^^^ thats impressive, I guess now we can afford to go all offensive line in this year's draft (throw in another WR and QB in the later rounds)

1/24/2015 12:27:07 PM

^^


Carolina Panthers
Round Pick Position Player College
(1) 28 WR Kelvin Benjamin Florida State
(2) 60 DE Kony Ealy Missouri
(3) 92 G Trai Turner LSU
(4) 128 DB Tre Boston UNC
(5) 148 CB Bene Benwikere San Jose State
(6) 204 RB Tyler Gaffney Stanford

Post-draft grade: C

Summary: I wrote then that, "For a team that had a huge season in 2013, the Panthers entered the 2014 draft with some major needs. The biggest needs for me were on offense, where Cam Newton is facing the bad combination of a lack of guys to catch passes and a lack of protection when he drops back." Well, I think the Panthers did well in hitting one of those needs, and so-so in addressing the other.

On the positive side, receiver Kelvin Benjamin was inconsistent but also the best thing Newton had not named Greg Olsen. Benjamin made some big-time plays. The problem was he was inconsistent in route running and had some huge drops, too. That has to get better. Also credit Carolina for getting receiver Philly Brown as an undrafted free agent. He provided a spark. The problem was the Panthers didn't get anything at tackle, and the protection for Newton was horrific. Few quarterbacks could look good at all here.

But that's the Cam side. There were positives elsewhere. Carolina had one of the best sleepers in the draft in Bene Benwikere, a cornerback out of San Jose State who looked like a capable veteran for much of the season. They also got a future starter at safety in Tre Boston. Guard Trai Turner was one of my favorite players in the draft, and he looked pretty good as a rookie. Defensive end Kony Ealy had moments but has work to do. Still, he has the upside of a starter. This was a solid draft, with the only demerits coming in the fact that some tackle, any tackle, might have helped. But it's hard to complain beyond that.
New grade: A-

1/24/2015 12:34:58 PM

Yeah, it's amazing what drafting BPA and not overvaluing any single player gets you. You can thank the 12-4 season for that, as it took off a bit of the pressure to win now. Expectations are higher now though, they gotta keep this rolling.

[Edited on January 24, 2015 at 6:15 PM. Reason : :]

1/24/2015 6:14:39 PM

Thxforte

1/24/2015 9:34:56 PM

Thomas Davis named NFL Man of the Year.

1/31/2015 9:54:14 PM

1/31/2015 10:30:25 PM

yall think you're so tough with your twitter spoilers, when i posted about this in the nfl thread earlier

1/31/2015 10:34:19 PM

YOU MUST BE VERY PROUD OF YOURSELF

1/31/2015 10:45:40 PM

that's right, i am

1/31/2015 11:05:15 PM

http://www.newsobserver.com/2015/02/09/4542623/case-against-greg-hardy-falls.html

2/9/2015 1:51:21 PM

Couldn't get that broad to show up to court

classy

2/9/2015 3:07:00 PM

Of course this happens AFTER the season.

2/9/2015 4:00:57 PM

I don't think it would have mattered one bit

this doesn't mean he was found innocent

smells like someone may have paid someone off

2/9/2015 4:04:14 PM

I thought it was already reported that the accuser & he reached a settlement?

Quote :

"Jason Cole reports it's "extremely unlikely" that free agent DE Greg Hardy faces "any kind of further punishment" from the league. Per Cole, the league could go digging into Hardy's reported settlement with the victim of his summer assault, but it's unlikely the shield could get something it could use. Barring any unforeseen developments, Hardy should soon come off the commissioner's exempt list, and hit free agency as scheduled on March 10"

[Edited on February 9, 2015 at 4:11 PM. Reason : cole quote]

2/9/2015 4:08:30 PM

we're done with him per espn and probably for good reason

2/10/2015 12:37:17 PM

the Patriots will pick him up and win another Superbowl.

2/10/2015 3:32:30 PM

He'll probably stay in the division

2/10/2015 3:38:32 PM

yeah if i were a betting man i'd say he goes to ATL

2/11/2015 9:51:10 AM

that yogurt cam is pedaling sounds intriguing, 15 grams of protein, no fat wow

2/16/2015 1:17:19 PM

Quote :

"Jonathan Jones ?@jjones9 · 11m11 minutes ago Panthers announce they released S Thomas DeCoud, who lost his starting job to Tre Boston late in the season"

2/17/2015 1:06:11 PM

?

he sucked and lost his starting job to a rookie

2/17/2015 1:10:11 PM

signed some offensive guard too

2/17/2015 1:57:47 PM

saved nearly $2 million by cutting him

2/17/2015 2:29:31 PM

how far down the list of "Players Who I'd Be Bummed If They Cut" list is DeCoud?

I can't imagine having any emotional attachment to him at all

2/17/2015 2:39:21 PM

Yeah that shouldn't be a surprise. If Panther's FA last year was about future cap space, this year is about culling unproductive/overpriced players.

2/17/2015 3:07:05 PM

DeAngelo to be cut

thanks for being a great Panther, but peace

2/23/2015 3:07:37 PM

Thanks for the memories 34, but it was time. That double trouble season got your ass paid big time.

I'm looking forward to seeing some new young backs getting a look in the near future.

2/23/2015 3:27:51 PM

not sad, not unexpected, not sorry to see him go, but thanks for the memories and good luck wherever he goes (as long as its some AFC team). backs are a dime a dozen now and his price tag just hasn't been worth it.

[Edited on February 23, 2015 at 3:30 PM. Reason : with that said, he'll pull a LaFell and win a ring]

2/23/2015 3:29:53 PM

peace out.

2/23/2015 3:41:23 PM

My first jersey purchased and really loved his passion and diehard love for being a Panther.




[Edited on February 23, 2015 at 3:52 PM. Reason : .]

2/23/2015 3:45:20 PM

Quote :

"not sad, not unexpected, not sorry to see him go, but thanks for the memories and good luck wherever he goes (as long as its some AFC team). backs are a dime a dozen now and his price tag just hasn't been worth it."

2/23/2015 3:48:30 PM

Suppose to save us $2 million in cap space this year, so definitely worth it.

2/23/2015 4:00:22 PM

Good night...sweet prince

2/23/2015 4:34:58 PM

Ted Ginn also released by Cards-- wonder if he'd take a reasonable deal to come back to Carolina. He scored 5 of his 11 career touchdowns in 2013 with the panthers.

[Edited on February 23, 2015 at 6:00 PM. Reason : Receiving TDs, that is]

2/23/2015 6:00:27 PM

Best of luck, Deangelo. Your 7.0 ypc from the NFC divisional will be dearly missed.

2/23/2015 6:43:58 PM

haha so what i am seeing on facebook



males - thanks deangelo but it was time. good luck

females - OMG THE PANTHERS ARE SO STUPID IM NOT EVEN ROOTING FOR THEM ANYMORE RAWR RAWR RAWR

2/23/2015 7:05:48 PM

...now cut Stewart plz

2/23/2015 7:07:16 PM

Stewart cant be cut this year. Would cost us a fortune to do it this year.

Olsen looks safe now.

2/23/2015 7:15:48 PM

Yeah guess it's cheaper to just part him while he's on the IR for the last 12 games of the season. Because it's gonna happen.

2/23/2015 7:18:10 PM

I'd be upset if we cut Olsen.

He's the most reliable pass catcher we have when he's actually getting to run routes instead of blocking to cover for our terrible OTs

2/23/2015 8:42:38 PM

Why would we cut Olsen?

2/23/2015 8:51:30 PM

Deangelo going full butthurt going on local news and saying team officials didn't attend his mom's funeral and big cat never reached out.

Just walk away man. Saying shit like that just after being fired makes him look petty and insecure.

2/23/2015 8:52:49 PM

Why did face mention Olsen? There's no chance he was gonna get cut this year.

2/23/2015 9:27:11 PM

^^ Big cat has clearly explained his priorities in a press conference, he even drew a pie chart

2/23/2015 9:35:17 PM

Good night...sweet prince

2/24/2015 8:59:10 PM

Because of the salary cap. He, t davis, and tolbert are prime candidates for their cap figures this year. Doesn't mean it'd be the best decision but I guarantee they've considered it.

Stewart can't be cut this year it's significantly cheaper to keep him than cut him. He would save us some bones next offseason tho

Johnson probably cut or restructure next offseason and harper gone for certain

[Edited on February 25, 2015 at 6:42 PM. Reason : a]

2/25/2015 6:36:16 PM

We'd be the laughing stock of the NFL to cut a 29 year old Pro Bowl tight end. It would never happen.

Hey Cam, we're gonna take away your most reliable weapon for the 2nd straight offseason. Now go out there and prove you deserve a big contract!

[Edited on February 25, 2015 at 7:13 PM. Reason : .]

2/25/2015 7:10:41 PM

Quote :

"We'd be the laughing stock of the NFL to cut a 29 year old Pro Bowl tight end. It would never happen. Hey Cam, we're gonna take away your most reliable weapon for the 2nd straight offseason. Now go out there and prove you deserve a big contract!"

And, instead of trying to get T. Ginn back, I would like to see us try Jocoby Jones... WR & Returner.

2/26/2015 9:26:12 AM

Jacoby Jones would be good for a returner. But I also think Eddie Royal would be a nice fit also. He can be pretty productive at receiver too

2/26/2015 9:14:21 PM

3 year extension for Olsen

3/5/2015 5:43:55 PM