3 former Carolina Panthers starters who might be done in the NFL
By Dean Jones
Which former Carolina Panthers starters could be coming to the end or unofficially reached the concludion of their respective NFL journeys in 2023?
One of the best things about being a fan is becoming almost besotted with players who give your chosen franchise everything. There are few organizations around the league that boast deeper connections to their former players than the Carolina Panthers, with many visiting early offseason workouts and getting the chance to speak with the next generation about maintaining the standard.
Even when they leave the Panthers for elsewhere, the fanbase still keeps up to date with how they fare. Moving away means the start of a prosperous future for some, but that isn't always the case looking at how things are unfolding for some Carolina alum this offseason.
With this in mind, here are three former Panthers players that might be done with their NFL playing careers in 2023.
Josh Norman - Former Carolina Panthers CB
It's funny what life can throw at you sometimes. Working as a barista in his coffee shop with the NFL season winding down, Josh Norman got a call from Steve Wilks to come and assist the Carolina Panthers in their hour of need after Jaycee Horn suffered broken ribs before their NFC South title showdown at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Norman duly obliged for an emotional return to the franchise he left in 2016 free agency. The veteran saw more action in Week 18 at the New Orleans Saints than he did against Tom Brady and company, but this represented the All-Pro's career coming full circle with a little bit of closure attached.
Once Wilks wasn't given the head coaching job permanently, it seemed inevitable that Norman wouldn't get an extended stay. Given how teams weren't exactly beating down his door before the Panthers came calling last season, his two games back in Carolina might be the cornerback's last as an NFL professional.