4 second-year Panthers players with ‘stud or dud’ potential in 2022
By Noah Bryce
What second-year Carolina Panthers players could be in danger of becoming duds and what little-used player could shock the NFL world if given the opportunity?
It was a hard year to be a Carolina Panthers fan in 2021. We are all well aware of that fact.
With little in the way of expectation going into the year, ending with only five wins doesn’t sound like such a big deal. But when you put that alongside a 3-0 start to the season, it paints a much grimmer picture.
A large part of the blame sits on the Panthers’ coaching staff’s inability to get the most out of their players both young and old and late-game decision-making being questionable at best. However, even when the staff made the right decisions, the team just didn’t perform to the required level, especially on offense.
With that said, you can’t really blame the vast majority of rookies for not living up to expectations during their first year at the NFL level. The switch from college to the pros is a much bigger one than many realize and it can come at a young player fast.
However, there were some very concerning trends among a few rookies last season, both self-inflicted and as a result of a lack of trust from the coaching staff. This rightfully gives the fanbase pause as to just how long these promising prospects will fare long-term.
Being drafted by an NFL team comes with no guarantee of playing or even carving out a successful pro career. With the league’s “what have you done for me lately?” mentality, the draft cost is largely ignored and many players aren’t given the chance to develop.
The 2022 draft and free agency season is fast approaching and with megadeals already taking place across the league, let’s take a look at a few rookies that could be one and done with the Panthers and one that has the chance to surprise the league with a second-year leap.