5 winners and losers from the Carolina Panthers preseason loss vs. NY Jets
By Dean Jones
Loser No. 2
Michael Jordan - Carolina Panthers OL
Many fans sighed when Michael Jordan was re-signed to a one-year deal just after the 2023 NFL Draft. The interior offensive lineman always seemed to struggle whenever significant responsibilities came his way since joining the Carolina Panthers, so not many were holding out hope he could galvanize himself in pursuit of securing a roster spot.
When Jordan was introduced into the lineup on Saturday, the trepidation was there for all to see. This was reflected in his nervous performance which didn't meet even low expectations.
Jordan just didn't look comfortable at any stage. He was beaten to the punch often on running downs and when it came to pass protection, the former Ohio State star was found wanting.
The likes of Cam Erving also struggled as anticipated, but nobody on the protection aside from perhaps Brady Christensen emerged with any credit. What this means for Jordan's future remains to be seen, but one would be hard-pressed to make a convincing argument he should be on the team after this.
Given the options available to the Panthers, Jordan might not even make the practice squad. The lineman has nobody to blame but himself - constantly spurning good opportunities under three different head coaches (Matt Rhule, Steve Wilks, Frank Reich).
It won't be much longer before Jordan is gone for good. How he responds in the next two weeks could define his NFL career prospects.