The Carolina Panthers have signed a number of undrafted free agents since their final pick, but which ones have the best chance of making the roster?
A large number of undrafted college recruits have already been snapped up by the Carolina Panthers. This was a real chance for the franchise to find some unearthed gems that failed to formally become NFL players over the seven-round draft.
This is an area that general manager Marty Hurney normally thrives. He has a rich history of getting late-round or undrafted players who can make a long-term contribution to the organization. He is hoping that is going to be the same case this time around as they look to reach the 90-man limit.
"“I think that you go to 90, because you want to get guys trained, and whether it’s through virtual meetings or whatever we’re allowed to do up to that point, it doesn’t mean that we’ll be at 90 on Monday or Tuesday, but I think you’re always looking to try to find players who will help you. I think you want to try to get as much depth and as much competition on the roster and you really do shoot to maximize that 90-player limit.”"
There are plenty of Pro Bowl-calibre players in the NFL who went undrafted. The Panthers will be hoping the current batch of recruits can make some sort of impact with a strong training camp under their belts.
So with that being said, which players who went undrafted have a chance of making the Panthers’ roster in 2020?
Mike Horton – OG (Auburn)
There is a real chance for Mike Horton to fill one of the roster spots with the Carolina Panthers. He comes from a prestigious program at Auburn and has acquired a tremendous amount of experience during his five-year spell in college.
Horton depicts an imposing figure at 6-foot-4 and 325 pounds. The Atlanta native is a two-year starter at the Tigers and performed well against some high-caliber interior pass-rushers.
The player will have undoubtedly gained a considerable amount from going up against Panthers’ first-round selection Derrick Brown during practice. He does need to improve hand placement at the next level. But there is plenty to go off and his work rate is top-notch.
This also represents an area of need for the Panthers after they traded Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for left tackle Russell Okung. Tyler Larsen is projected to be the starter on the left-hand side, with recent free agent signing John Miller set for the right guard role.
The depth behind the starting positions is incredibly thin. The franchise opted to focus on defense during the draft instead of picking up additional offensive line help. This means if Horton performs well and impresses the coaching staff then there is plenty to suggest he might make the team.
Omar Bayless – WR (Arkansas State)
It was somewhat surprising that a team did not take a late-round flyer on prolific wide receiver Omar Bayless. Their loss could be the Carolina Panthers’ gain if the player demonstrates the same sort of productivity in the pros as he showed during his final year in the college system.
Bayless was virtually unstoppable for the Red Wolves in 2019 on his way to 93 receptions, 1,653 yards, and 17 touchdowns. He has exceptional footwork that allows him to make sharp cuts and give opposing cornerbacks nightmares.
The prospect was used primarily as a vertical threat in college, so he will need to refine his route-running to make a go of things in the NFL. Bayless is not going to blow you away with speed. But he does have a big frame that he uses to full effect.
Bayless is also a useful asset to have in critical areas such as third downs and in the red zone. He has good hands and has no trouble claiming the ball in traffic.
Where Bayless will fit into a wide receiver room that has two primary starters in D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson remains to be seen. The Panthers also avoided the temptation of trading Curtis Samuel during the draft. If Bayless does eventually make the roster it is expected that targets will be few and far between during the early stages of his development.
Chris Orr – LB (Wisconsin)
The Carolina Panthers did not pick up a linebacker during the NFL Draft. But Chris Orr has an enormous amount of potential and has a shot of making the roster.
He was a dominant force for the Badgers in 2019. Orr was a constant menace and notched 11.5 sacks, which is the most by an inside linebacker in program history. The prospect thrives in finding the right gaps to penetrate and has the physicality to lay big hits on opposing players at every opportunity.
Orr does not offer much in the way of coverage skills at the present time. His specialty comes in the backfield and this also saw the player rack up 14 tackles for loss during his final college season.
The Panthers were rocked this offseason by the shock retirement of legendary figure Luke Kuechly following arguably the best eight-year career of any player at the position in NFL history. While asking Orr to fill the void alone is a little too much to expect, there is an aura about him that can be coached up and the prospect can be used in blitz packages during the early stages of his career.
Getting to the quarterback is something Carolina focused heavily on during the draft. They now have some players who can wreak havoc and Orr could compliment this if his film is any indication.
Rodney Smith – RB (Minnesota)
Another eye-catching undrafted free-agent signing is Minnesota’s standout running back Rodney Smith. The player comes into the NFL following a tremendous 2019 with the Gophers and has an outstanding skillset.
Smith achieved 1,163 yards and eight touchdowns from 13 games last season. He projects to be more of a one-cut runner with some explosiveness to get short yards. The player runs nasty and would provide a nice foil for the Carolina Panthers to have going forward.
All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey recently signed a four-year deal and it is imperative that the franchise does all it can to get their money’s worth for the entirety of his deal. If they can avoid using their prized asset in short-yardage running situations, the better it will be for their long-term hopes.
That is where someone like Smith can come in. While he is a smooth runner, the back is not the speediest and does have some trouble finding yards after contact against bigger lineman.
His ball security is adequate and there is plenty of potential where Smith is concerned. He also fills the Panthers’ need for kick-returner after the incoming recruit averaged 15.3 yards per return during his four seasons in Minnesota.