5 Carolina Panthers with most at stake before the bye week at Dolphins
By Dean Jones
Jermaine Carter – Carolina Panthers LB
The Carolina Panthers are giving Jermaine Carter every opportunity to become the long-term successor to the legendary Luke Kuechly this season. The linebacker earned the right to do so after a strong end to the previous campaign and an imposing stint in training camp, leaving no doubt as to his status in the short term.
Carter has certainly flashed this season with some outstanding displays. Although he is never going to be anywhere near as influential as Kuechly manning the second level.
His performance against the Washington Football Team in Week 11 was arguably the worst of the season. Carter struggled to penetrate any gaps that emerged in run support and his failure to bring down Taylor Heinicke on a crucial fourth-down played a big part in the eventual outcome.
The former Maryland star is a strong character and can bounce back from this. But the Miami Dolphins will be targeting this area of the field as one of their weaknesses after watching the game film back this week.
This makes it all the more important Carter raises his level of production accordingly. Something that could have a say in whether or not the player is extended at the end of the season.
Carter finds himself out of contract along with many other influential figures currently on the roster. Keeping them all around will be difficult, so the linebacker needs to leave no doubt as to how important he can be to the team’s plans.