4 big decisions that backfired on the Panthers in 2020
By Dean Jones
Not benching Tahir Whitehead sooner
Replacing someone with the overall influence of Luke Kuechly was never going to be easy. This daunting task fell on the shoulders of Tahir Whitehead after the Carolina Panthers brought him in on a one-year, $2.5 million deal during free agency, with the linebacker’s familiarity with his former college coaches playing a big role in his decision to join the organization.
The early signs were good.
Whitehead was appointed a team captain after a strong performance at training camp. But it didn’t take long to figure out that his level of production was hurting the Panthers in a competitive environment.
Carolina gave Whitehead every opportunity to lock up the No. 1 position.
Too long.
Although the former Temple prospect was phased out gradually, Whitehead wasn’t replaced by Jermaine Carter permanently until it was perhaps too late to make any sort of a difference regarding their faint playoff ambitions.
Had there not been a personality clash between Carter and head coach Matt Rhule, things could have been different. There was a distinct leap in performance when the 2018 fifth-round pick was introduced into the lineup, which also improved Shaq Thompson’s influence as a result.
Whitehead is out of contract this spring and unlikely to be brought back. However, the need to bring in additional help might not be that great thanks to Carter’s growing presence.