4 Panthers players who could be benched with poor Week 7 showing

Tahir Whitehead – Carolina Panthers LB

This ship might have already sailed in the long-term, but Tahir Whitehead might find himself on the sidelines sooner than expected with another poor outing at the New Orleans Saints in Week 7.

It’s hard to bring into words what a disappointment Whitehead has been since arriving in Carolina on a one-year, $2.5 million deal this offseason. Perhaps the organization has been spoiled with exceptional linebacker play from Luke Kuechly over the years, but it’s hard to deny that the former Temple star hasn’t reached the level expected so far.

Want further proof? Look at Whitehead’s current grade from Pro Football Focus.

It currently stands at 27.4.

Not only the worst for a linebacker but one of the lowest in the NFL.

That is the size of the task awaiting Whitehead in terms of turning things around. Matt Rhule has taken him off the field over the last two games as opposing teams focused on his area of the field to move the chains. And if this is a trend that continues at the Saints then it might result in the veteran riding the pine on a permanent basis.

The Panthers don’t have much in the way of depth. There is some time to address this before the trade deadline. But the decision-makers might opt to cope with what they have before bringing in an exciting talent via the 2021 NFL Draft.