Tag: Ian Thomas

Should the Panthers consider a trade for O.J. Howard?

Tight end is one of many positions the Carolina Panthers need to address in next week’s draft.

Tight end is one of many positions the Carolina Panthers need to address in next week’s draft. Picking one when there are so many holes to fill on the other side of the ball might seem like a luxury. However, the team needs to add another weapon at this spot to help compensate for the loss of Greg Olsen, regardless of how they feel about Ian Thomas.

Trouble is, this isn’t supposed to be a deep draft class at tight end so it might be hard to pick up a difference-maker. One possible solution would be to address this need before the draft begins with a trade.

According to Michael Lombardi, the Buccaneers are trying to trade O.J. Howard, per Greg Auman at the Athletic.

Howard has fallen on hard times since he was a first-round pick back in 2017. He caught six touchdown passes as a rookie and five more in 2018. Last season, he scored just once though to go with a medicore 34 catches and 459 receiving yards on 53 targets.

Tampa’s new quarterback Tom Brady has never been shy about freezing out receivers who he doesn’t trust. If Brady doesn’t feel confident in throwing at Howard, it makes sense for the Bucs to try to get what they can for him now. Remember, they still have Cameron Brate on the roster at a reasonable price and he has proven to be more consistent than Howard to this point. They also have plenty of other receiving weapons to lose him without feeling a sting.

The question is if Matt Rhule and the team’s new tight ends coach Brian Angelichio believe they could resurrect a once-promising career. Bruce Arians made some eyebrow-raising remarks about Howard during the season though and if he can’t get Howard to produce then it doesn’t bode well for his future in the NFL.

Then again, he was a first-round pick for a reason and once upon a time the Panthers were showing interested in him – although that was during Dave Gettleman’s time as general manager. Legend has it that Howard was actually No. 2 on the team’s board behind Christian McCaffrey.

If they can get Howard for a Day 3 pick now it would be worth the risk.

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Panthers waive backup tight end Marcus Baugh

The Panthers made a roster move on Friday, cutting backup tight end Marcus Baugh.

The Panthers made a roster move on Friday, cutting backup tight end Marcus Baugh, per the league’s transaction report. Baugh spent the entire 2019 season on the injured reserve list. He played his college career at Ohio State, totaling 607 yards and eight touchdowns on 55 catches.

Losing Baugh is no big deal for the team’s tight end depth chart. However, Carolina also released veteran Greg Olsen a few weeks ago and he’s since sinced with Seattle. While he’s not the same Olsen he was from 2014-2016 when he was the most consistently productive tight end in the league, Olsen was still the best option on the roster and they’ll likely miss him in 2020.

Ian Thomas is the heir apparent for Olsen’s playing time. In 2019, he flashed some ability late in the season and finished with 136 yards and a touchdown. Thomas has also had some issues with drops, though and he has very limited experience, having only played 828 offensive snaps in the NFL.

The Panthers might want to consider picking a tight end in this year’s draft. Thaddeus Moss is a popular mock pick for Carolina. He played in Joe Brady’s offense at LSU and his dad was pretty decent at catching a ball.

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Panthers injury updates: TE Greg Olsen clears concussion protocol

Panthers tight end Greg Olsen told reporters today that he’s cleared the concussion protocol.

Panthers tight end Greg Olsen told reporters today that he’s cleared the concussion protocol.

Olsen has sat out the last two games due to the injury he suffered when Washington linebacker Ryan Anderson gave him a direct head shot, which got him ejected from the game. Olsen appeared to be knocked out immediately from the blow and was quickly ruled out from returning. After missing a week of practice, Olsen was a limited participant last week. He says he could have been cleared earlier but the trainers were being cautious.

Ian Thomas had a mini-breakout game in Olsen’s absence against Atlanta, but he was not a factor in the loss to Seattle. After posting 57 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons, he managed just 23 on two catches Sunday. Thomas may yet develop into a true No. 1 tight end. He’s not there yet, though. That means the Panthers can ill afford to lose Olsen.

While there’s been a lot of speculation about a future in broadcasting, Olsen says he wants to come back and play in 2020.

Olsen is under contract but the Panthers are likely to undergo massive changes in the front office this coming offseason. Whoever the new people in charge are might want to move on and get younger at the position.

Losing Olsen would come at a cost though, and not just on the field. According to Over the Cap, cutting Olsen would save the team $8.1 million in cap room but come with $3.7 million in dead money.

It’s been three years now since the Panthers had a healthy Cam Newton and a healthy Olsen on the field for more than half a season together. They were one of the league’s most productive QB/TE combos, though. Between 2014-2016, Olsen averaged over 1,000 receiving yards and scored 16 total touchdowns.

Getting back to those levels is probably unrealistic at this point, but Olsen appears to have enough juice left to play for a couple more years.

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Fantasy football thoughts for Week 15

Jimmy Garoppolo and Jared Goff are must starts while you should stay away from Jameis Winston and Mitchell Trubisky in Week 15 of fantasy football.

It’s semifinal playoff week in fantasy football leagues and that means it’s imperative to make the right decisions on your lineup. Especially at quarterback.

Pick the right guy at quarterback and you could be playing for a championship next week. Pick the wrong guy and you won’t even be playing next week.

I’ve scoured the advice that’s out there from a bunch of fantasy gurus and I don’t agree with the consensus on several quarterbacks, mainly Tampa Bay’s Jameis Winston and Chicago’s Mitchell Trubisky. Most experts are saying to start them both because they’ve put up big numbers lately.

I disagree with that and think you should sit Winston and Trubisky unless you have no other choice. Winston will be playing with a slight fracture in his right thumb and will be without receiver Mike Evans. Trubisky will be going against a tough Green Bay defense. Stay clear of both these guys.

The quarterbacks I think you should be starting are Jared Goff and Jimmy Garoppolo and that’s based mainly on the fact that both have favorable matchups. Goff and the Rams play the Cowboys, who have struggled with pass defense recently. San Francisco’s Garoppolo plays the Falcons, who have struggled against the passing game all year.

The quarterbacks are the headliners and I’ll share more thoughts on them later. But I also cover the other positions in my thoughts for Week 15 in fantasy football.

Robert Woods is a must-start

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

The Rams receiver has had at least 95 receiving yards in each of the last four games he’s played in. He’s got a favorable matchup this week. The Cowboys have allowed seven touchdown passes to wide receivers in the last four weeks.

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Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says Panthers have ‘a lot of fire-power’

Michael Bennett once compared the Panthers to an ‘attractive cousin’ for the Seahawks.

Michael Bennett once compared the Panthers to an ‘attractive cousin’ for the Seahawks. It was an interesting choice of words but illustrative of how similar the two teams are and how familiar they became over this last decade. This has mostly been a one-sided affair, though. Since Pete Carroll became head coach in 2010, Seattle has won seven of nine meetings between these non-division rivals.

Carroll’s teams have mostly out-matched Carolina’s from a talent perspective. The 2015 season was the exception to the rule. However, this current Panthers team does have a number of promising pieces, especially on offense. Here’s what Carroll says he sees on film this year, per the team website.

“Well, I see a lot of fire-power. A lot of special players – players with a lot of special dynamics. They run well, in general. They’re playmakers out there on both sides of the ball. So, they look very dangerous scheme wise. They do difficult stuff. Norv (Turner) has always been a really big factor in putting together good offenses.”

Carroll has it right. The combination of Christian McCaffrey and D.J. Moore in particular has been astoundingly productive. Together, they have totaled more scrimmage yards (3,037) than any RB/WR combo at this point in the season since Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison in 2000.

James and Harrison of course had an all-time great quarterback that was just coming into his prime in Peyton Manning.

These young guns for the Panthers have considerably less help in that department and it’s the main reason the offense has fallen off this year. Moore and Curtis Samuel have suffered the most. Their catchable pass rates are both among the lowest in the league thanks to the accuracy and timing issues of backup QB Kyle Allen.

Carolina has another up-and-coming weapon in tight end Ian Thomas, who posted 57 yards and a touchdown last week against Atlanta with Greg Olsen ruled out. If Thomas can fix his issues with drops, he’ll be another very capable piece for the Panthers.

For those counting at home, that’s four young play-makers – plenty to field a competitive offense if the rest of the equation holds up.

Of course, this team was built to compete around a very different quarterback than Allen. If they are ever able to pair a 100% healthy Cam Newton with McCaffrey, Moore, Samuel, Thomas and especially a strong pass protecting offensive line – this could still be a special group.

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Panthers continue to flounder with 40-20 loss to Falcons

In true holiday spirit, they gave the game away.

With a 1-7 record at the unofficial halfway point of the season, the Atlanta Falcons were the unquestioned, undisputed laughingstock of the NFC South . . . that is, until, they got their hands on the Carolina Panthers.

Sunday’s trip to Atlanta marked a new low for the floundering Panthers⁠—whose collective hearts, minds and bodies seemingly stayed at home with the freshly dismissed Ron Rivera. In true holiday spirit, they gave the game away.

The first gift came late in the second quarter with the Panthers down 10-3, when tight end Ian Thomas mishandled what should have been a near-30-yard completion. Thomas bobbled a perfect toss from quarterback Kyle Allen, allowing an easy pick for safety Damontae Kazee. While they did limit the damage, redeeming one another on a one-yard touchdown connection to bring the deficit to three at the break, another teammate let Allen down soon after.

On the opening play of the third quarter, rookie left tackle Dennis Daley faltered in protection and gave Falcons defensive end Vic Beasley an open lane to the pocket. Beasley delivered a booming blindside hit to Allen’s back, forcing a fumble that’d set up a five-play, 46-yard touchdown drive for Atlanta.

Five minutes and a 93-yard touchdown catch by undrafted wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus later, returner Greg Dortch conjured up a fumble of his own, one that embarrassingly wound up in the hands of kicker Younghoe Koo. (Yup, it was that kind of day.) The Falcons capitalized on that as well, adding three more points to effectively put the game away at 30-10 with 4:55 left in the third.

Allen provided the cherry on top of the turnover-fest to wrap up the quarter. He’d miss Jarius Wright badly downfield, rewarding yet another layup to Kazee for his second interception.

Those four giveaways, added with the four from Week 10, have now given Atlanta eight of their 14 takeaways on the campaign. Oh, and they’ve given them half of their wins thus far, too.

Unfortunately, this is who the Carolina Panthers currently are and have been without a healthy Cam Newton under center, making today’s early report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that much more perplexing.

Since sustaining what is believed to be the major blow to his throwing shoulder on a hit from Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt a year ago, Newton has been playing with some sort of injury, whether it be to his arm or foot, since Week 10 of last season. The Panthers have gone 6-13 during that time.

With this latest defeat, Carolina has gone 0-4 against the Falcons over the last two seasons, bringing their NFC South record to 3-8 since 2018. If you expand that another year back and include their divisional round-loss to the New Orleans Saints in 2017, that record drops to 6-12.

The Panthers are now carrying a five-game losing streak on their backs, the second such streak over these last two dreadful, regrettable seasons.

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Panthers Highlights: TE Ian Thomas scores his first touchdown of 2019

The Panthers are getting the full Ian Thomas experience today.

The Panthers are getting the full Ian Thomas experience today. Watch the second-year tight end catch his first touchdown of the season and finally break the team’s streak of embarrassing failures at the goal line. Thomas also showed off some of his run after catch ability earlier in the game by bullying Ricardo Allen for some extra yards.

However, he also dropped a beautiful pass from Kyle Allen that was intercepted. Thomas has caught three of six targets, totaling 30 yards and a score.

The Falcons responded with another field goal by Younghoe Koo to close out the second quarter. They lead 13-10 at halftime.

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Panthers Highlights: TE Ian Thomas pushes for extra yards vs. Ricardo Allen

One exception was this catch and run by tight end Ian Thomas, who used his size to bully Falcons safety Ricardo Allen for some extra yards.

The first few series for the Panthers’ offense with Scott Turner calling the plays left much to be desired. Atlanta doubled up Carolina in yardage and time of possession in the first quarter. One exception was this nice catch and run by tight end Ian Thomas, who used his size to bully Falcons safety Ricardo Allen for some extra yards.

The score is tied 3-3 after a 46-yard field goal from Joey Slye.

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5 Panthers who need to step up vs. Falcons Week 14

Here are five guys who need to step it up in today’s game.

The Carolina Panthers embark on a new era in today’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. For the first time in almost nine years, someone other than Ron Rivera will be coaching the team. That means opportunities for new coaches and players to prove themselves.

Here are five guys who need to step it up in today’s game.

OC Scott Turner

The Panthers are mixing things up on both sides of the ball in the wake of Rivera’s exit. Norv Turner is now a special assistant to the coach, opening up room for his son Scott (QBs coach) to take over offensive play-calling duties. Turner was reported to be Kyle Allen’s biggest cheerleader last year, so it will be interesting to see what he can get out of him.

TE Ian Thomas

Another key change will take place at tight end. Greg Olsen has been ruled out with a concussion, so we’ll finally get to see more of the other tight ends on the roster like 2018 fourth-round pick Ian Thomas. Last season, Thomas showed flashes as well as some rough edges. If he can prove himself, the Panthers can feel much better about their future at this position.

LB Shaq Thompson

Thompson just signed a four-year contract extension that makes him one of the top-five off-ball linebackers in the league in terms of annual salary. Thompson has done everything he’s been asked so far, but now Carolina is paying for elite production at this spot. Thompson has to earn it.

CB Donte Jackson

Last time these two teams played, Jackson was handily beaten in his one-on-one matchups with Calvin Ridley. He caught all eight of his targets, totaling a season high 143 receiving yards and a touchdown. Jackson may have been battling an injury last time. Either way, he has to do better this time around.

HC Perry Fewell

Nobody will be under the spotlight more than interim head coach Perry Fewell, who will become the first black head coach in franchise history. Fewell’s background is as a defensive backs expert and he’s part of the reason that unit has exceeded expectations this year. If nothing else, Fewell should have this team as motivated as they’ve ever been in recent years.

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Panthers coach Ron Rivera gives updates on Kyle Allen, Greg Olsen

Panthers coach Ron Rivera just wrapped up his regular Monday press conference.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera just wrapped up his regular Monday press conference. He answered questions about the team’s four-game losing streak, his own job security and a few key players.

First up, fans who are holding out hope that we might get to see what third-round draft pick Will Grier can do this season are not going to like this. Rivera told reporters that Kyle Allen will continue to start at quarterback.

Allen played brilliantly two weeks ago against the Saints, but he floundered against a far inferior Redskins team after a hot start. On the deciding play of the game, he missed a wide open Jarius Wright in the end zone even though he appeared to be looking right at him. Instead of letting it fly, Allen scrambled and ran himself into another sack.

That sort of up-and-down dynamic has defined Allen’s season. It’s also pretty typical of a backup quarterback – even a good one like Allen. The Panthers should definitely keep him around for that role. However, we know what Allen is. It’s past time to find out what Grier can be.

For whatever reason, Rivera seems completely uninterested in giving Grier any legitimate playing time. When he was asked, Rivera responded “who knows.”

Moving on, Rivera also gave an update on tight end Greg Olsen, who took a vicious shot to the head from Washington linebacker Ryan Anderson. Olsen appeared to be knocked out immediately from the blow and made no effort to brace his fall. Anderson was ejected, while Olsen went into the concussion protocol and did not return to the game.

Rivera says Olsen is still in the protocol but didn’t give any more information than that. He did seem to hint that Olsen will be out this week, saying Ian Thomas has to be prepared to step up.

Thomas was a fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft and like a number of other young players, he hasn’t seen much playing time this year.

For what it’s worth, Thomas looked sharp after Olsen left the game. He caught all four of his targets from Allen, totaling 24 receiving yards. Thomas showed potential last season but also a need to develop more. It will be interesting to see how much progress he’s made.

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