Was Jordan Scarlett given a fair shot with the Carolina Panthers?

The Carolina Panthers waived Jordan Scarlett on Sunday, but was the running back given a fair shot by the organization?

The Carolina Panthers put one of their more memorable offseasons behind them in just 20 days’ time. This will put an end to the speculation regarding this new-look roster and a coaching staff that has little NFL coaching experience. But it remains to be seen just what the next few months will bring for the organization.

This is a season that will bring excitement and trepidation in equal measure. The Carolina Panthers lost some influential figures during free agency and it has left them with a young roster that does boast plenty of exciting playmakers on both sides of the ball.

Their offense has the potential to do some real damage under new offensive coordinator Joe Brady. There are game-changing players everywhere you look. And there is also some quality strength in depth at key positions on the field.

Continuing our countdown feature ahead of the new season, we now turn our attention to Carolina’s former No. 20. Jordan Scarlett‘s time with the Panthers came to an end after he was waived by the organization on Sunday. But whether he got a fair shot to showcase what he has to offer is up for debate.

Jordan Scarlett’s good start to Carolina Panthers’ training camp amounted to nothing.

The running back was more than eager to make an impression with the brand-new coaching staff. Scarlett ran with ruthless aggression during team drills and also demonstrated his ability to possibly become a factor in the passing game.

There is plenty of competition for the No. 2 spot behind All-Pro Christian McCaffrey on the depth chart. Scarlett was fighting it out with Reggie Bonnafon, Mike Davis, and Trenton Cannon for the role. But the lack of preseason games to get valuable carries is something that eventually put pay to his chances of making his presence felt.

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The Panthers saw something in Scarlett when they allocated their fifth-round pick on him in 2019. His three-year stint in college with the Florida Gators was full of memorable highlights to record 1,846 rushing yards, 12 touchdowns, 15 receptions, and 108 receiving yards. But the player found opportunities and yards hard to come by during his rookie season.

Scarlett was given the ball just four times, accumulating nine yards and a 51.2 grade from Pro Football Focus. Carolina leaned on McCaffrey heavily last season. And this left the rookie on the outside looking in.

It is relatively unknown just how Scarlett would get on with more touches. He has plenty of likable traits and is a dual-threat weapon in keeping with what McCaffrey brings to the table. But the Panthers decided that other options were more likely to produce from the primary backup role.

New head coach Matt Rhule has been eager to get everyone competing for roster spots involved with so much upheaval to their plans. Scarlett might have caught the eye over the last three weeks. But it has now ended with the player on the free-agent scrapheap.