The Michigan Panthers selected former Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 USFL Draft. However, things didn’t pan out and the team is now moving on from its primary quarterback.
The Panthers announced on Wednesday that they were releasing Patterson from their 45-man roster and practice squad. The team also parted ways with safety Orion Stewart, as it announced on Twitter.
Patterson appeared in five of the Panthers’ six games and started all but one of them. As such, some might be surprised that the team moved on from him.
However, when taking a closer look at Patterson’s performance, it’s not a surprise that the Panthers are trying something different to spark them for the rest of the season.
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Why the Michigan Panthers released Shea Patterson
The Panthers have yet to provide an official statement as to why they released Patterson, and they may not do that at all. However, it seems that his performance coupled with that of the team prompted the change.
For starters, Michigan is tied for the worst record in the NFL with the Houston Gamblers and Pittsburgh Maulers after going 1-5 during the first six weeks of the USFL season. The team’s defense has been strong — allowing an average of just 18.8 points per game, good for the fourth-fewest in the USFL — but their offense has struggled at times.
Michigan has scored just 104 total points (17.3 points per game) in six games. That’s good for the second-fewest in the NFL, ahead of only the Maulers. And the Panthers’ issues have come through the air, where they have the USFL’s second-worst passing offense.
With the Panthers’ running game working — their 156.5 rushing yards per game is second-best in the league — and their passing game not, coach Jeff Fisher may be inclined to try something else at quarterback.
Patterson earned most of the playing time at QB for the Panthers, so benching him was the quickest way to spark a change with the team. However, keeping three quarterbacks on a 45-man roster would have caused depth issues, so the team was forced to release him.
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Shea Patterson USFL stats
Patterson was far from perfect at quarterback for the Panthers, but his overall statistics weren’t bad. He had a great game against the Tampa Bay Bandits in Week 5 when he completed 27 of 34 passes for 304 yards. That said, Michigan still lost that game thanks, in part, to a critical interception he threw in the red zone while down 20-13.
Overall, turnovers were the biggest problem for Patterson. He ranked third in the USFL in passing yards but made too many negative plays. He has been sacked a league-high 13 times and has the third-most interceptions with five. He also has three fumbles, which tied for the second-most in the league among qualified players.
Below is a full breakdown of Patterson’s stats with the Panthers:
| Comp. % | Passing yards | Pass TDs | INTs | Rushing yards | Rush TDs | Rating |
| 59.6 | 973 | 4 | 5 | 171 | 2 | 112.4 |
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What’s next for Shea Patterson?
Patterson didn’t remain available on the waiver wire very long. The New Orleans Breakers claimed the former Panthers quarterback and will add him to their quarterback room.
The Breakers already have Kyle Sloter at the quarterback position, and he leads the USFL in passing yards with 1,318. However, he has struggled with turnovers at times (seven interceptions) and has dealt with nagging injuries that caused him to miss time against the Maulers in Week 6.
If the Breakers want to give Sloter time to heal, they could give Patterson an opportunity to play. Patterson is more mobile than Sloter, so the team could also use Patterson in some read-option packages to keep opposing defenses guessing.
Patterson isn’t guaranteed to get playing time with New Orleans, however. The team has not only Sloter but also former Tulsa quarterback Zach Smith on its roster. He would likely be first off the bench in the event that Sloter needs to miss time.
Michigan Panthers QB depth chart
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Josh Love |
| 2 | Paxton Lynch |
It’s unclear exactly who will start at quarterback in wake of Patterson’s departure. It will be either Love or Lynch, and while Lynch has been with the Panthers longer than Love, it is the former Mauler who has put up better numbers this season.
Love made three starts for Pittsburgh and has completed 54.8 percent of his passes for 440 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions this season. He has yet to play for the Panthers but could be given a chance to start while Lynch continues his comeback.
Speaking of Lynch, he has played in just a couple of games during the USFL season due to a leg injury. He hasn’t found much success as a passer, completing just 5 of 13 passes for 24 yards and an interception. However, he has run for 35 yards and a touchdown in limited action, so his size and mobility could help Michigan’s offense.
The release of Patterson may signal that Lynch is healthy. As such, the Panthers may be willing to entrust him as the team’s starter again. That said, given his performance, the Panthers may opt to start Love and ease Lynch back into competition. Either way, expect the two quarterbacks to split reps provided that Lynch is healthy.