When Brady Christensen re-signed with the Carolina Panthers this offseason, there were more than a few raised eyebrows among the fan base. This had nothing to do with the player's talent, but rather the interest he was expected to generate on the open market.
Teams typically pay a premium to have an offensive lineman who can occupy all five positions when called upon. Christensen opted to stay in Carolina, citing his family's comfort in Charlotte as a primary reason behind his decision.
He might be thinking a little differently when he gets to 2026 free agency.
Carolina Panthers are treating Brady Christensen like a last resort
Christensen only signed a one-year extension. He was projected as a versatile backup behind the returning starting five. When stud right guard Robert Hunt tore his bicep, the Panthers went with Chandler Zavala instead. And they already had a ready-made replacement for center Austin Corbett on the books in Cade Mays.
The former BYU standout was an innocent bystander to start the game in Week 4 against the New England Patriots. When Zavala got hurt relatively early in the game, Christensen was once again overlooked in favor of Brandon Walton, who was called up from the practice squad for the clash.
This went about as well as fans expected. Walton quickly became a weak link, which eventually left the Panthers with no choice but to bring Christensen into the fold. Things improved after that, but the result was a foregone conclusion long before the clock ran down in the fourth quarter.
It told the team's long-suffering support exactly how the Panthers view Christensen. Putting a practice squad player into the starting lineup ahead of the 2021 third-round pick was a bizarre decision that came back to haunt head coach Dave Canales. And if the player wants to log meaningful reps, he'll probably have to do it away from Carolina next spring.
That's the bottom line. The Panthers are not maximizing Christensen's talents. Some fans would argue that they never have, opting to make him a versatile presence rather than a specialist in one area. But even when the depth became severely depleted, Canales only went to him as a last resort.
This spoke volumes. Either Christensen isn't showing enough in practice, or the Panthers have no use for him in their blocking concepts. Either way, it's a bad look, and one has to wonder why they even made him an offer to stay in the first place.
It'll be interesting to see what happens if Zavala cannot go this weekend against the Miami Dolphins. Christensen will be hoping to get the nod, but there is just no telling for sure.