Which Carolina Panthers players should the team move on from before the 2022 campaign gets underway?
There has been plenty of drama surrounding the Carolina Panthers since another disappointing season came to a conclusion in 2021. Coaches were fired and replaced, the team was extremely active in free agency and the draft, not to mention the farcical situation regarding an ambitious headquarters in Rock Hill also hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
The Panthers are now getting back to football activities with mandatory minicamp underway and training camp fast approaching. But it’s hard to gauge which way things might go for head coach Matt Rhule in his third season after Carolina completely capitulated last time around.
Things are looking up within certain positional groups after a solid period of recruitment. Even if one or two might end up holding the Panthers back if further reinforcements are not acquired.
Many players have uncertain futures, too. Here are five such individuals that the Panthers should probably move on from before the 2022 season.
Player No. 1
Cam Erving – Carolina Panthers OT
After Cam Erving was unable to meet even modest objectives in 2022, the Carolina Panthers rightfully made bolstering the offensive line one of their top priorities this spring. A stroke of good luck allowed them to draft Ikem Ekwonu at No. 6 overall, which leaves last season’s starting left tackle on the outside looking in unless he can win a starting job on the interior.
Erving can have no complaints about his current predicament. He hasn’t lived up to his first-round billing coming out of Florida State and the presence of Brady Christensen also means that he might not even become the team’s No. 2 blindside option to further raise questions about his future.
Cutting Erving saves the Panthers $2 million against their cap and costs them $4.1 million in dead money. Something they could afford if monumental improvements aren’t made.