Panthers 2020 potential free agent target profile: DT Javon Hargrave

During his 63-game career, Hargrave has totaled 168 tackles, 14.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss.

It’s no secret the 2019 Carolina Panthers defense struggled. The transition from a 4-3 base defense to a 3-4 base did not work out as planned, in part because defensive tackles Kawann Short and Dontari Poe were injured. Looking ahead, Gerald McCoy, Kyle Love and Vernon Butler are all set to become free agents. Poe is also a team option for 2020.

Due to those circumstances, the Panthes will likely need to reload at the position this offseason. So, our third 2020 potential free agent target profile is Steelers defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (6-foot-2, 305 pounds), a product of South Carolina State University.

Career stats

Hargrave is just 26 years old and has been a solid, productive and consistent defender for Pittsburgh since being picked No. 89 overall in the 2016 NFL draft. During his 63-game career, Hargrave has totaled 168 tackles, 14.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss.

Pros

Hargrave is fresh off of his best year as a Steeler. He played a career-high 62.9% of the team’s defensive snaps and racked up 60 tackles. He was ranked the eighth-best interior defensive lineman by Pro Football Focus. He’s been a force at nose tackle for a Steelers defense that has ranked in the top 15 against the run since 2016. Hargraves’ strength, tenacity and a low center of gravity makes him a perfect fit for a team that struggled immensely against the run last year. He’s also a threat to get to the quarterback. He finished with a 14.2% pressure rate in 2019. That put him third behind Aaron Donald and Chris Jones among all interior linemen.

Cons

Hargrave only played 62.9% of Pittsburgh’s defensive snaps last year and that was a career-high. The question is if he can handle more playing time. If Hargrave wants top money, he will need to prove he can stay on the field more often. Also, this is a strong DT free agent market, so Carolina can probably find an alternative at a cheaper price. This is Hargrave’s first opportunity to get a lucrative contract and chances are he won’t be taking a discount.

Probability: Medium

If the Panthers bring back Poe it would not make much sense to add another nose tackle. However, if they decide to let Poe walk, Hargrave would fit in well next to Short in the interior DL rotation. The decision on whether or not to spend money on Hargrave ultimately boils down to the team-building philosophy of coach Matt Rhule and to-be-named defensive coordinator Phil Snow.

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Panthers 2020 potential free agent target profile: WR Robby Anderson

Panthers 2020 potential free agent target profile: WR Robby Anderson

Now that Panthers coach Matt Rhule has found his preferred coordinators, it’s time to start filling the team’s many roster holes.

Jadeveon Clowney was our first potential 2020 free agent target profile, but he’s a long shot to leave Seattle and will have plenty of suitors if he does hit the market. Our next profile is a much more realistic target: Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson, who played for Rhule at Temple.

Career stats

Anderson went undrafted after his college career. The Jets signed him in May of 2016 and he’s become one of their best under-the-radar moves in a long time. So far, he’s played in 62 games, posting 207 catches, 3,059 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns.

Pros

On paper it might look like receiver isn’t a need. However, if you spent some time digesting Joe Brady’s offense from his time at LSU, you probably saw a whole lot of three and four receiver sets. That means the Panthers will need to add at least one more weapon, preferably in the slot to replace Jarius Wright. Anderson can play the slot or on the outside, which would allow D.J. Moore to put in more time at that spot, where he’s thrived. Carolina also needs more size at the position. Anderson is 6-foot-3 with a wide catch radius and 4.34 speed. He’s also just 26 years old.

Cons

This is not a strong free agent class at wide receiver, as in Anderson is the only one worth considering not named A.J. Green. That might push his price-tag into an unreasonable range, especially for a WR3. By comparison, the 2020 NFL draft class is deep at receiver, so finding a quality option there shouldn’t be hard. Clemson’s Tee Higgins (who is 6-foot-4) just declared, for one. Anderson has also had some off-field issues.

Probability: Medium

There are at least half a dozen other positions that should be addressed before wide receiver. However, sometimes the fit is just right. Anderson’s previous experience with Rhule can’t be discounted and he offers a lot of what the team needs at the position.

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Panthers 2020 potential free agent target profile: DE Jadeveon Clowney

Our first 2020 potential free agent target profile is Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.

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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Tre Boston, Eric Ebron discuss free agency: ‘Carolina could be the move’

The Carolina Panthers might look like a very different football team when they take the field in 2020.

The Carolina Panthers might look like a very different football team when they take the field in 2020. One of many players they have to make a decision about is safety Tre Boston, who signed a one-year deal late in the offseason and is about to become a free agent again.

Boston was not an All-Pro, but he played at a solid level for a starter. The team should consider re-signing him. However, with a new coach and assistant GM coming in, it’s difficult to guess what any pending free agent’s future holds.

For what it’s worth, Boston himself seems open to the idea of staying in Carolina and might be interested if other free-agents-to-be join him. In response to a tweet from ESPN’s Field Yates praising Boston’s work this season, Colts tight end (and pending free agent) Eric Ebron tagged Boston and asked where they’re going.

Boston replied back that Carolina could be the move.

Like Boston, Ebron played his college ball at North Carolina, so it would be a bit of a reunion for him. As it happens, the Panthers may be in need of a new tight end soon.

Greg Olsen has one year left on his deal but he seems to expect that he won’t be back in 2020 based on what he told the media following Sunday’s season-ending loss to the Saints.

Ian Thomas has shown flashes of promise in limited playing time, but if Olsen is truly gone then the depth chart is going to take a serious hit.

Ebron is actually a legitimate target worth considering for Marty Hurney and whoever else is making the decisions this offseason. He’s just 26 years old and he’s capable of producing with a star QB. In 2018 with Andrew Luck he posted career highs in catches (66), yards (750) and touchdowns (13). This year, Ebron only played 11 games and he had Jacoby Brissett targeting him instead of Luck. As you might expect, his numbers dived. He finished the year with 31 catches, 375 yards and three touchdowns. However, Ebron’s best days are probably still ahead of him and he’s exactly the kind of red zone weapon the Panthers need.

There are plenty of other personnel issues to address, but bringing back Boston and making Ebron an offer would be a good place to start.

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