5 Super Bowl free agents the Carolina Panthers should watch closely
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers should watch Jessie Bates III – S
Another area where the Carolina Panthers might look to strengthen at some stage during the offseason is within their safety corps. Juston Burris and Sean Chandler are both out of contract, so unless the likes of Myles Hartsfield and Sam Franklin make the necessary strides in the coming months, finding a long-term partner for Jeremy Chinn becomes a huge need.
Perhaps going through the draft route is the best – and cheapest – option. However, there is a real sense of urgency to win right now and this could lead the Panthers to a veteran that could provide a more immediate impact.
Jessie Bates III is a player to watch at the Super Bowl. He’s been a key cog in the Cincinnati Bengals‘ rise to prominence this season, emerging from also-rans to AFC Champions thanks to a playoff run that will live long in the memory.
The former second-round pick out of Wake Forest is firmly in his prime. A solid performance on the biggest stage against a high-octane Los Angeles Rams passing attack will do Bates’ chances of a lucrative extension in Cincinnati or elsewhere no harm at all.
One potential problem if the Panthers showed interest would be Bates’ potential contract. According to Spotrac, he is projected to earn an annual salary of $14.4 million on a five-year, $72.4 million deal, which is clearly too rich for their blood with just $18 million in salary-cap space available at the present time.