The Carolina Panthers have a new, ruthless way of building a competitive roster. That was evident once again after Dan Morgan pulled the plug on a risky experiment before rookie minicamp even started.
Morgan caused a stir earlier this offseason by taking a chance on Colin Granger. The 6-foot-10 college basketball player who hadn't played football since middle school was looking to take his chances in the NFL. The Panthers beat off competition to secure his services, so there was some slight intrigue attached.
Things didn't go according to plan. And now, Granger's dream has been crushed almost before it began.
Carolina Panthers end Colin Granger's dream before rookie minicamp begins
According to Joe Person from The Athletic, the Panthers have cut ties with Granger. The insider revealed that he was dealing with a hamstring injury, which left those in power with no option other than to part ways as they look to make room for their incoming rookie class.
Granger was always a long shot to impose himself. There's no accounting for experience. He didn't have much of that in a football setting, so it wasn't going to take much for things to turn sour.
Whether this marks the end of Granger's brief foray into the league remains to be seen. Someone else might be willing to take a chance on him. But once the first bridge gets burned, it's difficult to envisage any way back for players in his predicament.
More cuts are coming. Mike Kaye from The Charlotte Observer confirmed that another tight end, Jordan Matthews, has also been let go. Eight needed to be removed to comply with NFL roster regulations, so that makes it six more to go as things stand.
Morgan won't hesitate if he feels like it's the right thing to do. He hasn't got an emotional attachment to anybody. The front-office leader puts the team first at all times and will stop at nothing to make the Panthers a force once again. It's been a long time since this franchise was run with such purpose and professionalism.
Granger found out what a cutthroat business this is to his cost. That could be the end of his NFL exploits, but at least he gave it a shot.
After all, you miss all the shots you don't take.