The happy half hoar. How about that blueprint? Everybody, y'all watch that right? You watch that right?
If you have it, you can pause this actually no way, finish this and then go watch it.
Finish this circle back and then if you have watched it, watch it again and patronize our mini sponsors. Panthers Blueprint, of course is brought to us by Coca Cola. But yeah, how about Blueprint. That was one of it's really one of the cool projects of the year, is doing that behind the scenes stuff because we talk about this a lot here at Panthers dot com. We have the opportunity to give people stuff that they can't get anywhere else, and that kind of inside the draft room insight. You know.
I wrote a five thousand word version of it that came out over the weekend. That kind of primes the pump for you know, blueprint coming out on video on Monday, and it all works together to kind of show you exactly how this draft class came together. And I think once people see it, it's like holy smokes. The level of preparation that went into making that call people's minds.
We learned a lot from it. One thing I did want to note though, is that it's also cool to realize that the players watch this and learn things that they didn't even know necessarily the team thought about them. I was sitting downstairs yesterday with Nick Gorton and Azeriro. Everro walked by and Nick stopped him and said, coach, I saw what you said about me on the Blueprint video. That was really cool, Like thank you for that, like,
you know, kind of pounding the table for me. And everyone was like, hey, man, like I'm in every event of it. You deserved it. And he walked away and Nick was like, that was really cool to like hear them talk about me and like hear what they thought.
Right, you know. And there's so many little cool human elements. I mean, I love when I wrote the story, one of the things I loved is the way Dan Morgan and Brandt till let's go back and forth. There's just I use the line they kind of remind me of Will Ferrell and John c Riley. Sometimes they've got kind
of a weird sense of humor amongst each other. And because this was a real thrown together relationship, I mean, these two guys met each other on a zoom call in January of twenty twenty four, and now they're kind of they've reached the point of their relationship where they're finishing each other's sentences. They've got their little inside jokes and stuff. But when somebody in the room, Dave Tipper, you know, started busting Brant's chops a little bit about
his socks, He's like, what's what the socks? And Brandt tells the completely adorable personal anecdote, which I just loved as a dad. I mean, Brant's got a great story. The donut socks he was wearing in the draft room on night one where a gift from his daughter because he and his daughter when they lived in Kansas City used to go get donuts every Tuesday morning, and now that she's here in Charlotte, a little bit older, school keeps them from being able to go, and Dad's missed
that kind of stuff. So the fact that his daughter bought him donut socks and he wore him to work on the biggest night of the year a touching personal anecdote and pro tip also touching personal anecdote is an effective deterrent to sarcasm. Is when somebody's trying to light you up and then all of a sudden you say, well, my daughter, these sons, right. It was very thoughtful and meaningful.
So it's like, yeah, that one's over. So anyway, what else did you as you as you kind of processed blueprint? I mean, what was one of your takeaways from it? As much as anything.
Else, there were a couple of things. Obviously. The part that a lot of people are talking about, and I think deservedly so, is the discussions about whether or not to take the trade with the Rams and to trade back. And you saw, because you know, I think in twenty twenty four, we saw them kind of move all over the board all three days, and so the thinking was, Okay,
Dan loves to trade. And you realize it's not so much that Dan loves to trade, it is Dan loves the right trade and he wasn't going to move off of that spot unless he felt like he got something that was more than deserving of what that spot should have been, right, because they felt that convicted about t Mac. Yep. And that's not even necessarily to say the Rams would have comeing up and got t Mac. They could have.
They could have gone after somebody else. But it was like, okay, this is going to have to be something that is greater of a value than what we value teamac app and it wasn't. And so to see that sort of conviction, and to your point, to know that they had spent months already kind of trying to lay this out, and here's our game plan. If scenario A happens, we do this.
If scenario B happens, we do this. They had plans on top of plans, and so they could be sitting there with two minutes left to go on the clock, waiting on the fondering and not necessarily be freaking out right.
And if it seems like all this is on purpose, it absolutely is. I mean they do. And Brant talks about that a lot. They've been they've been talking about all these scenarios for months at a time. They've already had the meeting. So when you watch Blueprint and you see, you know, Brandt look at Dan and say, all right, they're out, it was immediate. There was that immediate reaction of call teamac you know, and it looks knee jerk,
but it was well studied, it was well rehearsed. It was something they had planned on for months and months and months at a time. One of the things that I think is interesting to me as the person who is sitting in there kind of watching this all unfold and documenting it is You've heard me say this, Cassidy, and I'll say this A lot one of anything can't be a trend. So after last year, it was impossible to know, Okay, there are teams that always want to
trade up, there teams that always want to trade back. Well, last year they were going in both directions, so it was impossible to know what they like doing. And I love the way brands like I want action. He just wants to be moving around to maximize value. And when they were in that situation with the Rams, Dan flat out admitted he said, if the Rams want to trade into this spot, it's going to be so much that we can't say no, right And you know, he basically
admitted too. He made an offer he hoped they would refuse, which indicates exactly how much they liked Tero McMillan the player. So we can talk about abstract concepts like value, we can talk about abstract concepts like future picks and stacking up assets and stuff like that. Ultimately, what they wanted was Teteroa McMillan on this football team, and that I think came clear in this video.
And you you saw that kind of throughout the draft as that continued to go on, and you mentioned this in your draft story too a lot that you heard the phrase our guy, our guy, our guy, because everybody kind of has a different draft philosophy. It's, you know, do you want to go after after the best player, the best available? You're a guy position of need da da da da da. And you saw them not necessarily like some teams, And not to say one way is
right or wrong, it's just everybody has a differenthilosophy. Some teams kind of let the board come to them. And you saw Dan and I think Brand even made a comment, you know, watching Dan in the draft room is like he attacks it the same way he did on the field, Like he sees this hole and then he takes it. He was willing to sit at eight to get t mac need to move to do that, and then on day two you saw him go, oh, wait, Nick Corton
is available, Princeville man Meellen is available. Let's go get them right, and you saw him willing to kind of move up. So it was more so like, and you saw that on day three Eve and you know you saw it with with Trevor ETN with Cam Jackson, with lath and Ransom. It was kind of like, okay, we have these two safeties we both like, and that one was a little bit more of let the board come to them. But it's because the board worked in the
favor with the guy they wanted, right. It was more about their guy than the.
Board, right, And they had kind of you go through this process and there are a lot of there are a lot of guys they liked there, and they knew waiting from eight to fifty seven was going to cause them to miss out on guys they liked a lot. So that's why you know they kind of get to
that spot. Runs on positions are real. When you saw a bunch of pass rushers start to go early middle second round, that's when they kind of get up on the balls of their feet and it's like, all right, now we got to make a move because we like Nick sufficiently, we don't want to take chance to lose him. And that's when you see them make that crazy deal with with the Broncos where it's like four of ours for four of yours and you're moving in a lot
of different rounds. But it was because Nick Gorton was a guy they felt strongly about wanting to add to this roster. And you know, I Dan was. Dan was kind of funny talking about the notion of who their guy was, because everybody in the world thought their guy was somebody else, right, and somebody else. The Falcons may have chosen seven spots later, but they were content. They knew that they like mc millan a lot. They like I mean, they liked that guy in Atlanta a lot
too at certain points. And what happens is you get in that situation and you start weigh in the balance of Okay, we could go pass rusher here, but then we know we want to go wide receiver. And as Dan explained it, he kind of liked the group of pass rushers that were going to be available in rounds two and three better than he liked the wide receivers that were available in rounds two or three. So that was part of kind of what led them to this path of t mac and then the pass rusher.
Yeah, and it was a deep pass rushing class. You should be afforded to do that.
Yeah, And there.
Was lots more tidbits and theirs to definitely go watch it. They're all here now though they've been they've been on the field for a while now, three weeks.
Yeah, And what's interesting to me watching these guys and McMillan gets a lot of attention. Being the first round pick, you're a top ten pick, You're gonna get a lot of attention. That's just the way that goes. He he is a sponge out there on the field. He has been put into a position that I don't let me just say it up front. We don't know right now if this is all gonna work, if he's going to
turn into all pro receiver or anything like that. What I know is he has been put into a position to succeed because early on he has dropped into a position room with a coach and Rob Moore who's respected and good at his job, but also with veterans and
Adam Thielen and Hunter Infro. And to me, one of the interesting things about Teroa that makes me think there is a chance for this to work is watching the way he responds to Adam and Hunter on the practice field, Because those are a couple of guys who have made long careers for themselves, not based on being six' four with this big tarodactyl wingspan and hands that can catch. Anything they've made their living in THE nfl by being precise and doing their job in a particular, way and
being just meticulous with the way they. Work watching them show him, footwork watching them show him route, running how to come out of a, release stuff like. That he's getting graduate level. Stuff it's one thing when a coach tells you. Stuff when you get it backed up from guys in your position, room that adds a layer to. It and he said it the other, day he, Said i'm blessed to be able to have guys like that around early.
On and another part of the like the chemistry of that wide receiving cord THAT i wasn't quite sure what it was going to look, like was how he and lyget got. Along and granted It's, june, yeah and, like we haven't even seen this group on the field together in a, game but you we've both been around this
sport long enough to. Know you get two first round receivers in a group together that are close in the same, age there can sometimes be a little bit of, competition like you, know that personality comes out of, like oh he might be taking by snaps and that has not happened at. All between those. Two they clicked very very quickly early. On.
Yeah the people seem to get. Along, Yeah AND i think that's an important part of this thing. TOO i mean it's not you, know it's not like this summer. Camp we're not Singing kumbaya around.
Here but and like everybody still wants their.
Snaps don't that just?
Wrong but like they they.
Click, YEAH i, mean these two, guys they're both. Young that's what's interesting about watching the construction of this. Team last year's team was kind of an older, team you, know oddly enough for a team and a first year head, coach first YEAR. Gm they were older last year kind of. Intentionally AND i think they've started to phase some of that out now and build with these young. Guys you see second year guys becoming more of a part of this.
Thing you, see you, know these young receivers in this. Room and so there's a there's an energy about having young people around that it's naturally. Occurring it's not like they, designed, oh we want to have these two guys with big.
Personalities it's let's see how these two guys get, along and they are getting along, well watching the, interaction watching them throw the ball back and forth across the field to each other and one of them catches a. PASS i, mean there's these little things where it's, Like, okay the chemistry is, good this is this looks.
Real and you AND i have talked about this a couple of. Times this is is going to sound so, Cliche so anybody listens to this, podcast just bear with us because it sounds. Cliche but before the, Draft Dan morgan talks so much about like how important it was to find guys that love, football and you, think, well, due and he's, like but that's not always the, case, Right and you see they brought in a class of free agents and rookies that do AND i don't, know
it feels. Tangible, which, again It's. June it's so so early. On there's still a lot to. Go But june is also when things can get a little mundane out, there and that hasn't really been the.
Case. Yeah they also one of the other things they did this offseason was invest significantly in a cat NAMED Jc. Horn and you want to talk about somebody who loves. FOOTBALL i will just say this and their. People comparisons make people. Nervous when you start, saying, oh this guy's like this. Guy people are afraid of the, comparison afraid
of the bar you're gonna. Set i'm just going to explain this in a long way because that's WHAT i. Do once upon a, time there was a quarterback Named Cam newton and a linebacker Named Thomas, davis and watching those two cats get after each other in practice was a. Spectacle unto. ITSELF i mean a lot of times the practice and we've talked to a bunch of people you know this offseason already about some stuff you'll see later on At panthers dot com about that, group and the
practices were. Incredible the intensity of a practice With Thomas davis And Luke keigley on one, side you Know Cam newton on the other, side it's Like holy. Cow but the Way cam AND td chirped at each other created a different. Level now IT'S J. C horn And Bryce. Young and let me, say for the rest in case you aren't clear about, This Bryce young is not Like Cam newton in CASE i needed to clear that up for. You but WATCHING i kind of give it back TO jc a little. Bit WATCHING jc make sure the guys
on the other side are at the same. Level it's like a lower key version of the same. Song, yeah and it's, like, WELL i, mean this is it's a good thing for these guys because, again these are young leaders of this. Team when you talk about the people who are going to be a part of The Carolina panthers for the, future you, Know bryce YOUNG. J. C horn are right up there near the top of the.
List so having the guys being the ones who are creating the, tempo the guys being the ones who are bringing the energy to practice rather than at having to come from the top, down that's where teams develop. Personality and to, me that's What i'm seeing from this. BUNCH i ALWAYS i am always cautious about what we learn from An ota because it's An. Ota you, know they're not in, pads the linemen aren't hitting each. Other, no there's no tackling or anything like. That it's not real.
Football it's like glorified seven on. Seven but you can see that personality beginning to, emerge and that's gonna be one of the interesting things to follow over the course of this season and WATCHING jc and brides get after it a little bit has been.
Fun and there's been times too Where bryce's initiated those.
Chirpings that's, right and.
He'll LET jc. Know you mentioned it coming from the bottom, up not having to come from the top.
Down.
Yep we even you AND i were walking through the hallway the other day because we had Heard coolly kind of get fired up at practice that day and said something to him about, it and he, said, OH jc got me fired, Up he got me. Going so to your, point it is coming from the bottom, up and it's filtering up and not having to all come from the.
Top. Yeah it you, know all of this. STUFF i, mean you can kind of see The Carolina panthers as they stand right, now are still a very young team in their, progression going into a second year under a NEW gm and head. Coach starting to see that develop a little bit and there's a little bit of a. Vibe you saw it second half of last, year and everything's about building on last, year so you, know we'll kind of see where that.
Goes it's very much still a. Process But Dave canell has also spent all of last year saying we have to figure out who we, are who are we gonna. Be we've got to know who we are before we can become who we. Are AND i think you've seen over the past year and then to now them kind of, Decide, okay this is who we want to. Be now how do we make it?
Work just little glimpses of who we want to. Be so it's all interesting stuff we've. Had we've got one more week basically next week will be the final week of off season. Program mini camp will wrap everything up next week and then we go into summer vacation mode for about what five or six weeks before we gather again for training. Camp but a lot to be accomplished between now and. Then we got a lot of work to. Do we got a lot of stuff we want to tell you and show you Here panthers Dot, com the
YouTube channel and all that cool. Stuff so we've got a lot of good stuff coming your. Way we've got a lot of good stuff behind. Us we'll leave a little extra time so you've got time to go Watch blueprint. AGAIN i, mean it's not like you're. Working you're listening to The happy Half hour for Getting oh It's Little friday here at the. Stadium we should go ahead and take advantage of. That Watch blueprint again and we'll see
you next. Time we'll catch up with you next week as we wrap up OTA's In Mini camp with another edition of The Happy Half hour