Roman Harper cost the Panthers $1.5 million in guaranteed money when they signed him to a two-year deal this offseason.
The veteran safety has proceeded to cost them more than that on the field, and most recently, a timeout they could have really used.
The Panthers’ efforts to mount a comeback against the Seahawks with 47 seconds left were compromised by the fact Harper laid on the ground after not making a play, costing them an injury timeout.
“Roman was fine,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said, via Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review. “The doctor said, ‘What happened?’ He said, ‘I tried to dislodge the ball, it was a big hit. I was actually just laying there for a second, and the referee thought I was hurt.’”
Harper stayed on the ground after trying to put a shot on Seahawks tight end Luke Willson, but it didn’t work, as he scored the game-winning touchdown. But because Harper stayed on the ground pouting, the Panthers were charged an injury timeout in the last two minutes.
“I was pissy,” Harper said. “It’s part of the game, part of my emotions. I was just trying to make a play. . . .
“I hate I wasn’t over there a little bit more for Tre [Boston, the other Panthers safety], trying to help him out. I just tried to give [Willson] everything I’ve got, which obviously wasn’t enough. He made the catch, touchdown, and that’s all she wrote.”
The Panthers were able to get by with a secondary full of day-laborers last year because they had a pass-rush. With Greg Hardy missing and the slack not being taken up, this year’s cobbled-together secondary is being exposed, and the 31-year-old Harper provides weekly evidence of that.
