5 Panthers players who didn’t help their roster chances at OTAs
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers didn’t do their roster chances any good during the recent OTAs and mandatory minicamp?
The next time we will see the new-look roster of the Carolina Panthers during team drills will be at training camp. Their OTAs and mandatory minicamp wrapped up this week and concluded with a very strong final day on Wednesday, which should stand them in good stead as they look to hit the ground running in 2021.
Having some semblance of normality with COVID-19 restrictions lifting is a huge plus for the Panthers and others across the league. There will obviously be some complications for those who aren’t vaccinated judging by the recent protocols outlined by the NFL, but only time will tell as to how much of a problem this is going to be from Carolina’s perspective next season.
Matt Rhule and his coaching staff got a good look at what they’ll be working with moving forward. Some have really stood out from the crowd, while others now face a fight to make the 53-man roster in the coming weeks before the final decisions are made.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at which Panthers players didn’t help their roster hopes during the first official period of offseason workouts.
Player No. 1
Colin Thompson – Carolina Panthers TE
It doesn’t appear likely that the Panthers will take four tight ends onto the roster. Colin Thompson needed to stand out during the early part of OTAs and minicamp, but he was outshone by almost every other player vying for their own position on the depth chart.
Dan Arnold, rookie Tommy Tremble and even Ian Thomas showed what they were capable of in team drills, which only cements them as the leading trio next season. Thompson needed to perform equal to or better than this and even though it was a long shot, his chances of making the roster could now be bleak.
Matt Rhule clearly likes the player, so a potential place on the practice squad isn’t out of the question providing Thompson can make his presence felt at training camp.