Should the Carolina Panthers move on from Jermaine Carter in 2022?

Should the Carolina Panthers move on from upcoming free-agent linebacker Jermaine Carter rather than give him a contract extension?

There are some huge decisions upcoming for the Carolina Panthers this spring. The team has to find the right sort of recruits in free agency and the 2022 NFL Draft in pursuit of finding solutions to key problem areas, with a number of established starters also facing uncertain futures with their respective contracts up for renewal.

Considering the mounting pressure on head coach Matt Rhule following another five-win campaign, the Panthers simply have to hit almost every move out of the park. Their schedule doesn’t look the most promising in 2022, so one or two gambles that don’t pay off could come with some grave repercussions.

Jermaine Carter is one such individual looking for a new deal. A big opportunity awaited the middle linebacker last time around when the Panthers named him as their starter early in training camp, which came after a strong end to the 2020 season and saw free-agent signing Denzel Perryman to the Las Vegas Raiders for nothing more than a late-round pick.

As it turned out, this was a mistake. Carter was inconsistent from a starting role and Perryman took to life in the desert extremely well en route to his first-ever Pro Bowl selection.

Carolina Panthers might not extend Jermaine Carter this offseason

Finding a successor for Luke Kuechly is proving to be a challenge for the Panthers. Replicating production that is Pro Football Hall of Fame worthy was never going to be easy, so it remains to be seen just how those in power are going to approach this crucial area of the field during the offseason.

Carter deserves credit for emerging as a fifth-round pick into a starter. But there were some clear deficiencies in his game that might be better suited to a rotational role when it’s all said and done.

The Maryland product did secure a career-high 88 tackles, but his ability in coverage was suspect, and assisting on running downs was also something of a concern en route to missing 15 tackles during the campaign.

Money is incredibly tight in Carolina with just $15 million in cap space after extending Ian Thomas and Frankie Luvu recently. That means some will take a higher priority than others, which might leave Carter on the outside looking in depending on his demands.

Going down the draft route could be beneficial. However, with only one selection in the first three rounds as it stands, some maneuvering needs to take place in order to acquire a prospect capable of slotting in right out of the gate.

For that reason alone, extending Carter to a short-term deal cannot be ruled out. And who knows, the player might be better for last season’s experience next time around.

Carter is also a vocal member of the locker room, which will help his cause. But his situation is clearly hanging in the balance and it wouldn’t be the biggest shock to see the Panthers go in a different direction if the right opportunity comes along.

Just how robust the market will be for Carter, so the Panthers might be able to go back and offer a deal if they strike out on a potential replacement. Although that is unlikely to sit well with the player himself.

It’s a fine line. But the NFL is a cutthroat business.