The Carolina Panthers have officially started mandatory minicamp, which means their offseason program is almost complete. That doesn't mean Dan Morgan has stopped looking for additional reinforcements.
Soon, the team will go on a break before returning in late July for training camp. With it being so late in the offseason, the training camp roster is pretty much set. However, building a competent team is a never-ending job in the NFL. That’s why Carolina is still being linked to some top free agents.
Panthers named a potential landing spot for free-agent safety Julian Blackmon
Moe Moton from The Bleacher Report ranked the best remaining free agents under 30 years old, and also named a couple of potential landing spots for them. Placed at No. 10 on the list was safety Julian Blackmon, and Carolina was named as a potential landing spot for the defensive back.
This isn’t the first time Blackmon and the Panthers have been linked this offseason — it has happened all year. The veteran safety even visited Carolina back in March when free agency first started, and nothing came of it. Still, Moton argues that coming to the Panthers would make perfect sense.
"The Carolina Panthers could pair Blackmon with Tre'von Moehrig, who can also play both safety positions. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero could use them interchangeably, depending on the opponent and situation. Last year, the Panthers were tied for 24th in interceptions. In free agency, they lost safety Xavier Woods, who led the team in that category last year. Along with Moehrig, Blackmon could transform Carolina's secondary into a more aggressive unit on passing downs."Moe Moton
Moton made sure to bring up Blackmon’s ability to take the ball away. That’s a strong reputation he has developed through consistent production during his five years in the league. Playing his entire career with the Indianapolis Colts thus far, he recorded 10 interceptions in 66 games. He's also forced two fumbles, recovering four.
In Carolina, he could earn the starting job and become an impact player. However, for one reason or another, Blackmon and the team couldn’t reach a deal during the visit back in March, nor the months after.
It’ll be interesting to see if anything changed, and if the team revisits the idea of signing Blackmon.