5 Panthers players with expiring contracts who won’t be back

2. Chris Reed – Carolina Panthers OG

There was a lot to like about the way Chris Reed applied himself during his first few games as a starter. The Carolina Panthers gave the veteran plenty of responsibility after coming off the reserve/COVID-19 list, allocating him a starting position at left guard and the early signs were extremely encouraging.

However, things haven’t gone to plan since.

Reed has quickly emerged as a weak link on Carolina’s interior protection. The Panthers are getting some nice play on the whole from center Matt Paradis and right guard John Miller, leaving opposing defenses targeting the left side early and often during games.

It’s clear for all to see that the decision-makers need a longer-term solution to this problem. They have enough financial resources at their disposal to explore the free-agent market more thoroughly than they did this year and there are also some intriguing prospects with plug-and-play potential in the 2021 NFL Draft worth serious consideration.

This will ultimately leave Reed on the outside looking in. The former Minnesota State standout has given up one sack and three penalties 443 snaps to secure a less than stellar 49.0 grade from Pro Football Focus and the Panthers would be adding $1.42 million to their available cap space if they choose to go in this particular direction.