4 Carolina Panthers players that went missing during 2022 season
By Dean Jones
Rashard Higgins – Carolina Panthers WR
When the Carolina Panthers snapped up Rashard Higgins on a team-friendly deal in free agency, there was a quiet sense of optimism attached. The wide receiver seemed capable of earning his fair share of targets as part of the rotation, with the addition of former Cleveland Browns teammate Baker Mayfield something else working in his favor.
Higgins made a solid splash over the early stages of training camp. However, reaching the football over the goal line and overly celebrating one touchdown did not sit well with head coach Matt Rhule, whose college methods had everyone running gassers as a method of punishment.
This was widely disapproved by fans and the wider media. It also appeared to put Higgins further down the pecking order.
Considering the lack of production from Carolina’s wideouts earlier in the season, for Higgins to be completely overlooked is nothing short of bizarre. A mystery that will never be solved given he’s out of contract and unlikely to return in 2023.
Whether Higgins wasn’t doing enough in practice or failing to show the right commitment is unclear. Multiple healthy scratches mean something was transpiring nobody knew about, which left the one-time Colorado State star on the outside looking in for the majority of 2022.