
Which Carolina Panthers players have to see more time on the field during the final four games of a rollercoaster 2021 season?
It would be nothing short of a miracle if the Carolina Panthers made the playoffs this season. Three straight losses and a 5-8 record couple with a tough run of games to finish the campaign leave almost no hope of postseason football in the second year of Matt Rhule’s tenure, with pressure mounting on the head coach that’s further heightened the level of tension across the organization.
Rhule and his staff must realize this, too. Even though they’d never admit it publically.
What’s important right now is planning for a crucial offseason where some big decisions need to be made. A good way of getting ahead of the game to a certain extent would be experimentation with his current roster members during the run-in, which should give a broader perspective about what the priorities are in readiness for 2022.
With this in mind, here are five Panthers that must play more down the stretch in 2021.
Player No. 1

Darryl Johnson – Carolina Panthers DE
Despite allocating a sixth-round selection to acquire Darryl Johnson from the Buffalo Bills, the defensive end and solid special teams player has rarely seen the field this season. Even when healthy, he’s barely been activated and the Panthers still don’t know that they truly have in the player as yet.
Johnson certainly flashed during his time in Buffalo. But a stacked defensive front has left opportunities limited in a different environment.
The Panthers should use this opportunity to get Johnson more reps. Otherwise, it might end up being yet another failed trade for a player that’s going to offer very little in the grand scheme of things.