4 free agents the Carolina Panthers should call to replace Pat Elflein
By Dean Jones
Forrest Lamp
It’s easy to forget that Forrest Lamp was a second-round pick once upon a time. The offensive lineman has been something of a slow burner throughout his NFL career to date, featuring in just nine games over his first two seasons before starting every contest for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020.
Lamp showed flashes of what he is capable of. Even if the consistency wasn’t quite there more often than not.
However, when one considers Lamp had little in the way of experience before last season, it might be worth giving the Western Kentucky product the benefit of the doubt.
One thing Lamp has that the Carolina Panthers love in any new recruits is athleticism. His footwork is of a high standard and although the player’s recovery skills need a little refinement, this could be a shrewd pickup by the organization in Pat Elflein’s absence.
Lamp signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills in free agency but was released in August and hasn’t found another team.
Should the Panthers decide that Dennis Daley isn’t the guy to man the left guard position with Elflein out of the lineup, they could do far worse than give Lamp a call and see where things stand.
The player’s 49.1 grade from Pro Football Focus last season isn’t exactly encouraging. But Lamp will have gained a tremendous amount from some starting experience after such a frustrating start to life in the NFL through injury.