4 Carolina Panthers who belong on Santa’s naughty list in 2020
By Dean Jones
Chris Reed – Carolina Panthers OG
The Carolina Panthers have had trouble protecting on their offensive line interior this season. A promising start from the group now looks like a thing of the past and Chris Reed is arguably the biggest culprit.
There was a lot to like about Reed’s production when he returned from the reserve/COVID-19 list and was thrust into the starting lineup. The veteran coped well with the pressure on his shoulders and Carolina continued to give him meaningful reps as a result.
Things haven’t exactly continued in the same manner as the season’s gone on. Reed has been lackluster in run support and his ability to cope with pass-rushers hasn’t been up to the required standard.
Reed only has one sack and three penalties to his name from 763 snaps in 2020. But one has to look beyond the stats to see just how much the former Minnesota State standout has regressed over the second half of the campaign.
This couldn’t have come at a worse time for Reed, who is looking for a new deal this offseason. The chances of this appear slim, to put it mildly, and it would not be a great shock to see all three interior linemen moved on before free agency in a bid to boost the team’s fortunes.