Panthers 2020 potential free agent target profile: LB Nick Kwiatkoski

Today’s potential 2020 target is underrated Bears linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski.

The Panthers had the league’s best linebacker corps not too long ago. Now that both Thomas Davis and Luke Kuechly are gone, they have surrendered that title and will need to add some more talent in 2020.

We have already identified a few potential free agent linebackers they could target. Considering Carolina’s cap situation, they all might be out of their price range, though. Today’s potential 2020 target is underrated Bears linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, who could be a steal in free agency this year.

Career stats:

Since Chicago picked him in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft, Kwiatkoski has played 57 games, totaling 133 solo tackles (13 for a loss), six sacks, eight quarterback hits, four forced fumbles, one interception and eight pass breakups.

Pros:

Kwiatkoski is not a Pro Bowler or a star, but he offers a solid blend of youth and experience and hasn’t missed a game since 2017. Early in his career, coverage was a question. He has improved a great deal in this area, though. Kwiatkoski only allowed four yards per target this past season, the second-lowest rate in the NFL. He’s also a quality run defender and would be a key piece on special teams.

Cons:

Kwiatkoski has far less experience than most of the other 2020 free agent linebackers. He’s only started 22 games in four seasons and hasn’t been asked to carry a heavy load like he would be in Carolina. Standing next to Shaq Thompson could leave him exposed to crafty offensive playcallers like Sean Payton and Bruce Arians.

Probability: Low

The advantage Kwiatkoski offers is value: he won’t cost as much as Cory Littleton or Joe Schobert and he’s less of a risk than Blake Martinez or Danny Trevathan.

The Panthers are going to have to add a linebacker at some point this year and the 2020 draft class isn’t especially deep at that spot. Kwiatkoski is as good as they’re going to get given what they can afford. That said, the Bears would be foolish to let him test the market.

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Panthers 2020 potential free agent target profile: TE Hunter Henry

Our next potential 2020 free agent target is Hunter Henry.

Greg Olsen wants to continue playing in the NFL. It won’t be with the Panthers, though. They released him last month. Since then, he’s been working as an XFL analyst and has meetings set up with the Bills, Redskins and Seahawks.

Replacing Olsen won’t be easy for general manager Marty Hurney. However, there are several high quality tight ends who are about to hit the market. Our next potential 2020 free agent target is Hunter Henry.

Career stats:

Henry played college ball at Arkansas, then the Chargers picked him in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft. So far, Henry has appeared in 41 games, totaling 136 catches, 1,709 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. He was named to the All-Rookie team in 2016, when he caught eight.

Pros:

If the Panthers are looking for a clone of Olsen, Henry is about as close as they’re going to get. The two are almost the exact same size and Henry has the same soft, reliable hands. His career catch rate is 71.2% and he’s consistently moved the chains, posting 98 first downs. Henry can also help fill Carolina’s need for a new red zone weapon, which is even worse now that Olsen is out of the picture.

Cons:

The big question mark with Henry is his health. He missed the entire 2018 season due to a torn ACL. He also missed four more games this past season due to a tibia plateau fracture. Another major knee injury could seriously limit what he is able to accomplish in his career.

Probability: Medium

Only Hurney could tell you what his interest level is, but on the surface Henry seems to be an excellent fit to replace Olsen. The x-factor will be his price tag, which could be effected in a major way by new contracts for players like Austin Hooper and Eric Ebron.

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Panthers 2020 potential free agent target profile: DL Chris Jones

On Sunday, Jones proved to the whole world he’s one of the league’s most disruptive interior defenders.

The Panthers may not be in total rebuild mode. There are major changes coming to both sides of the ball, though.

One area that may see a ton of turnover is the interior of the defensive line. Kawann Short isn’t going anywhere, but the same can’t be said for anybody else at the position. Dontari Poe could be a cap casualty and Vernon Butler, Gerald McCoy and Kyle Love will all become free agents next month. So, the team may need some fresh blood.

To that end, our next potential 2020 free agent target profile is Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones, who probably should have been the MVP of Super Bowl LIV.

Career stats:

Kansas City picked Jones (6-foot-6, 310 pounds) in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft. Since then, he’s played in 61 games, totaling 33 sacks, 72 quarterback hits, 37 tackles for a loss, seven forced fumbles, two interceptions and 20 pass breakups. For the 2019 season, Pro Football Focus gave Jones an 89.5 pass rush grade.

Pros:

On Sunday, Jones showed the whole world he’s one of the league’s most disruptive interior defenders. He helped pressure Jimmy Garoppolo into throwing his now-infamous desperation interception. Jones also batted down three of Garoppolo’s passes at the line of scrimmage. At just 25 years old, it looks like Jones could be an elite iDL for a long time.

Cons:

Jones is a respectable run defender, but he has room to improve. That’s nitpicking, though. The only thing not to like about Jones’ game is how much it’s going to cost to sign him. In the unlikely event the Chiefs allow him to leave, Jones will cash in on the open market. While he won’t get Aaron Donald money, Jones will command at least as much as J.J. Watt, Fletcher Cox or Grady Jarrett, who are averaging around $17 million a year.

Probability: Low

Jones would be a dream signing for the Panthers. However, there are too many teams with far more cap space for them to really compete.

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Panthers 2020 potential free agent target profile: WR A.J. Green

With that in mind, our next potential 2020 free agent target profile is Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green

The Panthers have a new offensive coordinator and apparently will be keeping Cam Newton around at least for another year.

While the team has a plethora of roster holes to fill this offseason, there’s nothing wrong with adding some more firepower on offense. With that in mind, our next potential 2020 free agent target profile is Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green.

Career stats:

After a strong three-year run at Georgia, Green was picked by Cincinnati in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft, just three picks after Newton. In 111 games, he’s totaled 602 catches, 8,907 receiving yards and 63 touchdowns. Green has made the Pro Bowl seven times and peaked on the NFL100 list at No. 9 back in 2014.

Pros:

When he’s healthy, Green is about as good as wide receivers come. The numbers he’s posted are sensational considering he’s worked with Andy Dalton for most of his career. Green’s size (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) helps make him one of the game’s best red zone targets. He has superb hands, a wide catch radius and excels at making tough plays in traffic. Green is also a threat to go deep. He’s averaged 14.8 yards per reception in his career. Adding him could give Carolina an elite 1-2-3 wide receiver combination with D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel.

Cons:

Green missed half of the 2018 season and all of 2019 due to injuries. He will be 32 years old by the time next season begins and it’s worth wondering if he can ever return to his peak production. The Panthers wouldn’t need 1,400 yards or 10+ touchdowns from him, though. The real question is of course the price. Green is the only star receiver in this year’s free agent class and might command a lot on the open market.

Probability: Low

It’s tantalizing to think what the Panthers could do with Green, D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel all on the field at the same time with a healthy Cam Newton and Joe Brady calling the plays. However, Green would qualify as a luxury signing. This team needs to address the trenches and the back end of the defense before thinking about more weapons.

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Panthers 2020 potential free agent target profile: TE Eric Ebron

Our next 2020 potential free agent target profile is Eric Ebron, who played his college football at North Carolina.

The Panthers have already lost one franchise legend this offseason with the stunning, sudden retirement of inside linebacker Luke Kuechly. If Greg Olsen decides to trade his helmet in for a microphone, they’ll also have a large hole to fill at tight end.

And so our next 2020 potential free agent target profile is Eric Ebron, who played his college football at North Carolina.

Career stats:

After UNC, the Lions picked Ebron in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played in Detroit four years, totaling 186 catches, 2,070 yards and 11 touchdowns. Ebron really broke out when he went to the Colts, though. In two seasons with Indianapolis, he’s already posted 97 catches, 1,125 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Pros:

Ebron is not the superstar Olsen was in his prime. However, he is one of the league’s top pass-catching tight ends. His remarkable production with Andrew Luck in 2018 (750 yards, 13 touchdowns) proves he’s capable of putting up elite numbers with the right quarterback. Pairing him with Ian Thomas would give the Panthers another badly-needed red zone weapon and a strong foundation at the tight end position for a long time.

Cons:

The best tight ends in the game like George Kittle and Travis Kelce are capable receivers and blockers. While he’s got talent for catching the ball, Ebron isn’t exactly known for his run blocking or pass protection. He will get pancaked on occasion. Drops have been an issue in the past, as well.

Probability: Medium

It’s tough to overstate how much the Panthers will need help at tight end if Olsen does indeed retire, even if Thomas is everything they hoped he’d be. Ebron has a local connection and his former college teammate Tre Boston would no doubt lobby to bring him on board. This one feels like there’s a decent chance it could actually happen.

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Panthers 2020 free agency: 4 potential targets at linebacker

Now that he’s retired from the NFL, the Carolina Panthers have a massive hole to fill in the middle of their defense.

Luke Kuechly was the best off-ball linebacker of this generation, or at the very least he tied with Bobby Wagner. Now that he’s retired from the NFL, the Carolina Panthers have a massive hole to fill in the middle of their defense.

Shaq Thompson will most likely take over Kuechly’s old middle linebacker role, assuming the team goes back to a 4-3 scheme. However, they will still need a new starter to put next to him. On the roster, Jermaine Carter Jr. is the best option to fill that role. If they decide to sign somebody in free agency, here are a few names they could consider.

Cory Littleton

Career stats: 64 games, 205 solo tackles, 20 tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles, 8.5 sacks, 14 QB hits, six interceptions, 26 pass breakups

Pros: After going undrafted out of Washington, Littleton spent his first two years as a backup for the Rams. He’s started every game over the last two seasons, though and he has come on quite strong. Littleton filled up the box score in 2019 and stood out in coverage. Pro Football Focus ranked him No. 7 among all inside linebackers for this year. He’s also just 26 years old.

Cons: On the downside, Littleton is great at covering pass-catching tight ends, but he has some room to improve in run defense. Fortunately, the Panthers just re-hired Al Holcomb as their run game defense coordinator, so he would be able to coach Littleton up in this area.

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Panthers 2020 potential free agent target profile: G Brandon Scherff

The Panthers lost their star left guard Andrew Norwell to the Jaguars in free agency a couple of years ago. As expected, it’s been difficult for them to fill the void left behind by his exit. Looking forward, Greg Van Roten and Daryl Williams will both be free agents in March. That means the team may need to find a new starter at this position.

If they look internally, 2019 sixth-round pick Dennis Daley is the most logical option to fill that spot. However, there are a couple of excellent guards who are about to hit the market who they should consider. Our next potential 2020 target profile is Redskins right guard Brandon Scherff.

Career stats:

Scherff was a first-round pick by Washington in the 2015 NFL draft. He began starting games immediately and has made a positive impact for their offensive line. According to Pro Football Focus, he only allowed one sack last season and earned a strong 75.0 overall grade.

Pros:

Scherff may not be the game’s most dominant guard, but he is one of the best. He was a member of the All-Rookie team his first year and has been to the Pro Bowl three times, including this season. He just turned 28, so he should have plenty of good years left in him. Signing Scherff would eliminate the weak link in Carolina’s offensive line and make life much easier on center Matt Paradis, who needs a bounce-back year.

Cons:

Shifting over to left guard might require an adjustment period for Scherff. However, it shouldn’t be too difficult for him. Scherff also committed nine penalties this year, the second most at his position, per PFF. He has also missed a total of 13 games over the last two seasons due to injuries. Scherff was put on IR by the Redskins in the middle of December due to elbow and shoulder issues. They should not hold him out for any part of the 2020 season, though.

Probability: Low

Ron Rivera won’t want to surrender one of his best linemen, especially if he cant convince left tackle Trent Williams to return. Even if Washington doesn’t re-sign Scherff, he and Joe Thuney are the only solid guards on the market this year, so he should fetch a handsome price.

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Panthers 2020 potential free agent target profile: S Anthony Harris

Our next potential 2020 free agency target for Carolina is Vikings safety Anthony Harris, who is coming off a career year.

The Panthers have a lot of work to do this offseason to turn around a secondary that disappointed again. From Donte Jackson’s lapses in coverage to Eric Reid’s bad angles to James Bradberry’s frustrating inconsistency, there were a ton of mistakes that need to be cleaned up.

The unit could also use some more talent. Fortunately, the team has plenty of cap room to make a splash or two and there are several quality defensive backs who are about to become free agents. Our next potential 2020 free agency target for Carolina is Vikings safety Anthony Harris, who is coming off a career year.

Career stats

Harris went undrafted after playing his college football at Virginia. It took him a while to earn his way onto the field, but he’s been extremely impressive since he began starting regularly in 2018. In 65 games, he’s posted nine interceptions, 21 pass breakups, 127 solo tackles, four fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown.

Pros

What the back end of the Panthers’ defense needs more than anything is improvement in coverage across the board. That’s Harris’ specialty. He was one of the best cover safeties in football this year and tied Stephon Gilmore and Tre’Davious White for the league lead with six interceptions. Most of his experience is as a free safety. However, Harris can also play in the box or the slot. That would be helpful if the team decides to keep Tre Boston. Harris is also an excellent tackler (another major area this group needs to improve) and he’s still coming into his prime at 28 years old.

Cons

There’s not much to mention, here. Some critics might point to Harris only having about two seasons’ worth of starts (31 games) under his belt. That’s silly, though. Harris had to crack a tough DB rotation to become a starter and he’s been solid ever since. The real question mark is Harris’ price-tag. Since he went undrafted, he’s made just $5,375,000 in his career. Harris is going to cash in come March and the competition will be fierce.

Probability: Low

Mike Zimmer does not surrender his good DBs easily. Even if Minnesota doesn’t re-sign him, Harris should get attention from any team that needs a quality starting safety and he’s at the top of the market.

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Super Bowl LIV: 6 potential free agent targets for the Panthers

This year, the Chiefs and the 49ers are meeting in the big game and both teams have several pending free agents who could potentially make a good fit with the Panthers.

Every year, the two teams who make it to the Super Bowl inevitably lose a lot of talent in free agency as competitors try to get some of that championship vibe to rub off. This year, the Chiefs and the 49ers are meeting in the big game and both teams have several pending free agents who could potentially make a good fit with the Panthers.

Here are six players we will be watching during Super Bowl LIV.

Chiefs DT Chris Jones

Age: 25 years old

Career stats: 61 games, 33 sacks, 72 QB hits, 37 tackles for a loss

The Chiefs would be nuts to let Jones walk, as his return to the lineup in the AFC championship proved how valuable he is for Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. Keeping him around won’t come cheap, though. Meanwhile, the Panthers could lose Gerald McCoy and Vernon Butler to free agency and Dontari Poe might get cut. Signing Jones to pair with star DT Kawann Short would help keep a strong interior rotation going and make it younger.

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Panthers 2020 potential free agent target profile: CB Bradley Roby

Houston cornerback Bradley Roby (5-foot-11, 192 pounds) may be able to help.

Since their run to the Super Bowl in 2015, the Panthers have ranked in the bottom half in the NFL in pass defense. In 2019, they ranked No. 14 in passing yards allowed, giving up an average of 231 yards per game.

This was a contract year for James Bradberry and he wants elite corner money, Tre Boston was on a one-year deal and the only starter returning in 2020 as of right now is Eric Reid. Some more help in the secondary would not hurt the Panthers as they try to get back to their dominant defensive ways. Houston cornerback Bradley Roby (5-foot-11, 192 pounds) may be able to help. He is our fourth 2020 potential free-agent target.

Career stats

Roby was selected No. 31 overall by the Broncos in the 2014 NFL draft. Through most of his pro career, Roby has been primarily a nickel back. He became a starter for Denver in 2018 and the Texans in 2019. In 89 career games, Roby has amassed 274 tackles, four sacks, eight forced fumbles, nine interceptions and 68 pass breakups.

Pros

Roby is a corner who has the ability to play nickel or outside in any defensive scheme. During his first four years in the NFL, Roby was considered to be one of the top nickel corners in football. Over the last two years, Roby’s been lining on the outside or shadowing the opposing team’s best receiver. He has the size and speed to cover most receivers but he is better suited at the nickel role where he thrived in Denver. In 2017, Roby had his best year. He was ranked the third-hardest corner to complete a pass against, according to Pro Football Focus.

Cons

Roby has had some struggles the last two seasons as he transitioned to a full-time starting outside corner. Like Marcus Peters, Roby is sort of a gambler. He wants to create turnovers, which is fine. The problem is when he’s wrong it can lead to big plays. One of his coaches from the Broncos stressed that Roby stop “chasing the ball.” The coaches would have to work on his discipline.

Probability: Low

This Carolina defense has other priorities to address before cornerback. However, if the team loses Bradberry to free agency, then acquiring Roby would be more likely. Even if Bradberry stays, the team could use a true full-time nickel corner, and Roby could be the best on the market.

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