3 potential free-agent LB competition for Tahir Whitehead

Could Tahir Whitehead’s disappointing start to the 2020 season force the Carolina Panthers to bring in some extra competition?

It hasn’t been the easiest start to life with the Carolina Panthers for Tahir Whitehead. The linebacker was given the daunting task of filling the void left by legendary figure Luke Kuechly after his shock retirement following the 2019 campaign and the jury is still out as to whether he is up to the challenge.

Whitehead has been one of the real disappointments on a Carolina Panthers’ defense that has shown steady improvement with each passing game. Their dynamic approach and fearless nature against high-profile opposition has really come across and played a leading role in their success over the last two games.

It might just be a case of the veteran acclimatizing to a new environment. This was a disrupted preseason that didn’t include any warmup games, which made things difficult for anyone going into a different scheme.

That being said, Whitehead had previous experience working with Matt Rhule during their time together at Temple in the college system. This should have put him in a better position than most, but things just haven’t turned out as expected so far.

There appears to be little in the way of competition behind Whitehead, which has its own complications. The Panthers might want to explore the possibility of bringing in a free-agent linebacker in the hope it might light a fire under the former Las Vegas Raider.

Let’s take a look at some of the options available who remain on the market at this stage of the season.