Norris Thornburg

Draft Outlook: Where Will Carolina Pick?

With the loss on Sunday, the Panthers moved from pick 14 to pick 12. Looking at the remaining schedule, it’s likely that Carolina will lose the rest of the games. Unless, of course, they pull off a miracle or the Saints sit their starters in week 17 again. There are three teams with the same record as Carolina, and two more teams that are within a game of them. Let’s take a look:

Denver Broncos 5-8

The Broncos are 11th in draft order, and they will likely move up. Behind the play of rookie quarterback, Drew Lock, Denver put up 38 points against the Houston Texans, beating them on the road. They play the Chiefs this week, but their last two games are against the reeling Lions and the Raiders. I’d like to think they’d win at least one of those games, but likely two of them. They should finish 7-9.

LA Chargers 5-8

The Chargers are currently in 10th place in draft order. They looked good against the Jaguars last week, as they dropped 45 points on them. They’ve won three out of their last six, and those three losses were close games. The Raiders beat them by two, the Chiefs beat them by seven and the Broncos beat them by three. They’re last three opponents are the Vikings, Raiders and Chiefs. Depending on which Chargers’ team shows up, they can beat any of these teams. Realistically, they’ll likely end the season at 6-10, after only beating the Raiders. They could beat the Chiefs in week 17 if the Chiefs sit their starters, as well.

New York Jets 5-8

New York is currently in 9th place in draft order, and they have a tougher schedule than you’d want them to have. Their next three games are the Ravens, Steelers and Bills. The only game they could possibly win is against the Bills, only because it’s a division rival and Buffalo only won by one point in their last meeting. If they can pull off the upset against any of these teams, it will help the Panthers’ draft order immensely. Hopefully they’ll end up 6-10.

Atlanta Falcons 4-9

Atlanta sits in 8th place, and we can all agree that we don’t want them drafting ahead of Carolina. The Falcons play San Francisco, Jacksonville and Tampa in their last three games. Realistically, they won’t beat the 49ers, but they should beat the Jaguars and Bucs. Even if the Falcons only win one more game and finished with the same record as Carolina, the Panthers would still jump ahead of Atlanta in the draft based on strength of schedule. They’ll likely finish 6-10, if they keep up their current play.

Jacksonville Jaguars 4-9

The Jaguars are struggling right now, and they’re sitting at 7th in draft order. Not sure that they’ll win another game, but it’s possible. The games they have left are against the Raiders, Falcons and Colts. It’s not likely they’ll beat the Falcons, as they’ve been playing well lately. The Colts have dropped five of the last six games, so it’s possible that the Jags could beat them. They could also possibly beat the Raiders, although it’s not likely they beat both. The Jaguars will probably win one of the last three, putting them at 5-8. Fortunately, they’ll still be ahead of Carolina in draft order due to strength of schedule.

WILDCARD

Detroit Lions 3-9-1

Detroit is a wildcard team in this scenario. They’re currently in 5th place for the order of the draft, and have a schedule that they could win two of the last three games. With their last three games being against the Bucs, Broncos and Packers, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that they’ll win two of those three. Especially if Matt Stafford returns to action. This scenario isn’t likely, but possible. If Detroit gets to 5-10-1, Carolina will move ahead of them in draft order.

The top 5-6 picks are pretty much set, and a few of these things likely won’t happen. After all is said and done, I expect Carolina to pick either 7th or 8th in the 2020 draft. With any luck, they’ll draft either left tackle Andrew Thomas (they might have to trade to 2nd overall to get him) or defensive lineman Derrick Brown from Auburn. What do you think about this draft position and who would you want at that spot? #KeepPounding

It’s Time For Willy G.

Prime Cuts with Norris

There are only three games left in the season and Kyle Allen has started all but two of them. With the Panthers officially eliminated from playoff contention, it’s time to put Allen on the bench and play Will Grier.

Kyle Allen has started 11 games, and has won five of them. Not singlehandedly, but the team has won nevertheless. Allen, basically a rookie, has had ups and downs throughout the season. He has a lot of deficiencies in his game, but he’s played decent enough (good at times, bad at times) to earn a spot as a backup, beyond 2019.

The reasoning behind giving Grier a chance is simple, you need to see what you have in the guy you chose in the third round. Marty Hurney told the media that he had Will Grier higher than Kyler Murray on their draft board. We already know Allen will have a spot on the roster in 2020, so why not give Grier a shot?

Will Grier celebrates with friends and family after being drafted 100th overall by the Carolina Panthers.

Playing Grier would also give other teams an idea of what Carolina has with him. If Grier goes out and plays well, the Panthers could use Grier as trade bait. The Patriots did that for Jimmy Garoppolo and got a second round pick from San Francisco. Not saying Grier is anywhere near the player that Jimmy G. is, but how would we know?

The team has said that they don’t want to ruin Kyle’s confidence by starting Grier, but at this point, it wouldn’t hurt. Interim head coach, Perry Fewell, recently said that Allen will start against Seattle, as he didn’t want to start a “quarterback controversy” right now. That’s kind of a lame excuse considering they’re both backups. How can you have a backup quarterback controversy? The team has also said that they have a young quarterback in Allen that needs to gain confidence in his position. Isn’t Grier also a young quarterback that could use some confidence?

Will Grier could be the quarterback of the future, too. Who knows? A lot of fans have been clamoring for Will to play for the last five or six weeks. Obviously the coaching staff has a reason for keeping him on the bench, but practice is a whole lot different than real game situations. Why not give the kid a shot in the last two or three games? You really don’t have anything to lose by playing him, but you have a whole lot to lose by wasting your third round pick.

Unless, of course, the team is trying to tank and they think Grier would win some games….The time is now to see what the kid has. It’s not likely that he could win any of the next three games anyway. What do you think, Panthers’ fans?

Stop Listening to the “Talking Heads” About Cam’s Future

Prime Cuts with Norris

Ever since week two, the talking heads in the media have written him out of Carolina. On September 15th, Michael Vick gave his bold prediction on Fox NFL Sunday that Cam wouldn’t be with the Panthers in 2020. It hasn’t stopped since that day. Analysts will tell their audience that Cam is washed up in one breath, and in the next they’ll talk about how he can transform another team into a Super Bowl contender.

The most recent story is from Ian Rapoport, who said the Panthers are open to trading Cam, and they’re holding out for a big deal. Let’s not forget that Rapoport is the same guy who said “Antonio Brown to the Buffalo Bills is a done deal” and then Brown was traded to the Raiders. Rapoport has been wrong so many times and is really good at covering all bases. After all, the best media members are able to create storylines (to engage readers) and then cover themselves with all angles, so that they are able to maintain credibility.

Cam is one of the most polarizing individuals in the NFL and he’s a great talking point to get clicks and views. That’s the reason every analyst can’t keep his name out of their mouth. The only thing to be sure of when talking about the future of Cam in Carolina, is no one is sure about anything. There have been no decisions made. Nothing is set in stone.

Cam is set to have surgery this week on his foot to repair the lisfranc injury that put him out for the season. The very decision about Cam’s future, hinges on how healthy he can get. Let’s be clear…..Carolina wants to keep Cam. David Tepper and Marty Hurney know that it’s hard to find franchise quarterbacks. However, there are many variables that will go into their decision, but it’ll be a few months until anything can play out. So, trading him and keeping him are both on the table at this point.

Let’s try to make sense of things from a logical standpoint, shall we? First and foremost, if a team wants mega compensation for a player, it usually means the team doesn’t want to get rid of the player at all. They’re just covering all the bases. Another thing is, releasing Cam makes no sense because you get nothing for your franchise quarterback. You won’t be able to sign any player or players with his $18 million salary that will have the same impact on a game as Cam. Nor will you have any draft picks in exchange for Cam to select a new quarterback.

If Cam can’t get back to 100%, then the team would likely put him on the trading block, which would make the most sense if they’re trying to move on. However, a team isn’t going to give them a “big deal” if he’s at 80%. With surgery looming and no guarantees about his health at this point, it really makes no sense to do anything but keep him. A healthy Cam is the best option at quarterback at this point. Especially when you consider that his salary is low compared to half of the NFL quarterbacks’ salaries.

Other variables will also go into the Panthers’ decision about Cam’s future. For instance, does Cam even want to play here on a one year salary? That’s a huge risk for a player of Cam’s caliber. Newton’s agent may want to try to get an extension before he takes the field. No one knows. Another variable would be, what if Carolina continues losing and ends up with the chance to get their next franchise quarterback? Would they let Cam play out his contract and let the rookie sit?

The talking heads also fail to realize that the team doesn’t even have a head coach or really even a general manager. David Tepper fired Ron Rivera and is keeping Marty Hurney with a more limited role, as he will be the college talent evaluator and scouting consultant. Without a head coach or general manager, there’s no possible way to figure out what the future of Cam Newton looks like. It’s all talking points and speculation. If I’m a potential head coach, a healthy MVP quarterback is a huge selling point.

In my personal opinion, if Cam gets healthy, you have to keep him. You’re not going to find anyone as impactful as Cam with his salary. The team isn’t going to get that back breaking deal that they want. They likely won’t get anything higher than a third round pick, which is the same round comp pick they’d get if they kept Cam and let him go after next season. A healthy Cam is still really good, as fans saw in the first eight games of last year, when he was putting up better numbers than he was in 2015. The team is set to have quite a bit of salary cap this offseason, and there will be a lot of moves to create more cap room. So the team doesn’t necessarily need Cam’s cap savings. But no one knows what’s going to happen yet.

Bottom line is, stop listening to the media. They are there to make stories about things that aren’t really stories at all. Their job is to get as many clicks as possible, and right now, Cam is their main source of income. Currently, Cam Newton is a Carolina Panther. The best course of action for the fans is to let things play out. The Panthers are rebuilding, but that doesn’t mean it’s an overhaul. If Cam is healthy, it makes perfect sense to keep him around next year. If that’s the road they go, drafting a franchise left tackle in the first round is something they need to look into. Nobody can play quarterback for the Panthers behind that line, and Kyle Allen isn’t the answer. Now, can we let Cam heal up and give him the respect that he’s earned?

A Look Ahead: Falcons

Game Breakdowns, Prime Cuts with Norris

Panthers

At

Falcons

1:00

Well, that was a bad loss. So bad, that it cost Ron Rivera his job. We would like to thank Coach Rivera for everything he’s contributed to the team and wish him luck in the future. There’s no doubt that he will be a solid head coach elsewhere. Now, let’s look ahead to the falcons:

Atlanta Falcons

Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator

Dan Quinn

Offensive Coordinator

Dirk Koetter

Key Acquisitions

DE Adrian Clayborn

DT Allen Bailey

S Jonathan Cyprien

Key Losses

S Keanu Neal (IR)

S Jonathan Cyprien (IR)

WR Muhammed Sanu (Traded)

CB Justin Bethel

RB Tevin Coleman

RB Ito Smith (IR)

Key Draft Picks

G Chris Lindstrom

OT Kaleb McGary

The Falcons have only won three games this year, but one of those wins came against Carolina. This time around, they’ll have Devonte Freeman back, so they’ll look to run against the Panthers’ porous rush defense.

Carolina Panthers

Head Coach(Interim)

Perry Fewell

Offensive Coordinator

Scott Turner (Norv Turner is Special Assistant to Head Coach)

Defensive Coordinator

Eric Washington

Key Acquisitions

C Matt Paradis

LB Bruce Irvin

CB Javien Elliott

WR Chris Hogan

DT Gerald McCoy

S Tre Boston

K Joey Slye

Key Losses

QB Cam Newton (IR)

DE/DT Kawann Short (IR)

DT/NT Dontari Poe (IR)

LG Greg Van Roten (IR)

K Graham Gano (IR)

LB Thomas Davis

C Ryan Kalil

DE Julius Peppers

Key Draft Picks

DE Brian Burns

OT Greg Little

OT Dennis Daley

It’s been a long, hard road for Carolina this year. With all the injuries and the defensive scheme changes, it’s been too much to bare. It’s not all bad news, though. Of the eight losses that Carolina has, five of those were lost by one touchdown or less. That’s definitely something to build on for next season. Although, this team will probably look a lot different in 2020-21.

Things To Watch

Carolina

Kyle Allen had his ups and downs on Sunday, but couldn’t lead the team to a win with any last second heroics. Allen hasn’t done well this year when playing outdoors, so playing on turf this Sunday should suit Allen’s strengths. Allen will need to go through his progressions faster and get the ball out quicker against Atlanta, if he wants to win this game. New offensive coordinator, Scott Turner, will no doubt have some new wrinkles up his sleeve, as he auditions for the job on a more permanent basis. Hopefully, the protection up front will give Allen a little more time to find the open receiver.

Christian McCaffrey was held in check on Sunday, but that’s mainly because Carolina abandoned the run when started losing. This was only the third game this season in which McCaffrey was held without a touchdown. Atlanta is in the middle of the pack against the run, as they are ranked 16th and allowing 108.6 yards per game. CMC will be used early and often, and he will be used heavily in the passing game as well. Look for a lot of misdirection plays this weekend. Also, with the lack of protection, look for a few screen passes to McCaffrey.

DJ Moore continues to impress fans, as he grows into the number one receiver role. Both him and Samuel had touchdowns on Sunday, showcasing their ability to get separation. (Wright showed he could open too, on the last play of the game) The Panther receivers will get their chance to make plays on Sunday against the 26th ranked pass defense. Scott Turner is calling plays, so there’s no telling what he has up his sleeve. There will likely be a lot of short routes to get the ball out of Allen’s hand faster. With Greg Olsen out, Ian Thomas will have an increased role in the offense on Sunday.

The Panthers’ defense just continues to get gashed on the ground. This is caused by a few things, but it all comes down to missed assignments and lack of gap discipline. Some of it is the offense’s inability to sustain long drives, because the defense is spending the majority of the game on the field. Three and outs hurt the defense. This week, we don’t know who will calling the defensive plays, as Ron Rivera has been calling them since the middle of last year. Interim Head Coach, Perry Fewell, won a Super Bowl with the Giants as their defensive coordinator, so I’m betting he will call the plays. Hard to tell what kind of game he will call, but I think he will have the guys getting in their gaps and playing better. Brian Burns will likely play a lot more this Sunday, and they’ll need him at his best if they want to pressure Ryan.

Atlanta Falcons

Matt Ryan has been pretty solid this year, and burned the Panthers in their last meeting. He will likely be getting his tight end, Austin Hooper, back after being out for the past few weeks. Atlanta is second in the league in passing yards per game, at 295.6 yards per game. With weapons like Julio Jones and Austin Hooper, he could have another big game this Sunday. Don’t sleep on the Carolina pass defense, who has shown the ability to lock down passing games at times.

Devonte Freeman was absent the first time around, but he will be a full go on Sunday. Barring any defensive improvements by Carolina, Freeman could have a big day. Carolina has had trouble all year against misdirection running plays, so Atlanta will try to expose that deficiency.

Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Austin Hooper have been really good this year. This trio can be very dangerous when they’re hot. The Atlanta receivers beat Carolina with a lot of deep routes last time, so they’ll look to do that again.

The Falcons defense hasn’t been good the majority of the year, but they’ve gotten better as of late. Their pass rush has woken up and pressured the quarterback a lot lately. That’ll be the key to them winning. If they can pressure Allen, it’ll rattle him and he will make mistakes. Although, Allen has been really good in games played in domes.

Keys to a Carolina Victory

• Run the ball early and often. Get McCaffrey going. He’s a volume runner. Give him the ball. He should be able to do work against this defense.

• Pressure Ryan. If Carolina gets consistent pressure, it could be a long day for Matty Ice.

• Protect the ball. No turnovers!

• Contain Devonte Freeman.

• Maintain gap discipline on defense.

• Utilize McCaffrey heavily one the passing game.

• Win the time of possession battle. The offense needs to sustain long SCORING drives to keep the defense fresh and take the pressure off of them.

• Allen needs to read the defense faster. Allen has been a one read quarterback for most of the season, but he needs to go through his progressions just a little faster.

Key Matchups

• McCaffrey VS Falcons defensive line

• Samuel/Moore VS Falcons secondary

• Bradberry VS Jones

• Carolina’s pass rush VS Ryan

• Freeman VS Carolina’s defensive line

• Carolina offensive line VS Atlanta defensive line

Injury Report

Carolina

Greg Little OUT

Greg Olsen OUT

Atlanta

Ty Sambrailo OUT

James Carpenter OUT

Carolina takes a huge hit with Greg Olsen and Greg Little out this weekend. Dennis Daley and Ian Thomas will be their replacements. Atlanta will be without two offensive linemen, but it shouldn’t affect their passing game much.

Prediction

Atlanta whooped Carolina in their last meeting, but this time the game is in a dome. Kyle Allen thrives indoors, as he’s had 9 touchdowns and no interceptions in those games. Carolina will look like a much different team, as they’ll win 30-24 in Atlanta. Half of Panther Nation will cheer and the other half will be upset at losing draft positioning. Christian McCaffrey will go off and have 230 total yards and 2 touchdowns. The Carolina defense will smother Devonte Freeman and only allow 65 yards rushing. This will be a statement win for Perry Fewell, as he’s interviewing for a coaching position. Keep Pounding, Panther fans!

Carolina Coaching Search: Why This Should Be An Attractive Landing Spot

Prime Cuts with Norris

The search for a new head coach in Carolina begins now. On Tuesday, December 3rd, Ron Rivera was fired from the Carolina Panthers. Rivera had been the head coach since 2011 and had a record of 76-63-1. In 2015, Rivera led the Panthers to Super Bowl 50, where they fell to the Denver Broncos.

In the entire existence of the Panthers, they’ve never had back to back seasons over .500, and that’s something that owner David Tepper wants to change. That change helps Rivera, too, as he gets a chance to have a fresh start elsewhere. A fresh start that he deserves. Ron Rivera is one of the nicest people I’ve met, and he is well respected within the NFL. He will be hired by another team the moment the offseason begins.

The Panthers start their coaching search immediately and David Tepper likely already has one or two people in mind. Tepper isn’t going to make any rash decisions in hiring a candidate either. He wants to build a team that can sustain success, so he will be very thorough in his evaluation process.

For the potential head coach candidates, this is a very intriguing job opportunity. There is a lot for a coach to like when they look at the Panthers. Let’s take a look at what some selling points would be for the future head coach of the Panthers:

Owner Who Wants To Win No Matter What

David Tepper will not accept mediocrity, as he has told the media, and he will spare no expense to make sure his team has every advantage needed. Tepper was perplexed at the fact that the team didn’t have an indoor practice facility, so he had a practice bubble built. He’s made upgrades within the stadium that needed to be made as well. Tepper is the type of owner that will do what it takes to have his team in position to win, no matter the cost. That starts with a new head coach.

Coach Can Rebuild the Trenches

It’s no secret that Carolina has issues on both the offensive, and defensive, lines this year. As everyone knows, success starts in the trenches. A new coach can implement his scheme and employ players on the lines that best suit his scheme. Most of the players on the defensive side of the ball are set to become free agents, so a new coach will have an opportunity to rebuild the defense as they see fit. Chances are, this will be an offensive minded coach, so he will have to employ a solid defensive coordinator to oversee the line. The offensive line needs a lot of work, so that’s one of the first thing a new coach will look at. It all starts in the trenches.

Southern Hospitality

Ron Rivera mentioned “southern hospitality” in his final press conference on Wednesday. The Carolina Panthers have some of the best fans in the league and that’s a huge plus for any new coach. We could probably do more to support the team during losing seasons, but overall it’s a great fan base. The vast majority will support and show up for the team when they need us most. There’s also a growing number of super fans, who dress in costumes to support their team. Some, like the photo below, have been here since day one.

Frann, Loretta, Alain “The Mad Cattah”, “Mr. and Mrs. Jumpzone” Sue and Britt, “Panthers’ Thanos” Jorge and Reggie all tailgate prior to a game.

Salary Cap

The Panthers won’t have the most salary cap funds to spend, but they’ll have enough to persuade a coach. Carolina is estimated to have around $43 million in cap space for the upcoming offseason. There are moves that will happen to open up more cap space, both forcefully and organically. Dontari Poe will likely be cut as a cap casualty, which will add around $10 million to the cap.

With the changing of the guard, coupled with his recent concussion and injury history the past three years, it could be time for Greg Olsen to hang it up. Couple that with the recent struggles of McFarland on Monday Night Football, it could be the perfect time for Olsen to hop on the analyst train. It hurts to say, but it may be time. That’ll give Carolina an additional $8 million towards their cap.

Having $61 million in cap space could be a huge selling point for a new head coach. There are other moves that could free up even more money if needed, as well.

Warm Climate

As trivial as this may sound, this impacts the decision of some potential coaches. Even in December, the average temperature is around 55 degrees on game day. That’s a pretty big selling point for an organization. David Tepper has also mentioned eventually building a dome or a retractable roof stadium in the future, so that’s something else to think about for a new coach.

Christian McCaffrey

Who wouldn’t want to coach McCaffrey? The guy is a beast and will be a cornerstone in the offense for years to come. He’s the perfect player to build your team around, both on the field and off. Offensive minded coaches everywhere are salivating at the chance to coach CMC.

DJ Moore

Moore has turned into a solid number one receiver this year. He’s an underrated player that will be a nice piece in a new head coaches offense. DJ is a dangerous weapon with the ball in his hands and can get a lot of yards after the catch, which will entice a new head coach.

Luke Kuechly

While Luke has struggled with adapting to the new defensive scheme, he’s still a cornerstone of the defense and one of the best middle linebackers in the league. If he had a rebuilt, dominant defensive line, he’d no doubt be a force again. Luke is 28 years old and still has 5-7 years of football left, so he’s the perfect player for a new head coach to build his defense around.

Brian Burns

Burns is an amazing talent on the defensive side of the ball. He’s been hindered a bit with injuries, but when he’s on the field, the team goes to another level. He, along with Luke, are pieces that will be very intriguing to a new head coach.

Relatively Early 2020 Draft Pick

With the way things are heading, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Carolina could slide into a top ten draft pick this offseason. Currently they’re slated to pick 14th, but that could change if they can’t win another game or two. 11 teams have a worse record than Carolina, but five of those teams are within a game of the Panthers. A new coach having a top 10 pick is definitely a good selling point.

Cam Newton

Many have written Cam Newton out of Carolina. It absolutely could happen. However, an offensive minded coach might be intrigued by having a mobile, former MVP quarterback at the helm until he finds his guy. What makes Cam so intriguing is, if he is healthy, he’s still one of the best quarterbacks in the league. We all saw that in the first half of 2018 before he injured his throwing shoulder. Cam is having surgery in December to repair his foot from a lisfranc injury and could very well be ready to go in June or July of 2020. Which means, he could be available for mini-camp in mid June.

Another intriguing aspect of Cam is, his contract is relatively cheap compared to other starting quarterbacks around the league. He’s the 15th highest paid quarterback in the league, but when he’s healthy, he plays like he’s in the top ten. If Cam is healthy, there isn’t anyone that Carolina could sign with his salary that would be as dynamic as Cam. A new coach will already know that.

Releasing Cam makes little sense, as you’d be getting nothing in return for your franchise quarterback. Trading him makes more sense, but with surgery looming, it’s doubtful that the team will get what they deserve for him. Keeping Cam is really the only option for 2020, and an offensive minded coach will probably be ok with that. Granted, the coach will be looking for Cam’s replacement for the 2021 season, barring an offensive explosion by a healthy Newton. No matter what, the quarterback position has to be addressed immediately into the offseason, so that Allen isn’t fielding snaps next season.

One more aspect of Cam, is the salary they’d save if they did move on from him. If a team does trade for Cam, Carolina would save around $17 million in cap. If the new coach deems Cam as replaceable, that extra $17 million would be a huge chunk of money to entice a coach to come to Carolina. It’s all about options.

This is a strong destination, with many advantages for any potential head coaching candidate. The Panthers have a long way to go before hiring a new coach, but an offensive minded person seems like the way to go in the new NFL. Who will it be? Who will they interview? All of these things will be answered in February or March. However, it’s fun to speculate. Panther Nation, who do you want as your next head coach?