5 free-agent Panthers who haven’t helped themselves in 2020

Brandon Zylstra – Carolina Panthers WR

Brandon Zylstra came into the 2020 season on the back of an impressive training camp that left plenty of reasons to be encouraged regarding more involvement. This looked even more promising when the Carolina Panthers opted to release fellow wide receiver Seth Roberts early in the campaign. But things haven’t quite lived up to these sort of expectations.

Targets are obviously hard to come back within a passing attack that has three primary weapons in D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson, and Curtis Samuel. However, Zylstra has just two balls thrown his way all season, collecting both for 36 receiving yards.

This doesn’t seem likely to change in the coming weeks when the Panthers get another prolific target back into the lineup. All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey always commands a high volume of touches and this is going to hamper Zylstra’s ability to get more involved in the pursuit of a new deal.

This is a real shame for the former CFL standout, who has improved his route-running and possesses assured hands who could make a difference in a more substantial role.

However, the simple fact of the matter is that Zylstra clearly hasn’t done enough to convince the coaching staff he is worthy of more involvement, which could see his time in Carolina brought to a halt this offseason.