Depth at DB

We're horribly thin here. I hadn't really noticed.

I think we'll draft at least 2 guys, and one on the first day.

That said - it seems like this staff has always been able to patch together acceptable units. I'm not concerned about starters (other than Branch), but after that, there's Williams. That's all.

I'd say if it was a needs draft, we'd go:

RB
DB
OT/OG
DB

There seems to be alot of depth in the draft at DB.....

Man I'm stoked.

 

I think we'll be okay. The addition of Williams and McCadam, and the return of Branch, gives us enough at safety. I'm sure we'll bring in another corner, via FA or the draft.

 

Speaking of running backs, the Bears seem open-minded about trading Thomas Jones. They've received proposals. If it wasn't for his price, and DeShaun's price, I wouldn't mind making a play for him.

 

Assuming Branch is healthy, we're ok in the secondary, but I would be interested in getting someone who might have a long-term future at safety. It might not be something we look at until the middle rounds, though, because I doubt a rookie would be earning much playing time there anyway. As has been mentioned a number of times, a CB/KR in the middle rounds would be welcome as well, although I don't buy Devin Hester as even an eventual nickel corner.

 

Future S play concerns me also. If we could swing a decent FS? That'd be great. FS for the future and we can move Branch to SS.

 

We need a guy to compete at S. Williams is nice insurance, I guess, but what you get out of him's what you get out of him. Branch isn't awful, and I'm allright with him starting, but only if he actually beats someone out this time. And if he's going to be at SS, then our other alternative is going to have to have more size. I do believe we need something in the first day at safety; we need someone who can and should be able to start within the year if not sooner. Having gone with a green athletic prospect to sit a year and take over before, I believe we shortchanged ourselves with Branch when we really should have done more if we weren't going to keep Grant. That's played itself out with numerous signings and acquisitions since, when we really just need to take care of it once and for all. The honest reality of things is that unless Branch starts all year, and plays at a level higher than he had, he's not worth keeping compared to the average safety you can get on the cheap. I'd love to see him come out and start playing the ball, and being a little more active, but you can't really count on him being here after this year.

The long term situation is a necessity as well, but I do worry about the quality and current depth.

Howard being the nickel isn't awful (though we should have contingency for that, him being more of a C2 zone outside guy), but we need depth, and CB is the only place we really have a slot to open up for a returner (unless we get a guy like Lundy instead of a back sooner). I don't know if I'd want to stuff a 2nd into a guy like Hester, especially considering we made it clear that our two PRs are going to continue to PR (with Gamble taking more snaps there), unless you were certain that Hester would be a near-starting-level CB. I feel he's awfully raw for that right now, but we do have the ability to make him sit.

 

Uh ... no, it isn't the "honest reality of things." Various statistics strongly suggest that Branch was a better safety than Minter in '04, so unless you mean to tell me that Minter isn't worth keeping compared to the average cheap safety as well, then that argument holds little weight. There is an obvious bias against Branch for whatever reason, not only from you but from a great many Panthers fans, but he's actually not bad. I'd rather have a better starter, but I'm not entirely comfortable with Minter starting anymore either. In any case, I very much doubt that anyone we'd draft would move ahead of both Branch and Williams on the depth chart, whether they deserve to or not, so I doubt the organization makes a move in the early rounds unless they also feel it's BPA (and hard to see that as possible given the safeties in this draft).

 

short term yes. all three are under contract for only a year though.

 

I'm lazy. What FAs are left out there that "could" be serviceable. I think RB or TE is our plan in rd 1that in addition I don't think a worthy DB would be there at 27 barring a trade up or down

 

There's really not much left at safety in free agency, so it's something we'd need to address in the draft if we don't view McCadam as legitimate depth. Someone might get cut, but several teams are pretty desperate right now and would probably jump on them.