As of last year, Prestige was a dead brand. Like, it was so dead that it had already been embalmed and was ready to be buried. The grave would need to be deep, and likely lined with concrete, because with 31 plus products needed for the NFL license this year, zombie products might be the norm. Regardless, Panini decided that rather put this brand out of its misery, it was better to change the configuration and put it out again. They should have let it die.

Here are some of the hits already up:

2016 Prestige Carson Wentz Auto RC /50

2016 Prestige Jared Goff Auto RC /50

2016 Prestige Ezekiel Elliott Auto On Card Draft RC

2016 Prestige Jameis Winston Sophomore Auto /25

2016 Prestige Andrew Luck Auto /5

I will say, the design isnt terrible. Its a design that really isnt a big deal either, though. This product is not ground breaking, it is not unique, and it serves very little purpose on the market. In fact, this is another college uniform sticker product that should have waited for rookie premiere photography. However, as mentioned above, because Panini is hard pressed to hit the MASSIVE minimum guarantees they promised to the league and NFLPA, we get Zombie Prestige on the calendar again.

Although there is an element of hard signed content, it is NOT pro uniforms retouched on previous game photos as Panini has used in the past. Nope, they just lazily slapped together a boring and relatively ugly design that features the rookies AGAIN in their college digs. Its lazy, unprepared, and showcases how poorly the team is set up for being the only game in town.

In fact, some of the inserts would have been such a better choice for being one of the only sets that Panini had signed at the premiere. Blue Chip Recruits is a dumb idea for a set, but it looks better than the one they chose. Same with the big board cards. Instead we got the garbage design they went with, featuring the giant box Panini loves to use.

Oddly enough, the CLC license exclusive for Panini was probably the worst thing to happen to cards in a long time. Instead of using the logos and uniforms for pre-draft products like we saw Topps do with Bowman Chrome, they have literally infested every last release Panini does. EVERY GODDAMN PRODUCT. Enough is enough. I mean, they could at least get the cards hard signed, but instead they want the rookies doing photos on the field holding an instagram cutout. Maybe doing sketch cards with markers is important to Panini’s warped sense of what collectors want, but I can guarantee the guy who gets a redemption for a sticker auto is going to be pissed that the time at the premiere wasnt used more wisely.

The scariest thing is that Panini has given us NOTHING to get excited about so far this year. Its been sticker after sticker after sticker after sticker after sticker. Leaf is literally making them look like the bush league idiots that they are, and that says something.

Prestige doesnt look bad, as I have already said. The full bleed photos are better than they have been in the past few years. At the same time, who gives a flying fuck? This crap will be half price by August, which shouldnt be surprising based on what we have already seen with the other stuff out there not protected by MAPP. I hope Panini figures this shit out, because it has been REALLY easy to save money so far this year.

Hey, it could have been worse though. We could have gotten 2014. Isnt that wonderful? When the best thing you can say about as set is that its better than the watery turd of a set that was released in years past? Yay 2016.