Norris Thornburg

5 Reasons the Carolina Panthers Will Make the Playoffs

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Training camp starts tomorrow and there’s a lot of excitement surrounding the Carolina Panthers. Fans have just watched the team on Amazon Prime’s “All or Nothing” and got an in-depth look inside the 2018 Panthers. There seems to be a lot of buzz about this team, even from national news outlets. Hopefully, everything will click with the team and they’ll get back to being in contention for a Super Bowl. Here are five reasons that the Panthers will make the playoffs.

1. Ron Rivera

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Rivera has always been described as a players coach. He seems to be the type of coach that players can relate to and come to with their problems. He also knows how to get the best out of his players. After watching Amazon Prime’s “All or Nothing”, it should’ve convinced fans that Rivera is a really good coach. It showed that, even though he stays even keel on the sidelines, he gets fired up and emotional in the locker room. Having Rivera as a head coach is definitely a benefit and will help Carolina get to the playoffs.

2. Healthy Cam Newton

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Cam seems to be the healthiest he has been in awhile, according to him. The success of the Panthers ultimately hinges on Cam Newton. Cam has been training hard this offseason and is determined to win. If the Panthers want to make the playoffs, Cam will need to continue what he started in the first half of 2018. Even though Cam had been hurt for a few weeks, he was very efficient through the first eleven games. Through the first eleven games he threw for 2,699 yards (245 ypg, his best since 2011), 22 touchdowns, 4 interceptions and a QB Rating of 104 while completing 69.9% of his passes. By comparison, in the first eleven games of Cam’s MVP season in 2015, Cam had 2,466 yards (224 ypg), 20 touchdowns, 9 interceptions and a QB Rating of 89.5 while completing only 53% of his passes. Not saying Cam would’ve won MVP last year, but he was looking better last year than he did in 2015. Had Cam stayed healthy last season, there’s a good chance that the Panthers could’ve made the playoffs and done some damage. With a healthy Cam in Norv’s offense, this should be a fun season.

3. Core Leadership

Yes, Carolina let veteran linebacker, Thomas Davis, walk in the offseason. They also lost Julius Peppers and Ryan Kalil to retirement. However, they still have Luke Kuechly, Cam Newton, Kawann Short, Eric Reid, Greg Olsen and newly signed Gerald McCoy in the locker room. That’s plenty of leadership on both sides of the ball. One could argue that Christian McCaffrey has become a leader as well, even coming into his third year. This group of leaders not only do it on the field with their play, but off the field as well. This seems like a very talented and well rounded group of players and leaders.

4. Winning the Turnover Differential

If Carolina wants to get back into the playoffs for a shot at a Super Bowl, they need to create a lot of takeaways and limit turnovers. Last season, Carolina’s turnover differential was +1, as they had 22 turnovers and 23 takeaways. That ranked 16th among the NFL. By comparison, in 2015, Carolina ranked 1st in the NFL at +20, as they had 39 takeaways and 19 turnovers. Getting back to that kind of domination will be crucial in being successful in 2019. The defensive scheme tweak and the additions via draft and free agency will help.

5. Schedule

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The first two games are at home, five of the last nine games are at home, and they have a week seven bye. If the Panthers can start fast by winning the first two games, against the Rams and Bucs, respectively, then they should gain momentum. A week seven bye gives the Panthers a chance to rest during a week that is almost in the middle of the season. That’s key for the players to get healthy and rested. In November and December, when the Panthers have been historically better, they have five home games out of nine. It will be nice to have home field advantage in those games. The Rams in the opener aren’t going to be easy, but the Panthers can win. Week one is always a toss up.

If all goes according to plan, Carolina should be back in the playoffs this season. Here’s to hoping that nothing keeps them from achieving their dream of a Lombardi Trophy.

#KeepPounding #4MR #

By: Norris Thornburg July 24, 2019

Hurney’s Journey

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It’s 2012. Carolina fans are waving goodbye to General Manager Marty Hurney and everyone seems happy that he’s been fired. He handed out a lot of money to players that many fans felt weren’t worth it. He was a notoriously bad negotiator. He was good at drafting in the first round but missed on most players in the mid-late rounds. He made bad trades in the draft. (See Everette Brown and Armanti Edwards) He was far too loyal to the aging veterans instead of signing players that injected youth into the team. That gave fans ammunition to hate Marty Hurney.

Fast forward to 2017. Dave Gettleman gets fired as the Panthers’ General Manager on July 17th. Within a day, former Panthers owner, Jerry Richardson, hired Marty Hurney to be the interim General Manager. Some fans were livid, some fans shouted that Hurney is the one who drafted the core of the team. Carolina fans didn’t know how this would play out. Everyone was looking forward to seeing who the team would hire to be the full time GM. The first thing Hurney did was re-sign Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner to a four year deal that was worth $45 million. Fans were thinking that Hurney was up to his old tricks, even though Turner’s contract was cap friendly in 2017, worth only $3.9 million. In hindsight, a back loaded contract for a Pro Bowl guard seems to be a great deal.

The next thing Hurney did was correct a problem that Gettleman failed to address. Greg Olsen wanted to restructure his contract to make more money, since he had just completed the best three year stint of any tight end in league history, as he had three consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. Hurney decided to add incentives to Olsen’s contract for the following year. Unfortunately, Olsen ended up getting hurt in 2017, didn’t make the extra money and Hurney looked like a genius.

As if that wasn’t enough, Hurney then re-signed linebacker Thomas Davis to a one year deal worth $6.7 million. That was thought to be a reasonably low contract for Davis, who was still playing like a Pro Bowler at age 34. To most fans, Hurney seemed to have learned how to negotiate contracts and was doing a solid job. There were still some fans, however, that were not sold. They thought Hurney shouldn’t have given contracts to the older players. Hurney wasn’t done…

On Halloween, just before the trade deadline, Hurney shocked Panther Nation by trading wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin to the Buffalo Bills for a third round pick and a seventh round pick. Benjamin had struggled with his weight in the offseason and came into camp overweight. During the season, his play was less than stellar. He averaged 59 yards per game in eight weeks. Panther fans started to see that Hurney meant business.

Some other notable player transactions during the 2017 offseason for Marty Hurney:

• G Greg Van Roten Signed

• DE Bryan Cox Signed (from practice squad)

• DE Efe Obada Signed

• CB Kevon Seymour Acquired via trade

• FB Alex Armah Signed (from practice squad)

• S Jairus Byrd Signed

Those aren’t splash free agent signings by any means, but they were solid signings for only having around $5 million in cap space. Carolina went 11-5 in 2017, prompting fans to say that Hurney learned from his mistakes. There were still fans that wanted interim General Manager Hurney gone, and wanted the team to hire a different GM.

On February 4, 2018, Marty Hurney was put on paid administrative leave for violating the league’s personal conduct rules, as his estranged wife made accusations against him. With no evidence that he did anything wrong, Hurney was reinstated by the team. Then, on February 21, 2018, Hurney was hired to be the full-time GM for the Panthers. Hurney was back where he belonged without an interim tag beside his name.

The 2018 offseason was fairly successful on paper, as Hurney had a little more cap space to sign core guys at positions of need. He added a little more space by releasing the running back he drafted, Jonathan Stewart, who is Carolina’s all time rushing leader. That was a tough decision, but that was just the start for Marty. Then, with the wide receiver position being in question, Hurney decided to trade for speedy veteran Torrey Smith, whose $5 million contract was somewhat low for a deep threat. Smith’s contract was also intriguing because there was no guaranteed money involved, so Carolina could cut ties if needed and they’d owe him nothing. Next on Hurney’s agenda was to address the defensive line. Hurney gave future Hall-of-Famer Julius Peppers a contract extension, so that Peppers could retire as a Panther. Hurney then signed Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dontari Poe to a three year contract worth $28 million. This was considered a relatively big free agent signing, since Poe was statistically better than Star Lotulelei, who Hurney let walk in free agency.

Hurney went on to make more low-key signings that looked to be solid. Wide receiver Jarius Wright, who was dubbed “Mr. Third Down” in Minnesota, signed with Carolina. Former Viking offensive coordinator, Norv Turner, had something to do with that. Hurney then signed strong safety Da’Norris Searcy to a two year contract. That signing looked to be solid, since Searcy was a starting caliber safety. He lost his job in Tennessee, but Hurney thought the change of scenery would help him. That same day, Hurney signed cornerback Ross Cockrell to a two year deal. This was significant because Carolina needed a corner to pair with starter James Bradberry and Cockrell was the number one zone corner in the league in 2017. This was an under the radar signing that could have a major impact. Hurney ended the month of March by signing guard Jeremiah Sirles to compete for the left guard spot, which was left vacant when Hurney let Andrew Norwell walk.

Other notable pre-draft transactions:

• P Michael Palardy Contract Extension

• C Tyler Larsen Contract Extension

• QB Tyler Heineke Claimed off waivers

• TE Greg Olsen Contract Extension

On April 26th, Hurney had his first draft during his second stint with the Panthers. Carolina had the 24th pick and the consensus pick from the fans was cornerback Mike Hughes. Carolina spent the most time with Hughes throughout the pre-draft process, which is why almost everyone thought that’s who they’d pick. During the draft, Hurney watched the best wide receivers, Calvin Ridley and DJ Moore, fall. Neither were on Hurney’s realistic draft board because he didn’t think either one would be there. When pick 24 came up, Hurney all but jumped to the phone to select DJ Moore, who was the best route runner and best at getting yards after the catch. Panther Nation couldn’t have been happier. Neither could Norv Turner.

Other 2018 Carolina draftees:

• Round 2- CB Donte Jackson 

(Check out the 4our Man Rush’s Film Room Episode of Jackson here)

• Round 3- S Rashaan Gaulden

(Check out the 4our Man Rush Film Room Episode of Gaulden here)

• Round 4a- TE Ian Thomas

• Round 4b- DE Marquis Haynes

• Round 5- LB Jermaine Carter

• Round 7a- LB Andre Smith

• Round 7B- DT Kendrick Norton

It’s hard to grade a draft in one year, but this class seemed to address a lot of needs. Especially on the defensive side of the ball. However, Hurney wasn’t done upgrading the offense. On May 7th, Carolina signed Pro Bowl running back CJ Anderson to a one year deal. This signing looked to be solid, since Anderson was a bruising back that could compliment Christian McCaffrey’s finesse running style. Panther fans rejoiced at the thought of Anderson joining the team. Over the next couple of months, Hurney made more small free agent signings to round out the roster, which is what all General Managers do.

After a string of injuries to nearly every position, Hurney made arguably the most impactful signing of his career. On September 27th, Carolina signed Pro Bowl safety Eric Reid to a one year contract. This signing was brought on by the injury to Da’Norris Searcy. The Reid signing wasn’t received well by a lot of fans due to Reid’s protest during the national anthem. Reid was, and still is, protesting racial injustices amongst the black community. Most teams shied away from Reid due to the media circus that would likely follow him. However, Hurney jumped at the chance to sign Reid because he was the best available safety. On paper, this Panthers team looked to be at least a 12 win team. As things in the NFL go, the season didn’t go as expected.

The 2018 season started and it looked promising after winning six out of eight games, even with all the injuries that were mounting up. Then, Pittsburgh happened. Cam Newton was injured during the game after a hit by TJ Watt, and the season crumbled. Carolina was viewed as a playoff caliber team. Now, they looked like a dumpster fire. To make matters worse, they released CJ Anderson, which made them the laughing stock of the NFL, after he did so well for the Rams. To close out the season, Carolina lost seven of their next eight games, and Panther Nation was again let down. It wasn’t really Hurney’s fault, but he felt as if he had let the team down. Hurney had a pretty successful offseason, but it wouldn’t hold a candle to what he would do in 2019.

In January, Hurney did something that was very hard for him. After a 14 year stint with the Panthers, Thomas Davis was told that he isn’t being re-signed. This was a hard pill to swallow for Panther Nation, as Davis has been the embodiment of the Carolina mantra Keep Pounding. This did, however, show fans that Hurney isn’t afraid to make those decisions anymore. He wasn’t going to sign a guy based purely on loyalty. That’s how a GM should be. This wouldn’t be his only veteran cut in 2019.

That same week, Hurney re-signed two role players, Efe Obada and Chris Manhertz. Obada was fairly effective in rotation at defensive end, and Manhertz is a good blocking tight end who was a part of one of the best plays of 2018. Then, in February, Hurney signed safety Eric Reid to a three year contract worth a little under $8 million per year. Hurney wanted to get a contract done before free agency started because he felt that Reid could get more money than he could offer. Again, Hurney made a tough decision by releasing Captain Munnerlyn in February, since his play didn’t match his salary. This move created $2 million in cap space for Carolina, and Hurney knew how to utilize that money.

In March, after re-signing a few of their own players, Hurney set his sights on free agency. After Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil retired, Hurney knew the team needed to replace him with someone that had experience. Yes, they had scouted a few centers in the pre-draft process, but Hurney was about to make a move that would surprise fans. On March 14th, the start of free agency, Carolina signed the top free agent center, Matt Paradis, to a three year deal. Fans, and Cam Newton, couldn’t have been happier. Paradis was ranked as the second best center in the league two out of the last three years, according to Pro Football Focus. Fans were already starting to feel the Hurn.

That same day, Hurney pulled off another big move. All Pro guard Daryl Williams was written off by most fans, as being gone due to his free agent status. Everyone thought he’d command at least $10 million per year in salary, which would’ve been good enough to garner us a third round compensatory pick in 2020. However, Hurney surprised fans when he signed Williams to a one year deal worth $6 million. The Panthers are serious about protecting Cam, and they proved it with this signing.

Next on Hurney’s agenda was to create some more cap room. Carolina released injured left tackle, Matt Kalil, and designated him as a post June 1st cut. That means they wouldn’t get that money until June. The Matt Kalil release would give Carolina an additional $7.5 million in cap space. Kalil wasn’t as bad as some fans thought he was, but he also wasn’t the answer at left tackle. The general thought now was, Carolina would likely move Taylor Moton to left tackle and put Daryl Williams back on the right side. Moton did well on the left in limited action earlier in the season.

A week after signing Paradis and Williams, Hurney shocked everyone again. This time it was on the defensive side of the ball. He signed linebacker Bruce Irvin to a one year contract. This was a big signing, since fans were concerned about the lack of pass rush in 2018. In 2018, Irvin played for both Oakland and Atlanta. His stats were decent, as he had 6.5 sacks combined. His tackle count was somewhat low, but that’s due to him playing 23% of the defensive snaps for both teams. Hurney knew that Irvin can still be productive if given more reps. Irvin will also serve as a mentor to the younger pass rushers that Carolina could potentially draft or sign.

After claiming tackle Dillon Gordon off waivers from Kansas City and signing a few more camp body players, Hurney turned his attention to players from the, now debunked, Alliance of American Football (AAF). Carolina signed six players from the AAF pre-draft, to get players with experience to round out the bottom of the roster. One player in particular, wide receiver and return man Rashad Ross, stood out as a player that has a real shot at making the team. Ross played in eight games with the Arizona Hotshots and had 583 receiving yards and a league-high seven touchdowns. Ross could make the Panthers 53 man roster based on his experience as a return man. Ross is a speedy receiver, as he was clocked at 4.26 while running the 40 yard dash in the pre-draft process years ago.

As if Carolina didn’t have enough players in the wide receiver room, Hurney brought former Patriot Chris Hogan in for a visit. Hurney signed Hogan to a one year deal, adding more veteran experience to the team. Hogan has been fairly productive over the last couple seasons and has won two Super Bowls with the Patriots. It’s worth noting that, since 2016, Hogan ranks second in post-season receiving yardage with 542 yards. He’s also tied for first in post-season receiving touchdowns with four. This is another under the radar signing by Hurney, that could be a key to their success.

Other notable transactions:

• DT Kyle Love Signed

• RB Cameron Artis-Payne Signed

• S Colin Jones Signed

Throughout this entire process, Hurney, the scouting department and the entire Panthers’ front office had been scouting and visiting with potential draft picks. Fans knew that there were still some positions that needed to be addressed, mainly left tackle and pass rusher. With the talk of Carolina’s defense becoming a more hybrid style and using a lot of 3-4 looks (For a thorough breakdown of Carolina’s new defense by the 4our Man Rush, click here), some fans were sold that either DE/OLB Montez Sweat or DE/OLB Brian Burns would be the pick in the first round, if available. The other half of the fan base wanted a left tackle. This split Panther Nation right down the middle.

On draft night, it couldn’t have went any better for Marty Hurney. All of the players that Hurney coveted were there at pick 16. Hurney took arguably the best player in Brian Burns. Burns is a player that has the potential to turn this defense around and be a cornerstone for years to come. According to Hurney, Burns was at the top of their draft board and they were shocked he was there. Burns’ skillset fits well in the Panthers’ revamped defense. (Learn more about Burns and the other 2019 draft picks here) Check out the 4our Man Rush’s Film Room Episode about Brian Burns here.

Hurney had also been looking at offensive tackles in the pre-draft process. One of which, he highly coveted. On day one, Hurney was on the phone but couldn’t make a trade. Day two started with Hurney on the phone yet again. He was trying to trade up for Greg Little, an offensive tackle from Ole Miss. As fate would have it, the Seattle Seahawks were looking to trade down from pick 37. They had a number of trade partners, but they picked Carolina. Carolina chose left tackle Greg Little, a guy who they had pondered drafting at pick 16. The Panthers offensive line was immediately upgraded. Hurney was on cloud nine.

Other 2019 Carolina draftees:

Round 3- QB Will Grier

Round 4- DE/OLB Christian Miller

(Check out the 4our Man Rush’s Film Room Episode on Miller here)

Round 5- RB Jordan Scarlett

Round 6- OT Dennis Daley

Round 7- WR Terry Godwin

On paper, this could very well be Marty Hurney’s best ever draft. Obviously it’s too early to know, since they haven’t taken a snap yet. This could also be Hurney’s best offseason. His moves had been very precise up to this point, and he balanced his attention to all three phases of the team.

As if Carolina didn’t have enough wide receivers already, Hurney signed former Viking Aldrick Robinson. Robinson isn’t an elite receiver, but in 2018 he had a knack for finding the end zone. Robinson only had 17 catches for the year, but 5 of them were touchdowns. Robinson is another speedster that can stretch the field and get behind defenses in a hurry. Another solid role player with potential had been signed by Marty Hurney. The pieces for success are in place and Panther fans can’t wait until training camp to get a look at the 2019 team. Little did Panther Nation know, this team was about to get a whole lot better.

Before the 2019 NFL draft, Panthers linebacker, Luke Kuechly, restructured his contract, which freed up $7.24 million in cap space. Fans immediately thought that Hurney did this to sign safety Tre Boston, since the thought was that they didn’t have anyone good to play along side Eric Reid. Carolina did try to sign Boston, but it didn’t work out. Around the same time, news broke out of Tampa, Florida that six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, Gerald McCoy, was on the trade block. New Buccaneers head coach, Bruce Arians, didn’t commit to keeping McCoy during an interview and the rumors started to fly. The media pegged the Cleveland Browns as a potential trade partner for McCoy, but nothing ever came of it. On May 20th, the Bucs announced that they had released Gerald McCoy, which saved them around $13 million in cap space. McCoy came out and said that he wanted to play for a contender, and again, the Cleveland Browns were the first team everyone thought of due to their enormous salary cap number. McCoy did indeed visit Cleveland, but left without a deal. At this point, Carolina fans didn’t even think it was possible to get McCoy, but everyone wanted him. Next, McCoy visited Baltimore for two days.

Everyone thought that it was between those two teams until Ian Rappoport reported that a third was interested in McCoy. It was the Carolina Panthers. Panthers’ fans were in disbelief that Hurney was on the verge of possibly getting a top five defensive tackle. Many fans still didn’t think it was possible. McCoy left Baltimore without a contract and he was on his way to Charlotte to meet with the Panthers’ brass. In the days leading up to the McCoy meeting, Marty Hurney convinced wide receiver, Torrey Smith, to take a $2 million pay cut, to help add funds to the cap in case McCoy wanted to sign. McCoy came in for a visit on Thursday and stayed until Friday. He stated that he was going to think about it over the weekend. On Monday, it was announced that McCoy had chosen the Panthers as his next team. Panther Nation went crazy. Marty Hurney had pulled off the unthinkable. He had signed another top tier defensive tackle to pair with KK Short. McCoy can play inside and outside on the defensive line, and has been one of the most dominant defensive tackles in the NFL over the last six seasons. He’s the only defensive tackle that has produced 6 sacks ever year for the past six years. Having McCoy and Short together with Dontari Poe at nose tackle in the 3-4 looks could be the most dominant front that the Panthers have ever had. Carolina now has the front seven of Short, Poe, McCoy, Addison, Thompson, Kuechly and Irvin/Burns. All hail Marty Hurney! Make sure to check out the 4our Man Rush’s Film Room Episode of Gerald McCoy here to learn more.

So Marty Hurney showed Panther Nation that he, along with the rest of the front office, is in win-now mode. Carolina has the potential to have their best ever defense (barring injury). Marty Hurney had a plan in place and exceeded his own expectations. Time will tell if these moves will translate in wins, but it looks to be dominating on paper. To recap, this offseason, Marty Hurney:

• Re-signed S Eric Reid

• Signed C Matt Paradis

• Re-signed OT Daryl Williams

• Signed DE/OLB Bruce Irvin

• Signed WR Chris Hogan

• Re-signed DT Kyle Love

• Drafted DE/OLB Brian Burns, LT Greg Little, QB Will Grier and DE/OLB Christian Miller in the first four rounds

• Restructured Luke Kuechly’s contract to gain cap space

• Convinced Torrey Smith to take a pay cut for added funds

• Signed WR Aldrick Robinson

• Signed DT Gerald McCoy

**EDIT- After a few months of courtship, Hurney has signed safety, Tre Boston, to solidify the secondary. Huge news! Even more to be hyped about.**

How can anyone not be hyped at the pieces that Marty Hurney has put in place since his return? In the last three months, Marty Hurney has possibly put together the single greatest off-season of his career. This is a 180 degree turn from how he was viewed prior to his termination in 2012. What say you, Panther Nation? Are you feeling the Hurn?!?! Hopefully this team will bring a Lombardi trophy home to the Carolinas. Make sure you check out the 4our Man Rush’s weekly podcast for all the Panthers info you need. Also, check out the 4our Man Rush’s YouTube channel for Film Reviews and breakdowns of everything Panthers related. #KeepPounding #4MR #WhatARush

Post Draft Prime Cuts: Getting to Know the Picks

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Well, the draft has came and went. All of that waiting is over and fans finally know what players Carolina wanted. Over the last few weeks, 4 Man Rush has kept you up to date on all of the players that Carolina has met with. It’s given fans an idea of the players that the team was interested in. The first three picks were pretty easy to figure out, as they were the most visited of all the prospects for the Panthers. This is going to be a quick overview of the players that Carolina selected in this year’s draft.

Pick 16. OLB/DE Brian Burns

Florida St.

Brian Burns stated early into the process that Carolina had shown him the most interest, per Jonathan Jones of Sports Illustrated. Carolina met with Burns at Florida State’s pro day. They also had Burns in for a top 30 private visit. There have been rumors that Carolina will be using more 3-4 looks during this upcoming season. This pick signifies the tweak in philosophy. Burns brings speed to the edge rush. He simply outruns his blockers and gets into the backfield. Burns is going to be an immediate playmaker in this defense. He has elite athleticism, bend, get-off, lateral quickness and flexibility, which will translate well into the NFL. He’s really good at creating pressure. This was the perfect pick for Carolina, as they’ve needed youth and speed in their defense for a couple of years.

On a more personal note, Burns’ brother, Stanley McClover, was drafted by the Panthers in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Burns loves Marvel Comics. More specifically, he loves Spider-Man. At FSU, Burns would often do Spider-Man celebrations after making a play.

One of the question marks about Burns prior to the combine was his skinny frame. He played last season at 235 pounds. At the next level, a 6’5 235 pound defensive end probably isn’t going to run through elite 300 pound offensive linemen. After the season, Burns met with a nutritionist every day to bulk up. He admitted that it was hard, but he knew he’d need to pack on some weight. After all the hard work, Burns weighed in at 249 pounds at the combine. Scouts took notice, and Burns was placed atop of Carolina’s draft board. It’s nice when things work out.

Pick Grade: A

Pick 37. OT Greg Little

Ole Miss

Little was also pretty easy to pick out as a favorite by the Panthers. Carolina spoke with Little at the combine and his pro day, where he impressed them. So much so, that they held a workout for him and also brought him in for a top 30 visit. The Panthers loved Little so much, that they were considering drafting him at pick 16 if Brian Burns wasn’t there. When the draft made it to pick 22, Marty Hurney was on the phone trying to trade back into the first round to get their left tackle of the future. Teams wanted too much in return, so Hurney didn’t pull the trigger. That turned out to be a blessing, as the first round closed out with four the top tackles on the board. One of which was Little, who Carolina coveted. On day two, Carolina knew they had to trade up to get a top tackle, so Hurney offered picks 47 and 77 to Seattle to move up to pick 37. Hurney did give up more than he wanted, but it’s what he needed to do to get his guy. He was trying to trade picks 47 and 100, but Seattle wouldn’t budge. If Little turns out to be a stud at left tackle for the next ten years, this trade will look like a steal.

Little’s forte is pass protection, which Carolina needs on the left side. At Ole Miss, Little only allowed 26 pressures and 3 sacks in 993 snaps, which is pretty amazing. He has the athleticism needed to play in the Panthers’ offense and is very agile for someone his size. He’s a natural bender with elite lateral quickness. He has the desired foot speed needed to be an NFL left tackle. He needs to become a better run blocker, but that’s easily taught. John Matsko is one of the best offensive line coaches in the league, and he also has the help of former Panthers offensive lineman Travelle Wharton. Fans don’t need to be worried about Little’s run blocking, as it just needs a small tweak. All in all, this was the perfect fit for Carolina, as they put an emphasis on protecting Cam Newton’s blindside.

Little was born in Texas in 1997, and weighed 11 pounds 2 ounces. Coming out of high school, Little was a five star recruit, ranked second behind defensive end, Rashan Gary. He has football bloodlines, as his father played college football at South Carolina and was drafted by the Buccaneers in 1989. He’s known to be a shy, soft spoken guy off the field. On the field, Little is known to be a leader and good locker room guy. Little will give the Panthers an instant upgrade at the left tackle position. This pick likely means that Daryl Williams will make the move to left guard, since Taylor Moton played lights out at right tackle last season.

Pick Grade: A-

Pick 100: QB Will Grier

West Virginia

This was another easy call to make, since Carolina used virtually every avenue to meet with Grier. Carolina met with him at the combine, pro day, local day and also met with him for dinner. At Grier’s pro day workout, Norv Turner was seemingly swooning over Grier, which we saw him doing last year when he was courting DJ Moore.

There’s no doubt that Grier is a good quarterback prospect. He’s known for making clutch throws and being a leader in the locker room. He’s good at deciphering defenses and making pre-snap adjustments. There aren’t many throws that Grier can’t make and the vast majority are made with precise accuracy. He has all of the intangibles that teams look for in a back up quarterback, and is a good candidate to be groomed for an eventual replacement for Cam once he retires. He isn’t going to push Cam out of the number one spot, since Cam is still a top ten quarterback in the NFL. A few talking heads have stated otherwise, but it isn’t happening. At this point, Grier isn’t ready to be the full time starter for the Panthers. He is, however, ready to beat out Kyle Allen as the backup.

Grier is from the Charlotte area and grew up a Panthers fan, so this is a dream come true for him. He went to Davidson Day School in Davidson, NC. As a junior, he threw for 837 yards in one game. As a senior he had 4,989 yards passing and a nation-leading 77 touchdowns, which was also a North Carolina record. He also rushed for 1,251 yards for 13 touchdowns. He was named a Parade All-American and also Mr. Football USA.

When pick 100 rolled around on Friday night, Carolina had other needs besides quarterback. Safety was the main position that fans were clamoring for. There were still two starting quality safeties on the board, but ultimately, Carolina felt that backup quarterback was a bigger need. Plus, the two safeties that were left were too similar to Eric Reid. There are rumors swirling that Carolina will sign a safety in the second phase of free agency, and the fact that they didn’t pick one in the draft shows that this could be true. Bottom line is, this was Hurney’s guy. The board fell exactly the way they wanted it to and it paid off. Grier is a nice insurance policy for Cam, just in case his shoulder has a setback. Grier could come in and succeed with the weapons that Carolina has given the offense. Let’s be clear….a healthy Cam is still the starter over Grier. Overall, this pick wasn’t the first choice for fans, but could be a value pick if he turns into the eventual starter after Cam retires.

Pick Grade: B-

Pick 115: OLB/DE Christian Miller

Alabama

As pick 115 rolled around, the consensus fan pick would’ve been a safety, but the safeties that were left didn’t have the value that Christian Miller did. Carolina wanted to inject youth and speed into their pass rush, and that’s what they did. Miller is a first round talent that struggled with injuries and was behind a talented linebacker Corp at Alabama. This should’ve been easy for fans to figure out too, since the Panthers used a top 30 private visit on Miller. In Marty Hurney’s post-draft press conference, he said that him and Coach Rivera had been taking about Miller for a long time. He also said that he was shocked that Miller made it to the fourth round. Most fans should’ve been shocked. Miller is an absolute steal at pick 115.

Miller is a good pass rusher with elite get off and speed. He has solid lateral quickness and pursuit speed. He uses his long arms well, as he knocks the ball down at the line of scrimmage regularly. Christian has good bend and has an array of pass rush moves. He’s a really smart kid with a high football IQ. He can decipher a play with ease, despite not having a lot of playing time in college. He’s very good at dropping back into coverage. He is a natural leader and known for being a good teammate and hard worker. He will fit perfectly in this defense, no matter what look Carolina gives.

Miller also has football in his blood. His father, linebacker Corey Miller, was a nine year veteran in the NFL for the Giants and Vikings. Corey played an integral part in helping Christian become a pass rusher. Miller was born in Columbia, South Carolina. He played at Spring Valley High School and was a four-star recruit. He had some hamstring issues in college that hampered his playing time, but he says that it is fully healed and he’s ready to go. Miller is a player that fans should be really excited about, because he has the potential to be a special player in the NFL.

Pick Grade: A-

Pick 154: RB Jordan Scarlett

Florida

Throughout the pre-draft process, Marty Hurney continued to state that they’d like to get a running back that has the same skill set as starter Christian McCaffrey. That’s why the Scarlett pick is somewhat of a surprise. Scarlett is more of a bruising back, despite his size. He spends a lot of time lifting weights and can bench press 465 pounds. He has the foot quickness that is coveted by teams and keeps his feet moving throughout contact to get extra yardage. He has quick acceleration and smoothly changes direction. He’s a bruising back that will break tackles every time he has the ball in his hands. Speaking of hands, his are dreadful in the passing game. He offers little third down value based on his lack of receiving ability.

Scarlett has also had some character issues. As a freshman in 2015, he missed a bowl game due to misdemeanor marijuana charges. In 2017, he was suspended for credit card fraud. Carolina must feel like that lifestyle is behind him, because they wouldn’t draft a guy who has that many character concerns. There’s little doubt that the leaders in Carolina will help Scarlett stay out of trouble.

Scarlett went to St. Aquinas High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He was the 2014 class 8A-7A-6A Player of the Year. He also helped the team win a state championship that same year. He was named to the 2014 Class 7-A All State First Team. He also played in the US All-American Bowl Game in San Antonio, Texas. At Florida, he ran 344 times for 1,846 yards and 12 touchdowns in three seasons. He spent the entire 2017 suspended and away from the team. So he still has a lot of tread on his tires and should be a nice compliment to Christian McCaffrey. Even though Carolina just re-signed Cameron Artis-Payne, look for Scarlett to push him out of the back-up role. Scarlett plays with solid speed and power. He’s going to be a nice piece in this offense.

Pick Grade: C+

Pick 212: OT Dennis Daley

South Carolina

Carolina traded pick 187 to Denver for picks 212 and 237. At 212, the Panthers decided to jump at another offensive lineman that will likely be a back-up to fellow rookie, Greg Little. Daley was originally pegged as a fourth or fifth round prospect, so Marty Hurney was thrilled to get him in the sixth round. After being drafted, Daley stated that he would play left guard (or any other position) if the coaches ask him to. It’s not likely that Daley will start in year one, barring injury. He could get his chance next year, when former All-Pro Daryl Williams likely goes to another team via free agency.

Daley has some upside as a tackle but he’s pretty raw right now. Although, he’s actually pretty solid in both pass blocking and run blocking. If you’re power rushing up the middle, good luck. You’re not getting to Cam. That’s Daley’s specialty. There are some things technique wise that he needs to improve on, such as footwork, but John Matsko is the offensive line whisperer, so expect Daley to improve each year. There’s a lot to like about his run blocking too. Multiple run schemes at South Carolina showed that Daley can do almost anything in the run game, and he does it with fierce intensity. He needs to improve his pad level and leverage in the run game, but has the frame and build that NFL teams covet in tackles. He definitely needs to improve on some areas, but learning from Matsko, Moton and Williams should help mold him into a serviceable left tackle or possibly left guard. He’s also known for being a leader and fierce competitor. There’s a lot to like about the potential of this guy.

Daley went to Ridge View High School in Columbia, South Carolina. The first two years of Daley’s college career were spent at Georgia Military College. In his sophomore season there, he earned first-team All-American honors. Daley has said that it was the hardest two years of his life, but also the most rewarding. It taught him to be more disciplined and motivated him to be better. He then transferred to The University of South Carolina, where he almost immediately became a starter at left tackle. As a junior and senior, he’d start 23 of 24 games at left tackle. The Panthers doubled down at the tackle position, which was a smart move, given the current state of the left tackle spot. The fact that they got Daley so late, should give fans hope for the future.

Pick Grade: B+

Pick 237: WR Terry Godwin

Georgia

When pick 237 came around, Hurney picked a wide receiver that he met with at the Shrine Bowl. Godwin would be a solid slot receiver for the Panthers in a year or two if he works hard. Godwin runs crisp routes and gets separation. Has consistent play speed and soft hands. Godwin’s frame is a little too skinny and doesn’t have adequate play strength, but time in the gym can help that. He does have short arms, so his catch radius is below average and he won’t get a lot of contested catches. Putting Godwin in the slot will give Cam an added weapon that can make something happen after the catch.

Godwin does have an uphill battle to make the 53 man roster, though. The wide receiver room currently has DJ Moore, Curtis Samuel, Jarius Wright, Chris Hogan, Torrey Smith, Rashad Ross, Andre Levrone, DeAndrew White and Moss Frazier. There is no doubt that Moore, Samuel, Wright, Hogan and Smith make the roster, but it’s a toss up between Godwin and Ross for that final spot. Based on Ross’ return ability, it’s believed that he has the edge. Godwin is going to have to play lights out in the preseason to get a spot on the roster, and he has the will to do so.

Godwin went to Callaway High School in Hogansville, Georgia. He was a Prep Magazine five-star prospect, ranked 14th nationally. As a freshman at Georgia, he won one of the Newcomer of the Year Awards and also won Taxslayer Bowl MVP honors later that year. Godwin’s statistics weren’t great, but that’s mainly due to Georgia’s offense being more of a run first scheme. The Bulldogs averaged 226 yards passing per game last season, and Godwin had to share catches with fellow draftees Riley Ridley and Mecole Hardman. Regardless, Marty Hurney got another potential weapon for Cam. Best of luck to you, Terry.

Pick Grade: C

It’s hard to judge a draft class before the players hit the field, but it looks like this was a solid draft. Marty Hurney got two speedy pass rushers, two offensive linemen with high upside, two weapons for Cam and a backup quarterback that can be groomed. Fans should be really excited about this year and the future of this team. Thanks for taking the time to read. Hopefully this gave fans some insight on the Panthers new draft picks.

By: 4MR Norris Thornburg May 5, 2019

The Guys That No One is Talking About

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On December 31, 2018, Carolina signed 14 players to future contracts, nine of which finished the year on our practice squad. Even if they’re long shots to make the 53-man roster, we here at 4 Man Rush wanted to give you some information on the guys that no one is talking about.

Reggie Bonnafon RB/WR 

6’0 215 lbs Louisville

Reggie signed as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He was waived in May but signed to the practice squad in September. At Louisville, Reggie played QB, RB and WR, which showed his athleticism and versatility. During his senior season, he had 93 carries for 459 yards and 21 receptions for 182 yards. Having Reggie on the roster could provide some added speed and youth to an already fast WR room.

Chances of making roster 0%

Josh Thornton CB

5’11 185 lbs Southern Utah

Josh was signed by the Detroit Lions after the 2017 NFL Draft. After being released by Detroit, he spent time on Baltimore, Houston, Carolina and Buffalo’s practice squads, before coming back to Carolina in December. As a senior at Southern Utah, he had 38 tackles and 3 interceptions. Even though we just released Captain Munnerlyn, I don’t see Josh beating out Elder, Seymour, Cockrell or Doss to make this roster.

Chances of making roster 0%

Elijah Qualls DT

6’1 320 lbs Washington

Elijah was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, where he won a Super Bowl. He was waived by the Eagles in September. During his senior season at Washington, Elijah had 38 tackles, 5 for a loss and 3 sacks. I fully expect Carolina to re-sign Kyle Love, so I don’t expect that Elijah will make the 53 man roster. Even if Love doesn’t re-sign, I think we will sign a free agent or draft another DT.

Chances of making roster 0%

Woodrow Hamilton DT

6’3 315 lbs Mississippi

Woodrow was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent after the 2016NFL Draft, where he got a Super Bowl ring while being on the practice squad. He was released with an injury settlement in September 2017. In October 2017, he was signed to the Saints practice squad, where he stayed until September 2018. Woodrow was signed to the Giants’ practice squad before being signed by Carolina. During his senior season at Ole Miss, Woodrow made 30 tackles, 3 for a loss and 1 sack. I believe there will be another DT signed or drafted, so I don’t foresee Woodrow Hamilton making the 53 man roster. I’m not entirely sure he will even make the practice squad.

Chances of making the roster 0%

Landon Turner G

6’5 325 lbs North Carolina

Landon Turner was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft. He was on the Saints practice squad for two years until he was released in October. Landon was then signed to the Vikings’ practice squad, before being released nine days later. Since Taylor Hearn and Brandon Mahon impressed the coaches last year, I don’t think Landon has a chance to make the 53 man roster.

Chances of making roster 0%

Ian Silberman G

6’5 305 lbs Boston College

Ian has been somewhat of a journeyman since being drafted in the sixth round by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2015 NFL Draft. After his release, he has played for the Patriots, Titans, Colts and three separate times with the Raiders. With Taylor Hearn and Brandon Mahon waiting in the wings, I don’t foresee Ian making the 53 man roster.

Chances of making roster 0%

Andre Levrone WR

6’2 222 lbs Virginia

Andre was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Baltimore Ravens after the 2018 NFL Draft. He was then released and signed to the their practice squad, where he was again released in October. Andre was signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad a week prior to signing with Carolina. As a senior at Virginia, he had 34 catches for 689 yards and 7 touchdowns. I see Andre as more of a camp body instead of being on the active roster.

Chances of making roster 0%

DeAndrew White WR

6’0 192 lbs Alabama

DeAndrew was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent after the 2015 NFL Draft. He was waived in September 2016 and has since been on the Patriots, Texans and Panthers practice squads. During DeAndrew’s senior season at Alabama, he had 40 catches for 504 yards and 4 touchdowns. Even with the probable loss of Devin Funchess, I don’t see DeAndrew making the 53 man roster. Especially since he has struggled to stay healthy, dating back to his college days.

Chances of making the roster 0%

Brandon Chubb LB

6’1 245 lbs Wake Forest

Like Ian Silberman, Brandon has been a journeyman since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He has been on the practice squads of the Rams, Lions, 49ers, Titans and Colts prior to getting signed to the Panthers’ practice squad in October. Brandon is the brother of Bradley Chubb, Denver Broncos’ standout LB and cousin to Nick Chubb, Browns standout RB. As a senior at Wake Forest, he had 94 tackles and 8.5 tackles for a loss. With the recent losses at the LB position, it’s not outside the realm of possibilities that he finds a spot on our roster as a special teams guy.

Chances of making roster 15%

Antwoine Williams LB

6’3 240 lbs Georgia Southern

Antwoine was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. After being released by the Lions in September of 2017, he was signed to the Vikings practice squad. He was released after a year in Minnesota, then signed to Seattle’s practice squad for two weeks before being released. As a senior at Georgia Southern, he had 107 tackles, 10.5 for a loss, 4 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and 3 passes defensed. With the losses to our linebacker corp, Antwoine has a chance to make the Carolina roster, even if it’s as a special teams guy.

Chances of making roster 15%

Cole Luke S

5’11 200 lbs Notre Dame

Cole Luke signed with Carolina in 2017 as an undrafted free agent. He was placed on injured reserve in September of the same year, with an ankle injury. He was waived in September of 2018 and he was immediately signed to the practice squad. Cole is the nephew of former Pro Bowl DB Darren Woodson. As a senior in 2016, Cole had 48 tackles, 2 for a loss and 2 interceptions. Some Panthers fans may know Cole from his play in the preseason game against the Steelers, in which he punched the ball out of the receivers hands from behind, causing a fumble. The ball was recovered by recent signee, Damian Parms. Since the team decided to let Mike Adams walk, there is an open spot at Safety. Cole will have to battle Kai Nacua, Damian Parms, Quin Blanding and a possible incoming free agent for that spot.

Chances of making roster 15%

Kai Nacua S

6’0 205 lbs BYU

Kai was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Browns after the 2017 draft. Kai went on to play all 16 games for Cleveland, while starting three of those games. He was waived in April of 2018 and immediately claimed off waivers by the Ravens, where he spent the majority of his time on the practice squad. As a senior at BYU, Kai recorded 48 tackles, 1.5 for a loss and 6 interceptions. He also had 6 interceptions in his junior year. With the news that the team has moved on from Mike Adams, this leaves a possible spot for Kai. He will have to battle with Cole Luke, Damian Parms, Quin Blanding and a possible free agent for that spot.

Chances of making roster 15%

Isaiah Battle OT

6’7 290 lbs Clemson

Due to off-field issues that include marijuana possession, violating team rules and punching an NC State player, Isaiah entered the 2015 Supplemental Draft where he was selected by the St. Louis (now Los Angeles) Rams in the fifth round. The Rams gave up their 2016 fifth round pick to get Battle in the Supplemental Draft, which they thought was a good move because they had a third round grade on him. Battle is a good candidate to make the team as a backup because I feel like he has all of the physical tools needed. Especially since Chris Clark and Marshall Newhouse are not likely to return.

Chances of making roster 25%

Dark Horse Candidate

Quin Blanding S

6’2 207 lbs Virginia

Quin is my dark horse favorite to make the active roster. He signed with the Redskins as an undrafted free agent shortly after the 2018 NFL Draft. He was waived in September and went unclaimed. Quin is my favorite to make the roster because I believe he has the intangibles needed to play at the next level. He reads the run well, plays with good bend and balance, is very intelligent, takes good angles, has good size and is durable. So durable, in fact, that he played in 98% of the defensive snaps as a four year starter. I do question his speed and his backpedal transition. Quinwas a five star athlete and was a true freshman starter at Virginia. He had 492 tackles, 9 for a loss and 10 interceptions as a four year starter. The 492 tackles was good enough to get him ranked second all time in the ACC behind Carolina’s own Luke Kuechly. In my opinion, he has what it takes to be a back up at safety, especially since we let Mike Adams walk and he has little competition right now.

Chances of making roster 40%

Summary

Let’s face it, there’s a reason no one is talking about these guys. They were signed to be camp bodies and practice squad players. There is an outside chance that one or two of these players make the team, but they all have things working against them. If you’re wondering how future contracts work, I’ll explain it.

How much are future contracts worth?

In most cases, future contracts are worth league minimum.

Who is eligible for future contracts?

Any player who isn’t on a team roster at the season’s end. Unrestricted free agents and most commonly, practice squad players. More times than not, the players that teams sign to future contracts are from their own practice squad, to prevent teams stealing them away.

Thanks for taking time to read this opinion piece and learn about our new players. Someone had to give them a voice and hopefully we did each one justice. Let us know what you think! #4MR #WhatARush

By: Norris Thornburg March 1, 2019

The Curious Case of Daryl Williams

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There’s been a lot of discussions on whether or not the Panthers would re-sign their All Pro Right Tackle Daryl Williams. As of now, all signs point to Carolina letting Williams walk. I know this won’t sit well with a portion of our readers, but I’m here to make you feel at ease about it. Or, at least, I’m going to try.

Compensatory Pick

I’ll start with some info that most fans care about. If Carolina let’s Williams walk, Daryl will be the top Offensive Lineman on the free agency market. All-Pro Right Tackles don’t often become available, so he will command big money. That will only help Carolina’s comp pick status. According to my source, who is the compensatory pick expert with Over The Cap, if Williams signs a contract with an average salary of between 8-9.9 million dollars per year, Carolina will net a fourth round comp pick. If he signs a contract worth an average of 10 million dollars or more, we will net a third round comp pick. Obviously, there are other variables such as playing time with a new team and additions of free agents. Daryl could sign a contract that will average more than $10 million, so a third round comp pick is what we’d get as long as we don’t sign a player that is equal to Daryl’s stature.

Injury Concerns 

On July 28, 2018 during training camp, Williams was carted off the field after injuring his knee. It was later learned that he tore his Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) and dislocated his right knee cap. He was ready for week 1 against the Cowboys, where he started, but re-injured his knee in the 4th Quarter. On September 12, Daryl was placed on Injured Reserve.

Now, this doesn’t mean he’s injury prone. It just means we don’t know how his injury will affect his knee going forward. We can’t afford to pay a guy top free agent money and not know how healthy he will be. After all, we paid Matt Kalil too much money during free agency. Now look at where we are. I digress. In my humble opinion, we have too many holes on the roster to spend that much money on a player with possible injury concerns. A lower body injury for an offensive lineman could be disastrous.

The Moton Effect

As we all know, Taylor Moton filled in quite nicely at Right Tackle for the Panthers in 2018. In fact, he actually played better than Williams during his All-Pro season.

In 2018, Moton started 15 games at RT and allowed 29 QB pressures. Conversely, Williams allowed 39 QB pressures in 16 starts at RT in 2017, which was his All-Pro year. Wait, there’s more! During Williams’ All-Pro year, he needed help blocking from the Tight Ends on 19.7% of his snaps. That was 7th worst in the NFL among Offensive Tackles. In 2018, Moton rarely needed the Tight Ends for help. I’d hate to move Moton from RT after finding this information.

Salary Cap Troubles

The Panthers have around $15.6 million of cap space as of now. With so many holes on this roster and only 7 draft picks, we can’t afford to pay Daryl top money. Yes, we could cut some players to gain more space, but that would create more holes and it wouldn’t save much. Backloading a contract would only cause cap issues next year and beyond. I just don’t think it makes financial sense to pay Daryl the money he will command when we have so many vacancies on the roster.

Draft Options

This year’s NFL Draft is loaded with a lot of good Offensive Linemen talent. I believe Carolina will likely go Defensive End in the first round, but we will definitely come out of the top three rounds with at least one Offensive Lineman. If Carolina does go OL in round one, we could have a choice between Cody Ford, Jonah Williams, Greg Little, Andre Dillard and Jawaan Taylor. If we opt to go OL on day two, like I believe we will, we could get Tytus Howard, Yodny Cajuste, Dalton Risner, David Edwards or Isaiah Prince. Why pay Williams top dollar when we can get a rookie for cheaper? 

I believe Carolina will let Kalil start at Left Tackle (unless he’s released) while grooming our rookie, whoever that may be. Hopefully, this article will ease your minds if we don’t re-sign Daryl Williams. All in all, I trust Marty Hurney. If we do re-sign Williams, it’ll be as a swing tackle, at best.