4 Carolina Panthers players that went missing during 2022 season

Damien Wilson – Carolina Panthers LB

Finding consistent production from the middle linebacker position has been a constant riddle for the Carolina Panthers in recent years. Luke Kuechly’s exceptional consistency will never be replicated, one fears, but the staff needs a long-term solution to sure up the interior either via free agency or the 2023 NFL Draft this spring.

Damien Wilson was the latest player tasked with filling the void in 2022. An offseason arrest complicated his transition to a certain extent, but he let his football do the talking during an intense training camp and earned the starting gig alongside Frankie Luvu and Shaq Thompson.

This was positive news for Wilson after a rocky start. But his production in a competitive setting left a lot to be desired and it wasn’t long before the Super Bowl winner with the Kansas City Chiefs was relegated to a depth chart piece.

When Steve Wilks replaced Matt Rhule, Wilson’s influence waned significantly. The veteran became an afterthought on the defensive rotation and only returned to the lineup when promising rookie Brandon Smith’s campaign abruptly came to an end thanks to injury.

Cutting Wilson with one year remaining on his deal represents a cap saving of $3.61 million and dead money of just $1.07 million. Based on his contribution throughout the campaign, this appears to be a no-brainer.