NFL analyst says Panthers should cut underperforming former second-round pick

Panthers’ general manager Dan Morgan added a lot of newcomers this offseason, notably on the defensive line. Those moves may have made one veteran expendable.

Dec 22, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end A'Shawn Robinson (94) takes the field during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

All 32 NFL clubs are very busy preparing for a season that is less than three weeks away. Soon will come the really tough decisions in regards to trimming the rosters.

One NFL writer decided to give each franchise a bit of a head start. Hence, Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report suggested that each team in the league release one player. When it came to Dave Canales’s squad, he pointed to a veteran defensive lineman who had a disappointing debut campaign with the club in 2024.

“When the Panthers signed defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson to a three-year, $22.5 million contract in 2024,” explained Davenport, “the veteran was supposed to help Derrick Brown anchor the inside of the defensive line. Instead, Brown got hurt, and while Robinson amassed 80 total tackles and 5.5 sacks in his first year with the team, he also played a significant role in Carolina’s league-worst run defense. Per PFF, he graded 100th or worse among defensive tackles across the board a season ago.”

NFL analyst suggests Panthers should part ways with A’Shawn Robinson

Enjiro Evero’s defense allowed an NFL-worst 179.8 yards per game on the ground in 2024. The Panthers gave up 200-plus yards rushing in each of their final six games.

Oct 13, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end A'Shawn Robinson (94) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

“Cutting Robinson outright won’t be cheap,” added Davenport, “as he carries a dead cap hit of just over $5 million. But the Panthers made major investments in free agency in a pair of defensive tackles in Bobby Brown III and Tershawn Wharton. They don’t need an aging tackle whose greatest strength (run-stopping) has become a glaring weakness, especially with Brown set to return from injury.”

All good points, and also keep in mind that general manager Dan Morgan used a fifth-round draft choice in April on University of Florida defensive tackle Cam Jackson. That may indeed make Robinson, a second-round selection by the Detroit Lions back in 2016, the odd man out.

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