Panthers Team Positional Outlook

[simmy1989]

I really like how the team is looking after the draft

QB-I think Jake is going to surprise people and have a solid year this year and Matt Moore established last year that he can be a solid #2 QB in the NFL so all you ESPN **** talking about us needing a QB just shut up.

RB-DeAngelo handles everything except short yards and inside the 10, the rest will be for Stewart to get him plently of carries his rookie year.

FB-Brad Hoover is solid, we know what to expect

WR-We know what we will get from steve smith. 2/3 are between Muhammad and Hackett who should be solid and Robinson/Jarrett should compete to be No. 4.

TE-Not a big King fan at all so I would like to see Rosario get most of the snaps with 5th round pick Barnidge getting some time.

OT-I would like to see Gross play LT and Otah RT, but either way we got two solid OT's to build the franchise around

OG-Wharton should take over LG with a bunch of guys competing for RG or just use a rotation during the year throwing fresh guys in Fouioni/Vincent/M.Brown/etc.

C-Kalil should be solid for years to come

DE-Peppers should return to form and I look for McClover/Johnson to split time at the other DE slot.

DT-I like Kemoeatu, he's a solid DT, but we need someone else to start besides him because Damoine Lewis doesn't cut it in my book. I would consider moving Tyler Brayton to DT I think he could produce more than Lewis.

OLB-Very solid here with Davis/Johnson/Connor/Diggs, lots of depth

MLB-There's not much to say here except Beason is a BEAST!!!, look for Connor to get some snaps here in preseason

CB-What a mess, but a good mess. I would go with Gamble/Marshall/Ricardo Cocou. and move Lucas to saftey with Godfrey getting snaps as a No.4 CB/No.2 Saftey

S-I would start Harris and Ken Lucas here with Godfrey getting some snaps as well

K/P-Kasay and Baker are solid so nothing to worry about here

KR/PR-I look for Stewart and Robinson to be on KR with Ricardo and Ryne Robinson battling for PR duties.

What are your guys thoughts???

[SchizophrenicBatman]

I learned to ignore what the talking heads on ESPN were mouthing off about a while ago. Theyre probably just pissed because they got fooled by our obvious smokescreen with the Matt Ryan talk

I dont know what we're doing at RB. You don't take a guy at #13 to play a small role. I think this confirms that all the "big back" talk wasn't hearsay and Fox doesn't like what DeAngelo offers, at least as a starter. Of course, that makes you wonder why they took DeAngelo in the first place, but I suppose they wrote the bad value off as a sunk cost. In an ideal world I'd pound Stewart and DeAngelo 15-20 times a game each (yes, that's 40+ runs) now that we have them. That should open up some big plays downfield for Smith via play action.

I have a feeling Jarrett isn't heard from much. Robinson looked more impressive even as a receiver than him last year and we have our tall possession guy with Moose now.

Rosario-Barnidge-King should be the depth chart. The blocking kind of sucks (ironic given what we did in the first round) but I guess we can throw a backup lineman in there as a tackle-eligible if we really want that. I'm optimistic on Barnidge and really like Rosario. King is better than most 3rd TEs I guess

Agree on LT/RT. I suppose our 7th rounders (and probably a few UDFAs) will compete with Vincent, Fonoti and Bridges for that last Guard spot

As for the DLine...all I'll say is that Peppers better be a ****ing beast next year. The guys around him are average at best so even a normal Pepp year won't be enough. He better come to play for his contract. Hopefully the DT from Wiscy has a Carstens like impact because I like Lewis more as a rotational guy and well, I don't like Kemoeatu

They better not screw with Beason at MLB. I'd rather Connor bust than we do something dumb like stick him there (the next Morgan!!!111!!!!1) and move Beason back out. Ideally, Davis moves to WLB and Johnson/Diggs/Connor fight it out for SLB. Realistically that's reversed and we just leave Beason alone. One comment on the Connor pick - I wonder if T. Davis is going to have earn the right to start over him to get a new contract a couple years down the road

I'd honestly forgotten about Colclough. I dont think he's really a big piece of this team. His contract is backloaded meaning he has to do something really impressive to stick around for year 2. I have a feeling he's mostly here to push Ryne (and maybe Stewart?) and be depth at nickel/dime. Marshall/Lucas/Gamble is still a solid trio.

I wouldn't put Godfrey at FS just yet. Hurfox seems to like quality CBs and they may have liked him enough to let him develop on ST and in dime packages for a year then replace one of Lucas or Gamble later. I remember Fox saying he considers Marshall a starter because plays so much. Ideally, I want Godfrey at FS/Harris at SS, of course. Holt is depth, and that's nice

ST - Baker is stuck here with that contract even though I think he's overrated. Kasay is on his last legs and I think we need a guy to kickoff and maybe take over in '09. Wouldnt mind picking up Steven Hauschka in FA, though I think we're going with that Rhys Lloyd dude from last year

I hope they put Stewart on kick returns. Our ST was abysmal last year and he can only help. Robinson sticks as 4th WR/punt returner

[ShutDwn]

I will be absolutely pissed if Beason gets moved outside. I have no doubt Jon would be as well, and probably sign the first contract offered to him out of carolina. Beason has earned the right to STAR in the middle and run the defense, not some rookie who has trouble in coverage.

They may try Godfrey at both, but I think he was chosen to be our free safety, all his strengths and weaknesses are brought out or minimized at safety. We aren't going to move Lucas now, he is still a good corner and sometimes very good.