Tag: Carolina Panthers

Panthers S Juston Burris looking forward to competing against Gronk

Panthers safety Juston Burris looking forward to competing against Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski.

The Panthers finished in fourth place in the NFC South last season and winning the division hasn’t gotten any easier in the meantime.

It’s just been reported that the Patriots have agreed to trade the now un-retired tight end Rob Gronkowski and a seventh-round pick to the Buccaneers for a fourth-rounder.

The move gives Tom Brady another receiving weapon (as if he needed another) that he trusts and opens up the Bucs to trade O.J. Howard. It will make defending Bruce Arians’ offense that much more difficult for the Panthers and the rest of the division.

One of the guys who will likely be tasked with covering Gronk is recently-signed Carolina safety Juston Burris.

For his part, Burris says he loves competing against the best and is looking for war in the NFC South.

Burris is projected to be the team’s starting strong safety next to Tre Boston. He’s only started 11 games in his career, though and Gronkowski presents challenges even for the most established defensive backs in the league.

Coach Matt Rhule might have a lot of faith in Burris’ abilities. This development is another good reason why the team should consider drafting a prospect like Isaiah Simmons, though.

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Watch: Steve Smith comments on the Panthers’ quarterback situation

While Bridgewater is definitely the starter for now, not everyone is convinced he’s the franchise QB of the future.

The Carolina Panthers made some massive changes at the quarterback position this offseason. Cam Newton has been released and replaced by Teddy Bridgewater, Kyle Allen was traded and replaced by P.J. Walker and Will Grier’s position seems to be tenuous at best after a bombed rookie season.

Whether or not the team will pick a quarterback in this week’s draft is a hot topic of speculation. While Bridgewater is definitely the starter for now, not everyone is convinced he’s the franchise QB of the future. Include former Panthers great Steve Smith among them. Here’s what he said about Carolina’s quarterback situation on ESPN’s First Take.

We’re pretty sure teams aren’t supposed to get prospects’ social security numbers, but Smith is right about Bridgewater.

Teddy’s previous experience with Joe Brady makes him as good of a fit to run the Panthers’ offense as any quarterback not named Drew Brees. However, his contract indicates the team isn’t sure about making him their QB1 for the long run.

Bridgewater signed a three-year, $63 million deal that qualifies as a reasonable bargain for a respectable starter in this era. If they really believed Bridgewater was their guy they would have given him more than three years, though.

So, don’t be shocked if the Panthers pull the trigger and draft a quarterback. Trouble is, there are only two prospects who are truly safe bets when it comes to finding success at the next level. Since Carolina can’t trade up for Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa probably won’t fall to No. 7, it puts the team in a bind if they’re set on taking a QB.

The front office has shown interest in two others, though. Marty Hurney flew out to see Justin Herbert throw at his Pro Day and the team has reportedly done some “serious research” on Utah State’s Jordan Love. They both have attributes that could help them become quality quarterbacks in the NFL. They also both have some serious limitations.

If the Panthers are going to gamble on a QB prospect this year, we think they should wait until at least the third round and then roll the dice on Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts. Otherwise, they might as well wait and try again in 2021.

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Panthers rank No. 26 in cap space heading into the 2020 NFL draft

Panthers general manager Marty Hurney and coach Matt Rhule have their work cut out for them. 

Panthers general manager Marty Hurney and coach Matt Rhule have their work cut out for them.

With two days to go before the 2020 NFL draft, the team has a ton of roster holes to fill after losing several defensive starters in free agency this year and one very important one to retirement. The notion that they’ll be able to fill all of their needs in one draft class is unrealistic. Even if Hurney throws a perfect game and hits on several mid and late-round picks, there will still be a lot of work to do after the draft is over.

Another problem: there won’t be much money for him to work with. According to Field Yates at ESPN, Carolina has just $7,008,210 in salary cap space right now. That ranks No. 26 in the league.

In other words, consider the Panthers out of the running in the Jadeveon Clowney sweepstakes – and every other free agent race.

This cap number would be problematic at any time of the year. It’s particularly rough right now as at the moment there are only 63 guys on the roster. To get even close to 90, they will have to sign a lot of undrafted free agents this weekend.

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Christian McCaffrey on Panthers OC Joe Brady: ‘He’s such a unique mind’

McCaffrey probably won’t see 400+ touches in 2020, but he has good reason to feel positive about his future.

The Carolina Panthers made Christian McCaffrey the highest-paid running back in the NFL last week, signing him to a four-year, $64 million extension. Paying running backs in this era always raises eyebrows. However, it’s clear the team sees him as a unique kind of weapon and plan to build their offense around him.

Knowing that, the guy who can help McCaffrey live up to that deal more than anyone else is offensive coordinator Joe Brady.

Speaking with the media in a Zoom call today, McCaffrey gave his new playcaller some high praise, saying he’s such a unique mind for offense.

McCaffrey probably won’t see 400+ touches in 2020, but he has good reason to feel positive about his future. A good augur of what lies ahead for McCaffrey is what Clyde Edwards-Helaire did last season for LSU.

While it certainly didn’t hurt his numbers to be playing with a lead so often, his production was undeniably impressive. Edwards-Helaire averaged 6.6 yards per carry in 2019, totaling 1,414 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. He was also frequently put to use as a receiver for Joe Burrow, posting 453 yards and another score on 55 catches.

Even better, some of the passing concepts that Brady dialed up for Edwards-Helaire play right into McCaffrey’s skillset. What’s even more encouraging is that Edwards-Helaire rarely had to run against stacked boxes. He did so on just 12% of his carries last year. A lot goes into that percentage, but you can give a significant amount of credit to Brady’s scheme, which featured a lot of four and five receiver sets. Those formations will force NFL defenses to spread out, opening up opportunities for No. 22.

Brady’s offense also featured a lot of two-running back sets. If the Panthers decide to draft one, Edwards-Helaire would make the best fit.

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Panthers begin virtual 2020 offseason program today

Panthers begin virtual 2020 offseason program today

Matt Rhule is already one of the highest-paid coaches in the NFL, earning more money per year than Andy Reid. He’ll have to earn it, though.

The new Panthers head coach has inherited a challenging situation in Carolina, taking over a team that went 5-11 last season, good for last place in the NFC South. Since the end of that campaign, the team has lost a former MVP quarterback, a future Hall of Fame middle linebacker and six other starters on defense.

To make matters even more difficult, Rhule now has to get his new team all on the same page without the benefit of a traditional offseason program. Due to social distancing measures needed to slow the spread of COVID-19, NFL teams are substituting their usual offseason program with a virtual one. For the Panthers and several other teams, that work begins today.

Rhule only has one year of experience in the pros – he was an offensive line assistant for the Giants in 2012. However, his track record in college makes him uniquely suited to meet this challenge.

It didn’t take Rhule long to turn around the programs at Temple and then Baylor, converting struggling teams into conference contenders in just two years in both cases.

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Thomas Davis likens Giants’ Dave Gettleman to Jerry Krause

Former Carolina Panthers LB Thomas Davis likened New York Giants GM Dave Gettleman to former Chicago Bulls GM Jerry Krause.

New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman is no shrinking violet. In his long distinguished NFL career he has ruffled more than a few feathers and has done it with the utmost of confidence.

Gettleman is being compared to another famous general manager, Jerry Krause of the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s. Former Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis tweeted the below after viewing ESPN’s “The Last Dance,” a documentary about the 1997-98 Bulls.

Gettleman has not had the success Krause enjoyed doing his tenure in Chicago. Gettleman, as a GM, has been to just one Super Bowl — with the Panthers in Super Bowl 50 (a loss) — while Krause won six NBA championships.

The correlation between the two men begins and ends with the way each of them conducted business. Krause was not known for his loyalty to players and/or coaches. Sound familiar?

Many veterans with the Panthers and Giants who were released or traded by Gettleman have spoken out over the years at Gettleman’s callous, business-like approach to player personnel.

It is a business after all, but don’t tell that to the players who have been wronged by these two men.

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Thomas Davis compares former Panthers GM Dave Gettleman to Jerry Krause

Some Panthers players who were watching saw parallels between Krause and a certain former Carolina general manager.

After a miserable, morbid month of news, sports fans finally got a reprieve last night when ESPN released the first two episodes of their highly-anticipated documentary on the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls called “The Last Dance.” The film follows how the greatest dynasty in NBA history collapsed and based on the early social media reviews it’s a hit.

The clear hero of the tale is Michael Jordan, who at his peak was the greatest athlete on the planet. Reliving Jordan’s exploits – including a 63-point performance in the playoffs against a historic Boston Celtics team – offered a tremendous release for fans who haven’t gotten to see any live games in weeks.

Like any great story, there’s also a compelling villain. In this case it’s former Bulls general manager Jerry Krause, whose ego was the catalyst in the destruction of the dynasty. Krause seems to have been truly despised by his players, especially the extremly underpaid Scottie Pippen, who eventually took to insulting Krause in front of the entire team.

Some Panthers players who were watching saw parallels between Krause and a certain former Carolina general manager.

Free safety Tre Boston seemd to hint at the connection in this tweet, blaming Krause for being determined to get rid of Phil Jackson before the season started and taking credit for the team’s success.

Former linebacker Thomas Davis went one futher. Near the end of the show he straight up tweeted Jerry Krause = Dave Gettleman.

While Gettleman did make some unpopular decisions and handled the exits of several beloved players poorly, it might be a bit harsh to compare him with Krause.

There are undeniable similarities, though. Both played a role in assembling a very talented group of players and had a reputation for driving a hard bargain – perhaps too hard. Whereas Krause alienated Pippen and Jackson, Gettleman drove Jordan Gross into retirement and eventually also pushed out Steve Smith and Josh Norman.

Gettleman didn’t intentionally blow up the best team in his sport that had just won three straight titles, though. Also, as it turned out, not paying Norman $15 million a year was the right move.

No matter what you may think of Krause the man isn’t around anymore to defend himself, as Julius Peppers pointed out this morning.

Fair point.

In any case, the moral of the story is that when you have a good thing going, you don’t destroy it all to satisfy your ego. We can’t wait for the next couple of episodes.

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2020 NFL draft prospect profile: Michigan OL Cesar Ruiz

2020 NFL draft prospect profile: Michigan OL Cesar Ruiz

There has been a lot of speculation that the Panthers are looking to trade down from No. 7. Numerous recent 2020 mock drafts, including our own, have the Panthers trading down to the mid-first round.

But what if instead they trade down to the late-first round with a team like the Patriots, Eagles, or Vikings? If this situation pans out, the good news is that there is still plenty of top-tier talent available at positions of need. Let’s take a look at one of those players who could be atop the Panthers’ board in this situation: Michigan interior offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz.

Scouting Report:
Ruiz meets all the physical requirements for succeeding in the NFL. He measured in at 6-foot-3, 307 pounds at the combine. He also displayed some impressive athleticism for a big man, as he clocked a 5.08 second 40-yard dash, put up 28 reps on the bench and jumped 33 inches in the vertical.

Ruiz is widely considered the top interior offensive lineman in the class. He has tremendous lateral mobility on his pull blocks, plays with great power at the point of attack, reacts well to different blitzes and shows top-tier footwork and hand usage in his pass sets. He was anchored at center for most of his time at Michigan, but had quality reps at guard as well. While playing center, he took control of the offensive line and did a fantastic job at dissecting blitzes and calling out pickups.

Ruiz’s game does not have many weak areas. He does lack the ideal length you would want to see from a pro guard, as his arms measured in at only 33 1/8 inches at the combine. He also could stand to play with more of a mean streak when finishing his blocks. Ruiz definitely shows the power and pad level to do so, but he just doesn’t finish his blocks with the authority that most NFL coaches would like to see.

Highlights:

Ruiz vs. Penn State

Ruiz vs. Iowa

Ruiz vs. Florida

Ruiz vs. Ohio State

Fit With the Panthers:
Ruiz would undoubtedly be a Week 1 starter for Carolina at either guard spot. He would be a perfect fit for Joe Brady’s offensive line, as he offers positional versatility and a strong grasp of blocking schemes. Ruiz’s stock is in the late-first to early second round range, so the Panthers may have to trade down quite a bit to get into his range.

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2020 NFL draft: Panthers FaceTime with Stanford EDGE prospect

According to Justin Melo at Draft Wire, the team held another video meeting with Stanford outside linebacker Casey Toohill.

The Panthers are doing their diligence on some of this year’s top EDGE prospects. Already, they have held FaceTime meetings with Florida’s Jonathan Greenard and Michigan State’s Kenny Willekes. We can now add another name to that list.

According to Justin Melo at Draft Wire, the team held another video meeting with Stanford outside linebacker Casey Toohill.

He has scored very high athletically compared to other linebackers in this draft class. At the combine, he posted a 39 inch vertical leap to go with a 4.21 second 20-yard shuttle.

Toohill (6-foot-4, 247 pounds) was redshirted as a freshman and had to work his way up the rotation. Eventually, he earned himself a significant role and he had a breakout season in 2019, posting career highs with 57 tackles, eight sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss.

Let’s take a look at his college tape.

Toohill vs. UCLA

Toohill vs. Northwestern

Toohill is another projected Day 3 pick.

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Report: Panthers have done ‘serious research’ on Jordan Love

The Carolina Panthers have done ‘serious research’ on Utah quarterback prospect Jordan Love, per ESPN.

Panthers coach Matt Rhule would not rule out picking a quarterback in the draft when he spoke with reporters via Zoom recently. The team might seem set at the position given their recent signings of Teddy Bridgewater and P.J. Walker. However, Rhule said he’s thinking about the next 12 years, not the next 12 months.

If Carolina is going to pick a new potential franchise QB to build around this year, they’ll probably have to do it in the first two rounds. Here’s a quick review of the top prospects and their situation:

While it would be very interesting to pair him with offensive coordiantor Joe Brady again, we can safely assume that LSU’s Joe Burrow will be out of their reach. The Panthers would likely have to trade up to No. 1 to get him and they have too many needs to give up that much draft capital.

Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa is more realistic, but there are a few other QB-needy teams that will pick before the Panthers, notably the Dolphins and the Chargers. Landing Tua would also probably require a big move up.

From there, it gets interesting.

General manager Marty Hurney visited Oregon to see Justin Herbert throw at this pro day just as the country was beginning to shut down due to the spread of coronavirus. However, Herbert has perhaps the most baggage of the top QB prospects this year and might turn into a bust at the next level.

Next up, there’s Utah State’s Jordan Love, who hasn’t gotten as much attention as the others from the media, but a number of teams are apparently interested in.

According to Jeremy Fowler at ESPN, Carolina is one of several teams who have done “serious research” on Love.

“Here are a handful of teams that have done serious research on Love and are worth watching: New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins. Carolina picks 38th in the second round and could stash a project QB behind Teddy Bridgewater with a move up. But an NFC offensive coordinator says he “would be surprised if he got that far” in the first round.”

Love’s numbers from 2019 are a bit underwhelming (20 touchdowns, 17 interceptions) but his sophomore year showed flashes of tremendous potential. That season he threw 32 touchdowns to go with six interceptions, averaging 8.6 yards per pass and posting a 158.3 passer rating.

The trick with Love (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) is finding the right spot to target him. Picking him at No. 7 seems too early, while waiting until No. 38 could be too late. If the chatter is true and the team is looking to trade down in the first round, that could put him within their range.

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