I'd love Stafford but I just don't see it happening.
I never really understood this sentiment. I can totally get not liking the guy, but loathing? (Fwiw, I lived in NC for 4 years and loved watching him play)
Like him or not, a healthy Cam would be the Titans best chance of getting to the super bowl. I just don't know if he can get fully healthy for a year or if he's really attainable at a reasonable price.
Bridgewater could be a very good, reasonable option. Hadn't really thought about him.
Cam was pretty bad last he took the field. Then the Panthers fell in love with his backup and yet again he was pretty bad.
It's hard to look at them stat-wise if they're going to dump it to McCaffrey- ypa, yards in general, completion % all get skewed. Yeah I'd throw to arguably the best player too but when he just gets 4 yards on a play that's a weak pass attempt. Their love for the deep ball as a counter is fine, but it's not a real offense. Remember when Stewart toted the rock or Stewart/Williams and they had outside WRs and Olsen? They had options and things went well. This past year, it always seemed like they needed a huge play from a guy like Wright or some name that just wasn't a "make a key catch" type guy. I think it's real easy to defense (assuming McCaffrey gets his) and that's why they throw so many INTs there or at least so many at bad times. They had Hogan and probably saw this coming but didn't use him as such.
I liked Kyle Allen for a first year guy. One to one ratio isn't bad for first year and he had moxie and leadership and...I could see just building around him. Cam didn't take the losing well and looks like a sore loser. I will never understand why NFL fans dislike sore losers but it's a real common sentiment. I want a QB grumpy and pointing fingers. The problem was they stopped supporting Cam. When they had his back and he'd say this guy needed to do X, he needed to do Y, and the other guy needed to do Z; they all responded. Once they stopped supporting him, then it becomes (not about improving) why did you throw us under the bus? Cam was "bigger than life" and it's predictable with any star. With a new team, he could tone down the self importance some, but I do think he's a quality QB. He just lost the support of the team/staff.
Will Grier is the issue here too. He had a first to seventh round grade for much of last offseason, then he went to being some draft guys favorite, then 1st to third rounder. He was not worse than 99 other guys. He's a real good QB prospect to have. He did NOT pickup the offense well and was at first to blame for his preseason struggles, but then they were pointing out problems with the offense like he's doing things right but why are they doing this? why that? This just got chucked aside, but it was evident the last preseason game and those were the very issues that haunted them all season. He played late in the year and got some experience but in a no frills offense and it was probably just to get his feet wet.
In some regard, the Panthers failed here. They could have had the steal of the draft, a quality player, a sit the bench a few years and develop guy, or a guy that won't pan out but they have no idea on him. In another sense, they had no plans to go away from Cam so why would they? It's just that now they have 3 QBs that could each possibly be quality players or simply not and they have no answers. Everyone knows it, so they can't "hold the cards" in trade offers like they would be able to normally.
If ya ask me, they should trade Grier to (a team like the Titans) for a third. Get their pick back and move on. He can compete and enter the NFL typically if he beats someone out he does, otherwise learn. I don't see a problem with either Allen or Cam winning a QB competition. If Cam wins, he's going to get that support back. If Allen wins, that would show what ya want to see from a young guy and Cam would eat some crow and be a heckuva backup QB.
I really think they just gotta own that they know very little about Grier, the O needs more WRs and genuine spreading it out, and just move forward from there.