Lost opportunities

[PanthersATL]

Which players have the Panthers signed (as rookie or underperforming vets) and then later traded away or otherwise let go... then later turned into total superstar performers for other teams?

Example: the Falcons having Brett Favre on their bench and then letting him go be a superstar for the Packers.

Not an example : Olsen or Cam, as they were superstar for us before they left us to play elsewhere.

 

[TheCasillas]

The whole Julius Peppers situation comes to mind, but it still played out well for us in the end.

[rayzor]

slightly off topic, but seems to be a common Carolina trait (missed opportunities).

[LinvilleGorge]

Evan Mathis comes to mind. Bust for us, 2x Pro Bowler and 1st team All-Pro for the Eagles... and was the starting LG for the Broncos in SB50.

 

[Stumpy]

3 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Evan Mathis comes to mind. Bust for us, 2x Pro Bowler and 1st team All-Pro for the Eagles... and was the starting LG for the Broncos in SB50.

 

I was trying to remember the name. Mathis is exactly where my mind went. That's what we get for drafting a dude named Evan... lol

[LinvilleGorge]

11 minutes ago, TheCasillas said:

The whole Julius Peppers situation comes to mind, but it still played out well for us in the end.

I don't think that counts for what OP is talking about. Peppers was already a superstar here before he went to GB.

 

[saX man]

Mathis, Butker, AJ Klein has had a restectable career, and of course, Hilee Taylor and Randy Fasani

[MasterAwesome]

If the bar is that the player left us to eventually become a “superstar”, then that’s a very short list…maybe just Evan Mathis, although “superstar” is arguable for him. Butker I guess is a recent example, although I still think people somewhat overhype him on here. He’s probably a fringe Top 5 kicker though which is way more than enough to wish we had kept him.

 

Then you’ve got players like Heinicke who seem to have been more talented than we originally thought and were definitely worth holding onto in hindsight. Even just as a backup QB, he would probably be Top 5 and cheap.

Edited April 5, 2022 by MasterAwesome

[rayzor]

17 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Evan Mathis comes to mind. Bust for us, 2x Pro Bowler and 1st team All-Pro for the Eagles... and was the starting LG for the Broncos in SB50.

 

Yeah, he was the biggest one we definitely could have used I thought of.

Doesn't really happen as much as we talk about when we let people go while we think they still have potential. But for him it really was the case.

[LinvilleGorge]

1 minute ago, rayzor said:

Yeah, he was the biggest one we definitely could have used I thought of.

Doesn't really happen as much as we talk about when we let people go while we think they still have potential. But for him it really was the case.

I mean, when you consistently draft as shitty as we do and run with virtually no depth as a result, it's kinda hard to have any talent to speak of slip through the cracks. Sad, but true.

On good rosters sometimes good talent gets caught up in a numbers game. The "numbers game" we usually play is "how in the hell are we going to find 22 NFL caliber players to field a starting lineup" much less a full 53.

 

 

 

[CRA]

50 minutes ago, PanthersATL said:

Which players have the Panthers signed (as rookie or underperforming vets) and then later traded away or otherwise let go... then later turned into total superstar performers for other teams?

Example: the Falcons having Brett Favre on their bench and then letting him go be a superstar for the Packers.

Not an example : Olsen or Cam, as they were superstar for us before they left us to play elsewhere.

 

Evan Mathis went on to be an All Pro/Pro Bowl G when he left

[PanthersATL]

58 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I don't think that counts for what OP is talking about. Peppers was already a superstar here before he went to GB.

 

Yeah, we've had a number of players who were pretty darn good (pro bowl, DPOY, etc) that we had to let go or left on their own (Peppers is a great example).  Or anybody on the Bills roster -- still hate that we lost Efe.     

You're right -- really was looking at those talents that never realized any potential at all for us that became incredible after they left us.   All in the name of "if only we had kept them, what could have been...."

 

[TheCasillas]

1 hour ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I don't think that counts for what OP is talking about. Peppers was already a superstar here before he went to GB.

 

Chicago*
 

ah, well if that’s the case…. Not many but I’d say will Witherspoon is worth mentioning.

[LinvilleGorge]

Just now, TheCasillas said:

Chicago*
 

ah, well if that’s the case…. Not many but I’d say will Witherspoon is worth mentioning.

Yeah, good call. For whatever reason I tend to forget about his Chicago seasons