5 Carolina Panthers who are living on borrowed time
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers are living on borrowed time as another miserable 2021 season comes to a conclusion in Week 18?
The time to assess the wreckage of what’s been another turbulent 2021 season for the Carolina Panthers is fast approaching. Sunday’s game at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is the final time this underperforming team will take the field before a hugely important offseason begins, with plenty of influential figures within the organization nervously looking over their shoulders before final conclusions are made.
After a 3-0 start, the Panthers have crumbled. This is a poorly coached an unprepared team lacking quality in key positional groups on offense that continues to hold them back.
Those in power undoubtedly have their work cut out this spring. Carolina has $28.3 million in cap space currently and doesn’t possess a Day 2 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft in pursuit of strengthening any hopes of a huge leap forward next time around.
Reckoning time is upon us. Here are five Panthers who are probably living on borrowed time.
Panther No. 1
Pat Meyer – Carolina Panthers OL coach
The Carolina Panthers offensive line has been a complete disaster. Although personnel moves have played a leading role in their demise, one also has to put coach Pat Meyer’s ability to get the most out of this unit under the microscope.
Meyer didn’t exactly thrive with the Los Angeles Chargers before joining Carolina. His influence had a huge say in the likes of Pat Elflein arriving in free agency, which is another blip on his resume.
Joe Brady has already been made a scapegoat, so if head coach Matt Rhule needs another sacrificial lamb to save his own skin, then his attention might turn towards Meyer once the season comes to a conclusion.