Should the Carolina Panthers pursue CB Orlando Scandrick?
Could the Carolina Panthers pursue the corner?
Yesterday, the Washington Redskins released veteran cornerback Orlando Scandrick. Earlier this offseason, the Redskins signed Scandrick to fill a vacant spot on their roster after trading away cornerback Kendall Fuller to the Kansas City Chiefs. Scandrick signed a two-year contract, which included a $1 million signing bonus. The signing bonus is all Scandrick will receive from the Redskins.
Should the Carolina Panthers pursue Scandrick?
The secondary unit of the Panthers took a huge hit when Pro Bowl cornerback Josh Norman signed with the Washington Redskins. He signed with the Redskins in 2016 after his best season in Carolina. The first six weeks of the 2015 season he deflected 54 percent of the passes thrown in his direction. Norman allowed just 17 receptions for 127 yards.
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When Norman left to Washington, the Carolina Panthers used their 62nd overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft to take cornerback James Bradberry from Samford. Bradberry was the eleventh cornerback to be selected in the draft. This season he will be playing out the third year of his four-year contract. He will start every game for the Panthers as long as he stays healthy, but he needs to improve his pass coverage on deep balls. The Panthers are counting on him to lead the secondary. In 2017, Pro Football Focus gave him a defensive grade of 60.4 (considered below average), down from 82.6 in 2016 (highest graded rookie cornerback). That drop off from season one to season two is not uncommon. Players often experience some growing pains during their second or third year in the NFL.
The position opposite of Bradberry is still up for grabs. The Carolina Panthers could pursue Scandrick, but I do not think they will. Rivera does value veteran leadership, but the Panthers could save money by choosing to invest in young talent rather than an aging cornerback. Second-round pick Donte Jackson made some impressive plays on the ball at training camp. He managed to keep up with his speedy teammate D.J. Moore. Like Norman, Jackson is a talker. Jackson will reintroduce a much needed dog mentality to the secondary.
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Corn Elder is another player that will be thrown into the mix. Elder will likely backup Captain Munnerlyn at inside cornerback or Seymour on the outside for the first half of the season while he continues to work his way back from injury. He will continue to battle for the starting nickel position. Coaches were impressed with how well Elder performed both in the slot and on the outside at practice. In college, he played left and right cornerback and played in the slot. He missed just four of his attempted 70 tackles in 2016. Elder is the type of player you want on the field when running a zone coverage scheme on defense. He possesses the ability to quickly read the quarterback’s eyes and then adjusts his stance accordingly to make a play on the ball.