Carolina Panthers: Mo Claiborne a viable option to strengthen secondary

Claiborne could be an option for the Carolina Panthers at cornerback

As NFL free agency begins on March 14, there have been a flurry of moves made in the last couple of days. The Carolina Panthers are no exception to this. With their latest move being acquiring wide receiver Torrey Smith, the team still has holes to fill.

Bill Voth of Panthers.com wrote a great piece on Monday, breaking down each position and whether the Panthers need to addr ess the position or not. Out of all the positions, the breakdown of the cornerback spot was one that caught my eye.

"Morris Claiborne is a former first-round pick who is coming off an encouraging year with the Jets. Aaron Colvin has thrived in the slot for Jacksonville and could be primed for more success in a larger role. Bashaud Breeland compiled eight picks in four years with Washington, and he has local ties – the former Clemson Tiger is from Allendale, S.C."

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Morris Claiborne was the name that caught my attention the most. A former LSU Tiger, Claiborne has recorded 194 tackles, 35 pass deflections and five interceptions throughout the course of his career. He was drafted out of LSU in 2012 with the eighth overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys.

Claiborne signed a one-year deal with the New York Jets on March 17 and given his performance, he was a bargain. He played in 15 games, starting all of them and recorded 43 tackles, an interception and eight pass deflections. The 43 tackles were his most since 2015 and his eight pass deflections were the most since he recorded eight during his rookie season.

The Panthers should go after him for a couple reasons. For one, he should come at a relatively cheap price. Signing Claiborne to a one or two-year deal should not break the bank. The Carolina Panthers secondary was average against the pass in 2017, ranking No. 18 in the National Football League. They gave up 3,665 passing yards on the year., amounting to 229 yards per game.

The Panthers could certainly use an upgrade to better defend against the pass, especially with the quarterback talent in the NFC South. Between Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, and Jameis Winston, there is a lot of arm strength in the division. All three of them can throw the ball downfield with relative ease.

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Is Claiborne the best corner in the league? No, not by any means. However, he is coming off a season that saw him perform at a high level. The Panthers need an upgrade in their defensive backfield. While not perfect, he could serve as a viable option in order to strengthen the position.

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