Tracking Byron Leftwich

From ESPN...
Passing all the tests? The shape of the top 10 in the 2003 draft should come into much better focus after next Monday's audition by former Marshall quarterback Byron Leftwich, who will work out at a Florida high school, in a session that will be very well attended. Because the fractured left leg he sustained during the season has precluded him from any kind of workout, Leftwich has been a sort of wild card in the upper reaches of the first round, and Monday will answer a lot of questions about where he stands in his rehabilitation. To that end, ESPN.com has learned that all 32 teams this week received a letter from renowned Birmingham, Ala., orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, who has examined Leftwich several times in recent months. In the letter, Andrews apprises the teams that Leftwich is cleared to perform "all drills" and that he has experienced "no leg pain." He further consuls that there will be "no further removal" of surgical hardware from Leftwich's left leg, which has been broken twice in the past two seasons. Essentially, it is a clean bill of health for Leftwich from one of the country's most respected orthopedists, and is meant to quell any lingering concerns about physical viability of the young quarterback. Based on the results of his workout, Leftwich could go anywhere from the first choice in the draft to the 10th-12th pick overall. He is scheduled to visit with Cincinnati officials, ESPN.com has confirmed, a day or two after the Monday audition.


Just wanted to start a Byron thread for tracking his progress. He has a workout today which will affect his status bigtime.

That meeting with Cincy is very interesting. Is there any chance that a Carson Palmer falls to us at #9???

 

Palmer would then fall to Houston, which I feel would make US trade up and THEM trade down... I don't see Detroit trading out and missing on Rogers...

No denying that the Panthers Brass LOVE Palmer...

 

As crazy as it might sound...

I'd feel better with Leftwich than Palmer. I just like his intangibles better even though Palmer is the better all around athlete and deserves the higher rank.

I think Leftwich is such a great natural leader. Palmer is bland and lacks fire - although he is a lot like Troy Aikman all around. Troy was ok.

 

Before you start thinking...

....draft a QB, you have to take into consideration:

1) Panthers already have 2 out of college QB's on the roster (Fasani & Weinke) who haven't panned out or had the chance to pan out yet.

2) Delhomme is a largely unproven commodity at QB, in spite of his 4 years of NFL service. He lacks the number of starts to call him a proven NFL QB.

3) If the Panther DO draft a QB, which would you prefer? A drop back passer (Palmer) or a mobile threat like Brooks, Vick (Lefty?) Can Lefty still be a mobile QB threat? his workouts will tell us that. I don't think it would be smart to draft a QB, but stranger things have happened.

Just a view from the press box....

 

Agree with Mike.

While I'd obviously be all right with Leftwich, I think the staff believes in Delhomme. So I would be against taking a QB at #9 just so not to have the distraction of having to play your #1 pick and hampering the development of Delhomme.

 

Re: Before you start thinking...

>>1) Panthers already have 2 out of college QB's on the roster (Fasani & Weinke) who haven't panned out or had the chance to pan out yet.

I don't believe either will pan out. If fasani does, it'll be at the time when his contract's already expired. He was a project to begin with. Weinke shouldn't be here.

>>2) Delhomme is a largely unproven commodity at QB, in spite of his 4 years of NFL service. He lacks the number of starts to call him a proven NFL QB.

That tends to suggest competition, yes?

>>3) If the Panther DO draft a QB, which would you prefer? A drop back passer (Palmer) or a mobile threat like Brooks, Vick (Lefty?)

Take a QB based on his abilities as a QB, not as a runner. Any additional threat is appreciated, but not necessarily as important as the physical throwing motion, accuracy, pocket presence, character, leadership.

>>Can Lefty still be a mobile QB threat?

No, not in the mold of a runner. In the mold of a guy who can get 7-10 yards when everyone's downfield? Sure. Can he dive forward and be successful? sure. Those are two things that I enjoyed about Weinke, he was just athletic enough to get the yards when the yards were there, but he didn't pass up passing opportunities. If Leftwich is that type player, then I'm that much more on board, since he's obviously hundreds of times better.


He's not our only option at QB - second round could net Ragone, third round is where I'd limit Simms. Past that, there's not much point. The rest don't fit in value, and I don't know if guys that I like (Romo, for instance) are going to be enough.
But that's what we want, hopefully. Options.

 

When was Lefty EVER a mobile threat in the mold of Brooks or Vick?

 

One move that would make my day would be to move down with Jets (Johnson drops) and get #13 and #24. Have Balitmore go Boller and watch Leftwich fall to #13.

Then take OT (Steinbach or Hunter) or OLB (Bailey) or WR (Bryant Johnson with the pick at #24.

That would be a miracle though.

 

If it was me guessing on their choices...

CB Trufant
QB Simms (Ragone)
S Holt
G/T Davis
WR Hoag
FB BA
TE BA
DT Martin

And sign Mo Collins.

 

Say we do draft Leftwich and Delhomme ends the season with a passer rating of 90, what do we then do? Extend Delhomme's contract or let him ride it out and hope Leftwich would be ready in two years?