5 Carolina Panthers players who might have already peaked
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers players could have already peaked in terms of previous performance?
The amount of exciting young talent on the Carolina Panthers is something that can propel the organization to bigger and better things next season. Whether this all comes together in a short space of time remains to be seen, but what transpires over the next few weeks will go a long way to determining just how this relatively inexperienced group is going to perform in 2021.
There does appear to be an opportunity awaiting the Panthers if everything gels quickly. The NFC South might have the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers residing in it, but questions surround both the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons following the retirement of Drew Brees and the trade of Julio Jones.
Carolina has its own problems that need addressing, obviously. Things are clearly on a knife-edge regarding their chances to progress and it’s going to be incredibly interesting to see how things transpire.
Most players have plenty of scope for further improvement. But here are five Panthers players who might have already reached their peak performance.
Player No. 1
Matt Paradis – Carolina Panthers C
The Panthers now know what they have in Matt Paradis after two seasons with the team. His production did improve in 2020 after a dismal Year 1, but whether this can increase even more this time around is highly debatable.
Paradis is a solid veteran that might actually benefit from some hungry, athletic players alongside him on the offensive line interior. There is every likelihood that Carolina will have a rookie playing one of the guard spots, which only increases the responsibility on the former Boise State star’s shoulders.
However, it would be a big surprise if we haven’t already seen the best of Paradis throughout his career. It’s a big year ahead for the player on the final season of his deal, with the Panthers owing him more than $9 million in 2022 even if he isn’t on the roster.