Panthers sign OT Jeremy Bridges

[manbearchef]

He wasn't thrust into a starting spot. Rivera gave it to him from the start, because he's an incompetent idiot. He knew he hated Jeff Otah and wanted him gone, and yet the team did not pursue another RT to compete for the job. That's is an utter failure by both Hurney and Rivera. I don't think Bell is ever going to "do well" at RT no matter who is playing next to him, because he isn't athletic enough to attempt to deal with anything above an average NFL DE.

Bell was given the starting job because there wasn't anyone else. That's not his fault, just like it's not Silatolu's fault that he was expected to jump from Division II college to starting LG in the NFL. These young OL can't help the fact that our team let our OL get into the condition it's in.

And yeah, Rivera probably did hate Otah, just like half the fan base and other coaches. Sure, he was a huge help when he was playing, but let's face it. He was fat and couldn't pass a physical and probably would've been on IR before week 2 anyway. I'd love to see the new GM build up our OL, since it appears that we're getting a pretty decent rotation on the DL. If we can build our team's trenches we'd be a lot better off.

[NCBoSoxfan21]

This is the problem. Good linemen don't need other linemen to make them good. Byron Bell is terrible. Von Miller made him look like he belonged in pee wee football. Bell will never be a serviceable anything in the NFL.

Tell that to Joe Thomas. The line collapses around Weeden all the time, you think Thomas is crap?

[N.E.PanthersFan]

You're talking to someone other than me in the second paragraph, correct?

Correct. That was directed at manbearchef, who picked up on it.

The reason I like Bell is he has the size to play RT, and from the interviews I've seen with Gross, the OL and coaches like his work ethic. I think if he can develop (he's only 23) his technique (preferably as a backup) he could become a startable RT or RG. Do I think he'll ever be a top lineman in the NFL, or even a top 2 OL on our team? No, but like I said, he could play a similar role that Otah was supposed to play for our team if he could grasp the technique better.

I'm hoping we draft a long-term OT this year so we can have Gross-Silatolu-Kalil-Piggy-Rookie as starters and then let Bell be a backup and see if he can develop into a starter.

I think that's mostly fair, if you're planning on drafting your future LT and having Bell take over at RT when Gross retires. Comparing him to Otah isn't fair to either guy. Ability-wise, Otah is very much Bell's superior. Willingness-to-put-in-the-offseason-work-wise, Bell wins.

I'd love to see Gross-Silatolu-Kalil-Hangartner-rookie for a couple years, then nolongerarookie-Silatolu-Kalil-Hangartner-Gross until Hangartner and Gross retire. You wait a couple years for a couple reasons: let the rookie get some experience before he's guarding the QB's blindside, and let Silatolu have some more time working between Gross and Kalil while the rookie works next to Hangartner. I guess you could completely mirror the line instead, switching the guards in addition to move Gross to RT.

He wasn't thrust into a starting spot. Rivera gave it to him from the start, because he's an incompetent idiot. He knew he hated Jeff Otah and wanted him gone, and yet the team did not pursue another RT to compete for the job. That's is an utter failure by both Hurney and Rivera. I don't think Bell is ever going to "do well" at RT no matter who is playing next to him, because he isn't athletic enough to attempt to deal with anything above an average NFL DE.

Rivera gave him the spot when Otah got injured last year. Rivera gave him the spot this year presumably because Otah wasn't working hard enough and Rivera wanted to push him. Pursuing another RT would have been a great idea (*cough* Hurney *cough*), but can we be sure that they absolutely didn't? I mean, they did get Campbell this off-season, maybe that's the best they could get?


And lastly, this:

If we can build our team's trenches we'd be a lot better off.

[manbearchef]

This is obviously another Hurney related question, but when we picked Silatolu in round 2, the two picks following him were G Cordy Glenn and OT Jonathan Martin, both of which were at some points projected to be 1st rounders (Martin was at times projected as a top 15 pick). Anyone else feel like we'd have been better off drafting either player? Glenn wouldn't have helped us currently, but IMO he has a smaller bust-risk than our Division II LG (not bashing Silatolu, I like him, just pointing this out), but I really liked Martin as a 2nd round pick (wasn't sold on him with a top 20 pick) and I think he projects to be a decent LT.

[N.E.PanthersFan]

This is obviously another Hurney related question, but when we picked Silatolu in round 2, the two picks following him were G Cordy Glenn and OT Jonathan Martin, both of which were at some points projected to be 1st rounders (Martin was at times projected as a top 15 pick). Anyone else feel like we'd have been better off drafting either player? Glenn wouldn't have helped us currently, but IMO he has a smaller bust-risk than our Division II LG (not bashing Silatolu, I like him, just pointing this out), but I really liked Martin as a 2nd round pick (wasn't sold on him with a top 20 pick) and I think he projects to be a decent LT.

I was a bit curious about that, but they must have seen something in Silatolu that they liked enough to take him over the other two. We're not the only team to do that though: the Bengals passed on both of those guys for Zeitler, who was projected as a second round pick. As with many things in life, we don't have all the information that the decision-makers had, so it's really hard to comment on their decision-making. Personally, I haven't seen anything out of Silatolu that makes me understand that decision, but I'm obviously hoping he becomes as good as the scouts thought he was.

[homestarunner93]

Tell that to Joe Thomas. The line collapses around Weeden all the time, you think Thomas is crap?

The Browns have one of the best pass blocking OLs in the league. They've only given up 14 sacks all year. Assuming your argument was even true, it is irrelevant because Thomas wins his own individual battles. He can't be faulted for what the rest of the line does. On the other hand, Bell loses most of his, and looks damn bad in the process.

Rivera gave him the spot when Otah got injured last year. Rivera gave him the spot this year presumably because Otah wasn't working hard enough and Rivera wanted to push him. Pursuing another RT would have been a great idea (*cough* Hurney *cough*), but can we be sure that they absolutely didn't? I mean, they did get Campbell this off-season, maybe that's the best they could get?
:

This is why Rivera has to share the blame with Hurney. If Rivera wasn't comfortable with Bell at RT, better competition would have been brought in. The thing is, Rivera was willing to hand the job to an undrafted rookie free agent with paltry competition at best, which is further proof of what a garbage head coach he is.

[Killakatsfan]

Well, that was short!

[homestarunner93]

Rivera had to cut someone since we lost to the Chiefs.

[manbearchef]

WTF? Was Bridges even a starter in that game? I didn't think he was. If he was a starter, then I guess I understand to a degree (the right side of the OL was terrible against KC), but still, no reason to be cutting players this late in the season.

[N.E.PanthersFan]

I think this is consistent with the "playing younger players" thing. We no longer have a chance to finish with a .500 record (mathematically), no sense keeping a veteran around who wasn't going to be with us next season when there are other guys (Garry Williams, for example) who need to be evaluated.

Per article by Joe Person in CO:

But Bridges was in poor football shape after being sidelined in Arizona, and was unable to supplant Garry Williams at right guard.

“We brought Jeremy in to be a starter,” Beane said. “Unfortunately, it just didn’t work.”

[homestarunner93]

That is the dumbest thing I've heard lately. "He can't start, so we have to cut him." What the ****? I'll take a fat, slobbish, out of shape Jeremy Bridges over Jeff ****ing Byers any day.

[N.E.PanthersFan]

That is the dumbest thing I've heard lately. "He can't start, so we have to cut him." What the ****? I'll take a fat, slobbish, out of shape Jeremy Bridges over Jeff ****ing Byers any day.

Good point. Jeremy Bridges backing up Garry Williams = playoff run.

[homestarunner93]

Good point. Jeremy Bridges backing up Garry Williams = playoff run.

Oh please. It doesn't effect the team long term, but it's still stupid logic. Further evidence that Rivera and Beane belong nowhere near the decision process for the Panthers in 2013.

[Killakatsfan]

It just tells me they don't know what they are doing. Rivera despite having no chance at an even record should still be trying to find ways to win games. Dropping Bridges in favor of younger players (that have already proven they are not ready) makes no sense to me. Show us something Rivera! Show us some grit! I would bet most of the players don't care to play hard enough to save Rivera's job. It doesn't say much for the players but hey, it says less for him. I bet if Shiano(sp) were the HC here we have more W's than we do now.

[N.E.PanthersFan]

lol

Let me rephrase that for you and see if it makes more sense: "dropping [a completely out-of-shape player who's been struggling to grasp the playbook] in favor of [Garry Williams, who has already learned the offense and been a positive contributer]". When you bring a guy in to be your starter and he can't get on the field, you let him go. It's no different than Jeff Otah, who was finally let go after 3 years of waiting. Let me say that a different way: when you bring a guy in who you plan on playing ahead of Garry Williams and then he can't beat Garry Williams for the starting spot, why even have that guy on the roster? He's just taking up space and money at that point.

Look, I wanted to Bridges to succeed as much as anyone. I was really excited when we got Hangartner back and he contributed, so I was hoping Bridges would do the same. But he can't even beat out Garry Williams.

Another way of reading this is: Garry Williams has stepped up and done his job, so we see no reason to make a change right now.