3 possible Carolina Panthers trade targets from the New York Jets
By Dean Jones
Blessuan Austin – CB
Blessuan Austin showed tremendous promise during his rookie season with the New York Jets. The cornerback looks to be a real steal as a sixth-round pick. But there is plenty riding on the campaign for the player in a more prominent starting role.
If he proves his worth as a consistent starter in 2020, then he is going to have a great career in front of him. The Carolina Panthers have more questions than answers at the corner spot heading into the season. And if this unit fails to meet expectations, then it will not be long before the front office makes even more changes in a bid to turnaround their fortunes.
Austin coped exceptionally well in the face of some concerted pressure last season. He finished the campaign with 25 combined tackles, 19 solo tackles, four pass deflections, and one forced fumble. This was enough for the cornerback to attain a 71.4 grade from Pro Football Focus after giving up 21 receptions from 34 targets.
Must Read. 3 things Phil Snow must get from Carolina Panthers training camp. light
He will surely benefit an enormous amount from this experience. What comes next will be even more important for Austin’s aspirations. If he takes another leap forward in 2020, then the cost to acquire him is going to be incredibly steep and something that Carolina might not be willing to give up at this stage of their rebuild.