5 Carolina Panthers playing for a 2022 roster spot in the last 4 games
By Dean Jones
Marquis Haynes – Carolina Panthers DE/OLB
Marquis Haynes is emerging as the forgotten man.
And in truth, the talented edge defender deserves better.
The Carolina Panthers possess an abundance of pass-rushing weapons headlined by the star-studded duo of Brian Burns and Haason Reddick. This has left opportunities limited for Haynes and others, with the former Ole Miss standout turning out in just 16 percent of the team’s defensive snaps against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 14.
Haynes is still a hugely impactful presence when in the lineup and has three sacks on the year, It’s getting him onto the field and up the depth chart that’s become something of a frustration for the player and just why the coaching staff doesn’t value him more highly is a mystery.
One positive to emerge from Haynes’ season is that it’s his last one before he becomes a free agent. This might be an uncertain time for many players across the league, but teams are always looking for pass-rushing help and the 2018 fourth-round pick has already proven capable of putting up numbers from a rotational role.
Even if Haynes doesn’t do enough in the coming weeks to cement his roster spot in Carolina and gets a new deal, it’s unlikely he’ll be on the scrap heap for long this spring. And it wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world to see him thrive elsewhere with additional responsibility on his shoulders.