4 position battles to watch during Panthers OTAs in 2021
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers CBs
It’s been another year of big change for the cornerback room, with plenty of comings and goings in a bid to turn around the team’s fortunes. This became an area of real frustration as the season went on and even though Donte Jackson showed some real promise down the stretch, the Carolina Panthers needed much more consistency across the board.
Jackson heads into a contract year and on the back of some exceptional displays after the Week 13 bye. Much will depend on if the former LSU star can stay healthy, but it’s hard to argue the fact he didn’t look like a potential shutdown corner once his toe problem fully healed.
Nobody would have been happier than Jackson when the Panthers selected Jaycee Horn at No. 8 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. The South Carolina product has an incredible amount of athletic prowess and the pedigree to match, with his production against some of college football’s most dynamic playmakers such as Kyle Pitts and DeVonta Smith sure to serve him well at the next level.
A.J. Bouye should provide experience when the Pro Bowler gets back from a two-game suspension to start the season. What comes behind this trio is still unclear and it’ll be interesting to see who emerges from this positional battle with the upper hand.
Fifth-round pick Keith Taylor Jr. might be the answer depending on how Troy Pride Jr., Myles Hartsfield, and Stantley Thomas-Oliver progress their skills this offseason. Rashaan Melvin hasn’t lived up to his pre-draft hype as yet, but the player will be hoping for better luck this time.