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More than an OTA arm?

In the wake of Cam's shoulder surgery and news that he would not be able to throw during OTA's, the Panthers signed Garrett Gilbert to a one-year contract. Most fans and writers assume this to be a "camp-body" signing and an arm for OTA's since the Panthers already have Derek Anderson and Joe Webb on the roster in back-up roles--and with good reason as often things are exactly what they appear to be. But a little post-draft digging begins to raise a few questions about the possibility that Gilbert might find himself holding a clipboard on Sundays.

Anderson had long been considered to be the best back-up in the NFL, but his 2016 season's 67.6 rating and 2 to 5 TD/INT ratio doesn't show promise for the future. At 33 years old and a cap hit of over two million dollars (with Star and Turner's contracts coming), there might be better long term options, and the "answer might already be on the roster." Joe Webb is a great special teams player and gives great versatility, but his career 66.5 rating and 3 to 5 TD/INT ratio shows he looks better in preseason than on game day.

Gilbert is big and athletic at 6'4" and 230 lbs. with a sub 4.8 forty time, was a five-star recruit to Texas that struggled with a pro-style system, then thrived when he transferred to SMU and played in June Jones spread offense. He was not invited to the combine, but impressed scouts enough at his pro-day to be drafted in the sixth round. Scouting reports on him show that he doesn't throw a good deep ball, and will need to learn how to run a pro-style attack and read pro defenses (as does every spread college qb). But there are some positive things to consider:

1) Rivera stated Panthers offense is going to evolve. Mike Shula has said that he has spent a great deal of time studying college spread offenses, and is going to incorporate aspects of them in the Panthers offense. He also referenced the Patriots Super-Bowl winning offense as a model to mimic going forward. Gilbert knows both the college spread and was on the Patriots practice squad for a short time.

2) After drafting McCaffrey and Samuels, Shula and Rivera discussed how they could be used in a quick-hitting, short to intermediate passing game (the expected "evolution"). Gilbert's scouting report praised his excellent accuracy in the short and intermediate passing game, especially his ability to dial down "touch" passes to RB's on screens and coming out of the backfield.

3) Gilbert is going to get a good amount of time with Rivera and Shula watching him throw to McCaffrey and Samuels during OTA's--more than camp-bodies usually receive.

4) Gilbert is not a rookie, having several years in the league, even if on practice squads. He has had time to learn what it takes to be a pro.

Gilbert would not be called upon to win the game if he was needed to spot start, just deliver short hits to McCaffrey or Samuels and let them win it for you--which is why they were drafted for Cam in the first place! And since Cam is arguably the toughest QB in the league, playing through cracked ribs and vertebrae, as well as concussions, ankle and shoulder injuries, etc., Gilbert would likely never be called on anyway.

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