5 new Carolina Panthers players who could be one-and-done in 2021
By Dean Jones
Cam Erving – Carolina Panthers OL
If the Carolina Panthers are hoping Cam Erving can be their savior at left tackle, they could be barking up the wrong tree. Especially if the former first-round pick cannot raise his game significantly in a different environment.
Erving was one of Carolina’s first free-agent signings, penning a two-year, $8 million deal that comes with a $3.89 million salary-cap hit in 2021. Not exactly what the fanbase was hoping for to solve one of the biggest problems on the roster.
This is nothing new for the Panthers, who’ve relied on plug-in blindside options ever since Jordan Gross hung up his cleats. Hardly the best way to go about things and whether Erving can buck the trend is highly debatable.
What he’s shown protecting the edge so far during his career isn’t up to the required standard. So it is a bit of a head-scratcher that the Panthers see Erving as a tackle and not on the interior.
Only time will tell as to whether this decision works out. Erving has to win the starting job first, but that might be by default considering the other options at their disposal.
If it doesn’t work out, then the Panthers will be back to the drawing board and simply have to make a long-term left tackle their No. 1 priority next spring. Cutting Erving with one year remaining on his deal comes with a dead cap figure of $4.51 million, which is another potentially expensive error in judgment.