4 Carolina Panthers with the most to lose over final 3 games of 2021
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers have the most to lose over the final three games of what’s been a rollercoaster 2021 season?
There is now absolutely no chance of the Carolina Panthers making the postseason. An expected but poor defeat at the Buffalo Bills sealed another losing campaign for the team – a fourth straight since David Tepper bought the organization – which brings about further concerns about the state of the franchise in Year 2 of Matt Rhule’s tenure as head coach.
Outside of one or two problem positional groups, this is a talented roster that should be performing better than they are right now. Morale within the Panthers seems low, with Rhule deflecting blame in every possible direction as the former Baylor man goes into panic mode thanks to increasing pressure on his shoulders.
Carolina doesn’t have much to play for other than pride over the remaining three games. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a substantial amount at stake for a large majority of figures within the organization.
With this in mind, here are four Panthers with the most to lose as the campaign draws ever closer to a conclusion.
Panther No. 1
Pat Elflein – Carolina Panthers C
Pat Elflein has been serviceable as the team’s center ever since the Panthers switched him to his college position in the wake of Matt Paradis’ season-ending injury in Week 9 against the New England Patriots.
This is where Elflein is clearly more comfortable. But if the veteran wants to earn the job in 2022 then he has to finish the current campaign on a high note.
He’ll get a stern test of his credentials against two stout defensive fronts before the offseason. How Elflein performs in the face of such prolific opposition will tell us plenty about what role the Ohio State product will have in the final year of his deal.
Carolina’s offensive line needs a significant makeover this offseason. So Elflein must leave no doubt as to his importance and hopefully, the options around him should greatly improve when competitive action begins next time around.