We’re counting down the days until the Panthers kick off the 2022 regular season.
We are slowly but surely making our way toward the 2022 NFL regular season. Now that camp is in full swing, we can almost taste it. Since we’re now 44 days from opening day for the Panthers, let’s focus on No. 44 on the roster — long snapper JJ Jansen.
Jansen (6’2, 235) was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Green Bay Packers following the 2008 NFL Draft. Despite watching him spend his entire rookie season on injured reserve due to a knee injury, the Panthers traded for the long snapper the following April. He has since been a staple of the Panthers special teams unit. Here is a breakdown of his reliability per the Panthers team website:
Played in all 16 regular season games every season for Carolina from 2009-21. His 209 career games played are second only to John Kasay (221) in franchise history.
Jansen has been the essence of consistency at his position, even notching a Pro Bowl nod in 2013 after being successful on all 139 snaps that season. He played for Notre Dame in college, manning the long snapper position for all field goal attempts and punts in his senior season. The Panthers oldest player at the ancient age of 36, Jansen will have to fend off challenger and 2021 draft pick Thomas Fletcher for the lone long snapper spot on the roster. The Panthers were able to use an injury to Fletcher last year to essentially medically redshirt the rookie, but this might be a battle to watch this season.
What do you think Panthers fans? Can the old man fend off the young whippersnapper? Sound off in the comments!
*-Author’s note: yes, whippersnapper was an intentional pun.
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