6 free agents who could get the Panthers in playoff contention

Corey Linsley – C (Green Bay Packers)

The Carolina Panthers might end up cutting Matt Paradis to further boost their potential spend in free agency despite his improved level of play this season. He came into the campaign with plenty to prove and has raised his game accordingly. But the NFL has no room for sentiment where the almighty dollar is concerned.

Anyway, Corey Linsley would be a substantial upgrade at the position and an unbelievable coup if the Panthers could pull it off. It’s highly unlikely that the Packers will just let him walk for nothing and his thriving relationship with quarterback Aaron Rodgers is something they’d be foolish to let go of.

For now, Linsley remains out of contract next spring and would be one of the hottest names on the market regarding offensive linemen. His level of consistency in 2020 has been nothing short of outstanding and one only has to look at his eye-popping 89.6 grade from Pro Football Focus to see just how much he’s helped Green Bay’s offense go through something of a renaissance after struggling in 2019.

This is something of a pipe dream. The Packers don’t tend to let their best players leave in their prime and they have the cap space available to tie Linsley down long-term. But it’s hard not to look at his supreme ability and not think it could help the Panthers get over the hump and back into the playoffs.