What do the Carolina Panthers have at cornerback in 2021?
By Will Burns
How much confidence should the Carolina Panthers have in their cornerback room in 2021?
Even with the Carolina Panthers losing cornerbacks Rasul Douglas and Corn Elder this offseason, they wasted no time in replacing and upgrading. It was obvious after 2020 that changes needed to be made in the secondary and the front office moved swiftly to strengthen their options in free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Panthers must get better in pass defense in 2021. Carolina ranked 17th in passing yards allowed per game in 2020, giving up 239 yards through the air.
This number probably would’ve been higher if the run defense wouldn’t have been so pitiful. The good news is Carolina also addressed this troubling area during a solid period of recruitment.
For the first time in a few seasons, the Panthers look to have a solid defensive core that will hopefully produce in 2021. New additions such as Hasson Reddick, A.J. Bouye, and DaQuan Jones give fans a reason to be excited.
The offensive side of the ball has also made some nice additions that will help them perform better, and put more pressure on the defense. Newly acquired quarterback Sam Darnold will look to help Carolina put up more points as he looks to make a better go of things following his trade from the New York Jets.
Panthers head coach Matt Rhule is counting on improved cornerback play to help boost the mere 5-11 record his team posted in 2020. Defensive coordinator Phil Snow may be on the hot seat if they can’t figure it out next season.
With a more improved run defense and an improved offense for 2021, the Panthers cornerbacks will have to play better than ever, with teams more likely to attack downfield.
Now that the stage is set, let’s get into what exactly Carolina has at cornerback in 2021.