5 players whose time with the 2021 Panthers won’t be remembered

Thomas Fletcher – Carolina Panthers LS

It was a nice moment at the time – even if it seemed a little strange. The Carolina Panthers caused a social media stir by selecting long-snapper Thomas Fletcher in the sixth round, which led to a viral video of Matt Rhule’s call to the Alabama product who thought he was getting an undrafted free-agent offer.

Fletcher was seen as the heir apparent to J.J. Jansen, the team’s longest-serving player who’d been a model of consistency throughout his career. However, the rookie couldn’t beat out the veteran in training camp and was conveniently put on season-ending injured/reserve just before the final roster cuts were made.

It was another encouraging campaign for Jansen. The Panthers’ decision to hand him another one-year extension indicates things look bleak for Fletcher’s future in Carolina.

This selection over Trey Smith – who went on to have a prolific rookie season with the Kansas City Chiefs – has infuriated large sections of the team’s fanbase who felt the Tennessee product was worth a gamble on Day 3 despite health concerns resulting in a concerning slide down the draft. Fletcher not managing to make an immediate impact just makes things worse and if he is cut without playing a snap, it will go down as another grave error in judgment.

Fletcher didn’t ask to be put in this situation and certainly wasn’t expecting to be drafted. This is all on the primary decision-makers and similar mistakes this offseason could have some big-time ramifications.