Keyshawn dropped

As others have noted, Smith had dropped passes as well. I don't absolve players for things that are actually their fault. I'm saying that it's blindingly to obvious to anyone who actually knows anything about football that Keyshawn was not at fault on those two interceptions. Moreover, for the benefit of those who don't know anything about football, I've also explained why they weren't his fault. This isn't about me protecting Key or anything else, it's simply about an assessment of the facts.

I think he can contribute, but it's well known that rookie receivers generally don't do well. For most it takes 2-3 years to fully acclimate to the pro level. Jarrett is more advanced than most in terms of his body control, but it's still asking a hell of a lot from a rookie. Why would we choose to put him in that situation instead of letting him learn for a season?

They weren't his mistakes, so he had no reason to own up to them. But as for the reasoning, it's beyond clear that KJ was causing some problems with his mouth and the organization wasn't comfortable with his impact on the locker room. While I do understand that concern, I don't see how that's less appealing than dealing with a suddenly thin and experienced receiving corps.

Hurney didn't make this call, Fox did. And no, Fox isn't dumb, but he has shown himself to be stubborn. He's the one who insisted on re-signing Morgan. He's the one who kept a bunch of bums on the roster last year instead of young guys with potential. He's the one who kept throwing Stephen Davis out there when it was clear that the guy had nothing left. Fox is about as stubborn as I am arrogant, and that stubbornness sometimes leads to bad decisions.

As noted to "I <3 Meals on Wheels," Fox isn't dumb, and he would have to be dumb to believe they were Keyshawn's fault. So this move doesn't tell you that, you just want to assume it because it would fit with your own stupid ideas regarding Keyshawn that have been disproven a thousand times over. You're reading what you want to see into this to justify your own retarded comments from earlier.

 

Not accurate. As someone (maybe Piper) noted earlier in the thread, Keyshawn went over the middle and took shots to the ribs numerous times last season. He didn't short arm any passes or give up on routes. He played his fucking ass off, even in terms of blocking for runs. The guy was 100% effort, and if nothing else, that alone bothers me about this decision.

 

One thing people are missing is that while Keyshawn put up good numbers for himself, he didn't keep Smitty from getting doubled and he didn't help the running game or 3rd down conversions(we were dead last). Those were the things he was brought here to help fix.

I'm just not that worried about losing him.

 

with all the "whoa is me" talk, you would think we cut someone that really mattered. Not a 34 year old WR on the downside of his career. We paid him to be Moose, and he wasn't....no matter what he thought he was.

I would assume they won't count him as an after June cut and free up the room we were trying to free up with a Jenkins trade off of this cut (for Gross, Pep, Smith, Wharton, whoever really DOES matter for the future). There is a lot of talk over the question, is Johnson better than Colbert (his roster replacement most likely) or Jarrett/Carter (his starting replacement) The real question is, is he better to have on the team than Jenkins? Let me see, 34 year old WR, or 27 year old DT......

The Panthers don't believe in a load up for the next year philosophy. They believe in a substainable talent base for years to come.

This isn't a B-Line or Moose leaving situation. There are WR's on the roster that can step up. Likely one of them will. This doesn't end the season you big babies, any more than having to start a 7th round rookie ended it for the Saints last year.

Are we a worse team today, yes. Luckily we don't play anyone today. Will we be a better team in the future, most likely. Though it will most likely cost us a game or two this season. It isn't nearly as important or scary as not having a decent TE, or SS on the roster, and that problem has been there for well over a year now.....all last season and we were 2-3 stupid plays away from the playoffs.

Sucks to loose his run blocking.....other than that, no big loss.

 

one more year would have been nice. I thought Key gave 100% effort. he earned his money.

as noted earlier we were in the NFCC game in Seattle and when Smith was taken away and we lost. Im sure the FO thought we were one receiver away from the superbowl and thought Key could fill that role. it didnt work out(not his fault) and they are going in a different direction.

I was more shocked the day we signed him than I am today.

 

Actually his numbers pretty much exactly mirrored what Moose did here in years when Steve Smith was healthy. Moreover, Keyshawn was among the league leaders for #2 receivers until the Chris Weinke debacle.

That absolutely is not a question. We had plenty of room to keep both. In fact, I hope we didn't use the June 1st rule because we have plenty of cap space to take the full hit now and spare next season's cap.

Rookie receivers are notoriously unreliable, Colbert sucks, and Carter can only run a handful of routes.

Actually, losing Keyshawn is much worse than not having a pass receiving TE. Anyone should be able to tell that simply due to the ratio of passes thrown to #2 receivers vs. TEs. It's probably worse than the SS situation too, considering our solid defensive ranking despite poor safety play last season. But in any case, all that's irrelevant. You don't shoot yourself in the foot because it's not as bad as losing an arm.

 

Are you serious? He only puts up the numbers when the ball is thrown to him. Considering Delhomme looks to Smith first, second and then takes a third look before finally tossing it to someone else I'd say 70+ catches is pretty good for second option. As has been mentioned Johnson also did the across the middle stuff and all the dirty work, like blocking that most WR's spend more time trying to be a matador on.

Failed 3rd downs = a QB having a lousy season and a beat up OL (which explains the lousy running game too). Can't convert when your QB is busily air mailing yet another pass 2 feet over the intended receiver's head.

One other thing.. Johnson's a loud mouth, but then so is Steve Smith. Both look like they give a shit on the field. One thing the Panther's lack is any passion on the field other than from a few select guys. Smith, Johnson, Delhomme, Morgan and Minter are guys who you get a feeling it really burns their asses when things go bad and they don't win. The rest of the team looks like John "It is what it is" Fox...passionless..

 

Figured that would fire you up Collin, it's why I stuck around

First, where we agree. Contract all for this year, yes. Don't split the hit into next year where we might need it.

In no way was he as good for us as Moose, numbers be damned. No one rolled safties away from Moose or walked a saftey up into the box on his side for the majority of their plays over the course of the game and didn't live to regret it, with Johnson it happened all year. Sometimes it is as much about the moves you force the other team into as it is about the balls you catch.

As for Jenks....yes we could have kept them both this year, but we were talking about trading Jenks as much for the cap room over the next few years as for the day one pick. Cutting Key gets us most of the same savings (for next year)....coupled with Lewis when he becomes a FA next year, we get all of it. If that keeps us Jenks, it is worth loosing Key.

If we don't get as many catches, yards and TD's out of Carter, Colbert, Robinson, and Jarrett as we did out of Key and Carter last year, I will personally apologize to you for how WRONG I AM! I expect you to bump this if it happens. Of course, that swings both ways.

With the speed Key runs, loosing him is very much like loosing a pass catching TE. Teams with good TE's don't feel like throwing to them is an after thought

Honsetly loosing Key reminds me of loosing Buckner. That sucks, might loose a little bit, but at the end of the day, most likely doesn't matter.

 

So.....Key is really good, and how do you feel about Jake?

 

Honestly I don't think it'll be a huge loss performance wise. I only expected one more year outta him anyways, but I'd have liked to have him around one more year to help develop the 2 rookies and possibly show Carter a few more things.