll hear mentioned at all. Charlotte Panthers and Belief? Not necessarily, but Hope is eternal here in the Buckle on the Bible Belt.

Y’know, Detroit was 3-13-1 in 2021, and the Patriots only won four last year…