One week from today, the new NFL league year begins and so will free agency. In addition to having a lot of roster holes to fill, the Carolina Panthers also have a bunch of pending free agents which they’ll have to either re-sign or replace.
Let’s break down their position needs one at a time based on just how badly they need more help.
1. Cornerback
Carolina was already in a pretty rough spot at corner and things could get much worse fast. The team does not plan to use its franchise tag on its top corner James Bradberry and he’s expecting at least $15 million a year on his next deal. Expect Bradberry to sign somewhere he won’t have to cover Julio Jones, Michael Thomas, Mike Evans six times a year. The Panthers might also lose their serviceable backup Ross Cockrell and their slot cornerback Javien Elliott, also both pending free agents. The good news here is that if they don’t sign somebody, it’s a deep 2020 draft class at this position.
Potential targets: Bradley Roby, Darqueze Dennard, Kendall Fuller