5 free-agent cornerbacks the Panthers should target in 2021
By Dean Jones
Which free-agent cornerbacks might the Carolina Panthers go after to boost their roster in the coming weeks?
Things steadily improved on defense for the Carolina Panthers in 2020. They went into the campaign with a young roster that was always going to go through its fair share of growing pains. But the strides they made over the second half of the season and particularly down the stretch is a strong platform from which to build a potentially dominant unit in the coming weeks.
Free agency is always a wild time of year. Last year’s drama involving the Panthers saw their roster decimated of veteran leadership, which involved cornerback James Bradberry securing a big-money move to the New York Giants that proved to be a bitter blow.
Bradberry was sensational during his first year at MetLife Stadium, which made the decision to let him walk come under even more scrutiny. Money was tight for the Panthers at the time, so they were not in any position to match what the Giants eventually gave the former second-round pick.
Donte Jackson looked like a potential long-term No. 1 option once he was finally at full health after the bye week. But they need another plug-and-play presence on the opposite side of the field that might be better off coming from the free agency period rather than the 2021 NFL Draft.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at five potential cornerback targets that the Panthers might pursue once the free-agent frenzy gets underway.
Cornerback No. 1
A.J. Bouye
- 2020 team – Denver Broncos
The relationship between A.J. Bouye and the Denver Broncos lasted just one season and ended with the cornerback being suspended for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. He’ll miss the first two contests of the 2021 campaign, but that shouldn’t put off the Carolina Panthers in their pursuit of the player.
This makes a ton of sense. Bouye isn’t going to cost a great deal and would give the Panthers a stable presence opposite Donte Jackson that might be a huge asset once he returns from his enforced spell on the sidelines.
Bouye has a huge point to prove after disappointing somewhat in Denver. He’ll also be fully aware that this might be his final chance to prolong his career and Matt Rhule has already taken a chance on players like this during his time in Carolina.