Jordan Fuller - Carolina Panthers S
One player who has failed to make an impact this season is safety Jordan Fuller. That is not exactly what the Carolina Panthers had in mind when they parted ways with Vonn Bell ahead of time.
Much was expected of the former Ohio State man when he signed a one-year deal last offseason. His familiarity with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero from their time together on the Los Angeles Rams was expected to be an advantage. It hasn't come to fruition.
Fuller has been unable to stay healthy. When he has been on the field, he has been a liability. His overall Pro Football Focus grade of 52.2 ranks 138th out of 161 qualifying safeties. His coverage grade of 45.5 is 139th. That's a fair reflection of his performance levels throughout the campaign.
These coverage deficiencies reared their ugly head against the Dallas Cowboys. Evero — for reasons unbeknown to anyone but him — continually allowed Fuller to be matched up against stud wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. It was no surprise to see Cooper Rush target this matchup frequently, often ending in a touchdown.
Evero leaving his safety on an island against a top-10 receiver in the league is asinine. Even so, we saw first-hand why Fuller has a 151.0 passer rating when targeted.
With Fuller being out of contract during the offseason, it’s clear from his play he will not be returning to Carolina in 2025. The team would be wise to use the final three games of the season to see if they have any others currently on the roster who could fill the role long-term.
This is probably going to be Fuller's swansong at Bank of America Stadium after an under-par campaign for his new team. As stated previously, this position group should be among Dan Morgan's biggest priorities when the recruitment period commences.