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The New Orleans Saints are hard at work evaluating their pending free agents and considering who might become available around the league, and we’re taking the same approach. We’ll be continuing our team-by-team preview of every team’s potential free agent class in the weeks leading up to NFL’s new fiscal year. Today, that means surveying the Carolina Panthers free agents.
- CB James Bradberry
- CB Javien Elliott
- DT Vernon Butler
- DT Kyle Love
- DT Stacy McGee
- DL Gerald McCoy
- FS Tre Boston
- G Greg Van Roten
- OLB Mario Addison
- OLB Bruce Irvin
- RT Daryl Williams
- TE Greg Olsen
- WR Chris Hogan
- DT Dontari Poe (Club Option)
- WR Jarius Wright (Club Option)
- WR DeAndrew White (RFA)
- TE Dillon Gordon (RFA)
- QB Kyle Allen (ERFA)
- G Brandon Greene (ERFA)
- G Kitt O’Brien (ERFA)
- TE Marcus Baugh (ERFA)
- CB Cole Luke (ERFA)
The name to watch here may be James Bradberry. He’s had some good games against the Saints before, but more importantly has been a consistently productive cover corner in a tough division. His best games have come against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including a 2019 matchup in which he intercepted two passes and deflected two others. That experience against common opponents means he could help the Saints right away. The Saints are running thin at cornerback with just three corners under contract right now (being Marshon Lattimore, Janoris Jenkins, and Patrick Robinson) so we can expect some additions to the depth chart. No Panthers cornerback logged more coverage snaps than Bradberry 9614) in 2019, and Pro Football Focus credited him with the team’s second-best coverage grade.
Another name to monitor is Chris Hogan, the veteran wideout who was limited by a knee injury. Before joining the Panthers, Hogan was a well-regarded downfield threat who averaged 15.4 yards per catch the previous three years with the New England Patriots. He’s got good hands (62.3% career catch rate) and could be exactly what the Saints need to revive the vertical passing game. The questions have to surround his health and his age; he’ll turn 33 in October. Hogan should not be New Orleans’ first choice in free agency (or even one of their top choices), but he’s someone to keep in mind after the first wave or two of big signings is finalized.
Other Panthers free agents who could fit the Saints: free safety Tre Boston, defensive lineman Gerald McCoy, and defensive tackle Vernon Butler. Greg Olsen is a first-team All-Saints-Killer, but he’s not what the team needs right now at tight end.
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