4 injured Carolina Panthers players who should bounce back in 2022

Stephon Gilmore – Carolina Panthers CB

Landing Stephon Gilmore via trade from the New England Patriots was a beneficial move for all parties involved. It allowed the Carolina Panthers to gain a significant presence in the secondary who’s done it all and provided the player himself with a move to an area where he grew up and still calls home.

It took Gilmore a while to get going as he recovered from a torn quad. But the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year definitely looked the part before another frustrating injury ended his season early down the stretch.

This was always going to be a wait-and-see season for Gilmore coming off such a substantial injury. Now that he’s proven more than capable of locking down opponents when healthy, there could be a large number of interested teams on the free-agent market if the Panthers cannot agree to terms on an extension.

Gilmore wants to be in Carolina. This is a place where he can balance his football life with family commitments and the Panthers will need his experience more than ever if Donte Jackson signs elsewhere as anticipated.

Carolina cannot let Gilmore walk. And who knows, there might be even more to come from the veteran with a full offseason under his belt.