CHARLOTTE — Listening to a week of post-draft content can sometimes make you think you were watching a different event last weekend.
Because so much of draft grades and after-action analysis depends on expectations and the preferences of the person doing the talking.
But what seems clear about the Panthers draft is that Dan Morgan, Brandt Tilis, and Dave Canales have a clear idea of what they want and how they want to do business.
And when you use your top two picks on an offensive tackle, Monroe Freeling, and a defensive tackle, Lee Hunter — positions that don't typically get invited to the NFLPA rookie premiere event, because they're not big jersey-sellers — you can't expect everyone to fall in love with it.
But there is an undercurrent of respect for what the Panthers did. One unnamed executive told The Athletic's Mike Sando, "I feel like they are drafting for what they want their team to look like."
The idea that yes, this was on purpose might not seem like high praise, but it really is. The highest, actually. And that's the point. They're still in the process of stabilizing the roster, building, and making the whole process better. So whether you love the players or not, you can at least tell there's a plan.
That's the best news to come from any draft.
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Could this draft get any better? We just drafted three guys who could start day one. But we don't need them to. — Skip, Winston-Salem, NC
This question was funnier when you read it in the voice of Joey from Friends doing Chandler from Friends (I'm just trying to make sure Kassidy reads the 'Bag).
I think it's reasonable to expect the Panthers to have acquired between zero and five starters in this year's draft, but the larger point, as Skip alluded to, is that none of them have to or are guaranteed those jobs.
Rasheed Walker was a three-year starter at left tackle for the Packers, so Freeling is going to have to work. Hunter's got another big 'un in front of him in Bobby Brown III and a different kind of defensive tackle in Tershawn Wharton. Chris Brazzell II's got a lot of traffic at his position. Zakee Wheatley has to be better than the chronically underappreciated Nick Scott, and Sam Hecht is a fifth-round rookie at the hardest position on the line to play, who probably doesn't have immediate positional flexibility, and a solid free agent addition in Luke Fortner in front of him.
All of those things matter.
Fans generally love their draft class as soon as it arrives, because there is no evidence to the contrary yet. Once guys get on the field, the reality begins to creep in, and the seasoned among you remember that if you get three or four good players out of a draft, that was an amazing draft.
So now we'll see what it looks like on the field.
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Hey Darin, been a while since I sent in a question, but I read every week. You're still slinging words at a HOF pace. Keep up the great work.
This is probably a question you'll get a lot. Hopefully I'm first. I understand the problem with predicting anything, what with Ben McAdoo hoarding crystal balls in his pants, but give it a try anyway. With Freeling's height, athleticism, and basketball history, do you suppose we might line him up on a few goal-to-go plays as an eligible receiver? I was rather disappointed John Fox didn't utilize Julius Peppers on offense more. Maybe Canales will make amends. — Chris, Greensboro, NC
I understand it. He's 6-foot-7, with long arms and 10 3/4-inch hands, so he looks like an NBA power forward. That eye test was the same reason everyone thought Peppers was a natural.
"I've got to see what kind of hands we're dealing with here," Canales laughed. "But, we definitely use a big tight end. So if he doesn't win a job, he's going to play some way, shape, or form, because he's just such a talent."
Of course, as tantalizing as Peppers' potential was — and they worked on it a lot — it never quite worked. He had 159.5 career sacks, but zero career receptions.
"It's probably my fault," former Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme said with a laugh. "I mean, listen, I had no trouble throwing something towards the back of the end zone or a back-shoulder to a 5-foot-9 stick of dynamite like Steve Smith. I had no trouble doing that. I had no trouble throwing it to Muhsin Muhammad. But to Julius, it's like, I don't know.
"It's like, what's going on here? It was so easy going to Steve and stuff, and it seems so easy. It was like, did you miss the wide-open layup? Is that what I'm doing every single time? Am I missing the wide-open layup?"
Also, putting a tackle in the pass pattern means somebody else has to come out of it, and the Panthers have a reasonable group of big targets already. And then you have to worry about bruised feelings.
Smith laughed about Peppers taking his spot on the field a few years ago, but he wasn't laughing then, and almost took out a security guard on the sidelines when he spiked his helmet in anger, and it bounced.
"I hated it then, because I didn't get a lot of passes in the red zone," Smith admitted with a laugh when asked about Peppers as a receiver. "The funniest part now, as a 45-year-old Steve, with the draft stuff that I'm doing now, I see why. Because yes, I can jump out the building, but you know the numbers analytically favor the 6-foot-7 guy.
"You know, going backwards now and looking at it, I think we probably should have done it more."
But it's also important to remember it never worked, and Peppers was pretty good at his day job. So letting him spend most of his time on that was probably a good idea, same as letting Freeling settle in and compete for a tackle job seems like a better use of time than a couple of trick plays. Plenty of time for that.
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Let me start by saying I think we had one of the best drafts in the NFL. I personally was surprised by picking Lee Hunter in the second round with CJ Allen and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren still available. However, I'll concede that there is a reason Dan gets paid to do that job and I don't. I love the additions to the offensive line, even if those aren't popular "splash" picks.
I know the team has spent quite a bit of money this offseason and will have to free up cap space to sign the picks and undrafted free agents. Obviously, everyone listed on Spotrac will not make the final 53-man roster or even the practice squad. Do all of the players currently listed count against the total cap until the roster is cut, or are there some sort of concessions made until that time? — Dustin, Albemarle, NC
During the offseason, from the start of the league year in March, you only count the top 51 cap numbers toward the spending limit, rather than a full 90-man roster.
That's a closer approximation to what happens in the fall, when you have to account for everyone. So just because you sign your rookies now, they don't all count against the cap immediately.
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Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker for 1,000 yards alongside Ja'Tavion Sanders for 800, or Tmac for 1,000 and Coker, Xavier Legette, Brazzell, JT, Tommy Tremble, and Mitchell Evans for 400. Which would you prefer, and which would show the most growth for Bryce Young? (Not trying to count eggs early, just curious about the use of all our weapons!) — William, Mokelumne Hill, CA
I mean, your math is sort of close to a wildly optimistic expectation, although that second scenario has Young over 3,400 passing yards, without even throwing it to any of his running backs.
Canales always says there's going to be a "focal point" of the passing game, and that's McMillan. So he's going to get the most action and the most opportunity to make plays.
And while there's always a ton of conversation about tight ends, it's traditionally been more talk than action. In his three years as an offensive play-caller, Canales has never had a tight end reach 500 receiving yards, and just one to reach 400. Cade Otton had 455 for the Buccaneers in 2023, Sanders had 342 in 2024, and Tremble led all the tight ends last year with 249. Now, if you had a Jimmy Graham, would you use him? Of course. But that's the exception rather than the rule.
These questions come up every year; somebody's always asking about the need for a Pro Bowl tight end in this offense. But there's also not a body of evidence that it's a priority of theirs, and they wouldn't prefer having a committee.
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I may be in the distinct minority here, but I'm thrilled with the Freeling pick. I also believe that drafting a tackle was critical to our long-term cap stability. According to exhaustive research (Google search), the Panthers have the most expensive O-line in the league this season. That's with our LT still on his rookie contract, and our presumptive starting C on a low-cost deal. Having a starting tackle, left or right, on a team-friendly contract for at least 4 years is huge. As always, the verdict on the pick may take a few years to be decided, but I'm super excited (shout-out, Bryce) with the selection.
Thank you, Darin, and the entire team, for the tremendous work that you do. It's always been great, but it just keeps getting better. The info, insight, humor, and perspective you folks bring to us means more than you know. — Rick, Locust, NC
We do it for the people, Rick. Thanks. Especially when they're the kinds of regulars who have learned Bryce Young's favorite adverb and sprinkle it into daily conversation.
I also appreciate you taking the long view here. And going to the effort of a proper Google search is more than most people are willing to put in.
They needed to invest heavily in the offensive line to create the conditions for Young to succeed, but you can't have four or five big-ticket players forever. Eventually, you need to mix in guys on rookie-scale deals to keep the books balanced.
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I LOVE the pick of Monroe Freeling! The way Dan, Dave, and Brandt think is such a fresh breath of air. Yes, Lemon and Thieneman were there, and I had a little disappointment in not grabbing those guys, but what we need is to get younger and cheaper in the trenches. We can get a superstar playmaker later in the draft. Many of the current superstars in the NFL are drafted later anyway, but to get an athletic upside tackle, you have to get early. No question here, really, just a stoked fan over here on the West Coast. My only wish is that we could have gotten Treydan Stukes in the second and Ted Hurst in the third, but I have faith in the front office to make the best decision for our future. Much love to the Panthers nation! — Jake, Santa Barbara, CA
Everybody falls in love with particular guys during the pre-draft process (the front office does too), but it's important to remember you're never going to get all of them.
One of the most astute draft analysts I know is my wife, even if she doesn't know that much about football (she knows a lot about so many more things, of the really important kind). We were having a cup of coffee last Sunday morning after a long weekend, and she said, "So how many new people are there?"
Seven.
"That seems like an awful lot of work for seven people."
Indeed, it is.
But you have to do the work on all of them to have a chance to get it right, and you have to be ready for every scenario. We've got some more behind-the-scenes stuff coming your way to explain that, so stay tuned.
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Darin, I have two questions this time: 1) The world has become a very tough place these days, and life within the NFL is even tougher, more competitive, and where being average leads to a short career, right? I sincerely like Bryce, but considering his erratic performance metrics, he is just average in the world of NFL quarterbacks. Given that the Panther front office has worked so hard to provide all the tools a QB needs to be consistent and play to his full potential .... could this be the "put up or shut up" year for Bryce? If he can't produce, it might be time for the Panthers to get VERY serious about the QB room. Your thoughts? 2) Jonathon Brooks: What is his status for the upcoming season? We need some productivity for all the money this young man is getting. How long can the Panthers afford to have him on the sideline? God bless you, my friend! — Jim, Timberlake, NC
There's an over-arching answer to both of those. It's on everybody to perform every year, and that's less about the money than the roster spot you occupy.
When you get the roster better (as the Panthers have), it makes it harder to make, and having guys competing for jobs is a good way to raise everyone's level.
As it pertains to Bryce, he's the quarterback until he isn't. They picked up his fifth-year option last week, locking him in until 2027. And that should be enough time to figure out what kind of quarterback he's going to be. He's counting around $12 million against the cap this year and around $26 million next year with the option. And if you look at the chart of quarterback salaries around the league, averaging $19 million over a two-year span would make him the 18th-highest-paid quarterback in the league, right behind Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, and Malik Willis, of course. That's a reasonable range. And they've put parts around him that allow him to be the best version of himself, so as long as he continues to improve (and the arrow is clearly pointing up), it's probably too soon for that conversation. As we've seen, you can win a lot with quarterbacks like Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, if the whole team around them is right.
As for Brooks, he's healthy and working his way back, as he discussed last week.
He's probably one of the fastest dudes on the roster, and by planting himself next to Chuba Hubbard, he's definitely putting in the work.
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Well, the draft is behind us, and we did really well according to a bunch of people who seem to be sharing custody of Ben McAdoo's other pants. Next items on the agenda are rookie minicamp, the schedule release, some FOTM's wedding, and then OTAs and mandatory minicamp before the dreaded "Dead Zone" in mid-June. At least my Cardinals (MLB) look like they will be worth the watch in mid-summer.
Anywhoozle, back to the football with a multi-parter:
- Am I weird for being more interested in how Will Lee III and Zakee Wheatley look during these next few months and not Monroe "Hooked On A" Freeling and Lee Hunter? I understand that everyone is excited for how our top two picks perform, but I feel like a lot of our struggles in closing out games last year came in defending the pass game, not the run.
-I know I asked a schedule question a few weeks ago (artful dodge on that by the way haha), but reexamining what we know about the upcoming year, do you think fans should be concerned about having to pack a bag and dust off the passport with both the Saints and Falcons having games across the Atlantic (Asker's Note: Gemini is claiming the Paris game will involve Cleveland but I can't find anything official stating that so I'm going with that's a hallucination).
- Any vacations planned this summer? I thoroughly enjoyed the Puffin and Icelandic Dawg Chronicles last summer. — Nate, Charlotte, NC
Well, you'll probably be able to tell more about Lee and Wheatley over the next three months anyway, because until the pads come on in training camp, there's only so much you can learn about linemen.
But Lee and Wheatley add a layer of competition to the secondary (if you've noticed, that's a trend), with the kind of long frames they like in their defensive backs. Lee and Corey Thornton will push each other, and we'll see if one of them can push Chau Smith-Wade for nickel snaps. As mentioned above, Wheatley will be working behind the steady veteran Nick Scott when he gets here, and if he turns out to be better than Scott, that's OK, because Nick Scott is pretty OK at football. (How he became a lightning rod with fans is kind of beyond me, because he's a fairly solid player.)
I will continue to dodge schedule questions because there's nothing to say yet. But there are some explosive developments in store, I'm sure.
As the league continues to expand the inventory of international games (nine games this year), the reality is we're not far from the point where every team is going overseas at least once per season. I'd be down for a trip to Paris or Madrid, and that doesn't have anything to do with football.
I'll let you know about vacation after I get home. Steve Smith told me once he didn't want me writing about a trip to London he was taking with his son before he went because he didn't want people to rob his house, and there's a wisdom there. A paranoid wisdom, but a wisdom nevertheless. Steve's funny sometimes. We're probably heading to New York City at some point to visit the adult children who are moving there, and I love going to the city. One of my bucket list items is to see the dog show at Madison Square Garden, but I crossed a few off a couple of years ago by seeing sports being played at Rucker Park and Yankee Stadium the same day.
But man, I could eat a bunch of Icelandic hot dogs right now. For a country not known for its food culture, those hot dogs were a game-changer for me. If you're going to be bougie and talk about your European vacations, you have to balance it out by eating the food of the common man, and I'm nothing if not a man of the people. Also, mazel tov on your wedding, but the baseball Cardinals can go kick rocks.
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Now that the 2026 NFL Draft and the majority of free agent additions have come and gone, when will the new Panthers be assigned their jersey numbers?
Also, can you give some insight as to who determines how the players are prioritized over each other, or is there a standardized pecking order when it comes to jersey requests? Veterans over rookies, drafted players over free agent additions? Seems like it could get complicated. — Randall, Branchville, SC
Speaking of dodging questions, ...
Numbers will probably be out soon-ish (though that ish is doing some heavy lifting), but there's a non-zero chance that they're not all permanent when they do come out. In recent years, more and more guys have ended up switching after roster cuts (like Tershawn Wharton did last year), and some of the new additions have worn numbers that are currently occupied. It's gotten complicated, to put it mildly.
There's a general meritocracy to most number allocations, though some positions get preference. A few years ago, Johnny Hekker came here wearing 6, and that was cool because he was THE punter of the last generation. But then quarterback Baker Mayfield showed up, and it's hard to say no to the quarterback (who eventually made it worth Hekker's while).
If you're a free agent addition with a big enough contract, or a first-round pick, there's often a thumb on the scale. But for a lot of rookies or guys on one-year deals, you kind of pick from the available stock. Here's what's left, knock yourself out.
The one number we won't see thanks to the prejudice of others is Lee Hunter in the 2 he wore at Texas Tech. The league only allows defensive linemen to wear numbers between 50-79 and 90-99, which is a shame. A big man in a single digit is a sight to behold, as you could tell from Hunter in college or Derrick Brown at Auburn, when that 5 stood out like a beacon in a sea of dark blue.
I'm sure somebody has a good reason why this can't be done, but it's one of the rules I'd change instantly when they make me the commissioner (which is a thing that will never happen).
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Good news, Darin, I have traveled from the future with pre-draft news. I come from this Friday morning. Rejoice, every pundit and Panther fan is happy and impressed with our first pick. No one is freaking out. And no, there are still no flying skateboards.
Though this wildly positive reaction begs a question about the past years. Of all the first-round picks we have taken, what was the worst fan reaction you have experienced? — Stephen, Goose Creek, SC
For the most part, the initial reactions have been positive because the picks were good (the Panthers have an extremely good record in the first round, which is not a thing everyone gets to say).
There was some grousing about Tshimanga Biakabutuka over Eddie George in 1996, but Biakabutuka had elite speed before running into unfortunate injuries (and the appropriate hindsight pick that year was right tackle Willie Anderson, who deserves to be in the Hall of Fame but isn't yet).
There was some internal reaction when the Panthers took Nebraska defensive end Jason Peter in 1998. Then-scout Dom Anile (God rest his soul) said prior to the draft that he'd "cut back flips" if UNC defensive end Vonnie Holliday was on the board at 14, because not everyone thought he would be. After they took Peter with Holliday on the board, Anile was reminded of this statement, and he replied: "I did cut back flips. And then we took Jason Peter."
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Hello Mr Gantt. Longggggg time reader, very first time writer. When I used to live in Mint Hill, my very first Panthers t-shirt was a "Got Jake? We do" shirt. Do you know if there are any plans for something similar for any of the current players? I thought it was a really good hype scheme for the team at the time. Also was wondering if to help with the run and pass game if there is a good way to use two tight ends lined behind the line of scrimmage between the guard and tackle to help if needed for any pass rush, or to release if not? Thank you for having this great series of articles for those questions that may not get covered any other way. — Wade, Columbia City, IN
This is a true throwback question, and not just because you're advocating for us to go back to the wishbone.
There is a very real trend in the NFL toward multiple-TE formations, and the Panthers were sixth in the league in playing three tight ends at the same time, which people who like to say football words call 13 personnel (as in one back, and three tight ends).
Because they're all different athletes, you can do a lot of different things with them. As with most things, it's cyclical. When NFL teams, adjusting to the available stock of spread offense athletes coming out of college, got smaller and faster on defense, the natural reaction was to load up and run more.
It'll go that way until defenses start finding 250-pound linebackers, and then the little fast guys will have their day in the sun again.
I remember those shirts, which coincided with a popular milk advertising campaign. And while I can't offer a current equivalent, I can make you this week's Friend Of The Mailbag, and get the next best thing on the way to you.
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The Panthers really like drafting players in the first round that share names with local towns, cities, unincorporated communities, and regions!
2026- Monroe Freeling- Monroe, NC
2025- Tetairoa McMillan- McMillan, NC
2024- Xavier Leggette- Leggett, NC
2023- Bryce Young- Youngsville, NC
2021- Jaycee Horn- Horneyville, NC
2020- Derrick Brown- Brown Town, NC
2019- Brian Burns- Burnsville, NC
2018- DJ Moore- Mooresville, NC
2017- Christian McCaffery- Christian Light, NC
2016- Vernon Butler- Mt. Vernon, NC
2015- Shaq Thompson- Thompson Township, NC
2013- Star Lotulelei- Startown, NC
2011- Cam Newton- Newton, NC
2008- Jonathan Stewart- Stewartsville Township, NC
2006- DeAngelo Williams- Williamsboro, NC
2005- Thomas Davis- Davis, NC
2003- Jordan Gross- Jordan, NC
2001- Dan Morgan- Morganton, NC
2000- Rashard Anderson- Anderson, NC
1999- Jason Peter- Jason, NC
1995- Kerry Collins- Collinstown, NC
Why? — Zach, Charlotte.
It's Horneytown, not Horneyville, you miscreant. If you're going to be a juvenile delinquent, you have an obligation to be a geographically accurate juvenile delinquent.
I'm reporting you to my friend Jeremy Markovich for remedial work on your North Carolina minutiae. He is a man who loves the strange and unusual (and this place) as much as I do.
Also, having lived a life in this fine state, I can say I've been to most of those places, but I've only ever worked in two of them, selling cameras at Brendle's in Newton (on Highway 70, next to the cemetery and Hickory Motor Speedway) when I was in high school, as well as my first newspaper job at the beloved News-Herald in Morganton. That was the real Mo-town sound.
Clearly, you have too much time on your hands. You know what that means, don't you? GET BACK TO CLASS, ZACH.
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Oh, man. What a draft. A+ from PFF, #1 in pick value, the list goes on. Dan Morgan is a ball knower, and beyond that, able to execute based on that ball knowledge.
Oh, also: players are back in the building. I never forget a committance, so this is your friendly reminder to ask Bryce whether or not he makes homemade bread.
Anyways, my questions (One for each of our draftees :)
1. Do you think Monroe Freeling is going to go into camp and battle Rasheed Walker for the starting LT spot? Coach Canales has said he doesn't believe in drafting for depth (which Dan echoed), but I've asked some casual fans, and they said the head coach doesn't have ** to do with the draft (sorry, these people do not have clean mouths)
2. Lee Hunter is absolutely going to be a part of the Panthers' D-Line rotation, but do you think it will hurt Turk Wharton or Bobby Brown more? My gut says Brown, since he's more like Hunter, but multiple sources have said Wharton might be the more likely loser of the two.
3. What depth chart position do you think Chris Brazzell holds as he walks into the building? He's obviously ahead of depth guys like David Moore and Brycen Tremayne, but guys like XL and Jimmy Horn Jr. in relation to him are more of a mystery to me.
4. Do you think Will Lee or Corey Thornton is our nickel back to begin the year?
5. Do you think Sam Hecht is exclusively a developmental prospect or will he walk into camp and battle against Luke Fortner for the starting center job?
6. As of now, would you say Zakee Wheatley or Nick Scott is more likely to be the starting FS week 1?
7. Do you think Jackson Kuwatch is a rotational linebacker or just a special teamer?
Sorry for the long submission, and shoutout Zach. I was an old man in a school play this year, too. — Micah, Gastonia, NC
Kids these days, they think they can just storm in here and ask all the questions. Quit being selfish. Leave some for somebody else.
The one thing I'll say in general, beyond what's already been discussed, is that it's a good rule of thumb to not expect too much from guys picked on Day 3 and the undrafteds.
If those guys make the roster, it's a plus. If they play regularly, it's often an upset. There's a lot of discussion in the room about how these guys fit into both the roster and the game day 48 that you can activate. And the third day guys are often fighting for those last uniforms, which means they have to be special teamers. That's what happens when the roster gets better.
So for Kuwatch, it'll be an uphill climb. He is moving into a room with expensive free agents like Devin Lloyd, incumbent starters like Trevin Wallace, guys with experience in the system like Claudin Cherelus and Bam Martin-Scott, and proven special teamers like Maema Njongmeta and Jacoby Windmon. But as a seventh-rounder, you know that going in.
I'll ask Bryce about the bread thing next time I see him, but until then, see my advice above to your role model, Zach.
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On a scale of David Mayo to A.J. Klein, just how "LUUUUUUUUKE" is Jackson Kuwatch? — Justin, Gibsonville, NC
Yes!
He's automatically LUUUUKE-coded, being from Cincinnati. But that status will be earned on the field.
Klein is the king of the LUUUUUUUUUUKES (10 Us), and Mayo is probably a LUUUUUUUKE (7 Us). Kuwatch will start at a Ben Boulware-level LUUUUKE (4 Us) and go from there. But I can't wait for the preseason, because this is absolutely a thing that needs to happen.
And I'm making Justin a Bonus FOTM this week, because this is the energy you need to take into the weekend.
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I have to admit, I was not overly enthusiastic when we didn't take one of the "sexier" pics of the first round.
But then I watched the call. I heard Monroe Freeling in tears on the other end of that line as his dream came true. He didn't talk about breaking anyone's pockets in a few years. He just said, "I'm gonna die for y'all." Suddenly, all my indifference at a trench pick vaporized.
I like good stories. I like when guys we draft get to retire with us after long and successful careers. Here's a good story: Monroe Freeling sits back and learns under Ickey and Walker for a year, then takes his place at LT in 2027. Maybe Ickey loses a step after his injury, maybe he doesn't. Obviously, I hope for the latter. Either way, T-Mo slides into a backup tackle role that maybe puts a little less hard mileage on his body, remaining the commanding general of the O-line until a triumphant retirement on his terms with the team he loves. Ickey takes over as starting RT, T-Mo's heir apparent, and we finally give the NC State man a new contract. If anyone doubts he deserves it, look what he did to Micah Parsons last year in Green Bay.
But the business of football hates a good story. See Thomas Davis' stint with the Chargers, or the sad departure of CMac, or Steve Smith, or Cam Newton; the list goes on.
I just hope, after hearing Freeling's passion and thankfulness and vow of dedication last night, that we can honor him with a good story (if he earns it, obviously. But I predict he will.)
Guess that's not really a question. All right, here's one. Why, when I hear from time to time that a player would have taken a pay cut to stay with his team and continue writing a good story, do I seem to more often watch helplessly as those players are unceremoniously shipped off? Is that on their agents, who are presumably paid commission and thus not incentivized to just take a million or two less? — Layton, Raleigh, NC
This one's kinda just an apology for that melancholy essay I just sent in. I'm sure I earned a snarky comment from our resident old team lead correspondent about needing to pay rent on ATOG articles if I'm gonna take up that much space. Just had something I wanted to get off my chest, I guess. Sorry, Darin. KEEP POUNDING! — Layton, Raleigh, NC
When I was pulling the questions this week, I got these two in reverse order, and didn't know what the heck Layton was talking about for a second, but I knew I dreaded it. But honestly, it wasn't that bad. Listen, we have unlimited space on the internet if you're contributing to the discussion, and we have a lightning round for the short stuff.
Freeling's enthusiasm seems genuine, watching him go through the draft process and an exhausting first day here, the smile never left his face. I'm also struck by how young he is (barely 21) and how gigantic he is.
As I told Kassidy the other day on the podcast, he reminds me a lot of the young Jordan Gross who walked in the door in 2003, more in terms of the personality than the player (though the play similarities are there). Jordan was a little more reserved early, but his sense of humor came through as the years passed, and he became one of our favorites.
The future of the offensive line will play itself out over the coming months. So much of it depends on health questions they can't know the answers to yet. As for the pay cuts, usually by the time they get around to asking for one, the decision is largely made. And as much as we love the stories, very few guys actually get to spend an entire career in one place. So when you get to experience guys like Gross or Luke Kuechly, you appreciate it that much more.
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And on that note, let's go lightning round, brought to you by the patron saint of the lightning round Jeff from Fuquay-Varina, to close it out this week.
Darin, I must apologize, I believe the correct answer was that he helped bring the column together with his inspiration to start the lighting round. The two of you bring completion to Ask the Old Guy. He helps wrap things up as he is the patron saint of the lighting round. Your column is the best. I am going to add a short question. Do you think what the analysts are saying about Legette getting traded is a likely scenario? And do you think we will go OL or WR 1st round? — Cheryl, Fuquay Varina , NC
Cheryl committed the one previously unpardonable Mailbag sin last week. She went AI. We prefer the actual kind of intelligence here. But she's nice, so I'll give her a break (and Nate better be glad I'm in a good mood this week).
I think they're going offensive line in the first round. And I think most of the hypothetical trade talk that fills up the offseason usually doesn't amount to much. But that room is deeper, and roster spots and reps are getting harder to come by, so it's time to work.
I saw an odd stat (but makes sense) that the Hurricanes have won the last 48 (and counting) playoff games for pro teams in the state. On an "offseason hype" scale of 1-5, how likely do you think it is to end that run? Or even if it's the Hornets next year as well. — Jackson, Leland, NC
I think it's happening. Charlotte is back to its rightful status as the center of the universe. The Panthers are getting better, and the Hornets made huge strides this year. What a time to be alive.
Tell Monroe we love him, too. — William, Mokelumne Hill, CA
Oh, you can already tell this is going to be a thing.
This is not draft-related, but I wanted to inquire about Brady Christensen. I understand the team wanting to confirm his recovery before re-signing him, and it's only been around 6 months since the injury. Is he rehabbing at BOA? Is there any update at all? — John, Raleigh, NC
He's not at the stadium because he isn't under contract, but he's working out here in town and getting better. He's six months out in rehab and says he's feeling great. The timeline for a return was always going to be around the start of training camp, so there's no particular hurry, and if he were on the roster now, he's not able to practice anyway. So that spot can be used on someone else for now, and we'll see what July brings.
But this will always be a pro-Brady account, as a player and a human being. Since so many fans ask about him, I get the sense I'm not alone.
No question, just a burp after gulping down a few swigs of hopeium. What an outstanding job Mr. Dan Morgan has done in free agency and the draft...OT...DL...WR...CB...C...S!!! My my my...what an outstanding haul...BRING ON SOME FOOTBALL!!!!! — Westray, Kershaw, SC
See, I knew if anybody was going to love a draft that included two big 'uns at the top, it was going to be Westray. The heart wants what the heart wants.
