7 Carolina Panthers players entering the last chance saloon in 2021

Keith Kirkwood – Carolina Panthers WR

To say Keith Kirkwood had an unfortunate first season with the Carolina Panthers would be understating things slightly. The wide receiver was absolutely luckless when it came to injuries, which hampered his ability to make an immediate contribution and even prevented the wideout from grasping a big chance midway through the campaign.

Kirkwood managed just 35 snaps on offense as a result. But the Panthers are giving the player another chance to stake a claim for a place on the rotation at training camp.

Whether he can make the most of it is up for debate.

There is a lot to like about Kirkwood’s skill set. He is a big-bodied receiver that is a smooth route-runner to boot. However, there is plenty of competition for places at wideout in Carolina and it’s going to take a big effort from the Temple product to force his way into the team’s plans.

Kirkwood has experience of being around the set-up and knows what Matt Rhule expects. It’ll be interesting to see if he can stay healthy after so many complications in 2020, which could make all the difference in his pursuit of a roster spot.

This is Kirkwood’s final opportunity on the Panthers. An increased sense of urgency will undoubtedly help in terms of performance, but the task awaiting him at camp and during preseason contests is a steep one.