Dan Morgan deserves credit for recognizing the Carolina Panthers' biggest need and acting accordingly. They needed help on defense. And this had to begin in the trenches.
Giving up over 3,000 rushing yards at 179.8 per game and the most single-season points in NFL history left Morgan with no other choice. Things look a lot more promising now, but one NFL analyst believes this could also make an established veteran expendable at some stage.
One could argue that the Panthers need to keep everyone around for depth purposes. All it takes is a big injury to turn the tide, something Ejiro Evero's unit experienced firsthand last season when Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown suffered a knee complication in Week 1 that ruled him out for the entire campaign.
A'Shawn Robinson could be the odd man out on Carolina Panthers' defensive front
If Morgan gets a decent offer for A'Shawn Robinson, Enzo Flojo from Clutch Points thought the Panthers should consider moving the underperforming veteran.
Robinson signed with great fanfare last season. He never met these expectations despite flashing as a pass-rusher. Flojo believes the Panthers should consider cutting their losses after signing Bobby Brown III and Tershawn Wharton in free agency.
"[A'Shawn] Robinson actually graded out poorly at Pro Football Focus, earning a 54.6 overall mark and just 54.1 against the run. These numbers are troubling for a player whose primary job was to stop the run. Instead of being a solution, Robinson became symbolic of Carolina's defensive issues. The Panthers responded accordingly. They added Bobby Brown and Wharton in free agency and used a Day 3 draft pick on defensive tackle Cam Jackson. All signs point to a changing of the guard in the interior defensive line room, one that doesn’t include Robinson as a starter. He may not even be on the final roster."Enzo Flojo
If Robinson doesn't secure a starting job as expected, he'll be a costly rotational piece. Evero trusts him enough to keep him involved, and the player could benefit from improved options on the 3-4 front. But this could be a numbers game when it's all said and done.
Morgan will always do what's right for the team. Robinson has two more years remaining on his deal, and trading him would save $7.55 million on the salary cap with a little over $2 million in dead money attached. Whether interest would arrive is debatable, but the Panthers would be foolish not to consider the possibility if the compensation is acceptable.
It would be surprising. Robinson is a solid pro, and the Panthers need plenty of them in pursuit of defensive fortunes. He's a trusted ally of Evero's from their time together on the Los Angeles Rams. Even so, it wouldn't be a great shock if Morgan got what he deemed was an offer too good to turn down.
Watch this space…