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What Would A Draft Look Like if Carolina Traded for DeShaun Watson?

4 Man Forum, 4 Man Mocks, Uncategorized


By: 4MR Norris

It’s been less than two weeks since news broke that DeShaun Watson was unhappy with the Texans’ brass and wanted out of Houston. The very minute that the news broke, a lot of Carolina fans started drooling over the fact that a young franchise quarterback could be available via a trade. A trade that would likely involve three first round draft picks or, at the very least, two first rounders and an established player like Brian Burns or DJ Moore. 

If you go on any social media platform, you’ll see fans giving their opinions on whether or not to trade for Watson if he becomes available. Personally, I love Watson and think he’s one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the league. He led the league in passing yards this year without having a number one wide receiver. However, I’ve been fairly vocal about not wanting to give up a lot for Watson. Mainly because we’d have a quarterback but wouldn’t have any draft picks to build a team around him for at least 2-3 years. (If that sounds familiar, see Newton, Cam) 

Recently, I’ve started thinking about the “what if’s” of a trade for Watson. Mainly because Carolina just hired Sean Ryan, who has coached Watson, to be their Quarterbacks Coach. Given the fact that we still need a franchise quarterback, it could be worth a shot to try to trade for him. There’s already a pretty good core group on both sides of the ball, so maybe it wouldn’t be that bad, right? 

Let’s say, Carolina lands Watson and gives up pick 8 and first round picks in 2022 and 2023. Could Carolina still build a pretty good team around him this year? Here is a mock draft that shows what Carolina could potential do if they traded for DeShaun Watson: 

2nd Round

Liam Eichenberg OT Notre Dame 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ High School Athlete

Eichenberg is a three-year starter for the Irish as a left tackle. He would be an instant starter at a position that the Panthers have needed since Jordan Gross departed in 2013. The 6’6 305 pound prospect is a monster in the run game and will hold his own in pass protection. He has good hands and decent lateral mobility. This would solidify a position needed to help Watson succeed. 

The Draft Network NFL Player Comparison: Mike McGlinchey

3rd Round

Paulson Adebo CB Stanford 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ High School Athlete 

Corner is a position that the Panthers desperately need going into next season. Carolina opted to pay Shaq Thompson instead of retaining James Bradberry, who had a Pro Bowl season in 2020. The Panthers have Donte Jackson, but that’s the only starting caliber corner on the roster. Hopefully Carolina re-signs Rasul Douglas, who played well last year, but getting Adebo here would help catapult the secondary. Adebo has good length and has really good man coverage and zone coverage skills. He’s also willing to lay someone out when given the chance. 

The Draft Network NFL Player Comparison: CJ Henderson

4th Round 

Anthony Schwartz WR Auburn

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ High School Athlete

With Curtis Samuel possibly leaving in free agency, Carolina could use another speedy receiver. Schwartz’s fastest recorded 40 yard dash time is 4.27 seconds. He has soft hands and great suddenness off the line of scrimmage. This pick would give Watson another weapon to use in Joe Brady’s offense. 

5th Round (A)

LaBryan Ray DT Alabama

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ High School Athlete

Newly hired General Manager, Scott Fitterer, could be looking for different avenues for getting more salary cap space for the Panthers. Kawann Short could be one of the salary cap casualties due to the fact he has only played five games in two seasons and the Panthers could gain $9.7 million in cap space. Zach Kerr played well with Derrick Brown, but Carolina needs to add another defensive tackle to the rotation. Ray is a force against the run and would be a good two down threat. He won’t offer much on third down, but he’s the space eater that the Panthers could use right now. 

5th Round (B) COMPENSATORY PICK

Tommy Kraemer OG Notre Dame

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ High School Athlete

With Matt Paradis being the only starting offensive lineman (from 2020) under contract right now, offensive guard is a huge need. Kraemer could be a starter year one in the right offense, and I think that could be in Carolina. Pairing him beside Irish teammate, Eichenberg, could help his development tremendously. He’s a beast in the run game and will be sufficient enough in pass protection to offer Watson enough time to throw the ball. This would be a solid pick at this position. 

6th Round (A)

Brenden Jaimes OL Nebraska

Jaimes would come in and compete for a guard spot right away. He’s a versatile player that can play either tackle spot and either guard spot. Position versatility is something that Coach Rhule loves on his roster, so this is a no-brainer here in the sixth round. 

6th Round (B) COMPENSATORY PICK

Paddy Fisher LB Northwestern

Fisher is one of the linebackers that Carolina gets to coach in the Senior Bowl this year, so they’ll get a real close look at him. He plays fast and physical. He’s mastered the Peanut Punch, as he’s caused ten fumbles in four seasons for the Wildcats. Fisher would give the linebacker room some much needed depth coming out of the sixth round. 

7th Round 

Jimmy Morrissey OL Pittsburgh 

To close out the draft, Carolina could snag a back up center. A three year starter for the Pittsburgh Panthers, Morrissey blocks with good hand placement and sufficient strength. Give him a year or two to learn from Paradis and he could possibly take over at center. 

This would probably be a best case scenario draft outcome for Carolina and it would make Watson happy. Is a trade likely to happen? Probably not. However, the rumors are gaining some momentum. General Manager Scott Fitterer came out and said he will be aggressive with the roster while exploring every trade and free agent option. Make no mistake, Carolina WILL go after Watson this offseason, but they aren’t likely to have enough to beat out the Jets or Dolphins. 

There’s no doubt that Watson would make the Panthers a much better team, but is it worth giving up the future? Scott Fitterer will also trade back some in this draft, as that was his M.O. in Seattle. Also, these draft rankings will change throughout the offseason, so some of these players will rise and fall. Either way, this will be an interesting draft and offseason for the Panthers.

Edit: It’s worth noting that Watson has a no-trade clause in his contract, which means he can’t be traded to any team without his consent. This could drive down the asking price and takes the leverage out of Houston’s hands. Fitterer will be aggressive this offseason and this roster will look a lot different.

Would this draft work for Panther Nation if Carolina also got DeShaun Watson? 

Filed Under: 4 Man Forum, 4 Man Mocks, Uncategorized

A Look Ahead: Cardinals

Uncategorized

It’s only week three, but the season has been a letdown, to say the least. Fans had huge expectations for Carolina coming into this season, and the Panthers haven’t delivered. People are so miserable with the Panthers’ play, that they’ve turned on each other and started blaming Newton’s fashion as the reason they are losing. There are a lot of issues with the team, but Cam Newton’s attire isn’t one of them. Either way, on to week three and Carolina is playing the Arizona Cardinals in Arizona.

Arizona Cardinals

Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator

Kliff Kingsbury

Defensive Coordinator

Vance Joseph

Key Acquisitions

LB Terrell Suggs

WR Michael Crabtree

LB Jordan Hicks

G JR Sweezy

Key Losses

S Tre Boston

DE Marcus Golden

LB Josh Bynes

CB Patrick Peterson (Suspended for the first six games)

Key Draft Picks

QB Kyler Murray

CB Byron Murphy

DE Zach Allen

The Cardinals are searching for their first win of the season, as they have lost one game and tied another. Arizona didn’t have a ton of roster upgrades in the offseason, even though they only won three games in 2018. They did, however, have a solid draft. Quarterback, Kyler Murray, seems to have a ton of talent, and it looks to be translating fairly well at the next level. Corner, Byron Murphy, was one of the top defensive backs in the draft, and the Cardinals got him in the second round. Receiver, Andy Isabella and defensive end, Zach Allen, round out the last four rounds of a very good draft class. Murray, who has looked really good at times, is a mobile guy who can extend the play and make the throws needed. The Cardinals have the weapons around Murray to help his development. Larry Fitzgerald is playing like he’s a 25 year old pro bowl player. The Cardinals also have an electric running back in David Johnson, who is a solid between-the-tackles runner. He’s also heavily involved in the passing game. The Cardinals’ defense has been less than stellar, as they are 31st in total defense.

Carolina Panthers

Head Coach

Ron Rivera

Offensive Coordinator

Norv Turner

Defensive Coordinator

Eric Washington

Key Acquisitions

C Matt Paradis

LB Bruce Irvin

CB Javien Elliott

WR Chris Hogan

DT Gerald McCoy

S Tre Boston

Key Losses

LB Thomas Davis

C Ryan Kalil

DE Julius Peppers

Key Draft Picks

DE Brian Burns

OT Greg Little

RB Jordan Scarlett

What a disappointment. So much talent and nothing to show for it. Good news is, it has only been two weeks. There is plenty of time to get things rolling and win some games. Even though Carolina lost their first two games, they’re still only one game out of first place in the division. The Panthers need to come together to win this Sunday’s game and start a winning streak, like they did in 2013, where they started 0-2 and finished 12-4. With Cam nursing a nagging foot injury, it appears that Kyle Allen will get the start. McCaffrey will be heavily utilized again this week, and hopefully they finally use Jordan Scarlett a little, too. Allen will lean on veteran, Greg Olsen, who had a very good game last week. The defense needs to cover Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk, while also containing David Johnson and keeping tabs on Murray. This will be a tough test for this Carolina defense.

2019 Team Stats

Panthers
Cardinals
18th– 695 yds
Total Offense
12th– 736 yds
18th– 529 yds
Passing Offense
8th– 604 yds
24th– 166 yds
Rushing Offense
27th– 132 yds
16th– 20.5 ppg
Scoring Offense
14th– 22.0 ppg
12th– 638 yds
Total Defense
31st– 917 yds
2nd– 372 yds
Passing Defense
26th– 619 yds
24th– 266 yds
Rushing Defense
27th– 298 yds
23rd– 25.0 ppg
Points Allowed
22nd-25.0 ppg

Things to Watch

Carolina Panthers

This week’s starting quarterback, Kyle Allen, will lean heavily on McCaffrey in the running game, as well as, the passing game. Allen has good arm strength, and showed good decision making skills in the Saints game last year. While it was against mostly backups, Allen seemed to be able to make accurate throws, even under pressure. Coach Rivera has mentioned that one of Allen’s best features is making throws while under duress, and says he has been impressed with Allen’s work ethic. Don’t be surprised if Allen makes some deep throws when the defense (and Carolina’s offensive line) permits. In regards to Carolina’s offensive line, they need to protect Allen. Especially on the left side. Last week, Daryl Williams allowed 3 sacks on Newton and looked to be lost at times. Hopefully the lackluster play by Williams and Paradis is just a case of two guys working themselves back from lower body injuries, and they’ll improve as time passes. If Williams struggles this week, it would be a good idea to play Greg Little, who should be good to go. For a more in-depth anali

Christian McCaffrey is always ready to play, no matter the opponent. He didn’t have a great game against Tampa, but he should have a bounce back week. He will be relied upon in both facets of the game and will share “security blanket” duties with tight end, Greg Olsen, for Kyle Allen. Look for Carolina to use Jordan Scarlett and Reggie Bonnafon some this week, since they will likely be pounding the ball on the ground.

When Allen does pass the ball, Greg Olsen will be targeted quite a bit. DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel will likely get a few looks also. Moore has 16 catches for 165 yards, and will look to build on a solid start to the season. Samuel, who was training camp MVP, started slow but had a good game last week.

The defense has been relatively good this year, especially against the pass, and will look to get better against a rookie quarterback. They’ll have to keep tabs on Kyler Murray, since he is a mobile guy who always keeps his eyes downfield. Arizona has playmakers that can do a lot with the ball in their hands. One of those players is Damiere Byrd, who Panther fans are familiar with. Hopefully the defense will have Kawann Short, who has been on the injury report this week with a shoulder issue. The defense will have to contain David Johnson in the running game and also the passing game. This will be a tough task, but Carolina has the personnel to do it. Carolina’s run defense has been pretty shaky this season, so if they want to win, they’re going to have to clean that up. For a more in depth defensive analysis from Kevin, click here.

Arizona Cardinals

So far this season, Kyler Murray has 657 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception and a QBR of 81.7. Not too shabby for a rookie quarterback who was considered too short to play the position. If Murray wants to get his first win, he’s going to need to limit his mistakes and feed the ball to David Johnson on the ground. Carolina’s defense has been good against the pass, but bad against the run.

David Johnson didn’t have a good game last week, but he could have a bounce back game against Carolina’s porous run defense. In the first two games, Johnson has amassed 96 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. He also has 7 catches for 55 yards and 1 touchdown. Hopefully Ron Rivera has a plan to contain Johnson.

Future Hall of Famer, Larry Fitzgerald, has been great so far this year, as he has 13 catches for 217 yards and a touchdown. Christian Kirk is also having a solid season so far, as he has 10 catches for 146 yards. Rookie quarterback, Kyler Murray, has used his receivers well and seems to have a good rapport with all of his weapons. Carolina has been good against the pass, so it’ll be interesting to see how these guys fair.

The Cardinals defense has been pretty bad so far this season. They’ll luck out by facing Kyle Allen and a less than stellar offensive line. Although, a healthy Kyle Allen will likely be better than having an injured Cam Newton on the field. The Arizona pass rush needs to pressure Allen and contain McCaffrey in order to win this game. That’s going to be a tough task for this mediocre defense. 

Keys to a Carolina Victory

• Run, run and run some more. No matter if it’s CMC or Scarlett. 

• Protect Kyle Allen. The line needs to give Allen three seconds to find his target. 

• Moore and company need to get separation. 

• Contain Kyler Murray. There’s no doubt that Murray is a threat outside of the pocket, so Carolina will have to keep tabs on him, as well as, Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk, Damiere Byrd and David Johnson. That’s going to be a tough task, but the Panthers have the players capable of doing so. 

• Keep David Johnson from breaking off any long runs. Johnson is one of the best running backs in the league, when you account for his pass catching abilities. He’s a patient runner who waits for the play to develop. Carolina needs to contain him as much as they can. 

Key Matchups

Christian McCaffrey VS Cardinals defensive line

DJ Moore/Curtis Samuel VS Byron Murphy

Larry Fitzgerald VS James Bradberry

Greg Olsen VS Terrell Suggs/Haason Reddick

Injury Report

Carolina Panthers

Cam Newton OUT 

Rashaan Gaulden OUT

Bruce Irvin OUT 

Greg Olsen QUESTIONABLE (Expected to play) 

Kawann Short QUESTIONABLE

Arizona Cardinals

Jonathan Bullard OUT

Arizona comes into this game relatively healthy, with everyone other than Bullard. Carolina still hasn’t seen Bruce Irvin on the field, which isn’t good, considering they were really relying on him to give them extra pass rush. With Irvin out, yet again, Brian Burns will get more opportunities. Burns has been very good when on the field. He only has one sack but he’s been excellent getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. 

Prediction

Each week, I’ve predicted a Carolina win. I almost feel as if I’ve jinxed the Panthers, but Carolina has the talent to beat Arizona. Carolina will run with ease and keep the ball out of Murray’s hands. The Panthers will finally find their run defense and hold Johnson to less than 80 yards. Kyle Allen will be ready and throw for a solid 225 and a touchdown. Carolina takes the away game, 27-24. Hopefully, Carolina listens to me. Allen, don’t let us down! I’m starting you in FanDuel! Keep Pounding! 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

5 Reasons the Carolina Panthers Won’t Make the Playoffs

Uncategorized

Training camp starts tomorrow and there’s plenty of excitement surrounding the Panthers. Fans have just watched the team on Amazon Prime’s “All or Nothing” and saw an in-depth look into Carolina’s 2018 season. There’s a lot to be excited about. On paper, this team looks like a contender. They need to take it game by game, but the ultimate goal is to make the playoffs to have a chance at a Super Bowl. However, in the NFL, it’s rare that things go as planned. Here are five reasons that Carolina won’t make the playoffs:

1. Injuries to Key Players

Over the last couple of years, the injury bug has hit the Panthers pretty hard. If, God forbid, it continues to bite Carolina and no one steps up, it’s going to be a long season. Especially if Cam Newton gets hurt again. This season almost solely depends on Cam’s health. Cam’s health might also depend on the health of his offensive line, as we saw last season. Hopefully, the injuries will be kept to a minimum.

2. Miles Traveled 

Carolina will be traveling 22,008 miles for away games this season, which is enough for eighth most in the league. By comparison, last season Carolina only traveled a little over 6,000 miles all season, which was the least amount in the league. Traveling long distances takes a toll on teams, but it’s a part of the game. The good news is, 8,000 of those miles are to and from London. Take those 8,000 miles away, and they only travel 14,008 miles this season, which would’ve been good enough for 20th. More good news: Carolina’s bye week comes right after the London trip, so they’ll have time to rest. With any luck, this won’t hurt the team too much.

3. Rough Second Half Schedule

Attachment_1.png

Week 10 starts a rough stretch for Carolina. In that eight game stretch, they play the Packers, Redskins, Colts, Seahawks, Falcons twice and Saints twice. Carolina has the ability to beat any of those teams, but this is still a tough stretch. The Packers aren’t the same team as in year’s past, but they still have Aaron Rodgers. Seahawks still have Russell Wilson. Colts played well last season in Andrew Luck’s return. With the Falcons and the Saints, division games are always tough. Especially against these two teams. The hope, as always, is that Carolina gets a fast start in the season and gains momentum heading into the second half of the season.

4. Mistakes

If Carolina wants to make the playoffs, they need to limit their mistakes. Prior to Cam’s injury, it appeared that he had a handle on Norv Turner’s efficient offense. He only had 4 interceptions before the Pittsburgh game, where he hurt his shoulder. A healthy Cam who can stay efficient would be a huge plus. The offense as a whole needs to limit the turnovers. The defense needs to be in position to make plays and cause turnovers. If this doesn’t happen, it will be long season.

5. Lack of Chemistry

Sometimes, teams just don’t have the chemistry that they had the previous year. New players come in via draft and free agency and sometimes their personalities don’t mesh well with the core. There isn’t any information that has been given to say this is happening, but it could.

This article isn’t designed to be disrespectful to Carolina, but quite the opposite. They will make the playoffs as long as none of these things happen. Here’s to hoping that nothing keeps them from achieving their dream of a Lombardi Trophy.

#KeepPounding #4MR #WhatARush

By: Norris Thornburg July 24, 2019

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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