4 Carolina Panthers players trending towards draft bust status

Cam Erving – Carolina Panthers OT

• Round No. 1 (No. 19 overall) – 2015 NFL Draft

Much was made about the decision to bring Cam Erving to the Carolina Panthers in free agency. Signing the former first-round selection to a two-year deal within hours of the market opening was a strong indication of how coveted he was by the organization, which seemed strange considering how lackluster he’s been throughout a career of underachievement so far.

It’s easy to forget how highly touted Erving was coming out of Florida State, eventually taken No. 19 overall by the Cleveland Browns in 2015. However, it didn’t take long to figure out that the left tackle would struggle to meet such expectations and even though he attained a Super Bowl ring with the Kansas City Chiefs, it’s been disappointing more often than not.

Erving was perhaps an easy scapegoat for the Panthers in 2021. Something he certainly believed judging by his passive-aggressive nature during media availability.

However, it’s hard to fathom how even the player himself thought the production was good enough. Erving’s lack of consistency was a constant source of frustration and if the Panthers opt to cut him ahead of time, then it’ll come with a dead-cap figure of around $4 million no matter when he’s released.

Perhaps slotting Erving onto the interior is a last-ditch option. He’s seemed more comfortable there compared to being exposed on the edge throughout his career – but much will depend on what players are brought to Carolina in the coming weeks.