4 Panthers players who should be easy cuts this offseason

Tahir Whitehead – Carolina Panthers LB

Replacing someone like Luke Kuechly was a nearly impossible task. The Carolina Panthers lost the services of the perennial All-Pro to retirement following the 2019 campaign, leaving the biggest of holes to fill at the second level.

Tahir Whitehead was the man chosen by Carolina to try and somehow replicate Kuechly’s exceptional production. His previous relationship with Matt Rhule from their time together at Temple played a leading role in his arrival and such was the impression he made during training camp, the free-agent signing was appointed as a team captain.

This was encouraging.

However, it didn’t last.

Whitehead was a weak link on Carolina’s defense almost from the moment he stepped onto the field. If Kuechly made everyone around him better, the exact opposite was occurring with the former Las Vegas Raider and things only picked up once he was finally removed from the starting lineup in favor of Jermaine Carter.

This was disappointing, to put it mildly.

While a veteran with Whitehead’s limitations was always to find it tough stepping into Kuechly’s shoes, Rhule and the Panthers were hoping for better and when it’s time to decide which out of contract players to move on, he’ll be one at the very top of the list.