What do the Carolina Panthers have at cornerback in 2021?
By Will Burns
A.J. Bouye and Rashaan Melvin – Carolina Panthers CBs
The Carolina Panthers also made sure to address the cornerback position in free agency, adding former Pro Bowl talent A.J Bouye, and former Detroit Lions cornerback Rashaan Melvin. Both of these players are older and out of their prime, but they can still be beneficial to the previously weak secondary.
Bouye will be a solid boundary option for the Panthers, and will most likely be on the field in zone coverage. But he can still play some decent in man when needed.
He is talented enough to compete for starting reps with the likes of Jaycee Horn and Donte Jackson. Bouye is looking to get back to his 2017 self, where he was one of the best in the business on the Jacksonville Jaguars. But he had a rough, injury-plagued year last season and will be looking to rebound in 2021.
Bouye is suspended for the first two games of 2021 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, so we won’t get to see him suit up until Week 2
Melvin opted out of the 2020 NFL season, but prior to that, he played for the Lions. The player posted a 55.3 Pro Football Focus grade in 2019, which isn’t terrible for a rotational piece.
He makes an impact with his ability to make plays on the football consistently, which might be of use. Melvin will be a solid depth guy for the Panthers and could possibly exceed expectations for more reps.
Signing two veterans like Bouye and Melvin gives Carolina maturity and experience at corner, something they’ve lacked in recent seasons.