5 players whose time with the 2021 Panthers won’t be remembered
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers players who turned out for the team in 2021 produced contributions that won’t be remembered with any fondness?
The Carolina Panthers started off brightly before tailing off in the worst way imaginable this season. A 3-0 start came with some expectations that Matt Rhule could steer this team back into postseason contention, only for the organization to lose 12 of their final 14 contests to leave the head coach hanging by a thread.
Perhaps David Tepper’s pride is the only thing keeping Rhule in a job right now. The Panthers owner invested a huge sum in the former Baylor man and even though a report stated the owner was embarrassed by such a deal, he’s decided to give his appointment one final chance to get this franchise trending on an upward curve.
Carolina’s roster could look far different by the time competitive action gets underway once again. For some upcoming departures, they can have absolutely no complaints looking back on their respective contributions.
With this in mind, here are five Panthers whose time with the team in 2021 won’t be remembered.
Player No. 1
Alex Erickson – Carolina Panthers WR/KR
Alex Erickson handled kick returner duties for the Carolina Panthers in 2021 and made little impact. Just why the veteran was given the majority of opportunities over someone like Shi Smith is unclear, but it would b a surprise if he was still on the roster by the time OTAs roll around.
Erickson didn’t do anything wrong as such. But a lot of fair catches indicated a reluctance to be creative and make things happen.
This caution won’t be remembered if Erickson and the Panthers go their separate ways. And this was a big opening that he didn’t take advantage of.