5 Marty Hurney draft picks who could be cut by the Panthers in 2021
By Dean Jones
Greg Little – Carolina Panthers OT
- 2nd round pick (2019)
The Carolina Panthers thought they’d found their left tackle of the future when the organization decided to move up and acquire Greg Little at No. 39 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. This decision raised more than a few eyebrows at the time and judging by the first two years of his career, it’s a gamble that won’t pay off.
Little endured some real struggles as a rookie and was barely involved when a new coaching staff came on board in 2020. The former Ole Miss standout has more riding on training camp than most and if he cannot firmly establish himself, getting cut is not entirely out of the question.
Carolina hasn’t got any room for passengers on its offensive line. This remains one positional group with concerns heading into the campaign, which could also hamper Sam Darnold’s chances of making a better go of things following his trade from the New York Jets.
Realistically speaking, Little has his work cut out. Matt Rhule and Scott Fitterer weren’t around when the Panthers drafted him and it’s going to take a huge effort from the lineman at camp and during preseason reps to change perceptions.
Releasing Little would save the Panthers around $1.1 million and come with a dead-cap figure of $893,895. If this eventuality comes to fruition, it will go down as one of the worst draft moves made during the Marty Hurney era.