5 AFC North free agents the Panthers could target in 2021

Mackensie Alexander – CB

• 2020 team – Cincinnati Bengals

The Carolina Panthers need help at cornerback, which would get even more pressing if Corn Elder and Rasul Douglas both depart in free agency. This is a positional group that will be addressed in the 2021 NFL Draft but bringing in a proven free-agent who is capable of making a smooth adjustment to a different environment is also on the list of priorities.

Mackensie Alexander is someone who might be worth considering. The corner signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals last spring and he did perform well despite the defense struggling overall.

Whether the Bengals will give Alexander an extension this offseason is another matter entirely. There was an off-field incident that saw one count of misdemeanor battery dropped, so teams shouldn’t be taking this into consideration when looking in the veteran’s direction this offseason.

Alexander recorded career highs in starts and tackles in Cincinnati, giving up 69.6 percent of targets thrown in his direction. He is no stranger to the Carolinas having played his college football at Clemson, with his expertise covering in the slot another notable weapon in his arsenal that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Much will depend on the finances involved and what Carolina decides to do with their out-of-contract players. But the Panthers would do far worse than look at Alexander.