Old North Banter
Fansided

Disliked Panthers Vet About to Play His Last Game in Carolina

It's time for Dave Canales to evaluate young talent and look to the future.

By Joe Summers

Oct 27, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales during the second half against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Oct 27, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales during the second half against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
facebooktwitterreddit

The Panthers are in the midst of another lost season and are already thinking about next year's roster, especially with the vaunted Chiefs coming to town on Sunday.

Carolina has a difficult schedule down the stretch. Unfortunately for veteran defensive tackle DeShawn Williams, the 31-year-old has proven he shouldn't be on the team beyond this season.

Since the Panthers aren't playing for anything meaningful, it makes little sense to keep trotting him out when there are younger guys who deserve looks. Week 11 was perhaps Williams' worst performance of the season, so head coach Dave Canales is merely delaying the inevitable at this point.

Panthers DT DeShawn Williams Needs to Be Benched

Williams was considered an interesting signing in the offseason, though he's managed only seven tackles and three quarterback hits while playing 35% of the snaps.

His 46.5 Pro Football Focus grade ranks well below average, with his 39.0 mark in Week 11 representing one of the worst grades of the campaign. Williams won't be re-signed after this year, meaning it's logical to keep him on the sidelines to evaluate other players.

Carolina has one of the NFL's worst defenses, ranking 28th in opponent yards per play (5.8). There are holes all over the roster and general manager Dan Morgan needs to accumulate as much talent as possible to accelerate the rebuild. Aging defensive tackles are poor fits for that roster construction. As a result, Williams' time with the organization is rapidly coming to a close.

If his issues persist against the Chiefs, it's time for the experiment to end. There was nothing wrong with signing Williams in the first place, though Canales needs to admit a sunk cost and put other players on the field.

Williams could still be part of a competitive team's defensive line rotation moving forward. That said, he needs help around him to maximize his skillset, like when he had 4.5 sacks in 2022 with a stout Broncos group.

The Panthers aren't ready to provide that type of support, making this Sunday Williams' likely final game taking snaps for the team.

More Carolina Panthers News:

feed

Home/Carolina Panthers