5 Carolina Panthers who’ve likely played their last snap with the team
By Dean Jones
Ian Thomas – Carolina Panthers TE
If Ian Thomas and the Carolina Panthers go their separate ways this offseason, his time with the organization will be tainted with what might have been.
Hopes were incredibly high for the former fourth-round pick after an encouraging rookie campaign deputizing for Greg Olsen, leading the team to give him the No. 1 spot once the prolific veteran ended his long association with the organization in free agency when he joined the Seattle Seahawks.
This was a remarkable opportunity for Thomas. One that brought a significant amount of intrigue thanks to his athleticism and capabilities when in the mood.
However, what came next was extremely disappointing. Thomas was a relative afterthought in the passing game over the last two seasons and although the blocking aspect of his game came on leaps and bounds, much more is needed in today’s NFL.
Thomas finished the 2021 season with 18 receptions from 30 targets for 188 receiving yards and no touchdowns. The flashes shown by Tommy Tremble could indicate a bigger role next time around and there is also an option to further strengthen this positional group in free agency or the 2022 NFL Draft.
Carolina won’t get a better chance to end the Thomas experiment. One that started impressively but faded once given a consistent amount of responsibility from a prominent depth chart position.