Tag: James Bradberry

2020 NFL Free Agency: Top Panthers targets for the Saints

The Carolina Panthers have several pending free agents for the New Orleans Saints to consider, such as James Bradberry and Chris Hogan.

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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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James Bradberry would love to play for Ron Rivera again

One free agent likes the idea of playing for the Redskins.

James Bradberry is one of the more interesting free agents available this offseason — and he just so happens to have a connection to Washington Redskins head coach Ron Rivera.

Bradberry played under Rivera with the Carolina Panthers and he’s openly admitted he’d like to do so again.

“I would love to play for coach Rivera again,” Bradberry said, according to NBC Sports’ Ethan Cadeaux. “He’s a great man and a great coach. He coached me for four years. I didn’t realize how much he meant to us until that day [he got fired]. Just how he spoke to us as men. He wasn’t overly aggressive unless he needed to be. He put his foot down when he needed to be.”

Bradberry might just be stressing some leverage against the Panthers here, as he’s a possible tag candidate by the Panthers.

But the corner’s thoughts on Rivera are genuine enough and the Redskins would probably love to have him. Bradberry has often registered as one of the league’s more underrated corners to this point in his career and is still only 26 years old.

Money will play a role in any potential fit though and the Redskins already have quite a bit invested in the secondary. There’s some wiggle room if they move on from Josh Norman and Bradberry appears to like the idea of moving to Washington, so never say never,

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20 candidates for NFL franchise or transition tags

Dak Prescott heads a list of 20 candidates for the NFL’s franchise and tags.

When all else failed in negotiations in past years, NFL teams had the option of using either the franchise tag or transition tag to keep a player they didn’t want walking away as a free agent. This year is a little different. In the final year of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams are allowed to use both the franchise and transition tags.

The tags can be designated between Feb. 25 and March 10. There are two types of franchise tags, exclusive and non-exclusive. A player with the non-exclusive franchise tag can negotiate with other teams. If an offer is received from outside, the current team has the option to match the offer or receive two first-round draft picks as compensation. The franchise tag is calculated by the average of the top five salaries at a given position or 120 percent of the player’s salary from last year (whichever number is greater).

The transition tag is valued at an average of the top 10 salaries at the player’s position or 120 percent of his salary from the previous year. There’s one big difference between the franchise and transition tags. With the transition tag, the current team receives no compensation if it elects to not match an offer from another team.

Some players, such as New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, New England quarterback Tom Brady and Seattle defensive end Jadeveon Clowney have language in their contracts that forbids the use of franchise and transition tags.

Let’s take a look at the top candidates for franchise or transition tags in 2020:

20. James Bradberry, CB, Carolina Panthers

Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

General manager Marty Hurney has told Bradberry the team wants to keep him. That makes sense because Bradberry is Carolina’s best cornerback in a division that features receivers Julio Jones, Michael Thomas, Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. But there’s a potential problem on the horizon. Former Carolina coach Ron Rivera is now in Washington and Bradberry was one of his favorites. The best way to box out Rivera may be to franchise Bradberry.

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Pro Football Focus: Panthers have 5 of the top 100 pending 2020 free agents

Pro Football Focus: Panthers have 5 of the top 100 pending free agents for 2020.

A lot of interesting names may be on the move come March when free agency begins. The Panthers have more than a dozen pending free agents on defense alone and some of them are key pieces.

Pro Football Focus recently came out with a ranking of the top 100 pending free agents for 2020, and five Carolina players made the list.

Slot CB Javien Elliott

Elliott was ranked No. 94 on PFF’s list. He proved to be an upgrade over Captain Munnerlyn and generally held up pretty well. They graded him 67.2 overall on 439 total snaps played. The Panthers need all the help they can get at cornerback, so it might not be a bad idea to bring him back. He’s far from irreplaceable, though and didn’t get a great coverage grade (65.8).

OL Daryl Williams

Williams came in at No. 91 on the list after earning a 56.1 overall grade. This speaks more to an extremely weak offensive line class than anything else. Williams began the year at left tackle, where he was predictably a bust. After Greg Van Roten got injured, he slid over and played left guard. Either way, Williams struggled in pass protection all year, allowing 12 sacks. It would come as a surprise if he returns for the 2020 season.

DT Gerald McCoy

After signing a one-year deal to lure him away from the division rival Buccaneers, the Panthers got a strong season from McCoy. He was ranked No. 58 on PFF’s list and earned a 72.0 overall grade. McCoy was excellent against the run and also had moments as a pass rusher, totaling five sacks, 13 QB hits and seven tackles for a loss. It’s tough to say whether or not McCoy will come back due to his age.

CB James Bradberry

Pro Football Focus ranked Bradberry No. 53 on their list. Bradberry got off to a hot start in 2019, but his play dropped off in the second half of the season and he gave up too many big gains. PFF gave him a below-average 63.2 coverage grade for the year. Bradberry now wants a major contract extension. While Carolina can’t afford to lose good corners, they also should be wary of giving him elite cornerback money.

FS Tre Boston

Finally, Boston was ranked No. 23 on PFF’s list. His overall rating got a huge boost from an elite coverage grade (90.6). Boston totaled three interceptions and 11 pass breakups. The Panthers have a lot of difficult decisions to make this offseason, but signing Boston to the long-term deal that’s eluded him the last three years shouldn’t be one of them.

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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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4 questions about the Panthers defense in 2020

Here are four questions they will need to answer before the 2020 campaign begins.

The Panthers are hard at work making new head coach Matt Rhule’s staff come in to shape. There’s no official word yet, but all signs point to Phil Snow following Rhule from Baylor and being named the team’s new defensive coordinator.

Whether it’s Snow or somebody else, the front office has some brutal decisions to make about the defense this offseason. Here are four questions they will need to answer before the 2020 campaign begins.

How old is too old for the defensive line?

Mario Addison
(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

On paper, the Panthers’ defensive line is their strongest unit. They finished second in the league in sacks this year (53) and have as many weapons up front as any NFL team. However, several key pieces are about to become free agents and most of them are past their prime. Mario Addison, Bruce Irvin and Gerald McCoy are all over 30 years old and need new contracts if Carolina is going to keep them around. Dontari Poe is also 29 and has a huge cap hit. The Panthers have to find the right balance between youth and experience while building for the future around guys like Brian Burns.

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4 ‘go for broke’ free agent signings the Chargers could pursue in offseason

General manager Tom Telesco should look to throw his money at these soon-to-be free agents.

The Los Angeles Chargers enter this offseason with the most salary cap space that they’ve had in years.

Even though L.A. has to use a good chunk of that money to re-sign a few of their own players, along with possibly extending a notable – defensive end Joey Bosa, they should look to bring in some external free agents to ensure they’re in the most optimal position to make a run in 2020 – even if that means breaking the bank.

It wouldn’t be like general manager Tom Telesco to go on a free agency frenzy, but he said in his end-of-season press conference that this is probably the most cap space that they’ve had since he has been there, so it could be suggesting that he might be the most aggressive that he’s been since taking over in 2013.

Should Telesco and company look to bring in some big-time free agents that might require a hefty paycheck, then these are four additions that we’d advocate for.

G Brandon Scherff

Scherff, the three-time Pro Bowler, has started in every game he has played in since his rookie year in 2015, and he has played 100% of the offensive snaps in all but eight of his 65 games. A wall in pass protection and a mover in the run blocking department, Scherff allowed one sack, nine hurries, and 10 overall pressures last season. The former Iowa product has battled through some injuries throughout his career, but he has overcame them and has managed to continue to still play at a high level. Scherff would be an immediate plug-and-play guard on the left side, taking over Dan Feeney, assuming that Michael Schofield is re-signed. Spotrac has his estimated value at a four-year, $50 million deal.

OT Jack Conklin

Conklin, the 25-year old tackle, became an All-Pro as a rookie, but tore his ACL during the 2018 playoffs. He has allowed just 9.5 sacks in his four-year stint since being selected in the first-round of the 2016 NFL draft. In the 2019 regular season, he allowed two sacks, finishing with a streak of 11-straight games without one allowed. With the Chargers have a major need at the right tackle position, Conklin would be an immediate upgrade over Sam Tevi. Spotrac has his estimated value at a six-year, $89 million deal.

CB James Bradberry

The Chargers could shore up their secondary by adding a talented player opposite of CB Casey Hayward. Hayward was acquired via free agency and Telesco could make another splash by looking in the pool to find one of the league’s most underrated corners. At the age of 26, Bradberry is entering his prime. He defended nine passes along with a career-high three interceptions this past season. His best season came in 2018 when he defended 15 passes, posted two interceptions, forced a fumble and recorded a sack. Los Angeles wouldn’t necessarily have to go broke to acquire him – but based on his production in recent seasons he wouldn’t be that cheap, either.

WR Robby Anderson

The Chargers are missing one piece to the wide receiver room. Keenan Allen and Mike Williams have proven themselves, but the guys behind them failed to step up as WR3. The wide receiver should and most likely will be addressed in the draft since there is plenty of talent in this year’s class – but Anderson would give Los Angeles something that they were hoping to get out of Travis Benjamin – a fast, vertical threat that could keep defenses honest. He’s never surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in a single season, but he is averaging 14.8 yards per reception. With this wide receiver group in free agency set to be rather thin, his asking price is likely to be somewhere in the ballpark of Tyrell Williams’ (four-year, $44 million)

Perfect offseason gift for Chargers at each position of need

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez has the perfect offseason gift for the Los Angeles Chargers at each position of need.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

In the spirit of the holiday season and the offseason coming up, we decided to gift the Los Angeles with the most ideal acquisition at each position of need, using the 2020 NFL draft and free agency as our outlets.

Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Quarterback — Tua Tagavailoa

Some fans are going to view this as a gift, while others will consider it coal because of the durability concerns with Tua. With teams in front of them like the Dolphins that will be in the market for the quarterback, it’s not guaranteed that he will be there when they are picking. But if he is, it should almost be a no-brainer.

Tagavailoa is a perfect fit for the Bolts as they start a new journey in SoFi Stadium. With the desire to bring fans to the stadium, Tua would do just that since he has been one of the most polarizing players in college football. Since he probably won’t be able to play much in his rookie campaign, he would be able to sit in Year 1, whether that be behind Philip Rivers or Tyrod Taylor and then take the reins in his second season.

Offensive tackle — Jack Conklin

The Chargers will be looking to add a long-term option at the right tackle position to replace Sam Tevi. Tom Telesco has a track record of finding gems along offensive line via free agency, and this would be an absolute home run.

Conklin, who is in the prime of his career, has allowed just 9.5 sacks in his four-year stint since being selected in the first-round of the 2016 NFL draft. In 2019, he’s allowed two sacks, but is currently on a streak of 11-straight games without one allowed.

Cornerback — James Bradberry

The Chargers could shore up their secondary by adding a stud opposite of CB Casey Hayward. Hayward was acquired via free agency and Telesco could make another splash by looking in the pool to find one of the league’s most underrated corners.

At the age of 26, Bradberry is entering his prime. He has defended nine passes along with a career-high three interceptions this season. His best season came in 2018 when he defended 15 passes, posted two interceptions, forced a fumble and recorded a sack.

Wide receiver — Brandon Aiyuk

Let’s say the Chargers are able to cross off the offensive tackle and cornerback position with those two acquisitions, they would then be able to find a talented wideout in the draft as early as Round 2. Insert the yards after the catch king.

Aiyuk, the 6-foot and 203 pounder is a speedster who is able to create when the ball is in his hands. He possesses the breakaway skills and balance to zip right past defenders that are in pursuit, which is exactly the type of player Los Angeles would love to add to an already talented wide receiver corps.

Defensive tackle — Leki Fotu

Nose tackle Brandon Mebane is close to calling it quits, which means that they will have to find his successor. Fotu would be a solid addition in the mid-rounds to add to an interior defensive line that’s still a work in progress.

Fotu, the 6-foot-5 and 325 pound defensive tackle has the speed, power, length, body control and mismatch ability to cause fits for NFL interior offensive linemen, where he would aid in the run defense department.

Interior offensive line — Calvin Throckmorton

The Chargers love to find athletic offensive linemen that have the ability to play both inside and outside. Throckmorton, the 6-foot-5 and 318 pounder, would be the perfect mid-round addition to an offensive line that will be under construction.

Throckmorton, who has played every single position except left guard for the Ducks, is a powerful player who has solid pass protection technique, an anchor and the toughness to be a consistent starter in the league by Year 2.

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Former Panthers CB Josh Norman a healthy scratch for Redskins today

The Josh Norman situation could have been handled much better by former Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman.

The Josh Norman situation could have been handled much better by former Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman. That doesn’t mean giving Norman the massive contract extension he wanted would have been the right move. Norman still makes plays here and there but his performance has declined significantly over the last few seasons for Washington.

Heading into today’s game against Detroit, Norman has been put on the sidelines. He’ll be a healthy scratch, per Adam Schefter at ESPN.

Norman signed a five-year, $75 million deal with the Redskins that has become extremely burdensome.

According to Pro Football Focus, he’s now one of the worst cornerbacks in the league. They have Norman ranked No. 110 out of 116 in 2019.

Norman’s future with the Redskins is now very much in doubt.

Meanwhile, his replacement has been outstanding for the Panthers. James Bradberry took his lumps in his first couple of years, but he’s developed into one of the best cover corners in the NFL. Signing Bradberry to a multi-year extension should be priority No. 1 for Carolina’s front office in 2020.

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Panthers bring back CB Corn Elder by signing him off Giants’ practice squad

According to Joe Person at the Athletic, the team has signed cornerback Corn Elder off the Giants’ practice squad.

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The Panthers are bringing back another familiar face. According to Joe Person at the Athletic, the team has signed cornerback Corn Elder off the Giants’ practice squad.

Elder was one of former general manager Dave Gettleman’s last draft picks in Carolina. Gettleman selected him in the fifth round of the 2017 draft. Elder did not see the field much in his first run with the Panthers, though. He appeared in 13 games last season but only played 251 total snaps, mostly on special teams. He was one of the team’s first cuts this year.

Why bring him back now?

It may have something to do with both starting outside cornerbacks James Bradberry and Donte Jackson dealing with groin injuries. Bradberry sat out Sundays’ loss to the Packers and Jackson apparently re-aggravated his, which kept him on the sidelines three weeks earlier in the season.

When Jackson went out against Green Bay, slot cornerback Javien Elliott moved outside to cover for him. Colin Jones took over for Elliott in the slot, which is obviously not an ideal situation. Elder is best suited to play that nickel position.

He may be active against Atlanta, but we probably won’t see him play unless both Bradberry and Jackson are out. That seems unlikely, as Jackson returned against the Packers later on and made some big stops down the stretch.

Update:

The move to add Elder is official. To make room, the team waived OL Bryan Witzmann.

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