One of the biggest disappointments about the NFL canceling the preseason is we as fans are being denied our annual ritual of wildly overhyping fringe players who play well in mostly meaningless action. As obsessive Panthers fans we have a contractual obligation to adopt our favorite undrafted free agent or hopeless reclamation project before the season starts, then overanalyze everything he does over four weeks of exhibition football.
We rejoice with every tackle for loss he racks up against the opponents fourth string, then sorrow when he gets unceremoniously cut when rosters are trimmed down. But sometimes our guy defies the odds and makes the team, thus allowing us to proudly state throughout the year, “I just knew he was going to break out!