I will ask you this question that was posed to me on the mailbag this week would you rather the Panthers shock the world and go to the playoffs this year even if it means a Wild Card round exit or would you like for them to once again draft in the top five or top 10 I just don't understand you are locked on Panthers your daily Carolina Panthers podcast part of the lock on podcast Network your team every day welcome in to another edition of the locked on Panthers podcast the part of the lockdown podcast Network I'm your host as always Julian Council talking Carolina Panthers with you every Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday and Friday your team every day that's our motto here on the locked on podcast Network subscribe or follow the show for free on YouTube or wherever you listen to your favorite podcast and be sure to follow me Julie Council on Twitter Julian counsel because on Wednesdays like today for the rest of the regular season and hopefully fingers cross the playoffs I'll be answering your weekly Wednesday mailbag questions all you got to do is either at me or DM me and if You' like to you can click the follow Button as well at Julian Council to get those questions in for next week's edition of the show today's episode of lockon panthers is brought to you by FanDuel now through September 22nd all FanDuel customers can bet $5 and get a 3-we free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV visit fanduel.com to get started today and we will get started with the mailbag momentarily but there was some surprising news to come out of panthers camp on Tuesday afternoon as they have waved veteran pass rusher cbon Chason something that I certainly did not see coming and I'm sure you probably did not see coming as the Panthers are days away from their week one opener on the road in New Orleans against the Saints caleban Json came over this off seon after the Panthers signed DJ wman prior to the Jevon Clowny signing he was always someone who was g to be brought in to be a rotational pass rusher along with DJ Johnson in his second year and behind WAM and whoever they were going to be able to sign as they started which they were able to do by getting Clowny and after one was injured and has not been able to participate at all he's currently on pup for the first four weeks of the Season no idea when he'll be back he's eligible to return for the week five matchup on the road in Chicago don't feel like that is something that's likely to happen just considering the fact that he has not been available all off season we have not been given a timeline there Amari barno also on pup with the torn ACL suffered last week or last year rather against Green Bay in week 16 and he is someone where he's pretty far away that's what Dave Canal said over a week ago the Panthers are sitting in a situation ation where they had a pretty light edge rusher room and with Jason no longer here it's Clowny it's DJ Johnson it's eul Leota and it's Jamie Sheriff who they just picked up a waivers last week four four Edge rushers they exited camp and the preseason with four they added another one and now they're back down to four and I have said this and it's still is very true to this point at least in my opinion I'm sure a lot of opinions across the NFL as currently constructed this is the worst Edge rushing group in the NFL with Clowney being healthy with DJ Johnson being healthy echu Leota being healthy and Jamie Sheriff being healthy this is not ideal and that's why it's all the more puzzling that Caleb on CHAS on a former first round pick who has been a bust and now being weighed by the Panthers only goes even further with that bus narrative that comes from Jackson it's not really a narrative it's just a fact the guy was drafted in the first round there high expectations from in Jacksonville he did not live up to those expectations therefore they moved on the Panthers thought all right Todd was you were the DC when y'all drafted cbon maybe you can come in here even though you're not be his position coach and work in this scheme and he can be better and well did not work out to where week one he's on a roster at least for now let's keep that important reading Alex zlo from the Charlotte Observer he noted this that the move says the Panthers $2 million in cap space according over the cap and Saddles him with $500,000 in dead money if he was on the team during week one this weekend his base salary of $1.12 million would have been fully guaranteed which is not a ton of money it's not a high cap hit but still would have been a guaranteed salary as he's AC Creed more than four years in the NFL and thus is a vested veteran Panthers now have $10.6 million of cap space when I look at overthecap.com so at least for now k Jon is not on the roster I didn't know the Panthers were in a situation where they were needing a less experience at the edge rusher spot heading into week one but that's where they're at it's possible after week one he comes back has a lower salary even though $1.12 million guaranteed is not that much the cap pit was not that high they've moved on he did not impress me at all during training camp or the preseason I mean neither really did DJ John it and ulota did in that first game we haven't seen Clowny and I know Jamie Sheriff apparently in Seattle had three sacks to lead that team during their preseason games I am just I'm caught off guard we'll see what they do the Panthers can of course look at other players who are in practice squads elsewhere I've seen people Banny about the name Carl Lawson who did have a workout early on in training camp here in Carolina the panther decided that they were not going to go in that direction they did bring in Koko Tor who only last about a week before being placed on ir and then later on having an injury settlement as he is no longer here in Carolina there has been no movement from yanuk and gque I don't even think he's on a team right now in the NFL I don't think the Panthers with that $10 million cap space is wanting to give half of it up for januk and goit now they can of course get created with Brent Tillis now taking over as their CPP and contract guy and I imagine if they want to go that direction they'll get it done and it'll work out for them but will it work out for the player that is januk GW going back to Carl Lawson he is on I forget whose practice squad understand this teams every week are allowed to protect four players on their practice squad anyone who's left unprotected can be signed by an opposing team and yes they're going to that other team I don't know if Carl Lawson is protected or unprotected if he's unprotected that's possibly someone the Panthers will go after it's not like he impressed the last couple years in New York he got there TS Achilles came back the next season and was fine for a player coming off a serious injury then last year had a back injury and was phased out and barely was a part of that rotation could he help the Panthers would be experience better than what cban Chon's done so far in his career I just don't really know what they can realistically do at this point that's gonna Elevate this group to the point where they're not going to be the worst Edge Russian group in the NFL this season I just I don't see it unless DJ Johnson just breaks out Leota looks like he did that week one game against the Patriots backups and Jamie sherff continues to be a game wer like he was against backups there in Seattle in the preseason and maybe they add somebody else this is just gonna be what it's gonna be this year y'all and I I don't want to be a Debbie down or a negative it's just reality this was the worst pass rushing group last year when they had Brian Burns and Frankie louu those guys are now gone you Bron and Clowney played well last year in Baltimore but can he carry the load this season with Leota Johnson and Sheriff being his complimentary pieces and having no idea if and when DJ wam is gonna come back and what Amari barno coming off in ACL is going to provide to this team this was stunning to me we'll see if it's just one of those things where they want to avoid paying Chason that kind of money for somebody they weren't totally in love with they were love in love with him enough to keep him on the rock up until this point maybe they just didn't like him at that number and they bring him back next week and even if they do that I still wouldn't have high expectations for him and his group as a whole so that was surprising news come out on Tuesday caleban Chason no longer Carolina Panther for now and maybe for good we'll see how the Panthers address that position moving forward here as they prepare for the week one matchup on the road against the Saints but it's Wednesday which means the weekly Wednesday mailbag it also means being asked whether I'd rather watch this team team lose and get a top five pick or if I'd rather watch this team win even if it means losing in the first round of the playoffs I just have never in my life thought someone would ask me something like that we'll talk about that here in just moment on locked on Panthers you've heard me talk a lot about FanDuel America's number one sports book well we have something a little different for you today now through September 22nd all FanDuel customers can bet $5 and get a 3- week free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV then with a YouTube TV based plan you'll be able to watch every regular season Sunday afternoon out of Market game all you need is a Google account and a current form of payment and you can cancel any time for free and y'all week one it's here football on Thursday on Friday and all day on Sunday if you don't live here in the Carolinas I would suggest you go ahead if you're in illegal betting State bet $5 doar get some winnings in either on Thursday or Friday night if you want to bet on college football do that win some money three weeks free to watch your Panthers and to watch all these games out of Market on Sunday afternoon all you got to do is just visit fanduel.com lockon to download America's number one Sportsbook the regular season is here and it is is Wednesday which means the weekly Wednesday mailbag going on for the next 18 weeks at minimum hopefully 19 20 21 22 dare I say 23 weeks if this team can go to the Super Bowl man 23 weeks that is a long long season for those teams that make it to that final game on Super Bowl Sunday and fingers crossed Prayers up that this team can do it I don't think they will don't think they necessar can but it is sure it's possible crazier things have happened I actually don't think a team has ever been the worst team in the NFL and come back to next year and on to the Super Bowl but why not make history made history last year as two first two and 15 team Let's Make History this year as I'm guessing the first team to be the worst and then go to be the best let's see what can happen all right let's get into it weekly Wednesday mailbag here on lockdown Panthers 2 question start off here just about fan expectations I put this out on Twitter Julian counsil where you can obviously at me or DM me to send in your questions for next week's Wednesday mailbag I ask people where's your head at going into this game because I like to know just what this fan base is thinking I want to be able to speak to y'all and understand where y'all are coming from of course I grew up here in Charlotte grew up growing the games with my dad in section 119 I was fortunate enough to go to a plenty of those playoff games at home also went to the Super Bowl back in 03 technically is 04 with my dad down in Houston so I'm one of you even if you want to get mad at me sometimes from not lying to you blatantly and telling you everything you want to hear I'm going to tell you what you need to hear and what I think is my truth it maybe the truth but I'm I'm a charlt team love this city love what this team has done for my hometown love y'all appreciate the support so I really want to know what y'all's thought process is and this stems off of really these these next two questions that I got asked but really the first question that I was asked by someone who I didn't get their name on Twitter but this is what they asked me they say that they've been a longtime Panther fan at least since they've been around so the last 30 years they've told me right here in this question we've had our highs and lows but I'm ready for this low streak to end understand they're ready for this low streak to end that said would you rather see the Panthers win five to six games showing Improvement as a whole with growth in that it factor from Bryce young or would I rather watch shock everyone by making the playoffs knowing full well they'd be done in the Wild Card this person tells me personally I take the former which should give us a top 10 maybe top five pick next year my response to them on Twitter was that is insane and my response to them here on the show is that is insane and what I'm telling you who's either watching on YouTube or listening whever you listen to your favorite podcast that is insane you would rather this team suck again draft in the top five or top 10 and put your hopes in a 21 22 year old player coming out of college then watch them go to the playoffs for the first team time since 2017 and give you real tangible Hope by winning football games this is why I hate the NFL draft this mentality of well let's not win games let's get a draft pick because that provides hope more than actually winning on the field what is the point of the 17 Sundays that we are guaranteed to get to watch this team if you're not even sitting here wanting them to achieve greatness and I guess losing a Wild Card round is not greatness but for David tuer Carolina Panthers it is why would you not want them to win and I said this to them they responded saying haha when you put it that way you have a point yeah I have a point the point is to win you play to win the game I just can't believe that this is where people are I get it teer has warped your brain he has beaten us into the ground he has thrown trinks on it I get it I understand it's been rough but that is is the craziest thing and the dumbest no offense sports fan mentality that exist the draft let's get a draft pick instead of win games go to the playoffs it's different if you're gonna go like 5 and 12 instead of 4 and 13 okay I guess I hear you there makes a little bit more sense but we're talking about 5 and 12 versus 10 and seven what so they said you have a good point when you put it that way they said obviously rather see us win I guess I'm saying that the former is a realistic scenario is a ladder even possible no the ladder yes it is possible is it gonna happen I don't think so further would it be worth it to win our division make the playoffs win on paper at least or the roster barely competes with the teams inside our own division yes it would be worth it to win the division it would be worth it to be able to build off of the worst season get a head coach who no one else wanted in Dave Canales a guy in Bryce young you spent a ton of picks on and gave up DJ Moore for to show you he is the guy and I would think to get a defense that looks good JC horn staying healthy continu toy Derrick Brown ball out sha Thompson maybe get to stick around and receivers outside of your top two making plays a good run game a good offensive line like all those things would happen if there were a playoff team why would you not want that to happen over a top five pick I think James Pierce Jor is great out of Tennessee Charlotte kid going to get to see him this Saturday when he plays against State here at Bank America Stadium if the Panthers are in the top five that's kind of guy they're gonna want to get I just would rather them win games this year and not even be in position to get him than to lose games and be in position to get him even though I think that's what's going to happen I just Lord help me give me strength give me patience I I'm trying I'm trying Russell he asked me am I stupid yes no Russell you're not am I stupid and or overly desperate for getting excited for the season after that one drive versus Buffalo it showed more creativity and Effectiveness than anything we saw last year but is it one drive and one preseason game against few if any starters yes that's exactly what it is one drive and one preseason game against backups but you're right they were effective they moved down the field and they did something this team barely did last year and now was score a touchdown Bryce young was upright he hit all his receivers the tight ends were involved they ran the football that is what I'd rather hear even if if Russell's going overboard and thinking oh man we scored against the bills number twos Super Bowl or bust that I would rather have that kind of insanity than the insanity of would you rather win five or six games which is probably more realistic scenario or shock the world and go to the playoffs even if you're going to lose in the Wild Card yeah give me the fun of the playoffs let me work on MLK Day weekend otherwise I'll just go on a trip like I like to do typically because this team's on around make me stay home okay let's take a quick pause we'll come back and uh we'll talk about the wide receivers and which NFC South Rivals I hate the most here in just a moment on locked on Panthers passion drive and patience a formula for winning champion chips is also what keeps your ride or die alive eBay Motors has everything you need to maintain your vehicle and level it up to Peak Performance from superchargers roof racks exhaust kits LED headlights and more whether you're into speed power or style eBay Motors has got you covered and they had be covered recently I had my daytime running light go out tried to replace the bulb instead the old bulb that was in 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compared to other rookies like jaavan Sanders and Tre Treon Wallace is it too optimistic to assume that he gets a good amount of usage during Sunday's game against the Saints team whose defense and Corners are towards top half of the league David saying knowing that Xavier liette is Panthers wide receiver three4 heading into the season what does he have to do in your opinion make himself worthy of a first round pick now starting off Alex so Xavier liette since he's gotten here to Charlotte has barely been healthy he had the hamstring issue back in the spring during OTAs and then later on a mandatory mini camp with the Panthers were very cautious with him and they said if this was a regular season they would have him out there and that was a trend as we've seen them be cautious with Ian Thomas with Tommy Trimble and several other players who have had those soft tissue injuries throughout training camp and in the spring he comes to training camp has a bad day his own words uh at the start of training camp day one and I love the fact that he was self-critical he I got to be better and that he was willing to work on it love that mentality because you got to be self-driven can't have coaches yelling at you can have exterior motivations got to be right here in that chest we always talk about having that dog in them well do you have any heart that's what you got to have first and foremost then of course have that dog and I think Xavier liette at least showed that last year at South Carolina we showed in the NFL he's gotta be healthy had the foot injury and he missed those first two preseason games and he played in that final preseason game against Buffalo was barely out there with the ones had an opportunity with twos and dropped the ball that was the only Target that we saw from him all preseason long going back to what I saw during training camp even before you got injured what I saw afterwards and what we saw in the preseason why would you be optimistic that he's going to get a good amount of usage when he's always been like the fifth receiver even when TMJ was here the guys are getting a lot of usage on Sunday are Deontay Johnson who is here to be their top receiver Adam theel who's their top receiver last year and yes John Domingo those are the top three guys liette will play whether the Saints had the best corners or the worst Corners he was going to play is he going to get a ton of usage based off what we've seen and the fact he's miss a lot of time I'm gonna say no that would not be my expectation could it happen certainly I just think he's behind the aall if I'm proven wrong totally fine I'll sit here I'll celebrate you guys can throw tomatoes at me like you like to do I don't think he's gonna get a lot of usage and I don't think that should be the expectation right away like let's let's just bring it down just a little little bit he has time which leads me to what David asked me saying what does he need to do to prove he's worthy of a first round pick now I didn't think he was a first round receiver I was very honest with yall way back in April one season that's awesome I just I don't buy into those guys who just are a one- hit wonder in college now there's been other people who have had success one hit wonders like Joe burrow was a one hit wonder now he's turned out to be a pretty dog on good player but with Xavier liette his situation we went over it at nauseum back in the spring I was skeptical and I remain skeptical right now I hope it works out because I love the guy his personality is golden I think he's fun and I hope he can make it fun on the field to watch this team actually go out there and win games but in my opinion what he's got to do to prove himself worthy of first round pick well I guess I never felt like he was worthy but since they already got him as first rounder even though he would have been a second round had he stayed there but it basically would have been first rounder anyway just not technically he's just got to prove that he is going to be one of their top two receivers that's what he's got to do need's to be a guy down the line who can at least get 800 900 thousand yards receiving consistently and be healthy be on the field be a Difference Maker that's what he's got to be able to do show that speed show that physicality that he showed last year at South Carolina with Spencer Rattler throwing in the ball like that's what I need to see and he doesn't have to prove himself this year the Panthers are not going in this season saying xab Legette we need you to be a stud Dave talk about show us show us that you're ready and we'll put you out there when you're ready I don't think he's ready right now what they want to see this season is Deontay Johnson get the ball and do something with it they want to see Adam Thelen making plays they want to see chba hubard running the ball and getting downhill that offensive line mashing folks protecting Bryce it's not about Xavier Legette this season I get it first round pick you want to have hope in something I talked about this yesterday what can restore hope seeing some of those younger guys develop and to show that oh okay Panthers might have something here I think they possibly could have something in Xavier lead I just don't think this season they have to see it as there's other guys who are in position and who have been healthier that the Panthers I think are counting on a lot more than we get this year now Jeremy asked me a question also about the wide receivers asking how would you define a successful season among our wide receivers last year you could comfortably say you were happy with the production of one of them that being Adam thielen but with the additions to the offense this year as well as agression of guys like Bry young and Jonathan Mingo it's a room full of guys of promise at the same time it's a near guarantee that some if not a majority of them will not live up to the expectations set by the fan base on a new offense well yes it is pretty much guaranteed every year that these guys will not live up to the expectations of the fan base because the fan base expectations are never realistic like that's the thing you can't I just that's why I laugh a lot of times where that's why I asked I put out the Tweet asking what are your expectations because I just want to know are they realistic or are they not realistic and I did a show on Monday on bleach report pretty much asking people like what their expectations were for the Panthers wi to this season and people were saying like either like six to seven or from seven to nine so and the majority of people said between six and seven I was okay cool I have a realistic crowd here with me today and I think that the majority of people are pretty levelheaded the set of the fan base that is just over on Twitter is not the majority of the fan base as I understand and that can be an echo chamber that is great sometimes but the last couple years has been yikes get me the hell away from that a lot of times but I love yall of course um but yeah fans get mad because they build players they build the team up to be what they're really not and then when they don't meet that expectation they get ticked off it's a little bit different if the NFL is saying and Vegas are saying really that this team's gonna have a 10 and a half 11 and a half win total when they're saying it's five and a half I don't really know why you'd be building anybody up to be anything more than what they've been before like we have seen Deontay Johnson be a pro bowler so I don't think it's crazy to think that he can be a pro bowler again when all the expectations have been placed that he's going to be the a he's gonna be the first read and he's gonna get a lot of opportunities chuba hubber had 900 rushing yards last year I don't think it's crazy to think and expect he can have a thousand re rushing yards this season based off of the fact that they have a better offensive line and they want to run the ball and be stubborn about it like those are realistic expectations and those are things I guess you can be upset about if the Panthers or at least those players individually aren't able to reach them as far as my thought about what it defines a successful successful season for the wide receivers this year it's well once them staying healthy it's h two them catching the ball well sorry it's one staying healthy it's two getting open it's three catching the ball it's four doing something once they catch the ball those are things they could not do last year at least well they did the first one they were relatively healthy it just was the getting open part the catching the ball part and then doing something with it once they caught it that was the issue for this wide receiv receiver core a year ago I think successful season looks like Deontay Johnson proving to be a pro bowl caliber receiver once again with a competent quarterback and an offensive line that protects that quarterback I also think it's Adam thielen having another successful season is it having 100 receptions thousand yards I don't think so if it's 70 and 700 I think that looks good on paper it's Jan Bingo showing that with a year of experience and offseason and getting another opportunity new system that he is somebody the Panthers can work with at least as their number three in the future and of course for Xavier liette him getting healthy getting up to speed showing that speed and showing that all right you have something here in the future maybe not right away you got something here to work on down the road and every rookie it's varying he this was a lot a lot of rers receivers were taken in the first round Y A lot of them and he was the last one taken so everyone's going to have a different expectation I think that success looks like Johnson doing exactly what he was paid to do Dyan doing exactly what he did last year but to a lesser extent Mingo actually improving liette showing you why the Panthers drafted him in the first round doesn't have to show the great numbers but showing okay I get it I see what we what they what they were thinking here about this guy that success to me original hog as I did not get his name but this was that's his Twitter account he's an Arkansas fan woo Pig the Hogs are one and0 um he said how do you rank your hatred for NFC South Rivals mine has always been New Orleans Atlanta then Tampa from most hated to least hated I gotta guess that the majority of this fan base hates the Falcons the most as they are our I 85 rivals or city rival if you buy into that I don't I mean Atlanta's fine like I I enjoy going to Atlanta for a period of time my sister lives down there in Atlanta check out bomb Biscuits by the way if you're ever down there uh free advertisement you're welcome Erica uh she doesn't need me to advertise anything for her she's killing it um but yeah I mean I I enjoy going to Atlanta H but like for a weekend I would never want to live there traffic's terrible but it's only gonna get even worse here in Carolina as we can't get our Transit plan figured out let's not get political let's move on here Julian um but yeah the Falcons would be number one their fans were annoying like I hate the Falcons not necessarily I just the fans are annoying and when they blew the 28-3 lead like I kind of did feel bad for the players because like that's just brutal I just thought it was hilarious that all these Falcon fans the whole Dirty Bird nonsense that they were doing all those years growing up in Charlotte like I was happy to watch some lose New Orleans all those years of having Shawn pyton like that guy extremely punchable face I know that's how everybody views him it was good to see him lose and then leave and here's one thing though like my one I love Roman Harper it's my guy he played for the Panthers we become friends and God I like that makes me not hate the Saints a lot like I don't really hate New Orleans it's like Atlanta's only team I'm just like I Tampa I feel like this is how everybody feels in the NFC South I think we're all aware that New Orleans and Atlanta like those two fames hate each other a ton does anyone care about Tampa like have you ever maybe when they had Brady but like have you really ever cared about Tampa Bay I've I've never felt anything about Tampa Bay it's Atlant it's New Orleans and I guess Tampa's there so I'll flip-flop mine to your original hog and I'm guessing because you live in Arkansas you're around a lot more Saints fans than I am on a daily basis or just ever that's probably why you feel that way just guessing all right that's gonna wrap up this edition of lockon panthers podcast part lockon podcast Network H by your Julie juli and Council again you all subscribe follow the show free on YouTube or wherever you listen to your favorite podcast and be sure to follow me Julian Council on Twitter Julian counil where again next Wednesday I'll be back answering your weekly Wednesday mailback questions and telling you that yes I want to see this team win games opposed to drafting in the top five so either add me or DM me to get those questions in for next week's show but in the meantime be safe be happy be whole as always keep pounding and on tomorrow's show the weekly Thursday crossover is back here on lock on Panthers and lock on NFL be sitting down with Ross Jackson of locked on Saints tell them hell Saints they ain't gonna win that game who that is gonna be the Saints Carolina Panthers that's who's got that's who that is