Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Panthers Offseason Criticism Fair?


The Carolina Panthers' offseason has been less than ideal.

No, I'm not talking about losing many role players from last season. That ship has sailed.

I'm talking about the fact that so many "experts" from numerous sports media outlets have already deemed the 2014 season for the Panthers to be a huge dropoff from last season, and the fact these "experts" are all of a sudden being heavily critical of some of the Panthers' players.

Many people believe that Carolina will continue their drought of never having back-to-back winning seasons next year. What these so-called "experts" don't understand is that Carolina has not lost as much talent as everyone says they have, they still have one of the best defenses in the NFL along with one of the most exciting quarterbacks, the reigning coach of the year, and arguably the best inside linebacker in the league.

Speaking of Luke Kuechly, he was recently named the "most overrated player in the NFL." Please tell me how a player who has won the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award AND the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in his first TWO seasons is overrated?!

Kuechly is anything BUT overrated. He is a monster. He plays sideline to sideline. Whoever has the ball, Kuechly chases them down until he's caught them. He does not give up on plays. He is a nightmare for opposing teams. The only thing he really needs to work on is pass coverage, but other than that, Kuechly is, in my opinion, the best inside linebacker in the NFL.

But wait, there's more! The disrespect and criticism continues! Wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, who was drafted number 28 overall in the first round by the Panthers, was named to the "All Over-Drafted Team." This "expert" said that Benjamin "has some glaring issues with his route running, focus, and hands." He also said the team's choice to draft him was "confusing."

It isn't confusing if you actually know about football and pay attention to the team. Benjamin was drafted at the perfect spot, in the bottom of the first round, and has an incredible upside. I believe he will become Cam's favorite target and one of the top wideouts in the NFL in a few seasons. Not to mention that Benjamin is HUGE.

So, Panthers fans, unfortunately the team is receiving unfair criticism and blatant disrespect. However, once the season is upon us, our Panthers will show all these "experts" just how wrong they were.

Keep pounding!

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Panthers Draft Recap, Analysis and Grades


The 2014 NFL Draft is over. Let's review each draft pick the Carolina Panthers made:

Round 1, Pick 28 - Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State

Round 2, Pick 60 - Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri

Round 3, Pick 92 - Trai Turner, OG, LSU

Round 4, Pick 128 - Tre Boston, S, UNC

Round 5, Pick 148 (in trade with Minnesota) - Bene Binwikere, CB, San Jose State

Round 6, Pick 204 - Tyler Gaffney, RB, Stanford

Now, let's analyze and give a grade to each pick. Each grade will be based on value and need.

Kelvin Benjamin - With WR Marqise Lee and offensive tackles Morgan Moses and Cyrus Kouandjio still available, the Panthers had to make the decision to fill one of their needs at WR or OT. They decided to go with Benjamin, who at 6'5" and 240 pounds is huge, almost built like a tight end. Benjamin has huge hands and the ability to jump high and snatch the ball out of midair. Cam Newton now has a new number one receiver, one that he won't overthrow.

Grade: B+

Kony Ealy - Many expected the Panthers to take either an OT or a CB here, but they surprised everyone by taking Ealy. A stud at Missouri, Ealy was projected by many to be taken in the first round. Some even had him in the top five. However, he fell all the way to the Panthers' pick at 60, and they weren't going to pass up on taking the best player available. With two great defensive ends in Greg Hardy and Charles Johnson, some may question this choice. However, if something happens with either of them, the Panthers now have a backup plan. Even if they both stay, having Ealy learn under both of them will only make him better.

Grade: B-

Trai Turner - A pretty good run blocker, Turner should be a big help to Carolina's offensive line, which seems to be their weak link right now. However, the Panthers were in need of a tackle, not a guard. As of right now, it seems Byron Bell will be replacing Jordan Gross at the tackle position, something that worries Panthers fans everywhere. Hopefully, Turner can become a solid pass blocker as well.

Grade: C

Tre Boston - Boston played for the Tar Heels, which automatically gives him at least a B in my book. Just kidding. Although a little inconsistent when it comes to tackling, Boston plays well at both the strong safety and nickel back positions. It was announced the other day that safety Charles Godfrey will be moving to cornerback, which should give Boston the opportunity to compete for the starting job. He will have to compete with Roman Harper and Thomas DeCoud.

Grade: C

Bene Binwikere - Good luck pronouncing his name. The Panthers saw the pool of cornerbacks dwindling in the fifth round, and traded up 20 spots from 148 with the Minnesota Vikings to 128 to take Binwikere. Minnesota received Carolina's fifth and seventh round picks in this trade. Binwikere has good size and fills a need for the Panthers at CB, but he needs to work on being more physical. He's also not very fast, and in a division with quick receivers, the Panthers need all the speed they can get in the secondary.

Grade: C-

Tyler Gaffney - When I first saw that the Panthers had drafted yet another running back, I nearly pulled my hair out. It just wouldn't be a Panthers draft without grabbing an RB. With so much money already tied up in a crowded backfield, the Panthers just made it even more crowded. Having DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Kenjon Barner and Mike Tolbert is enough. Gaffney is more of a short-yardage back, while he can also be used as a receiving back. However, the Panthers have Stewart and Tolbert to use as short-yardage backs, and all of their RBs are good receiving backs. I think this pick was simply for depth. Either Stewart or Williams will be cut once their contracts are up, so perhaps this was a pick for that time in the future. However, there were other needs that needed to be filled, so I don't like this pick.

Grade: D

Overall, I give the Panthers a grade of C for this draft. Not too great, but not too bad either. They addressed some needs and picked up some good talent.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Panthers Draft Ealy, Turner


With the Carolina Panthers drafting Kelvin Benjamin in the first round, many thought their focus would turn to offensive tackle and cornerback.

But Dave Gettleman had other plans.

With the 60th overall pick, the Panthers drafted defensive end Kony Ealy out of Missouri in the second round. With the 92nd overall pick, they drafted offensive guard Trai Turner out of LSU in the third round.

At first, many were confused and even angry about drafting Ealy, a guy who many experts had going in the first round, especially considering Virginia offensive tackle Morgan Moses and Penn State wide receiver Allen Robinson were still available.

However, after thinking about it, drafting Ealy was a good move. First of all, he is the definition of a steal in the draft. A guy with first round talent falling all the way to 60? Steal. Second, you have to think: what if something happens with Greg Hardy or Charles Johnson? If something does, we now have a backup plan. Even if nothing happens with them, letting a guy with so much talent and potential like Ealy learn under two of the best DEs in football will make him scary good.

In the third round, the Panthers focused on their offensive line by drafting Turner. A guard out of LSU, Turner's specialty is run blocking. To be honest, I'm a little worried about this pick, simply because it may mean we don't take a tackle in the draft at all. Gettleman has reiterated countless times over the offseason that Byron Bell would play tackle, which is scary to think about. But Gettleman seems to have faith in him.

However, Turner is a pretty solid guard and having him around will give a boost to our run game.

Rounds 4-7 are tonight, so let's see where the team will go from here.

Second and Third Rounds Recap


The second and third rounds of the 2014 NFL Draft were just as interesting as the first, with many talented players falling and many trades happening.

Here is a complete recap of the second and third rounds:

SECOND ROUND
33. Houston — OG Xavier Su’a-Filo, UCLA
34. Dallas (from Washington) — DE Demarcus Lawrence, Boise State

35. Cleveland — OT Joel Bitonio, Nevada
36. Oakland — QB Derek Carr, Fresno State
37. Atlanta — DT Ra’Shede Hageman, Minnesota
38. Tampa Bay — TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington
39. Jacksonville — WR Marqise Lee, Southern Cal
40. Detroit (from Minnesota through Seattle) — OLB Kyle Van Noy, BYU
41. St. Louis (from Buffalo) — CB Lamarcus Joyner, Florida State
42. Philadelphia (from Tennessee) — WR Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt
43. New York Giants — C Weston Richburg, Colorado State
44. Buffalo (from St. Louis) — OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama
45. Seattle (from Detroit) — WR Paul Richardson, Colorado
46. Pittsburgh — DE Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame
47. Washington (from Dallas) — OLB Trent Murphy, Stanford
48. Baltimore — DT Timmy Jernigan, Florida State
49. New York Jets — TE Jace Amaro, Texas Tech
50. San Diego (from Miami) — OLB Jeremiah Attaochu, Georgia Tech
51. Chicago — DT Ego Ferguson, LSU
52. Arizona — TE Troy Niklas, Notre Dame
53. Green Bay — WR Davante Adams, Fresno State
54. Tennessee (from Philadelphia) — RB Bishop Sankey, Washington
55. Cincinnati — RB Jeremy Hill, LSU
56. Denver (from Kansas City through San Francisco) — WR Cody Latimer, Indiana
57. San Francisco (from San Diego through Miami) — RB Carlos Hyde, Ohio State
58. New Orleans — CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Nebraska
59. Indianapolis — OG Jack Mewhort, Ohio State
60. Carolina — DE Kony Ealy, Missouri
61. Jacksonville (from Denver through San Francisco) — WR Allen Robinson, Penn State
62. New England — QB Jimmy Garappolo, Eastern Illinois
63. Miami (from Denver through SF) — WR Jarvis Landry, LSU
64. Seattle — OT Justin Britt, Missouri
THIRD ROUND
65. Houston — TE C.J. Fiedorowicz, Iowa
66. Washington — OT Morgan Moses, Virginia
67. Miami (from Oakland) — OT Billy Turner, North Dakota St.
68. Atlanta — FS Dez Southward, Wisconsin
69. Tampa Bay — RB Charles Sims, West Virginia
70. San Francisco (from Jacksonville) — C Marcus Martin, USC
71. Cleveland — OLB Christian Kirksey, Iowa
72. Minnesota — DE Scott Crichton, Oregon St.
73. Buffalo — ILB Preston Brown, Louisville
74. New York Giants — DT Jay Bromley, Syracuse
75. St. Louis — RB Tre Mason, Auburn
76. Detroit — C Travis Swanson, Arkansas
77. San Francisco (from Tennessee) — ILB Chris Borland, Wisconsin
78. Washington (from Dallas) — OG Spencer Long, Nebraska
79. Baltimore — FS Terrence Brooks, Florida St.
80. New York Jets — CB Dex McDougle, Maryland
81. Oakland (from Miami) — OG Gabe Jackson, Mississippi St.
82. Chicago — DT Will Sutton, Arizona St.
83. Houston (from Pittsburgh through Cleveland and Philadelphia) — NT Louis Nix, Notre Dame
84. Arizona — DE Kareem Martin, North Carolina
85. Green Bay — DT Khyri Thornton, Southern Mississippi
86. Philadelphia — WR Josh Huff, Oregon
87. Kansas City — CB Phillip Gaines, Rice
88. Cincinnati — DE Will Clarke, West Virginia
89. San Diego — OG Chris Watt, Notre Dame
90. Indianapolis — WR Donte Moncrief, Mississippi
91. Arizona (from New Orleans) — WR John Brown, Pittsburg St.
92. Carolina — OG Trai Turner, LSU
93. Jacksonville (from New England) — OG Brandon Linder, Miami
94. Cleveland (from San Francisco) — RB Terrance West, Towson
95. Denver — OT Michael Schofield, Michigan
96. Minnesota (from Seattle) — RB Jerick McKinnon, Georgia Southern
97. Pittsburgh (compensatory selection) — RB Dri Archer, Kent State
98. Green Bay (compensatory selection) — TE Richard Rodgers, California
99. Baltimore (compensatory selection) — TE Crockett Gillmore, Colorado St.
100. San Francisco (compensatory selection) — OT Brandon Thomas, Clemson

Friday, May 9, 2014

Panthers Draft Kelvin Benjamin


With the 28th pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers selected wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin out of Florida State.

Benjamin had been projected as one of the top receivers in the draft, along with Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Brandin Cooks, and Marqise Lee. Many mock drafts had these other four receivers going ahead of Benjamin, with Benjamin falling to Carolina at 28.

With the Buffalo Bills taking Watkins, the Buccaneers taking Evans, and the Saints taking Cooks, the two receivers left when Carolina's pick came around were Lee and Benjamin. Along with these two were Morgan Moses and Cyrus Kouandjio, two offensive tackles who some, including myself, had projected may go to Carolina. (Surprisingly, none of the other three were taken in the first round.)

However, after being on the clock for only 30 second, the Panthers knew who they wanted. Roger Goodell walked up to the podium on stage and announced that the Panthers had drafted Kelvin Benjamin.

The addition of Benjamin was at first a little confusing, considering the players available to Carolina. However, after thinking on it, I realized that Benjamin will be a great fit in Carolina and eventually become the number one receiver.

At 6'5" and 240 pounds, Benjamin's biggest advantage is obviously his size. Many have criticized his speed, but his size more than makes up for it.

I'm extremely excited to see Carolina's red-zone offense this season. Having Cam Newton and Mike Tolbert who can run the ball up the middle with lots of power is already a great advantage, but now the Panthers have a guy who can go up and get it if Cam lobs it into the end-zone. Along with tight ends Greg Olsen and Eric Dickson, the red-zone offense could be extremely dangerous.

All in all, picking up Benjamin was a good decision. Now, expect Carolina to focus on the offensive line and the cornerback position for the rest of the draft.

First Round Recap


The NFL Draft started last night, and it was certainly one to remember. Here is each pick of the first round:

1. Houston Texans - Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
2. St. Louis Rams - Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Blake Bortles, QB, Cental Florida
4. Buffalo Bills (in trade with Cleveland) - Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
5. Oakland Raiders - Khalil Mack, LB, Buffalo
6. Atlanta Falcons - Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
8. Cleveland Browns (in trade with Minnesota) - Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State
9. Minnesota Vikings (in trade with Cleveland) - Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA
10. Detroit Lions - Eric Ebron, TE, UNC
11. Tennessee Titans - Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
12. New York Giants - Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU
13. St. Louis Rams - Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh
14. Chicago Bears - Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
15. Pittsburgh Steelers - Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State
16. Dallas Cowboys - Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame
17. Baltimore Ravens - CJ Mosley, LB, Alabama
18. New York Jets - Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville
19. Miami Dolphins - Ja'Wuan James, OT, Tennessee
20. New Orleans Saints (in trade with Arizona) - Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State
21. Green Bay Packers - Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama
22. Cleveland Browns (in trade with Philadelphia) - Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
23. Kansas City Chiefs - Dee Ford, DE, Auburn
24. Cincinnati Bengals - Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State
25. San Diego Chargers - Jason Verrett, CB, TCU
26. Philadelphia Eagles (in trade with Cleveland) - Marcus Smith, DE, Louisville
27. Arizona Cardinals (in trade with New Orleans) - Deone Bucannon, S, Washington State
28. Carolina Panthers - Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State
29. New England Patriots - Dominique Easley, DT, Florida
30. San Francisco 49ers - Jimmie Ward, S, Northern Illinois
31. Denver Broncos - Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State
32. Minnesota Vikings (in trade with Seattle) - Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville

Friday, May 2, 2014

Frank Alexander Suspended


Carolina Panthers defensive end Frank Alexander has been suspended for the first four games of the 2014 NFL season for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

He is still eligible to participate in the team's offseason practices and preseason games, but cannot return to the active roster until September 29.

A backup to Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy, Alexander has played two NFL seasons. He has six starts and 3.5 sacks.

This shouldn't have any effect on Carolina's draft plans. In fact, don't be surprised if Alexander gets cut due to this.