The Panthers should have plenty of cap space to make some significant moves in free agency this year.

With no previous experience in the NFL, it’s difficult to tell what kind of players head coach Matt Rhule will want to add to his team. However, there are some intriguing names about to hit the market who could definitely make an impact for this roster.

Our first 2020 potential free agent target profile is Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (6-foot-5, 255 pounds), who played his college ball at South Carolina.

Career stats

Clowney is just 27 years old, but he’s already posted some impressive numbers in his pro career. In 75 career games, he’s totaled 32 sacks, 80 quarterback hits, 71 tackles for a loss, eight forced fumbles and three defensive touchdowns.

Pros

While there are other strong EDGE candidates out there, Clowney is the most disruptive defensive lineman in this free agent class. His ability to get into the backfield and nip plays in the bud makes him a rare talent. Clowney is always a threat to get to the quarterback, but he doesn’t get enough credit for his spectacular run defense. The Panthers in 2019 were arguably the worst run defending team in NFL history, so that quality is something that should be at or near the top of their list.

Cons

Clowney has a penchant for committing penalties (he had three in Seattle’s loss to Green Bay on Sunday). His positives far outweigh the occasional 15-yard penalty, though. Clowney played through pain in the playoffs and is set to undergo core surgery. That shouldn’t effect his availability in 2020, though. The real concern with Clowney is the price tag. If the Seahawks don’t throw a large bag of money at him, other teams will be happy to. Unless he’s willing to take a hometown discount (he won’t), signing Clowney is going to require a massive investment of resources.

Probability: Low

We would love to see Clowney suiting up for the Panthers next year. Realistically, it’s probably not going to happen, though. If Seattle lets him walk their edge rotation will be among the worst in the league, so there’s a decent chance he won’t even become available.

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