5 Panthers players that disappeared at the Buccaneers in Week 17

C.J. Henderson – Carolina Panthers CB

It is hard to find a player who had a worse game than C.J. Henderson at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. To say that the cornerback underachieved would be a vast understatement.

The former first-round selection was supposed to be available to the media as well but skipped the post-game presser. One could argue after the game that Henderson put together, having a bit of accountability and owning the poor performance would be the right way to handle what was a terrible day.

Mike Evans beat Henderson twice easily deep on plays that reminded fans of the Super Bowl triumph for the Buccaneers after a hugely successful 2020 campaign. Brady identified Henderson as a weakness and exploited it in no uncertain terms.

Perhaps it would have been better for the Carolina Panthers if Henderson had failed to show up completely. The corner position is one of the toughest in football and Evans is an incredible athlete, but to be beaten twice in such a manner was unacceptable.

Evans finished the game with 207 receiving yards and three touchdowns, owning Carolina in embarrassing fashion. What this means for Henderson’s long-term aspirations with the franchise remains to be seen, but the Panthers would be wise not to pick up his fifth-year option this offseason.