One doesn't have to look far during Scott Fitterer's disastrous reign as general manager to find glaring mistakes that led to the Carolina Panthers' demise. It was one bad judgment after another, and it's taken his replacement, former understudy Dan Morgan, three years to turn the tide.
That's how bad things were. But for one massive gamble that failed to reap the desired rewards, his aspirations of an NFL comeback were recently dealt another hammer blow.
The Panthers thought they struck gold by trading for Laviska Shenault Jr. The versatile wide receiver never lived up to his high draft billing with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but Carolina saw some untapped potential. As was the case with his former AFC South teammate C.J. Henderson, the move fell completely flat.
Former Carolina Panthers WR Laviska Shenault Jr.'s career continues to spiral
Shenault flashed brief moments of promise but nothing more. Injuries dented his progress, but considering the lack of legitimate quality in Carolina's receiving room during his time with the franchise, failing to leave a considerable mark was a damning indictment of his overall trajectory.
The former Colorado standout spent time with the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams in 2024. Shenault has been looking for a route back into the league ever since, and he even took his chances in the UFL with the Birmingham Stallions for the new campaign.
This didn't work out. The Stallions released Shenault recently, which is the latest in a series of rock bottoms for a player who came into the NFL with so much potential attached.
It's hard to envisage a scenario where Shenault gets another opportunity to make an NFL roster this summer. He might, but there are countless more intriguing options still sitting on the market for teams to acquire. And at just 27 years old, this could be the end of his football journey.
The Panthers moved on long ago. Their wideout room received an injection of youthful exuberance and dynamism that was desperately needed. Carolina has a legitimate 1-2 punch in Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. All hope is not lost with Xavier Legette or Jimmy Horn Jr. If third-round pick Chris Brazzell II can adjust quickly to become a serious threat, that will unlock a different dynamic entirely.
As for Shenault? Things are not looking good. Another team might give him a tryout or something similar, but his situation has never looked bleaker. And it's not hard to see where this could potentially end up if the phone doesn't ring.
What might have been…
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