There weren't many players cut loose by the Carolina Panthers who landed on other teams. This is a strong indication of how their talents were perceived both by general manager Dan Morgan and others around the league. It's a long road back for those with uncertain futures right now.
In the case of a recent castoff who left the team earlier this year, another opportunity came along pretty quickly after a damaging setback.
The Panthers' fan base thought a lot of Sam Franklin Jr. He emerged from undrafted obscurity to become an important part of the special-teams strategy throughout his time with the organization. The defensive back played on the edge and sometimes went over, but this sort of fight is something fans quickly latch onto.
Sam Franklin Jr. followed in the footsteps of many former Carolina Panthers players
Carolina didn't have much fight in them at the time. Seeing someone like Franklin not back down and show some heart endeared him almost immediately. Dave Canales didn't like the way he went about his business sometimes. But most thought he would get another deal in free agency.
That didn't happen. Franklin joined the Denver Broncos, where he was expected to continue his role as a special-teams ace without featuring much on the defensive rotation. Unfortunately for the Temple product, he was sent packing during the final cut process.
This was a hammer blow to Franklin's hopes. But the disappointment didn't last for long.
The Buffalo Bills moved swiftly to secure Franklin for their practice squad. This continues the ongoing pipeline of former Panthers players who end up with the AFC East club. General manager Brandon Beane is still close with Morgan and well-versed in the personnel who come through the organization. The references were obviously sufficient to take a chance.
Franklin will begin on the practice squad, so he'll have to prove himself all over again. The player has overcome significant career adversity before and come out of the other end smiling. That experience should serve him well in pursuit of being elevated onto the 53-man roster and potentially helping the Bills get over the hump.
Some fans were hoping for the Panthers to bring Franklin back, especially with their flaws on special teams. The Bills got in there first, which indicates he could have a role to play with a smooth transition in the coming weeks.
There might not be many chances after this. Taking advantage of it is crucial where Franklin is concerned.