Shaq Thompson ready to break out in 2018
The Carolina Panthers linebacker could be on track for a big year….
Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson is seizing the moment. After having a great game against the Buffalo Bills, Thompson is ready to carry his good fortunes with him the rest of the season.
As the Carolina Panthers finished up training camp on Monday, Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer named Thompson his defensive Most Valuable Player for training camp.
"Shaq Thompson, the Panthers’ versatile fourth-year linebacker, didn’t have to wait until Thomas Davis’ four-game suspension to make an impact. Thompson made three terrific interceptions in successive practices and games, including a diving pick in the exhibition victory at Buffalo. One of the Panthers’ best athletes could be on the verge of a big year."
This is exactly the type of news that you want to hear. Especially at a position that will be shorthanded for at least a couple of games, the emergence of Thompson will be important. His versatility and his ability to make plays will be crucial for the linebackers. Not only are they shortchanged, but leaders at the position such as Davis are getting older. We may see a changing of the guard so to speak right before our eyes.
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Last year, Thompson had a decent season statistically. He had 37 tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble in 14 games played. It would be nice to see his numbers increase slightly to the ones he had in 2016. Among other improvements, he recorded 39 tackles that year.
In February, I wrote about how he could potentially be in for a big 2018 campaign and how he would help the Carolina Panthers prepare for life after Thomas Davis. That was before it was announced Thomas Davis would be suspended for the first four games of the season. Now, he will have to take on an even bigger role as he will help fill the void left by Davis at the linebacker spot for a couple of games. That will be a nice benchmark to see where he is at.
Currently, he is top strong-side linebacker per the most recent depth chart from OurLads.com.
It will be interesting to see how he performs over the final few weeks of the preseason. With Eric Washington’s aggressive defensive mindset and the fact that Thompson is aggressive in his own right, that has the makings of a career year. It would not be outrageous to predict that he will make the Pro Bowl this season, but maybe I am getting a little ahead of myself.
Next. Practice has mixed results on final day. dark
In any event, Thompson should be able to take the momentum from preseason and build upon it. As a result, he has the potential to have one of the best years of his career.