Drafting DL

Might as well go ahead and fire up speculation that the Panthers are hoping a Defensive Lineman falls to 14. Could they be hoping for Branch, Okoye or Carriker to fall and if so, get picks for Jenkins. If our guy doesn't fall, keep Jenkins? Would it be fiscally advantagous? Do you think the back ups are good enough as is without Jenkins?

 

I would rather not use our first round pick on a DT even if we did trade Jenkins. Kemo and Lewis would be fine as starters. Carstens is decent as a back up. We would need to add some depth but we could do that on the second day or by signing cheap free agents.

 

Branch is incredibly lazy and out of shape. No point replacing one of those with another. Carriker is not that good, IMHO. However, if Okoye falls, I'd sure take him. Also Anderson, a DE.

 

No. Not at 14. For a great end? Maybe, but that's Adams or Anderson. Not Carriker. Not Moss.

Plus, giving up a 1 to replace a guy you might get a 2 out of? That's overspending for the sake of overspending. An end was possible before this anyway, but only the right guy.

 

Ok, now I have to ask. You have mentioned a few times players are not worthy at #14 because they are not great or elite. There will be those suprise players that end up great, but get picked at the later rounds. There are the top 10 or so that are on every mock and ranking. Who do you think are the great or elite players that should or will be there at 14?

 

Decent question.
Honestly, there shouldn't be much "elite" there at all. I don't think this draft is that deep of guys who should be expected to dominate. Maybe one of the receivers could - but I don't know which. Anderson or Adams have the chance of being dominant, but they won't be there. I believe Nelson, who has the ability, could be dominant, I don't buy into the hype that suddenly he went from a top 13 guy to a top 25 guy and that Landry went to a top 10 guy, all without any football being played.

Regardless, for this defense, you don't take "solid". We have plenty of solid. You need a homerun guy, and while I wouldn't take him at 14 right now, a guy like Moss is that homerun guy. A guy like Carriker isn't. In a 3-4? Maybe. We're not building a defense around one supposed "sure thing". We have a defense, we need a guy who'll be the playmaker we missed last year.

 

I think "solid" is what we need. We have playmakers on defense already. We just need guys who can fill in our holes. We have had crap at safety for several years. If we find a "solid" guy then our play makers can be free to make more plays. Peppers, Lucas and Marshall are playmakers. Davis has a chance to be one too.

 

Can somebody define playmaker for me? Ints, sacks, fumbles? I'd be happy with a safety who can tackle or a linebacker who can cover a TE

 

This, IMHO, is the problem with saying things like "good-value" this years draft has about 5 potentially "Elite players" + a couple of very good prospects.

Then the talent level drops off, we're reaching for who ever we pick at #14 based on the talent level that has been available in previous drafts, but with nobody of #14 value available - take the best player availbale at a need position.

 

I know a lot of people have pegged Carriker as a 3 4 guy probably because of his strength as a great bull rusher. I think he climbed the boards because he surprised a lot by how quick he is and he does get to the QB. I know you want a speed guy for the edge. I feel he would be great at LDE, but his success was at RDE. Of course that would regurgitate that moving Peppers over to RDE discussion.

I wouldn't mind Moss or Nelson. You might be right that they have homerun potential but they also have potential to go the other way. One could argue Moss is more suited to play LB in a 3 4. Some have questioned Nelson's intelligence, if that is the case who wants your centerfielder having decision making issues.

With Rucker nearing the end of his career and Jenkins on the block, I do not think it's a stretch that the FO would go line with that pick.