What would you do if you were the Carolina Panthers GM?

The Carolina Panthers GM Marty Hurney insists he is still undecided on what to do with the first overall pick in this year’s draft. In an interview on Thursday he was quick to praise Cam Newton but stressed they’ve made no final decision and haven’t received an offer from another team to move up to No. 1. The Panthers need help on offense after they managed just 16 touchdowns and ended last season 2-14, but they also need reinforcements on the defensive side of the ball, and although they are yet to receive any offers for their pick, Hurney claims “Next week is usually when people start calling around.”

So what position would you draft with the first overall pick, and who would you take at this position? Or would you look to trade down?

Personally I would look to trade down as long as an offer including at least a top half of the first round and a second round pick comes in, if it was in the second half of the first round I think I would want maybe a second and a later round pick, this is a team with many needs and although they were given 3 compensatory draft picks a few extra will always help. If this option wasn’t open to me then I think I would go wide receiver and select A.J. Green from Georgia, there’s no point taking a quarterback first if he has no-one to throw to, but Green adds a go to guy to Carolina’s receiving corps.

Due to salary issues it is highly unlikely anyone will ever trade up to number 1 without a salary cap because it's too expensive to be worth it. There is also the "value" issue

The first round pick in "worth" 3000pts in the draft value chart. To trade for that from lets say position 10 which is Washington, you would need more than their entire draft class (positions number 10 in every round add up to 2153pts) and would probably have to add in next years first rounder as well.

If there was a salary cap in place I would take Peterson, but without one Marcell Dareus is probably better value.

I would look at Peterson or Julio Jones, there are some question marks over Newton & Gabbert, Clausen did an ok job when he came in, sure he is not a franchise but give him a Stud Wideout, to throw too, as they dont have much to start with. If worst comes to the worst and they have the #1 pick in 2012 Andrew Luck will be there.

1. Julio Jones isn't even the best WR in this class.
2. Drafting a CB #1 is stupid
3. Drafting based on who's available next season is even stupider. This time last year Kiper had already crowned Locker as the #1 pick.

Graeme Swann's Cat wrote:1. Julio Jones isn't even the best WR in this class.
2. Drafting a CB #1 is stupid
3. Drafting based on who's available next season is even stupider. This time last year Kiper had already crowned Locker as the #1 pick.

Like the use of the word "stupider", kinda ironic. However picking CB is not stupid, if there is a Rookie Salary cap, that is done on position and where drafted, and is not too large. That was what was stated earlier in the post, although obviously that will not happen in less than a week.

Also the talks have been adjourned until May 16.

You don't take a CB #1 overall. Patrick Peterson might be a far better player than Cam Newton, but you're picking #1 because you didn't win many games. You have to take the guy who's going to win you the most games, and QBs have a far greater impact on the outcome of a game than CBs.

Graeme Swann's Cat wrote:You don't take a CB #1 overall. Patrick Peterson might be a far better player than Cam Newton, but you're picking #1 because you didn't win many games. You have to take the guy who's going to win you the most games, and QBs have a far greater impact on the outcome of a game than CBs.

But you don't take a QB when you don't have an OL. History has proven that doesn't work. They are under such a re build. Who on that team will start in 3-4 years? Beason, Kalil (not sure on spelling) and Stewart. Maybe some other ok players stay. I think you start in trenches, but the reason you don't take DB first is the money. You only pay that money to pro bowl CBs, as their is a big jump from ordinary DBs to Pro BOwl ones.

But as i said, if you read, you only take them if there will be a nice rookie wage scale, that means a CB taken 1 wont be paid well, which is impossible. But he is the best player in draft IMHO.

i think you could argue though that darelle revis has a bigger impact on the game than mark sanchez (both taken in the first round)

Impact beyond taking a WR out the game? Revis is clearly better, but impact is debatable.

As a CB you can be outstanding and have no impact on the outcome of a game. Its just the way it is.

arizona_tom wrote:i think you could argue though that darelle revis has a bigger impact on the game than mark sanchez (both taken in the first round)

I would agree, Revis is a far better player. Sanchez has not peeked, but he will only peak as a West Coast QB who will bot lose a game. He is a game manager, and was drafted in a bad Qb draft. It annoys me that people say this is a week draft for Qbs, as that was last year. This year is far more talented.

Graeme Swann's Cat wrote:You don't take a CB #1 overall. Patrick Peterson might be a far better player than Cam Newton, but you're picking #1 because you didn't win many games. You have to take the guy who's going to win you the most games, and QBs have a far greater impact on the outcome of a game than CBs.

Yes QBS will have a greater impact on the outcome of a game, but picking a bust QB will have a greater impact on the length of your time at a team, than drafting a consistently good CB. Also how much will Newton improve the Panthers offence? Rumoured character issues both on and off the field, and in a reduced offseason will he have enough time to adapt to the Panthers playbook? Don't think Peterson is worth the number 1 pick, if the Panthers want him it would make sense to trade down, but then they risk missing out on him and their other top options.

Derbyblue wrote:

Graeme Swann's Cat wrote:You don't take a CB #1 overall. Patrick Peterson might be a far better player than Cam Newton, but you're picking #1 because you didn't win many games. You have to take the guy who's going to win you the most games, and QBs have a far greater impact on the outcome of a game than CBs.

Yes QBS will have a greater impact on the outcome of a game, but picking a bust QB will have a greater impact on the length of your time at a team, than drafting a consistently good CB. Also how much will Newton improve the Panthers offence? Rumoured character issues both on and off the field, and in a reduced offseason will he have enough time to adapt to the Panthers playbook? Don't think Peterson is worth the number 1 pick, if the Panthers want him it would make sense to trade down, but then they risk missing out on him and their other top options.

Rumoured? He stole a laptop, got caught cheting on multiple occasions, his dad got paid letting him play for a certain team. First shows his dad craes about moeny, even if he doesnt his dad is part of management. Second, if you have to teach to get bottom degree you are an idiot, and cant learn an NFL style ffence, let alone understand 31 NFL defences, even thought alot are simliar.

AdZacO wrote:

Derbyblue wrote:Yes QBS will have a greater impact on the outcome of a game, but picking a bust QB will have a greater impact on the length of your time at a team, than drafting a consistently good CB. Also how much will Newton improve the Panthers offence? Rumoured character issues both on and off the field, and in a reduced offseason will he have enough time to adapt to the Panthers playbook? Don't think Peterson is worth the number 1 pick, if the Panthers want him it would make sense to trade down, but then they risk missing out on him and their other top options.

Rumoured? He stole a laptop, got caught cheting on multiple occasions, his dad got paid letting him play for a certain team. First shows his dad craes about moeny, even if he doesnt his dad is part of management. Second, if you have to teach to get bottom degree you are an idiot, and cant learn an NFL style ffence, let alone understand 31 NFL defences, even thought alot are simliar.

I've not looked too far into his character issues, but now that you've mentioned it reading about his dad getting paid sounds familiar. That is the main issue I've heard being discussed about him, his inability to adapt to the NFL, after what happened to JaMarcus Russell (as the most recent example) you would have thought this would push him out of the talk for the top overall pick.

I don't see the same thing as J Russel. He was a slightly mobile Qb who had a fantastic arm, i mean he stilll has biggest in league, if you consider him in league.

He is athletic, but has only ever done one read. That is worrying, look one way and if not open run. That with his disgustingly bad "character issues" then he is a pass 1st overall. Don't ge me wrong, he could still be Vick, but less mobile, and as a talent evaluater, who i appreciate, better at passing than vick and young (more mobile (Mayok)) on his technique by a mile.

He could be great, his ceiling is huge, but Dareus is better pick and you offer me low wage i go for Peterson.

Peterson not going #1 has nothing to do with wage. The position just isn't worth the #1 pick. The only positions I'm taking #1 are QB, LT or D-Line/3-4 OLB

I certainly don’t envy those who have to make these decisions. Hurney has said that the Panthers have not received any offers for the #1 pick and I don’t expect that will change TBH. Looking at the situation it’s somewhat similar to the decision that the Rams had to make last year with the #1 pick. I don’t mind admitting this but last year I didn’t believe Bradford was a top 5 pick in the draft and maybe not even top 10 (for a few reasons) and I was much lower on Clausen as well. It seems like I was right about Clausen at least (obviously I could still end up being right on both counts or even wrong about both) but the Rams rolled the dice on Bradford and it appears like it might pay off for them. If they had gone Suh at number one they would have had a dominant DL player, and I’m a big believer in the mantra that the game begins in the trenches so I was really torn at the time, but if they had gone Suh then they would have missed on their QB. The Panthers are also a QB needy team and in a league that is becoming more and more pass oriented the QB position is key to success. Sure having a strong OL and DL is very important as well as having the other pieces of the puzzle in place but when it comes down to it if you don’t have someone who can win for you at the QB position then you’ll be going nowhere fast. Teams can’t keep putting it off in the hopes that Andrew Luck or someone of similar ilk will be their guy next year (they may not even have the #1 pick next year). The Rams went through their evaluations and got a QB who they can start to build a team around.

Twelve283 so you're saying take a quarterback? Which one would you choose?

Who voted offensive line? Who would you take and why?

If you believe Newton or Gabbert or any of the other QBs are franchise QBs then take them. If not, the take Dareus. Peterson shouldn't even be the reckoning here.

I voted offensive line but it was done accidentally on a laptop touchpad and I couldn't work out how to change it. I would actually have voted defensive line (Dareus) as I don't see the benefit of the Panthers taking another QB. Neither are guaranteed franchise QBs and Clausen, bad as he was, was given no support. There are (potentially) good WRs throughout the draft so they can get him some weapons later. The Panthers are clearly not going to a Superbowl any time soon so they should rebuild sensibly rather than make kneejerk reactions.

On the other hand, to rebuild completely, you need the QB. Why not take a franchise guy if you believe hes there?

I completely agree and think that the Panthers believe in Newton and will take him, but the question asked was 'what would you do' and I don't believe that either of them will prove to be franchise QBs which is why I'd go for Dareus

Sorry about that GB1919, I must have set it up so people couldn't change their answers and I can't see how to change that.

Derbyblue wrote:Twelve283 so you're saying take a quarterback? Which one would you choose?

If I was in Hurney’s position then I would be looking very closely at the QB position. I’ve got no idea how the Panthers feel about Clausen but if they decide he’s not their guy then IMO they should look at QBs. Now as GSC has said if, after your evaluations, you don’t see any possible franchise QB then you look at other options but if you need one then QB should be your first port of call IMO.

As for which QB I would take with the #1 pick if it was based purely on what they have shown me on the field (obviously I’m not privy to the kind of info the teams have re: character etc.) and I could put them in any system I wanted then I would probably lean towards rolling the dice with Newton. It’s been suggested that Chudzinski’s play book reaches 900+ pages; I’d scrap that straight away. Play to Newton’s strengths and keep it close to what he’s used to by giving him a run option and give him plays that allow him to move outside of the pocket. Don’t ask him to read the whole field. As things progress the playbook can be made more complicated.

Regarding Marcell Dareus I think it’s important to remember that he’s not Ndamukong Suh and I doubt that he’s going to have the same kind of impact. He’s still a very good player but not a once every 10 years type of talent IMO.

On the other hand, if you feel Newtons your long term guy, and you know you're probably gonna be bad either way, why not draft him and sit him like Rodgers, Kolb and even Freeman. Let Clausen or a veteran take the shots

That's probably the best solution gives Newton a lot longer to learn the playbook which will help him when he finally plays, and if they choose to draft some offensive help in the later rounds Clausen may improve and he can either stay with the Panthers as back up/fighting for the starting role, or he can be traded away and they get more picks for next years draft. Trading him away though could be hard, after a poor rookie season and although I suggest he will improve if they draft well, I doubt it will be a break out season so they will probably keep him as back up.

Who voted Tight End? I'm assuming you're saying you would take Rudolph but why?

Panthers have never had a good TE.
They've also never won a SB.

The pick just makes sense.

Graeme Swann's Cat wrote:The pick just makes sense.

Was that sarcasm?

maybe ....

All the logic seems to fall into place

Saints didn't have a stand out, reliable Tight End, Shockey he has good stats averaging 11.2 yards and about 3.5 touchdowns per season, but he hasn't ever managed a full season.

A year after the Saints traded for Shockey, they won the SB.

Mind=Blown

Well the Panthers have already signed Shockey so they'll be winning the Super Bowl in 2013, I expect I could get pretty good odds on that.

Why not double up with the best TE in teh draft