Which Carolina Panthers players find themselves on thin ice ahead of the team’s eagerly-anticipated 2022 training camp?
Now that the early offseason workouts have concluded, attention is slowly turning to the Carolina Panthers taking the field in Spartanburg for their annual training camp. It promises to be another hot few weeks full of stiff competition, which will tell Matt Rhule and his coaching staff plenty about which players are deserving of taking through onto the roster in 2022.
Rhule and his players have a lot on the line next season. So it’s absolutely imperative that the primary decision-makers get their choices right before the Panthers‘ game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 1.
Spirits have been high at OTAs and throughout the team’s mandatory minicamp. But expect the atmosphere to change significantly with jobs and depth chart positions on the line this summer.
With this in mind, here are six Panthers players on thin ice during training camp ahead of the new season.
Player No. 1
Pat Elflein – Carolina Panthers OL
After some notable arrivals to the Carolina Panthers’ offensive line, there is a lot of work ahead for Pat Elflein this offseason. The versatile lineman failed miserably at the guard position before improving at the center spot, but trusting him from a starting role this time around will be asking for trouble.
Fortunately, the Panthers are in a position to install Elflein on the rotation following a strong period of recruitment. But there are plenty of young players breathing down his neck in pursuit of playing time.
Unless Elflein makes the right improvements and demonstrates a willingness to learn, things could look particularly bleak for a player that shouldn’t have been given a three-year deal in 2021.