Thinking about the draft?

Had to laugh at what Darin Gantt had to say..   He's always good for a little levity.  I agree with him too, mostly because it's a worthless endeavor involving unknown quantities in unknown situations.  I am not going out on a limb here picking our draft class because I don't have any idea what the Panthers are going to do. AND, there is a reason for that.  The reason I can't decipher what the Panthers are going to do, is apparently both Darin Gantt and Ben McAdoo have MY crystal ball stuck in their other pants..... but also, and more to the point, it's because the Panthers don't know what they are going to do.  After all, the Panthers don't have a pick in the 1st. AND, they have no idea what 32 teams in front of them are going to do in the 1st.... so, no way to know who they're going to pick at 33 because they don't know who is going to be available. Hence, the impossibility.

However, because First was both BRAVE and BOLD, I'll throw this out there, you know, for grins and giggles...

I think, because Dan has mentioned the long working time frame between pick 32 and pick 33, and because Dan also mentioned 'other teams' calling and working the phones through the overnight and early part of day two, there is a very real possibility of a trade at #33.  So, I'm going to call it that way.

#33 = Trade back. Probably no lower than #50 (hopefully). The Raiders are a potential target here, so I'll call it like that. Panthers get #44 and #112. (This will work only if there are still WRs available in Round 2, AND if the Raiders passed on a QB in Round 1.).

#39 = Panthers take a WR... I'm thinking five or six off the board in the 1st (maybe more??). So, maybe Xavier Worthy, McConkey, Coleman, Pearsall --- or possibly Xavier Legette..??  Depends on who the Panthers like. Personally, I think Legette is a reach at anything above the bottom of the 2nd - top of the 3rd.

#44 (from Raiders) = Panthers take an EDGE... Not a huge group early, but more talent available late 2nd and 3rd rounds. So, maybe  Chris Braswell, Marshawn Kneeland, or Bralen Trice..?? I'd really prefer either one of the Robinsons or Latu, but I think the top 5 will probably be off the board.

#65 = Panthers take O-line... If there's an OT available here that has 'dropped' maybe that happens. Otherwise it would be someone like Kiran Amegadjie possibly. Also possible would be a swiss army knife IOL like Cooper Beebe or Christian Haynes. I would prefer Powers-jackson, or Frazier, but they will probably be off the board.

#101 = Panthers take CB... This is where we'll find some value picks. Andru Phillips (Kentucky) has been slowly moving up the board to this neighborhood. Or someone like Cam Hart, Kyree Jackson, or maybe James (Auburn).

#112 (from Raiders) = Panthers take LB... Here is where you hope to find Payton Wilson (NC State). He should be higher than this, but injury has him falling. I still think he may be gone at this point. If so, then someone like Colson, Trotter Jr., or Gray. -- OR Panthers could take another OL, DL, or DB here.....depending on who is falling and "value".

#141 = Here is our second WR. I too believe in Luke McCaffrey here. Another possibility is Rice.

#142 = If we take a TE, it should be around here or later.

***Any pick after this should be strictly a "value" pick. Ignore need and pick someone with high upside potential.

#240 = ???  Maybe a RB, or a K, or a P, or MAYBE another EDGE or OL that shows potential.??

OK, that's the view from here.... I'll probably miss them all, but I think the position projections make sense.

The likely hood of any of the these picks becoming reality are “far from none”… it’s one of those just for fun things with some build in reason behind each selection. I am in favor on trading back the 33 selection, I feel it could have tremendous value if the right scenario plays out, maybe, possibly. I just hope all our selections are the best player available or trades for additional draft assets to then draft the best player available. When you are looking at a three year rebuild there are not many positions you should ignore. (( except in our case, we will ignore QB… at least for one more year))

On a more positive note. I do think we increase our number of wins this year by 50%!!! Go Panthers. Keep Pounding (or is that a phrase we can continue).

At 33, and not having control of the first 32 picks, I could see us taking best player available. As y'all have mentioned above, We have so many needs at many positions.
Yes , most of us think we need a WR.. And we just don't know who will be available at 33 . So if a edge rusher who we don't think will be there , is there.. I could see us taking him. Same at linebacker. I don't see us taking a TE or Defenseive back as best player available. ( brock bowers won't be there lol ) .
So I think it'll be WR or Edge Rusher.. I think 39 might be a Center.

Ladd McConkey WR Georgia.. Is he successful because Ga was good.. Or is he just a clutch receiver that has hands that are a magnet to the ball ?

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" My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from a guy who knows a kid who's going with the girl who over heard Canales' dog sitter at 31 Flavors last night, said we were drafting a wide reciever "

Always good to throw a Farris Bueller's Day Off Quote in when possible :)

[quote="OceanPanther" pid='7712' dateline='1713714209']
At 33,  and not having control of the first 32 picks, I could see us taking best player available.  As y'all have mentioned above,  We have so many needs at many positions. 
Yes , most of us think we need a WR..  And we just don't know who will be available at 33 .  So if a edge rusher who we don't think will be there , is there..  I could see us taking him.  Same at linebacker.  I don't see us taking a TE  or Defenseive back as best player available. ( brock bowers won't be there lol ) . 
So I think it'll be WR  or Edge Rusher..    I think 39 might be a Center.

I agree with your thinking.  IMO someone would have to make a crazy good offer to get Dan to trade 33.

Now is the time for supposition I guess...

I said what I did up there ^^^, mostly because of what Dan said earlier about being in a great place because we're at the very top of Rd. 2 and have all evening and early day to field calls and make a deal. It just sounded like he was sort of "looking" to make a deal. Maybe not...  

Anyway, I've looked around a little more and thought I would throw this out there for everyone to think about and process before the draft -- and possibly to modify your opinion/thoughts about how the Panthers may approach the #33 and #39.  You know, ..... maybe.???

If we assume (YES, I know...) that the Panthers are truly listening and are willing to make a move for the right deal... consider this:  The Panthers are NOT interested in giving away draft picks this year because we are more than one player away from a highlight-reel season (probably). SO... the Panthers will NOT be trading UP into the 1st this year. That leaves trading back as a possibility IF the right offer comes along. After due consideration, I am willing to concede that my thoughts up there ^^^ may have been a little hasty. So, allow me to modify slightly what I said by adding qualifiers and potential trade partners to the mix. 

I started by thinking which teams had the most draft capital to spend, let's say eight or more picks. So, that would be the Cardinals (11), Falcons (8), Ravens (9), Bills (11), Bengals (10), Broncos (9), Packers (11), Texans (9), Jaguars (9), Raiders (8), Chargers (9), Rams (11), Vikings (9), Saints (9), Eagles (9), 49ers (9), Titans (8), Commanders (9).  Of these I will eliminate the Falcons and the Saints because I just don't believe that Dan would willingly trade with Division rivals. I'll also eliminate the Vikings because they don't have a 2nd round (OR 3rd round) pick to trade.

As a second point of interest, the Bears, Vikings, and Cardinals all have two 1st round picks. The Bears have only four picks total, so they COULD be interested in trading back on one of their 1st rounders to pick up a couple more picks (maybe). So I don't think the Bears are going to even think about trading with the Panthers. As previously mentioned, I eliminated the Vikings because they don't have a 2nd or 3rd this year. So other than their two 1st rounders, the rest (7 more) are all 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th. So that's a non-starter. The Cardinals have a unique position with two 1sts and eleven total picks. They have only one in the 2nd though and that one is at #35. So unless they just absolutely had to have our #33, I don't see a trade happening with the Cardinals. What's more likely is they trade #35 and another pick or two to move up again for a third 1st rounder. The Cardinals have three (3) 3rd round picks and two (2) 5th rounders. It's possible Dan MIGHT consider trading down from #39 for a couple of 3rd rounders and a 5th (maybe..??). Can you imagine the furor around the Cardinals with two in the 1st and two more at #35 and #39.!!!

So, where does this leave the Panthers..??  ¿Quien sabe?  I'll admit, I have NO IDEA.

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I forgot to include the rest of the teams who could be in position to trade up for #33 or #39.  The Rams and the Packers both have eleven picks and are not too far down in the 2nd. The Rams are at #52 and the Packers are at #41 and #58. All three of those picks would be doable as a trade back for the Panthers. However, the Rams have little to offer as "boot" because most of their eleven picks are deeper in the draft. They have one pick at #83 in the 3rd. None in the 4th. All the rest are buried in rounds 5-7. The Packers look much better. With eleven total picks and two in the 2nd and two in the 3rd, it could happen. 

One more team to watch might be the Commanders. With nine total picks and six in the Top 100, the Commanders are positioned to move up to #33 or #39 .... if they chose to do so. Of course the Panthers would have to agree.!!

So there you have it. I know I'm waffling, but I can't help it. There's a lot of possibilities. And a bunch of reasons to make the move. Also a bunch of reasons NOT to do so.

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Also --- Have to consider that a trade proposal from any team COULD include picks from NEXT YEAR'S draft (or the year after..??).
I'm so confused....

What about a trade that also includes a player?  Any thoughts there?

What about a trade that also includes a player?  Any thoughts there?

You know, that possibility completely escaped by me. Sure, that could happen as well. Geez... more to consider. !! 

One thought did just bust through the barrier. My initial impression without any real thought... Wouldn't any real trade value have already been used up early in the contract year.?? I mean with all of the trading around and adding free agents and dropping/cutting to get under the cap at the start of the new contract year, it would seem that most of the real trade fodder would have been used or picked over...  Of course, I realize that isn't true, completely. A few trades do happen late and the occasional trade during the draft does happen as well. So, you definitely have a valid point. And I didn't even think about it.  SMDH

What about a trade that also includes a player?  Any thoughts there?

You know, that possibility completely escaped by me. Sure, that could happen as well. Geez... more to consider. !! 

One thought did just bust through the barrier. My initial impression without any real thought... Wouldn't any real trade value have already been used up early in the contract year.?? I mean with all of the trading around and adding free agents and dropping/cutting to get under the cap at the start of the new contract year, it would seem that most of the real trade fodder would have been used or picked over...  Of course, I realize that isn't true, completely. A few trades do happen late and the occasional trade during the draft does happen as well. So, you definitely have a valid point. And I didn't even think about it.  SMDH

lol.

At any rate...Dan can sit back and letting the bidding begin after Round 1.  That being said...if there is a player at 33 that he and Dave love...got to take him.

Yesterday Joe Person threw this one out:

Let’s start with the trade: Panthers send picks 33 and 142 to the New England Patriots for picks 34 and 103, plus a seventh-round selection in 2025.


The Patriots wanted to make sure no one jumped in front of them for their guy (Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson in the Pro Football Network draft simulator) and were willing to surrender a fourth-round pick for a fifth to do so. The trade gave the Panthers five picks in the first 103 selections in what appears to be a savvy move, provided they’re sure New England isn’t taking their guy.

https://theathletic.com/5433435/2024/04/...laymakers/

I personally don’t see a player trade unless it is prior to the draft. In fact, we need the few small
pieces that might have some trade value, I don’t see any moves. Looking forward to Friday. IMO.

I personally don’t see a player trade unless it is prior to the draft. In fact, we need the few small
pieces that might have some trade value, I don’t see any moves. Looking forward to Friday. IMO.

What about a player coming to us.?? You know as part of a deal for our #33 or #39.??