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CBSSports.com wire reports:
The Panthers are converting Edwards to receiver. He could also return kicks but he will not take snaps at the QB position in Pre-season if second-round pick Jimmy Clausen is signed as expected next week.

The Panthers traded next year's second-round choice to New England to get an extra third-round choice in April to take the speedy Edwards 89th overall.

Welcome to May 2010 Cleetus.

He'll take snap in a wild cat formation. I've never looked forward to preseason games before, but I do this year.

No surprises there. He's an incredible athletebut just doesn't have the frame to be an NFL QB...I think he'll be the Panthers version of Santonio Holmes. Big props to him...I see that two Appy St. guys are playing for roster spots on the Panthers...awesome.

I see Armanti being used just like Josh Cribbs for the Browns. Which wouldnt be to bad for the Panthers.

This is disgusting. I've always hated the idea of quarterbacks getting moved. Bruce Pielstick did that to two of my favorite Hornet QBs (one went to TE, the other was jerked around to WR and then to TB). It completely sucks.

I still object to this "wildcat" trash. It's just the old Single Wing with a VERY limited play set. It's going to get shut down VERY soon, much faster than the Run and Shoot did. If you're going to run with the Single Wing, run the Single Wing. If the defense sees you come out in a formation and you only do one or two things out of it, they're going to throw 11 in the box to stuff it and double-dog dare you to do something else. When will people ever learn....

If my recollection is correct Edwards was listed at NFLDraftScout.com as a wide receiver prospect at least as far back as his junior season. He was never considered a NFL quarterback prospect. I'm not saying that's fair, but this is absolutely no surprise. No NFL team ever intended to take him and give him a legitimate shot at playing quarterback.

JohnStOnge wrote:If my recollection is correct Edwards was listed at NFLDraftScout.com as a wide receiver prospect at least as far back as his junior season. He was never considered a NFL quarterback prospect. I'm not saying that's fair, but this is absolutely no surprise. No NFL team ever intended to take him and give him a legitimate shot at playing quarterback.

I weight the same as AE when I was in high school. No one expected him to play QB in the NFL. He's just trying to get a position in the league right now. Good for him. good luck to him. I hope he plays well in the NFl but at approximately 165 he's not running anybody over and that's the truff....

What a surprise that a 5-10 165 lb injury prone quarterback with an average arm is converted to wide receiver..

He might be valuable as a wildcat type "quarterback" or a trick play specialist like for reverse passes and stuff like that.

JConnolly wrote:He might be valuable as a wildcat type "quarterback" or a trick play specialist like for reverse passes and stuff like that.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Until the playlist for that bogus Single Wing reincarnation is expanded, it's going to get stuffed. That will probably happen this year. Unless someone gets the idea of bringing back the spinners and pass plays out of it, it's going to get relegated to the "rejected fad" shelf VERY soon.

I fully expect that within three years, someone's going to figure out that this kid has SOMETHING to offer at the quarterback position, whether it be through experiment with the Single Wing or being forced to it through injuries.

Fact wrote:165 lb

CrackerRiley wrote: at approximately 165

Where are y'all getting his weight at 165???

He was weighed at 187 at the combine. He's listed at 182 on the Panthers website.

I'm not saying he's ideal NFL quarterback size..... but 165 is WAY off.

And, he is a good size for wide receiver.

Armanti Edwards: 5'11 182
Steve Smith: 5'9 185

Fact wrote:What a surprise that a 5-10 165 lb injury prone quarterback with an average arm is converted to wide receiver..

Fact: Visit the page below and you'll see his arm is better than "average." I mean, typically throwing the ball 65 yards, in the air, and hitting a moving receiver is better than average (see Wofford game, 2008).
http://www.vimeo.com/appstatefootball/videos/sort:date

ASUMountaineer wrote:

Fact wrote:What a surprise that a 5-10 165 lb injury prone quarterback with an average arm is converted to wide receiver..

Fact: Visit the page below and you'll see his arm is better than "average." I mean, typically throwing the ball 65 yards, in the air, and hitting a moving receiver is better than average (see Wofford game, 2008).
http://www.vimeo.com/appstatefootball/videos/sort:date

Yeah, there's way too many average QBs out there that can only throw through the ground to stationary receivers.

Screamin_Eagle174 wrote:

ASUMountaineer wrote:
Fact: Visit the page below and you'll see his arm is better than "average." I mean, typically throwing the ball 65 yards, in the air, and hitting a moving receiver is better than average (see Wofford game, 2008).
http://www.vimeo.com/appstatefootball/videos/sort:date

Yeah, there's way too many average QBs out there that can only throw through the ground to stationary receivers.

SuperHornet wrote:

JConnolly wrote:He might be valuable as a wildcat type "quarterback" or a trick play specialist like for reverse passes and stuff like that.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Until the playlist for that bogus Single Wing reincarnation is expanded, it's going to get stuffed. That will probably happen this year. Unless someone gets the idea of bringing back the spinners and pass plays out of it, it's going to get relegated to the "rejected fad" shelf VERY soon.

I fully expect that within three years, someone's going to figure out that this kid has SOMETHING to offer at the quarterback position, whether it be through experiment with the Single Wing or being forced to it through injuries.

The Panthers might be putting together the plays to make the wildcat a passing type offense too, or maybe run a direct snap sweep and give him the option to throw out of it. The Panthers might be trying to get ahead of the curve on this Wildcat thing, to best utilize their best players.

JConnolly wrote:

The Panthers might be putting together the plays to make the wildcat a passing type offense too, or maybe run a direct snap sweep and give him the option to throw out of it. The Panthers might be trying to get ahead of the curve on this Wildcat thing, to best utilize their best players.

They've had a Wildcat package developed for him for about 2 months now. I expect we'll see him at Wildcat at least in the preseason.

I have long believed that the NFL is characterized by a mythology with respect to what might work. I think, for instance, that a triple option offense would work just fine in the NFL is a franchise committed to it and acquired the right type of players to run it. I think the spread option type of offense Appalachian State runs would work as well under the same circumstances.

The NFL operates on stereotypes and unproven assumptions. Nobody has the guts to be truely innovative. That's one reason why I like college football better.

I sure wish this board would put a clear "delete" option on the edit menu. Once again I accidently posted something I didn't want to post and had to replace it with language like this because I can't see an obvious "delete" option.

JohnStOnge wrote:I have long believed that the NFL is characterized by a mythology with respect to what might work. I think, for instance, that a triple option offense would work just fine in the NFL is a franchise committed to it and acquired the right type of players to run it. I think the spread option type of offense Appalachian State runs would work as well under the same circumstances.

The NFL operates on stereotypes and unproven assumptions. Nobody has the guts to be truely innovative. That's one reason why I like college football better.

I agree with you here with a caveat. Certain plays like the option would have to be run with revised expectations. Given adequate attention, I think the option would be a great third-and-medium or two-point play; it will likely NOT work for the huge 50-yard gains Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas made famous from the 60s to the 80s. The idea that the corner linebackers are "too fast" for it to work under ANY circumstances is bogus, IMO. Of course, that's when it's used as a tool within another style of offense like many college teams do. In fact, one sees it often in the NFL during preseason, but it mysteriously disappears after the regular season starts. Of course, using the complete triple option attack (wishbone/Oregon Veer/spread option/etc.) COULD work if the team goes balls-to-the wall with recruiting and coaching commitment. But what one forgets is one also has to factor in the culture where one's team is located. For example, just a few years ago, it seemed as if the Steelers could have run the 'bone with their personnel (or with few changes), but it wouldn't have worked with their fan base. On the other hand, I would think the Cowboys could make it work with the fan base (much of whom would remember the option teams the Longhorns put on the field), but they have never been anywhere near the proper personnel for it. Sure one could make wholesale personnel changes, but many of the outgoing players would be fan favorites, which could lead to PR problems.

Up until this past Super Bowl, I would have agreed with your conclusion that NOBODY in the NFL is innovative anymore. While much of the NFL is the same way, I think Sean Payton put the kibosh on the generalization with his second-half-opening onside kick. But I agree with your overall conclusion so long as one means FCS; FBS is WAY too much like a business to be fun.

Fact wrote:What a surprise that a 5-10 165 lb injury prone quarterback with an average arm is converted to wide receiver..

Better arm than any QB ever to come from Nova.

Skjellyfetti wrote:

Fact wrote:165 lb

CrackerRiley wrote: at approximately 165

Where are y'all getting his weight at 165???

He was weighed at 187 at the combine. He's listed at 182 on the Panthers website.

I'm not saying he's ideal NFL quarterback size..... but 165 is WAY off.

And, he is a good size for wide receiver.

Armanti Edwards: 5'11 182
Steve Smith: 5'9 185

Yeah, I don't know where I got that weight at either... May have been drinking at the time of that post. Can't remember

edit: time of post was 1:21 AM. I was not in the correct mind-frame for posting...

I love Edwards and QBs of his ilk but in the NFL he's not going to be a starting QB...he may well be an Antwaan Randle El circa first stint with the Steelers, but he's not going to be a starting QB. Dennis Dixon is basically a more naturally gifted version of Edwards (with 2" and ~20-30 pounds on Edwards) and as a Steelers fan the thought of him starting terrifies me...a game or two he could do fine, but anything long-term and the season is lost.


Randle El pre-Redskins and pre-wildcat in the NFL, was a veritable swiss army knife who's importance was far more than what his stat line would ever say...and his QB roots were hardly ignored (see his Super Bowl XL performance). There are enough trick plays in an average NFL team's playbook to make Edwards work as a WR while still taking advantage of his arm...but his is not an arm I'd want my team relying on 30 times a game.



Still, I hope he does well. The Panthers have always been one of my favorite teams and Edwards has long been one of my favorite players. This positional change is the only chance he really has of making it in the NFL though...if he's going to stay QB he's either going to be riding the bench his entire career or dominating the CFL. Before Washington signed him to that insane contract Antwaan Randle El was a great tool in the NFL and a huge catalyst of the Steelers runs in 2004 and 2005. If Edwards can be what Randle El was he'll be a phenomenal pick for the Panthers and a weapon that could help them achieve greatness.

I have a feeling Armanti will have a solid pro career. It might take him a season but he will be a nice weapon for Carolina.