4 Carolina Panthers players on the hot seat after offseason moves

Which Carolina Panthers players find themselves on the hot seat after the organization’s moves during the offseason so far?

With all the hype surrounding free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft, it’s easy to forget about those already on the Carolina Panthers. The roster appears to look far different already from the one that finished the 2020 campaign and given the extra competition coming on board, the future for some could be up in the air if the necessary improvements aren’t made.

This is all part of the cutthroat business of the NFL. The Panthers are looking to make more of a statement in Year 2 of Matt Rhule’s reign and if certain individuals aren’t pulling their weight, the head coach has been ruthless in removing them from the equation if he thinks it will benefit the franchise.

It’s been a solid if not spectacular offseason so far for Carolina. Sacrifices were made to comply with the shrinking salary cap, contract restructures gave them some extra breathing space, and the team managed to pick up some quality veteran pieces with little in the way of financial repercussions.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at four Panthers players who could find themselves on the hot seat after the decisions made this offseason so far.

Player No. 1

Greg Little – Carolina Panthers OT

Although the Panthers brought in Pat Elflein and Cam Erving to boost their offensive line, neither has done enough to be considered a viable starter based on their NFL production so far. This is sure to be reinforced with a draft pick or two at key problem areas, with these signings saying more about what the coaching staff thinks of depth options available than anything else.

This puts Greg Little in the firing line. The former second-round pick just hasn’t shown enough to be considered a viable long-term option either at tackle or on the interior. So if the player doesn’t do enough when OTAs and training camp roll around, he might just be the odd man out.

Little will go down as one of the worst Panthers’ draft selections in recent memory. Picking him so high was a gamble – but trading up for the Mississippi product was nothing short of a disaster.