A Response to Mike Tanier

Mike Tanier does great work for SportsOnEarth, but his latest piece breaking down the Panthers’ offseason had so many head-scratchers, we had to respond to his request.

No Internet writer composes a woodshed beating like this without bracing for long explanations from the die-hard fans of how thoroughly wrong (and stupid) he or she is. Well, my comment thread and Inbox are open. Explain why the receiving corps, as well as portions of the secondary and offensive line, were gutted. Explain a draft strategy that brings Kony Ealy in the second round.

BBR is NOT a fan site, so this is not a typical defensive screed against a national writer. The fact is, it’s tremendously difficult for anyone in the media to know the ins and outs of 32 NFL teams.

So let’s help clear some things up.

On the Panthers exercising their 2015 option on Cam Newton and franchising Greg Hardy, Tanier wrote: These are two of the most promising players under age 26 in the entire NFL, the kind of young stars that successful teams (Seahawks, 49ers) sign to long-term pacts despite any whispers or questions.

Of the 32 first-round picks from Newton’s 2011 draft class, not one was given a long-term deal this offseason. 21 were given fifth-year options, including 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith, who’s troubled, but who also qualifies as one of the most promising players under age 26 in the entire NFL. The 11 other picks have either been cut or had their options declined, including Seattle guard James Carpenter.

Despite two breakout seasons, the Panthers have not made plans to give Hardy a long-term contract. The cap-strapped team is already saddled with Charles Johnson’s massive deal, and they had concerns about Hardy’s off-the-field habits well before his recent incident.

The Panthers are not in terrible cap shape beyond 2014.

According to OverTheCap, the Panthers have nearly $129 million committed to the 2015 cap, more than 21 other teams.

Tanier, on the new receiving corps: The wretched refuse of 90-man rosters and third strings all across the NFL has washed up in Charlotte seeking new opportunities.

This is hard to argue against.

On how much Kelvin Benjamin needs to learn, Tanier wrote: On a team with a veteran like, I dunno, STEVE SMITH, Benjamin could be a matchup headache who learned on the job from a master craftsman.

One day, the mythical “Steve Smith would be a perfect mentor” narratives will stop. Even though he was never interested in doing such a thing for the non-Kenny Moores during his 13 seasons in Carolina, that day is probably still a few years away.

This is the NFL’s worst receiving corps. It will keep the Panthers out of the playoffs. It will stunt Newton’s development and give red meat to the “not a winner” chorus.

1) It could be. 2) If the Panthers don’t make the playoffs, it’s unlikely the receiving corps will be their only fatal flaw. 3) Perhaps.

Explain why the receiving corps, as well as portions of the secondary and offensive line, were gutted.

Led by a 34-year-old grump, a slick-handed number two, and a returner who came out of nowhere to have a career year as a receiver, the Panthers receiving corps helped the team finish 2013 ranked 29th in passing. Going forward, that lot was unlikely to put much fear in the 49ers, Seahawks or … anyone.

The Vikings gave Captain Munnerlyn, perhaps the shortest starting cornerback in the league, a three-year deal. The Steelers gave Mike Mitchell, who had one solid season behind an elite front seven, a five-year deal. Drayton Florence and Quintin Mikell remain unsigned.

Jordan Gross retired. Travelle Wharton will likely retire. Geoff Hangartner and Jeff Byers retired. Those two combined for two starts last year.

Explain a draft strategy that brings Kony Ealy in the second round.

The Panthers are easily the league’s biggest defensive ends spenders, committing more than 20 percent of their cap space to the position in 2014. Johnson is owed more than $17 million next year. And a long-term deal for Hardy would do what? What the Panthers are paying their ends is unsustainable. Ealy, who the Panthers graded as a first-round pick, has a four-year contract that’s worth less than $4 million.

In the NFC South, the Falcons clearly chose to retool.

And they still have more cap space than Carolina.

The Bucs are overhauling everything.

They have a new head coach and still nearly double the cap space as the Panthers.

The Saints are mounting up for one or two final Drew Brees charges.

Brees is 35. Newton is 25.

The Panthers appear to just be letting the 2014 season happen to them.

Believe it or not, the 2014 Panthers’ roster was unlikely to win a Super Bowl. Even if they could have somehow squeezed in free agent deals with an elite left tackle or defensive back, adding big contracts, while trying to patiently wait out other big contracts, while knowing you soon have to pay your quarterback and Defensive Player of the Year huge money, was unlikely to win a Super Bowl as well.

But yes, it would have been easier to just sweep the mess under the rug and deal with it all again next year. And in 2016. And in …

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I get a lot of media are throwing out a lot of questions due to how this was handled but I think its way too early to be throwing this team under the bus. Is there a lot of unknowns? Sure Could this turn out to be a bad year or us step back? Sure there are a lot of possibilities, but there are several young guys that could change the outlook of this entire season. We return the entire D-line & LB of the number two defense in the league with a secondary that is a mirror off of last year if not slightly better if the young guy’s continue to improve and the draftee’s like Bene play well that D-line takes a lot of pressure off them anyways

Hardy and Johnson eat up a lot of cap room and one will be gone next year, but if these charges get lifted off of Hardy I won’t be surprised to hear news he signs long term with us I won’t rule it out like most. I would say the legal trouble gives Gettleman and the Panther leverage and maybe Hardy might be a little more willing to accept a slightly more favorable deal due to the Panthers sticking with him through this mess should the charges be dropped or he found not guilty. If that happens you would cut or trade (preferably trade for picks) Johnson next year and save $11 million on the cap but either way one of the two will be gone.

As for the WR position if Benjamin has a solid rookie season and plays as well as we expect and we get ONE WR from the young group to step up and have a solid season this could propel this team to be much better than what others think because Avant & Cotchery will be solid possession WR’s and I got my eye on King to be that guy to step up. A lot will ride on Bell & Chandler and how that O-line looks if they turn out to be ok at there spots we can at the very least make a run at a Wild Card spot we may not win a Super Bowl but I think we will be a better offensive threat than last year and better than 29th in the league in passing.

You look back we return our RB’s, with a added piece in Gaffney which I think will surprise if DeAngelo or Stew goes down, Tolbert, and then revamped WR group. We won the division with this defense and had the #2 seed in the league with the 29th passing offense. Add in any influence Ramsdell has on helping Shula’s offense with its passing attack or playbook and take in we don’t know how much of a affect that ankle has had on Cam stepping into throws over the last 3 years. I didn’t mean to ramble I just think anyone who underestimates this team or overlooks them because the decisions weren’t as flashy or very questionable is going to be in for a rude awakening if even just a few of these young guys step up with these opportunities they are now being handed.
jriddle

http://twitter.com/miketanier just didn’t do his homework….the Panthers “gutted” the Offensive Line….really. Two guys retired and management is to blame?
Thanks for doing this rebuttal, I think you’re right on about the national media not understanding teams personal needs and decisions.
MichaelProcton

Gross would have been happy to keep playing if the team showed him any interest in or appreciation of him. But they brought him back on a well-being market value deal last year and basically told him to shove it this offseason. And yes, even if we ignore that and just consider Gross and Wharton’s retirements as naturally occurring, they still actively chose to do nothing to replace those guys. Both performed at a top-ten level last year, and you’re not going to get that kind of play out of a guy who was a DT 16 months ago and a collection of mid-round wild card draftees from the last few years. It’s the team’s job to respond when presented with difficult circumstances, and the Panthers’ response has been to roll over and clear the decks for a run in 2016. Nothing wrong with that as a big-picture strategy, but let’s at least be honest about it.
mtnpantherfan1

MichaelProcton Where did you get your information that “Gross would have been happy to keep playing” ?!?! I never heard that reported anywhere by anybody. Additionally, you have absolutely zero evidence that they “actively chose to do nothing”. Your opinion isn’t fact no matter how fervently you believe it to be true. I’ll put my chip in with John Matsko, who was able to get the best of the talent he had last year when the fanbase was crying for the front office to put more cap cash in the OL. Let’s be honest indeed..
TheProfessional

Yeah…The Panthers Wanted Him Back Badly. He Just Wanted ToRetire On Top. He Said It Him Self.
nocdavis

panthergf I think King is going to “come out of nowhere” for a lot of analysts this year. Good call. I agree with most of your sentiments above….boil it down we just need a few things to break our way and we’re better than last year.