5 free agents the Panthers could target in 2021
By Dean Jones
The Carolina Panthers free agency plans might look a lot different next year with more money at their disposal, but which players could they target?
Things have been far from easy for the Carolina Panthers free agency team this offseason. They have been forced into some difficult decisions and lost plenty of key names that leave big shoes to fill.
The Panthers free agency plans centered on getting in a quarterback who could steady the ship. They managed to this by bringing in Teddy Bridgewater on a three-year, $63 million deal from the New Orleans Saints to lead the franchise going forward.
Besides the financial commitment given to wide receiver Robby Anderson, the rest were cheap alternatives on one-year deals. This is due to the tight salary cap predicament that is mainly due to an extortionate level of dead cap money that totals $48.1 million.
Providing the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t alter next year’s cap too dramatically. The Panthers’ free-agent plans could be a lot different. They will have substantially more resources at their disposal that can be assisted even further by parting ways with some big earners who are underperforming.
Head coach Matt Rhule is in the first year of his rebuild with the organization. His hands have been tied somewhat during his first offseason dealing in the free agency market. But this is something that could alter significantly next time around.
There are plenty of exciting players entering the free-agent market in 2021, and here are five names that warrant consideration from the Panthers’ perspective.