Tag: David Tepper

Did the Panthers really make a mistake by not pursuing Lamar Jackson?

Is it really that easy to say the Panthers made a huge mistake by not pursuing Lamar Jackson this past spring?

Here we are, Monday morning quarterbackering on a Tuesday.

The star atop of the NFL’s tree proved to be Lamar Jackson, who led his Baltimore Ravens to a dominant win over the Super Bowl favorite San Francisco 49ers on Christmas night. Jackson shined bright under the primetime lights, completing 25 of his 32 throws for 252 yards and two touchdowns while running for another 45 yards on seven attempts against one of the game’s most daunting defenses.

Not only did the sparkling performance push the Ravens to what may have been the most impressive win of the season by any team, but it also helped the now-12-3 juggernaut inch closer to clinching the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Oh, and it also gave folks a chance to point and laugh at the teams who did not bother to pursue the 26-year-old in the spring.

In case you need a quick refresher . . . the Ravens hit quite the snag in their offseason contract negotiations with Jackson, who was slapped with the non-exclusive franchise tag back on March 7. That decision opened up the chance for other franchises to talk with the dynamic dual-threat passer—an opportunity that a handful of quarterback-needy teams, to the dismay of many, didn’t seriously consider.

And among those teams were the Carolina Panthers, who caught some shots during Jackson’s holiday classic.

So, did Carolina really make a mistake by not pursuing Jackson? Perhaps it’s not that black and white.

Sure, the optics are rough on this one. Not only have the 2-13 Panthers failed to get a great return out of rookie quarterback Bryce Young to this point, but the 2019 Most Valuable Player has just positioned himself to be the 2023 Most Valuable Player.

Plus, if the Panthers were able to somehow sign Jackson, they would’ve only had to surrender two first-round picks to Baltimore. Instead, they ended up trading two first-rounders, two second-rounders and wide receiver DJ Moore for the rights to Young.

Hindsight, however, is 20/20.

Jackson became “available” on March 7, just three days before the Panthers traded up to the 2023 draft’s No. 1 overall pick. Owner David Tepper, in fact, revealed that his front office thought they even had a three-way deal in place with the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans to get to the No. 2 overall spot on March 8.

Either way, Carolina was making clear inroads at securing one of draft’s top two promising quarterbacks—Young or eventual second pick C.J. Stroud.

Now, what’s the advantage of rostering a top rookie quarterback over an actual MVP? Well, like anything in business, it’s all about the money.

Having who you believe is a franchise quarterback under a rookie deal clears up quite a bit of cash. With your “guy” on a relatively cheap pact, there’s about a five-year window to build around the position with money you normally wouldn’t have.

Tepper, and general manager Scott Fitterer, even admitted to this approach.

And contrary to the popular belief at the time—the Panthers, who finished one game off an NFC South title in 2022, were more than just a quarterback away. In addition to having to overhaul their offense, the defense had (and still does have) multiple long-term pillars to lock up. (We’re looking at you, Brian Burns and Derrick Brown.)

What also gets overlooked when rehashing this topic is Baltimore’s ability to stop the buck. Even though Jackson could’ve reached a new contract with another team, the Ravens always had the option to match any agreement and get him right back.

Given the difficulties they had in ironing out the details of a big-money deal, the Ravens essentially dared another organization to do the work for them. While no one bit, Baltimore eventually cut to the inevitable and made Jackson the sport’s highest-paid player at that moment in time.

In the end, Jackson probably wasn’t going anywhere outside of the 410 area code. And maybe the unwillingness to try and pull him out of there had some additional motivation on an even grander scheme.

But it’s too easy to say that the Panthers, who have been taking a gamble at having it all, would rather have Lamar Jackson than Bryce Young in 2023.

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Did the Panthers really make a mistake by not pursing Lamar Jackson?

Is it really that easy to say the Panthers made a huge mistake by not pursing Lamar Jackson this past spring?

Here we are, Monday morning quarterbackering on a Tuesday.

The star atop of the NFL’s tree proved to be Lamar Jackson, who led his Baltimore Ravens to a dominant win over the Super Bowl favorite San Francisco 49ers on Christmas night. Jackson shined bright under the primetime lights, completing 25 of his 32 throws for 252 yards and two touchdowns while running for another 45 yards on seven attempts against one of the game’s most daunting defenses.

Not only did the sparkling performance push the Ravens to what may have been the most impressive win of the season by any team, but it also helped the now-12-3 juggernaut inch closer to clinching the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Oh, and it also gave folks a chance to point and laugh at the teams who did not bother to pursue the 26-year-old in the spring.

In case you need a quick refresher . . . the Ravens hit quite the snag in their offseason contract negotiations with Jackson, who was slapped with the non-exclusive franchise tag back on March 7. That decision opened up the chance for other franchises to talk with the dynamic dual-threat passer—an opportunity that a handful of quarterback-needy teams, to the dismay of many, didn’t seriously consider.

And among those teams were the Carolina Panthers, who caught some shots during Jackson’s holiday classic.

So, did Carolina really make a mistake by not pursuing Jackson? Perhaps it’s not that black and white.

Sure, the optics are rough on this one. Not only have the 2-13 Panthers failed to get a great return out of rookie quarterback Bryce Young to this point, but the 2019 Most Valuable Player has just positioned himself to be the 2023 Most Valuable Player.

Plus, if the Panthers were able to somehow sign Jackson, they would’ve only had to surrender two first-round picks to Baltimore. Instead, they ended up trading two first-rounders, two second-rounders and wide receiver DJ Moore for the rights to Young.

Hindsight, however, is 20/20.

Jackson became “available” on March 7, just three days before the Panthers traded up to the 2023 draft’s No. 1 overall pick. Owner David Tepper, in fact, revealed that his front office thought they even had a three-way deal in place with the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans to get to the No. 2 overall spot on March 8.

Either way, Carolina was making clear inroads at securing one of draft’s top two promising quarterbacks—Young or eventual second pick C.J. Stroud.

Now, what’s the advantage of rostering a top rookie quarterback over an actual MVP? Well, like anything in business, it’s all about the money.

Having who you believe is a franchise quarterback under a rookie deal clears up quite a bit of cash. With your “guy” on a relatively cheap pact, there’s about a five-year window to build around the position with money you normally wouldn’t have.

Tepper, and general manager Scott Fitterer, even admitted to this approach.

And contrary to the popular belief at the time—the Panthers, who finished one game off an NFC South title in 2022, were more than just a quarterback away. In addition to having to overhaul their offense, the defense had (and still does have) multiple long-term pillars to lock up. (We’re looking at you, Brian Burns and Derrick Brown.)

What also gets overlooked when rehashing this topic is Baltimore’s ability to stop the buck. Even though Jackson could’ve reached a new contract with another team, the Ravens always had the option to match any agreement and get him right back.

Given the difficulties they had in ironing out the details of a big-money deal, the Ravens essentially dared another organization to do the work for them. While no one bit, Baltimore eventually cut to the inevitable and made Jackson the sport’s highest-paid player at that moment in time.

In the end, Jackson probably wasn’t going anywhere outside of the 410 area code. And maybe the unwillingness to try and pull him out of there had some additional motivation on an even grander scheme.

But it’s too easy to say that the Panthers, who have been taking a gamble at having it all, would rather have Lamar Jackson than Bryce Young in 2023.

[lawrence-related id=688020,688000,687935]

Panthers reportedly unlikely to pursue Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh

Per The Athletic, the Panthers are not likely to pursue University of Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh.

Hopefully, Jim Harbaugh didn’t have “A contract offer from the Carolina Panthers” on his birthday wishlist.

The head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, who may soon be venturing away from Ann Arbor, turned 60 years old on Saturday. But according to The Athletic senior NFL insider Dianna Russini, he proably won’t be spending the start of his 60’s venturing towards Charlotte, N.C.

In her report from this morning, Russini notes that the Panthers are “unlikely to go in that direction.”

Owner David Tepper reportedly had conversations with Harbaugh last year. But, as he admitted to reporters in January about his hiring of Matt Rhule, Tepper believes he made a mistake by hiring a “CEO-type head coach,” a role Harbaugh might very well command.

Russini also adds a nugget on Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who may also be in line for a head-coaching opportunity this offseason.

She writes:

Speaking of candidates, Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is expected to get an opportunity to interview for a head coaching job. While Tepper was angry about his team’s offense, he has been pleased with the defense. We’ll see if Evero wants to stay or gets another opportunity.

Despite having to deal with a monsoon of injuries and some not-so-complementary football from the team’s struggling offense, Evero has done an extremely admirable job for Carolina. Heading into the final three weeks of the season, his unit ranks third in total defense—having allowed the third-fewest yards per game (291.6).

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Report: David Tepper ‘incredibly accountable,’ ‘rejuvenated’ in HC search

According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Panthers owner David Tepper is blaming himself for much of his team’s disastrous 2023.

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper is still learning how to be the Carolina Panthers’ owner—and the bumps he’s taken over the past six years have proven it. But perhaps the learning curve will get a bit less bumpy going into Year No. 7.

As part of her recent look into the NFL’s coaching carousel, The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini put some focus on Tepper—who may ready to finally turn his ship towards the right direction.

Russini writes:

In Carolina, owner David Tepper has taken hit after hit around the league for meddling and creating a culture of fear, but a league source said Tepper has been self-reflective, blaming himself for almost all the mistakes made this season. The source said, “He’s incredibly accountable and ready to make it right. He’s rejuvenated.”

Since purchasing the team in 2018, Tepper has fired three head coaches—two of which he himself hired. Those two were Matt Rhule, who lasted 38 games, and Frank Reich, who lasted just 11.

Russini then hinted at who the billionaire owner may be zeroing in on next:

A league source said Tepper has his eye on Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who was his first choice last hiring cycle. Johnson is a native of western North Carolina and a former UNC walk-on quarterback but turned down a chance to continue conversations about the Panthers job last year because he didn’t feel ready to take over as a head coach. Now, the source said, Johnson is ready and is expected to have options.

Whether or not it’s related to Carolina’s head-coaching search—Tepper, according to CBS Sports senior NFL insider Jonathan Jones, reportedly spent “a good amount of time” with Johnson’s agent at last week’s league meetings.

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Cam Newton wants to save the Panthers

Cam Newton made another impassioned play at a presidential role for the struggling Carolina Panthers.

Cam Newton may really be serious about a presidential run in Charlotte.

Last week, when featured as a guest on The QB Room podcast, the former Most Valuable Player expressed a bit of interest in becoming the next team president of the Carolina Panthers. While the position isn’t necessarily up for grabs, Newton platformed on a few key issues.

“You know what I would like to interview for? Let me be the team president,” Newton told hosts Jordan Palmer and Kyle Allen. “And I guarantee you I can sell out. I can give you what you need from Bryce. I can also speak on terms of what the fans’ expectations is and also have the leverage to hold management and [David] Tepper accountable.”

Well, he expanded on that proposition during Thursday’s episode of his YouTube show 4th & 1 with Cam Newton—where he addressed a pretty intriguing speech to owner David Gunther Alan Tepper:

So, is it time to break out the “Yes We Cam” shirts again?

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Report: Panthers ‘intrigued’ by pairing 1st-year offensive HC with DC Ejiro Evero

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Panthers are “intrigued” by the idea of pairing a first-time offensive HC with current DC Ejiro Evero.

Can the Carolina Panthers have their cake and eat it too? Well, they may try.

Even before the organization’s head-coaching position opened up for the second time in as many years, Ejiro Evero didn’t seem long for their defensive coordinator spot. The impressive 42-year-old, who did a fine job with the Denver Broncos in 2022 and an even better one with the Panthers in 2023, has been a hot name in league circles for some time now.

But will Carolina and owner David Tepper, who is reportedly focused on hiring another offensive-minded coach to lead his team, be able to keep Evero right where he is? ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler thinks the Panthers may attempt to pair a first-time offensive head coach with Evero.

Fowler wrote the following on Wednesday:

After asking around, the sense is the Panthers are at least intrigued by this idea. Evero has done an impressive job with the Panthers’ defense, which ranks third in total defense and passing defense despite minimal offensive help and a rash of injuries. He will most likely be on the head-coaching interview circuit and could interview in-house with Carolina, but with him under contract with the Panthers, he’s an asset they’d like to keep should they focus on offense with their coaching search, as most expect.

Evero interviewed for Carolina’s head-coaching vacancy last season. But, in what may have been the only stroke of genius in assembling the 2023 coaching staff, Tepper and company were able to get the highly-regarded play-caller to take on their defensive coordinator post.

Time will tell what this year’s market has in store for both the Panthers and Evero. And until then, the latter has three more games to put the cherry on top of an already remarkable résumé.

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Panthers introduce facial recognition technology for fans, nobody shows up

The Carolina Panthers introduced facial recognition technology for their fans this Sunday, and barely any of them showed up.

The Carolina Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons 9-7 on Sunday to raise their record to 2-12 on the season, but we’re wondering if it matters, because this game looked like a preseason scrimmage. Barely anybody showed up on a drizzly day at Bank of America Stadium, which is a refutation of owner David Tepper and everything that’s gone wrong this season.

There’s good news, though — the Panthers are at the forefront of modern technology, allowing their fans to use facial recognition technology to enter the stadium.

From the release:

The Panthers and Verizon are adding facial recognition technology at Bank of America Stadium that “will allow football fans to get into games faster.” Beginning with this weekend’s home game against the Falcons, Silver Club season ticket holders “will be able to opt in at the north and south stadium gates” to get in without showing their tickets “but instead by being recognized at iPad stations using Verizon’s ‘Express Entry’ technology.” Verizon technology is now in all 30 NFL stadiums, but the Panthers are “one of the first in the league to introduce ‘Express Entry’ facial recognition.” Tepper Sports & Entertainment “declined to disclose” how much the entry system cost. Tepper Sports “plans to make available facial recognition entry to all Panthers’ season ticket holders next season”

Well, the Panthers have two of their last three games of the 2023 season at home — against the Green Bay Packers next Sunday, and the season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on January 7. We’ll just have to wait and see if anybody shows up to test it.

Report: Commanders owner Josh Harris ‘active and engaged’ at NFL’s Front Office & GM Accelerator Program meetings

Did Josh Harris meet Washington’s prospective future GM at the NFL’s Front Office & General Manager Accelerator Program last week?

Josh Harris took over as owner of the Washington Commanders almost exactly five months ago. Harris noted when he took over, there was plenty to do, but his ownership group’s focus was on upgrading FedEx Field, the 2023 season and improving fan relations.

Thirteen games into the season, the Commanders are 4-9, and there are four games remaining. It’s expected that Harris will move on from head coach Ron Rivera and at least some in the front office. Harris always intended to give Rivera the 2023 season and has enjoyed a healthy working relationship with the coach.

But Harris is always looking ahead. He was present at last week’s NFL owners meetings in Dallas. What was so significant about the most recent owners meetings? It was the NFL’s Front Office & General Manager Accelerator Program. The goal of the program is to “strengthen the pipeline of diverse candidates across all levels of the league.”

According to CBS NFL insider Jonathan Jones, Harris, along with Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper, were the two owners “most active and engaged” with participants in the program.

Sources said the two team owners most active and engaged with participants at the program were Washington’s Josh Harris and Tepper, both of whom could have GM openings by the end of the season. League sources believe as many as a half-dozen GM jobs will be open.

These meetings are important. As Jones noted, it was last year’s Accelerator meetings where Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk met Ran Carthon. Tennessee hired Carthon as its general manager in January.

While Washington fans are impatient due to another meaningless year of December football, Harris has preached patience. In January, Harris will likely begin reshaping the Commanders in his vision.

Report: David Tepper spent ‘good amount of time’ with Ben Johnson’s agent at league meetings

According to CBS Sports, Panthers owner David Tepper spent a “good amount of time” with Ben Johnson’s agent at this week’s league meetings.

If Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is indeed David Tepper’s white whale, then it might be full steam ahead in this regime’s third head-coaching search.

According to CBS Sports senior NFL insider Jonathan Jones, the Carolina Panthers owner may have recently been trying to put in a good word on his own behalf with Johnson’s agent. Jones wrote the following in his column from Saturday:

Carolina owner David Tepper has said he wants his next coach to be there for the next 20 to 30 years, so that alone would eliminate the 71-year-old Belichick. (Tepper is expected to make another run at Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and the billionaire spent a good amount of time with Johnson’s agent at this week’s league meetings.)

Johnson was one of the perceived favorites for the Panthers during last year’s search. But the young play-caller ultimately opted to turn down interview requests and stick around in Detroit to finish business.

Tepper’s reported eyes for Johnson, however, haven’t completely closed. Jones’ colleague Josina Anderson noted back in late November that Johnson is expected to receive interest for the vacancy.

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Cam Newton pitches Panthers: Let me be the team president

Newton 2024?

Yes he Cam?

Carolina Panthers great Cam Newton may have begun his presidential bid on Wednesday’s episode of The QB Room podcast. When asked by hosts Jordan Palmer and Kyle Allen if he—like Greg Olsen—would be interested in coaching the team back to prominence, the franchise’s all-time leading passer made a pitch for another role.

“You know what I would like to interview for? Let me be the team president,” Newton said. “And I guarantee you I can sell out. I can give you what you need from Bryce. I can also speak on terms of what the fans’ expectations is and also have the leverage to hold management and Tepper accountable.

“I don’t wanna be a coach. I’m a businessman. So at the end of the day, I see a situation in Carolina where it’s a lot of [expletive]-ups that has been takin’ place. No question about it. And I think Tepper’s success as a businessman thought he was gonna come into a situation and run that kind of similar. As he know, and found out, this ain’t the same thing.

“So I would love to help him as well as everything, because I will always be connected to Carolina. I will never bet against, go against Carolina. It’s a part of me. Hell, I still have residences in Carolina. I don’t think I care enough to coach, but I would love to be in an advisory situation to help the overall franchise.”

Newton—on a recent episode of his own show, 4th & 1—has already stated that he believes Tepper has failed to establish a culture within the organization. The Panthers, under Tepper’s six-year reign, have gone a combined 30-65 with zero winning seasons.

Right now, Carolina has a struggling No. 1 overall pick under center, a disheartened and frustrated fan base and, of course, a lack of victories. If only Newton knew something about No. 1 overall picks, energizing a fan base and winning in Charlotte . . .

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