4 free agents the Carolina Panthers should target post-draft

Neville Hewitt – LB

• 2020 team – New York Jets

There appears to be plenty of flexibility within the linebacking room where the Carolina Panthers are concerned. However, if the team is planning to move forward with Jermaine Carter on the outside and Haason Reddick as a defensive end, a more reliable backup option to free-agent signing Denzel Perryman needs to be found.

Carolina overlooked this particular area of the field during the draft, which wasn’t really a surprise when one considers the needs elsewhere. Paddy Fisher was picked up on the undrafted free-agent market after a sensational college career at Northwestern and he might be a dark horse to make the 53-man roster when it’s all said and done.

Another option available to the Panthers is looking to the free-agent market for someone with a little more experience who can step in at a moment’s notice. Neville Hewitt racked up 134 tackles for the New York Jets in 2020 and although there are problems from a coverage standpoint, bringing him in on a short-term deal might give Carolina additional depth they’ve been looking for.

There is no way Hewitt would challenge Perryman for the No. 1 spot. But if an injury were to befall the signing from the Los Angeles Chargers then the Marshall product could slot in with minimal fuss.