1. Larry Fitzgerald
2. Andre Johnson
3. Calvin Johnson
4. Reggie Wayne
5. Steve Smith CAR
6. Roddy White
7. Greg Jennings
8. Brandon Marshall
9. Kenny Britt
10. Mike Wallace
11. Miles Austin
12. Santonio Holmes
13. Marques Colston
14. Jeremy Maclin
15. DeSean Jackson
16. Vincent Jackson
17. Anquan Boldin
18. Mike Williams TB
19. Steve Smith PHI
20. Hakeem Nicks
21. Lance Moore
22. Sidney Rice
23. Santana Moss
24. Brandon Lloyd
25. Dwayne Bowe
26. Braylon Edwards
27. Johnny Knox
28. Dez Bryant

29. Wes Welker
30. Austin Collie
31. Mario Manningham
32. Steve Johnson
33. Earl Bennett
34. AJ Green
35. Percy Harvin
36. Jordy Nelson
37. Malcolm Floyd
38. Pierre Garcon
39. Nate Washington
40. Davone Bess
41. Hines Ward
42. Robert Meachem
43. Mike Thomas
44. Donald Driver
45. Lee Evans
46. Julio Jones
47. James Jones
48. Antonio Brown
49. Jordan Shipley
50. Derrick Mason

Musgrave must use him more

Week 3 Picks

Bengals over 49ers
Panthers over Jaguars
Lions over Vikings
Titans over Broncos
Browns over Dolphins
Eagles over Giants
Saints over Texans
Patriots over Bills
Ravens over Rams
Jets over Raiders
Chargers over Chiefs
Packers over Bears

Cardinals over Seahawks
Falcons over Bucs
Steelers over Colts
Redskins over Cowboys (To make this more interesting)

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8/2011 Team Scope: Carolina Panthers

August 13th 2011 18:34

Going into free agency, the Panthers had a ton of key players that they had to re-signed. To say their free agency period was a success would be an understatement. They were able to re-sign two very good linebackers in James Anderson and Thomas Davis, they re-signed Charles Johnson who was the second best end in the league last year, and they kept DeAngelo Williams- even though they paid too much for him.

You can tell that Jerry Richardson was gearing up for this though. He never signed anybody the past couple of years, and he was the most vocal about a new CBA that would "help out" the owners. Most coaches' contracts and player contracts were set to expire this year. This was all in Richardson's grand plan.

The Panthers have a very good roster in terms of overall talent, but their season rides on the shoulders of their number one pick. They were terrible last year with the worst starting QB in the league under center. Derek Anderson's one great year was under current offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski while with the Browns. I have no idea why the second worst starting quarterback last year was brought in. He's not a mentor, and he sucks.

Cam Newton is actually by far the best signal-caller on this roster, and that really has more to do with the ineptitude of the other guys. I think Newton is going to be subpar in his rookie year, but he'll do enough to keep the Panthers around .500 (think 7-9).

But Newton has the best running game in the league to back him up. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are two of the best backs around, and Mike Goodson is a very good all-around option. Tyrell Sutton is an underrated player buried on the back of the depth chart. The offensive line is also very good, as the Panthers have perennial All-Pros in Ryan Kalil and Jordan Gross. Travelle Wharton is seriously underrated and is one of the best guards in the league in pass protection.

However, the receivers are mediocre at best. With David Gettis sidelined for the rest of the year with an injury that Thomas Davis is all too familiar with, the Panthers really only have two playable receivers. Steve Smith is still among the best in the league, and Brandon LaFell has a ton of potential. But LaFell isn't a number two receiver at all, but he is a big guy in the red zone.

What helps Newton out the most is the two tight ends that Carolina recently acquired. Jeremy Shockey isn't what he used to be, obviously, but he is still a solid number two TE and can play some in the red zone. Greg Olsen is one of the best pure pass-catchers at his position, and he was not properly used by Mike Martz in Chicago. He's going to breakout this year, and Newton is definitely going to be looking for him a lot. But make no mistake, Smith is going to be heavily targeted this year, which means he will finally have the stats to show his skills. All he needs is somebody who isn't "beyond stink".

Defensively, Carolina has a stacked core of linebackers. Jon Beason is one of the best LBs in the game, and will have him blitzing more than he ever has in his life. Davis should be healthy and ready to contribute, and James Anderson emerged as an important playmaker on defense. Dan Connor is extremely underrated, and he is one of the best linebackers in the league against the run. It was a shame that his season was cut in half last year, and he should be back to full strength this year. Connor will be ready to make a name for himself.

The corners are very thin after the departure of Richard Marshall. Chris Gamble is still okay, but he has vastly declined recently. Captain Munnerlyn is crazy fast, and he's a solid number two corner. Brandon Hogan was an interesting pick, and I think he'll end up being a solid contributor on defense. Charles Godfrey was in the same great draft haul that yielded Stewart, Jeff Otah, and Connor, and he's a ball-hawk who can make plays. The other safety, Sherrod Martin, is a solid player; there's really nothing special about him.

The entire philosophy has changed in Carolina. They have gone from the ball-control offense employed by John Fox and , to an offensive attack that is more about taking risks. The same can be said for the defense with Sean McDermott at coordinator; expect a whole lot of blitzing. The Panthers are going to be solid defensively, but the offense is directly affected by Cam Newton. All he has to do is play average football out there, and the Panthers will hit .500.

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6/21 NFL News: Newton makes good first step

June 21st 2011 21:00

Jimmy Clausen failed to develop good chemistry with Steve Smith, and it was one of the reasons why he was horrible last year. He got on Smith's nerves by showing hubris during training camp, and that carried over into the regular season. He didn't give the ball to his star, and he threw it far too often to Dante Rosario.

While I have been critical of Cam Newton, I commend him profusely for a move that he recently made. It may seem like a small gesture, but what Newton did may help out this offense more than you would think. He has made it clear that he wants Steve Smith to stick around in Carolina and not leave, and he also tipped his cap and said that Smith is a great receiver. This is exactly the opposite of what Clausen did last year, and I think this move will work out for Newton if Smith indeed does stay. Smith, however, wants to play on a winning team as his storied career winds down to a close. He won the Triple Crown of Receiving and is the best player in Panthers' history.

“I’ve grown maybe a little bit of maturity. So what I’m going to do is keep saying it: It’s between me and my family,” Smith said. “And when we decide what we’re going to do, whether people like it or not, as long as my family is happy, I hope they would understand.”

Steve Smith is one of my favorite players in the NFL, and it makes me mad when people talk crap about him. He has always contemplated retirement because of his family. He doesn't want to sustain an injury that will force his family to pay for the expenses. He also wants to spend time with the people he cares the most about.

“Obviously, skills are diminishing, losing a step. So we’ll see,” Smith said, mocking critics. “We’ll see how many 24-year-olds can cover a 32-year-old, 4.3 runner, wide receiver who wasn’t supposed to be here anyway.”

One of the main reasons why the star receiver contemplated retirement was because his wife may of had lupus. She didn't, and the person Smith cares about the most didn't have a dangerous disease.

“Retiring at that time was one of the things that we were thinking about, because I needed to be home with my wife,” Smith said. “I needed to make sure I didn’t let her down.”

Smith also praised the rookie quarterback. I personally think that character concerns about Newton are overblown now that I have seen his actions in the NFL. He's been nothing but a leader so far, and his work ethic is incredible. Newton has incredible athleticism, but I'm still worried about him busting. The Panthers did a very thorough check up on him, so I am optimistic about Newton's future. Marty Hurney is the last guy in the league to make a rash decision. If Smith says he's good, then he's probably good. Smith doesn't usually dole out praise on young QBs unless if they really are that good.

“His athleticism speaks for itself,” Smith said. “You can see an athlete walk in the door. He doesn’t have to wear a sign or a jersey. You can tell if a guy can play or if he can’t.”

Wants Smith to stay

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Posted By: Joe Soriano - Category: NFL, NFL Rumors and News, Panthers, Steve Smith, Cam Newton, Jimmy Clausen, Marty Hurney

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5/24 NFL Rumors: The Free Agent Wideouts

May 24th 2011 14:02

Randy Moss had the most receiving touchdowns in an NFL season with the New England Patriots in 2007. After an ugly breakup last year, the Pats' biggest rivals could sign Moss. This would only happen if the Jets were unable to re-sign either Santonio Holmes or Braylon Edwards. Holmes and Edwards are better players than Moss at this point in time, but Moss would fit right in in New York.

Mike Brown is the worst owner in the league, and he has the most interesting QB situation on his hands. We all know about the Carson Palmer quandary, and Brown has reiterated the fact that the Bengals will keep Palmer. If Palmer holds true to his statement and retires, then Brown says the team will just put in Andy Dalton. He also added that Palmer would be the starter if he stayed. I think the Bengals need to move on and trade Palmer. They'll also get good value for him as opposed to getting nothing in return. Palmer was terrible at the beginning of the year, but he was great in the last few weeks of the season. Was it injuries or luck? Either way, I think there are going to be teams that will try and give too much for him.

The Carolina Panthers will start Cam Newton when he knows the offense, and when they assemble a solid supporting cast around him. Read: get another receiver to play next to Steve Smith. They will make a QB competition with Newton and Clausen, and Newton will act more of a game manager when he first plays. Yeah, they're going to play John Fox ball early on.

The Dallas Cowboys probably won't release Roy Williams, and I honestly wouldn't either. Why? Because there's this thing called trading where you can get something in return. Williams is way too expensive for a receiver who is only average. The Cowboys would also have to give about 12 million dollars to him if they released Williams. Yeah, not happening. Williams is a solid red zone target who can have that occasional big game when he and Romo click.

Barry Cofield wants a new and long-term deal. The defensive tackle is set to be a free agent, and the Giants should grant his request. He's one of the most vocal leaders in the NFL who is also a force on the line for the G-Men. Pay the man and give him a deal that gives him some security; he's earned it.

Mike Sims-Walker is good friends with Brandon Marshall, and he wants to join him in South Beach. I don't think the Dolphins should sign Sims-Walker because he's too similar to Marshall. They're both athletic possession receivers. I think the Fins need to sign a deep threat instead. It's not that I think Sims-Walker is a poor player. It's just that he's not the type of player the team needs. Sims-Walker is a very talented, but also very a inconsistent receiver who struggles against press coverage.

Rex Is Interested

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Posted By: Joe Soriano - Category: NFL, Patriots, Jets, Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards NYJ, Dolphins, Brandon Marshall, Mike Sims-Walker JAX, Bengals, Carson Palmer CIN, Andy Dalton, Mike Brown, John Fox, New York Giants, Barry Cofield NYG, Cowboys, Roy Williams DAL, Tony Romo, Panthers, Steve Smith, Cam Newton, Jimmy Clausen

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2011 Pre-Draft Notes

April 26th 2011 14:41

My mock drafts are primarily based on the players I think each team will pick, but the notes are all about my personal opinions. For instance, Cam Newton should not be picked in the top ten at all. There are too many warning signs, and you can't invest a good part of your franchise on someone who may not even try to play at a high level for your team. I don't like Newton's footwork either. Blaine Gabbert shouldn't be a top ten pick, but I would definitely take him in the middle of the first round.

Jake Locker is my best quarterback ranked QB. He's accurate, it's just that his receivers and O-Line were horrible. Locker can be a great player. Why else was he thought of as the number one pick over Sam Bradford? Locker has all the tools, he can scramble, and he's the best leader in this draft. Locker's a stud, just watch

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3/2011 Draft Talk: Gabbert vs. Newton and Panthers Options

March 29th 2011 14:29

For those of you that know this blog well, you know my stances on Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert. Newton has poor character, no footwork, terrible accuracy, and he isn't a good enough pure passer. Add that up together, and I see a bust. Gabbert is decent accuracy- don't trust the stats- and he has great arm strength. Gabbert is a leader that doesn't have any "baggage" with him. Gabbert is worth drafting with a high first round pick, and I think Newton is only worth a 2nd rounder.

I am not naive enough to think that a team won't reach and try to take Newton. Somebody's going to fall in love with his Heisman and his title. All I can say is, your reaching far too much to take this kid in the 1st round. I'm not saying that he can't be a good QB in the NFL, I'm just saying that it's wise to go a different route when using your 1st rounder

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Posted By: Joe Soriano - Category: NFL, Panthers, Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell, David Gettis, Charles Johnson, NFL Draft, Blaine Gabbert Draft, AJ Green Draft, Julio Jones Draft, Cam Newton Draft, Andy Dalton Draft, Christian Ponder Draft

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2/2011 Top 75 Wide Receiver Rankings

February 26th 2011 14:29

1. Larry Fitzgerald- Still put up big numbers with nightmare QB carousel. Can catch absolutely anything. Has height, leadership, and athleticism.
2. Andre Johnson- Speed, height, and athleticism. Nuff said.
3. Brandon Marshall- If only he was reunited with Cutler

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