Matt Rhule got almost nothing right during his cataclysmic reign as Carolina Panthers head coach. And arguably his most embarrassing draft mistake just got brutally exposed once again.
The Panthers were in desperate need of a franchise-caliber left tackle heading into the 2021 season. Instead of examining some gifted prospects emerging from the college ranks, Rhule signed free-agent Cameron Erving instead.
No Panthers fan needs reminding about what a failure this quickly became. And the story around one fatal error goes down in franchise folklore for all the wrong reasons.
Rashawn Slater was among the top prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft. He was nothing short of exceptional throughout a standout college career at Northwestern. However, the Panthers never really considered taking the gifted left tackle for one bemusing reason.
Rashawn Slater exposed Carolina Panthers' poor evaluation under Matt Rhule
According to several reports, the Panthers weren't comfortable with Slater's arm length. They didn't think there was enough length attached to become a successful NFL tackle. And taking a perceived guard at No. 8 overall was a little too rich.
This led the Panthers to cornerback Jaycee Horn, who is a top-level performer. He endured some rough injury problems early in his career, but a Pro Bowl campaign in 2024 was enough for the current regime to give him a bumper contract extension ahead of time.
Slater was eventually taken No. 13 overall by the Los Angeles Chargers. He earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in his first season. He quickly became one of the league's most dependable protectors on the blindside. Any concerns about his arm length were quashed almost instantly, leaving Rhule and the Panthers with an enormous sense of regret.
And now, Slater has the financial security to back this up, signing a four-year, $114 million extension with the Chargers that includes $92 million guaranteed.
The Panthers didn't make the same mistake in 2022, taking Ikem Ekwonu at No. 6 overall. It's been an up-and-down career to date, but his encouraging progress last time around was enough to get his fifth-year option picked up by the organization.
Of course, Rhule is no longer calling the shots in Carolina. He was mercilessly fired, and there was a massive mess to clean up. It's taken time, but there is now light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
Would things have been different had the Panthers taken Slater? Maybe, but it wouldn't have masked the root of all their problems at the time.
That, of course, was Rhule. And thankfully, he's no longer the Panthers' concern.