By CORY SPIERS
coryspiers@gmail.com
The Panthers didn't select a safety in the 2019 draft, leading many to question what comes next for a position that has been one to watch after the team parted ways with veteran Mike Adams, who started all 32 of the team's regular season games over the past two seasons.
With Adams gone, Carolina has little starting experience left at safety. Eric Reid, who inked a fresh three-year extension this offseason, is the highlight of the position.
Beyond Reid, the Panthers also carry former Tar Heel Da'Norris Searcy, who was limited to just two games with the team last season after an early-season concussion derailed his trajectory.
Rashan Gaulden, a second-year man out of Tennessee, also saw some time at safety for the team last season and is set to be back in the mix for a starting spot. Still, it's tough to project exactly what the Panthers have in Gaulden at this time.
Cole Luke, Colin Jones, Kai Nacua and Damian Parms are the rest of the team's safeties.
Needless to say, the team could use some safety depth.
Let's see what's out there.
Eric Berry:
Berry has emerged as a popular candidate to join the safety ranks among Panthers fans.
And it's for good reason-- Berry's track record speaks for itself.
The 30-year-old Tennessee product spent nine seasons as a premier franchise safety in Kansas City. In his time as a Chief, he made the Pro Bowl five times and was tabbed first-team All-Pro thrice.
Berry garnered Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2015 after returning to the field cancer-free following a lymphoma diagnosis in 2014.
But, the days of Berry being a premier safety in the league might be long gone.
The Chiefs paid Berry and paid him big in 2017, inking him to a six-year, $78 million deal that made him the NFL's highest-paid safety at the time.
Berry ruptured his Achilles in the opening game against the Patriots that year, though, and missed the rest of the season.
Berry's 2018 campaign was just as tough. Between the recovery from his Achilles injury and bone spurs, Berry was limited to just two regular season games and a playoff game.
The Chiefs parted ways with Berry this past March.
Wherever Berry goes, it's probably safe to assume it won't be on a monstrous deal, or even one that moves the needle much compared to his positional colleagues.
At 30 years old, Berry isn't terribly old for the league. Heck, Adams played in Carolina into his late 30s (and at the end, it showed).
The issue for Berry is the mileage for his age. Berry has played in all 16 games in a season just four times in his career and hasn't done so since 2016. The severe lower body injuries lead one to wonder if Berry still possesses the necessary burst and speed needed to keep up with NFL speed.
If the Panthers did take a chance on Berry by cutting him a one-year deal, possibly one with a low cap hit but laden with performance-based incentives, they'd be getting a strong veteran leader and a proven safety. Ultimately though, a proven safety that has had a tough time staying on the field in recent years.
Tre Boston:
Boston is another popular name thrown around by fans on Facebook and Twitter.
And like Berry, it's for good reason.
Boston makes sense for reasons other than that he began his career with the Panthers, though, that familiarity helps both parties, too.
Boston, a UNC product, was drafted by the Panthers in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. He went on to appear in 42 games (16 starts) across three seasons in Carolina and he finished his Panther career with three interceptions and 10 passes defended.
Carolina waived Boston in 2017 and he signed a one-year, $900,000 deal with the Chargers.
Boston broke out in Los Angeles. Named the team's starting free safety before the season opener, Boston made the most of his playing time by finishing the season with five picks and 79 total tackles in 16 games (15 starts).
Boston's next stop was Arizona, where he signed another one-year deal, this time worth $1.5 million.
With the Cardinals under head coach and former Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, Boston enjoyed another solid year onboard the sinking ship that was the 2018 Cardinals.
Boston appeared in 14 games and started 13 in Arizona and finished with 79 tackles, nine passes defended and three interceptions.
Boston has a track record of success and knows Carolina. Likewise, Carolina knows him.
He turns 27 this summer and unlike Berry, hasn't had any major health concerns.
Given his two previous contracts, one would think it wouldn't exactly take a kings bounty to get him to return to a familiar, predictable situation in Charlotte.
Johnathon Cyprien:
Cyprien is an interesting case because he's just not all that flashy.
The Jaguars drafted Cyprien in 2013 in the second round out of Florida International.
Since then, he's been a solid, if somewhat vanilla, NFL safety.
Cyprien started 60 games across four seasons for Jacksonville, totaling 15 passes defended, four forced fumbles and two interceptions.
Cyprien then played for the Titans, where he started 10 games in 2017 before an ACL tear ended his 2018 season before it could get off the ground.
In his NFL career, Cyprien has 511 total tackles, four forced fumbles, three sacks and a pair of interceptions.
There are, of course, sometimes red flags with trusting a defender coming off an ACL tear (but, ask Thomas Davis about that). But Cyprien is still reasonably young as he turns 29 this summer.
It's tough to get a read on Cyprien, who had some very memorable moments with the Jaguars but his stint in Tennessee was rather short-lived and underwhelming.
Mike Mitchell:
Speaking of former Panther safeties.
Mitchell spent a season in Carolina (2013) and made some good memories. He appeared in 15 games for the Panthers that year and started 14 while grabbing four interceptions and adding 3.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
Mitchell started his career by spending four seasons in Oakland before joining the Panthers. Following his stint in Charlotte, Mitchell spent four seasons in Pittsburgh and spent 2018 with the Colts.
Mitchell has a reputation as a hard-hitter who plays the game with a physical edge, as proven by his nine career forced fumbles.
Because of his physical style and 145 career games, Mitchell carries more mileage than a Boston or a Cyprien.
Still, if the Panthers thought the 31-year-old has a little gas left in the tank, he would provide similar veteran benefits as Berry but with fewer injury concerns.
Glover Quin:
Another safety with some miles on his tires, Quin has been a steady force in the secondary for the Lions for the past six seasons.
Before joining Detroit, Quin was a fourth-round pick of Houston in 2009 and went on to play four seasons for the Texans.
Perhaps the most reassuring factor about Quin is his durability. The six-foot, 207-pound safety has played and started in all 16 regular season games in every season except his rookie campaign in Houston that saw him appear in 15 games and start 12.
For those scoring at home, that's nine straight seasons without missing a regular-season start.
Quin brings some flexibility to the secondary-- something head coach Ron River and defensive coordinator Eric Washington value. He started his career in Houston as a corner and has played both free safety and strong safety across his career.
Quin's best moments came in 2014 when he opened eyes with a career and league-high seven interceptions. Quin has forced 10 fumbles in his career-- four of which came in 2017.
Quin's 2018 in Detroit was a bit of a down year, as he failed to record an interception for the first time since 2011.
At 33, Quin is the oldest of the options on this list. Still, his durability and predictability speak for themselves.
Jahleel Addae:
Addae isn't as much of a household name as a Berry or a Quin, but he was a reliable piece for six seasons as a Charger.
Addae was due $6 million in 2019 and by cutting him, the Chargers saved $5 million in cap space.
The cost-cutting measure left the Chargers without a safety who broke out as a box safety for the past two seasons.
In six seasons as a Charger, Addae appeared in 80 games with 59 starts and tallied two interceptions, three forced fumbles and 4.5 sacks.
Addae's lone defensive touchdown was a memorable one-- he picked off a pass and returned it 90 yards for a touchdown in the franchise's final game in San Diego.
Addae, a 29-year-old who came into the league undrafted out of Central Michigan and debuted for the Chargers in 2013, is listed as 5-10, 195 pounds, which makes him the shortest and lightest safety on this list.
coryspiers@gmail.com
The Panthers didn't select a safety in the 2019 draft, leading many to question what comes next for a position that has been one to watch after the team parted ways with veteran Mike Adams, who started all 32 of the team's regular season games over the past two seasons.
With Adams gone, Carolina has little starting experience left at safety. Eric Reid, who inked a fresh three-year extension this offseason, is the highlight of the position.
Beyond Reid, the Panthers also carry former Tar Heel Da'Norris Searcy, who was limited to just two games with the team last season after an early-season concussion derailed his trajectory.
Rashan Gaulden, a second-year man out of Tennessee, also saw some time at safety for the team last season and is set to be back in the mix for a starting spot. Still, it's tough to project exactly what the Panthers have in Gaulden at this time.
Cole Luke, Colin Jones, Kai Nacua and Damian Parms are the rest of the team's safeties.
Needless to say, the team could use some safety depth.
Let's see what's out there.
Eric Berry:
Berry has emerged as a popular candidate to join the safety ranks among Panthers fans.
And it's for good reason-- Berry's track record speaks for itself.
The 30-year-old Tennessee product spent nine seasons as a premier franchise safety in Kansas City. In his time as a Chief, he made the Pro Bowl five times and was tabbed first-team All-Pro thrice.
Berry garnered Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2015 after returning to the field cancer-free following a lymphoma diagnosis in 2014.
But, the days of Berry being a premier safety in the league might be long gone.
The Chiefs paid Berry and paid him big in 2017, inking him to a six-year, $78 million deal that made him the NFL's highest-paid safety at the time.
Berry ruptured his Achilles in the opening game against the Patriots that year, though, and missed the rest of the season.
Berry's 2018 campaign was just as tough. Between the recovery from his Achilles injury and bone spurs, Berry was limited to just two regular season games and a playoff game.
The Chiefs parted ways with Berry this past March.
Wherever Berry goes, it's probably safe to assume it won't be on a monstrous deal, or even one that moves the needle much compared to his positional colleagues.
At 30 years old, Berry isn't terribly old for the league. Heck, Adams played in Carolina into his late 30s (and at the end, it showed).
The issue for Berry is the mileage for his age. Berry has played in all 16 games in a season just four times in his career and hasn't done so since 2016. The severe lower body injuries lead one to wonder if Berry still possesses the necessary burst and speed needed to keep up with NFL speed.
If the Panthers did take a chance on Berry by cutting him a one-year deal, possibly one with a low cap hit but laden with performance-based incentives, they'd be getting a strong veteran leader and a proven safety. Ultimately though, a proven safety that has had a tough time staying on the field in recent years.
Tre Boston:
Boston is another popular name thrown around by fans on Facebook and Twitter.
And like Berry, it's for good reason.
Boston makes sense for reasons other than that he began his career with the Panthers, though, that familiarity helps both parties, too.
Boston, a UNC product, was drafted by the Panthers in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. He went on to appear in 42 games (16 starts) across three seasons in Carolina and he finished his Panther career with three interceptions and 10 passes defended.
Carolina waived Boston in 2017 and he signed a one-year, $900,000 deal with the Chargers.
Boston broke out in Los Angeles. Named the team's starting free safety before the season opener, Boston made the most of his playing time by finishing the season with five picks and 79 total tackles in 16 games (15 starts).
Boston's next stop was Arizona, where he signed another one-year deal, this time worth $1.5 million.
With the Cardinals under head coach and former Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, Boston enjoyed another solid year onboard the sinking ship that was the 2018 Cardinals.
Boston appeared in 14 games and started 13 in Arizona and finished with 79 tackles, nine passes defended and three interceptions.
Boston has a track record of success and knows Carolina. Likewise, Carolina knows him.
He turns 27 this summer and unlike Berry, hasn't had any major health concerns.
Given his two previous contracts, one would think it wouldn't exactly take a kings bounty to get him to return to a familiar, predictable situation in Charlotte.
Johnathon Cyprien:
Cyprien is an interesting case because he's just not all that flashy.
The Jaguars drafted Cyprien in 2013 in the second round out of Florida International.
Since then, he's been a solid, if somewhat vanilla, NFL safety.
Cyprien started 60 games across four seasons for Jacksonville, totaling 15 passes defended, four forced fumbles and two interceptions.
Cyprien then played for the Titans, where he started 10 games in 2017 before an ACL tear ended his 2018 season before it could get off the ground.
In his NFL career, Cyprien has 511 total tackles, four forced fumbles, three sacks and a pair of interceptions.
There are, of course, sometimes red flags with trusting a defender coming off an ACL tear (but, ask Thomas Davis about that). But Cyprien is still reasonably young as he turns 29 this summer.
It's tough to get a read on Cyprien, who had some very memorable moments with the Jaguars but his stint in Tennessee was rather short-lived and underwhelming.
Mike Mitchell:
Speaking of former Panther safeties.
Mitchell spent a season in Carolina (2013) and made some good memories. He appeared in 15 games for the Panthers that year and started 14 while grabbing four interceptions and adding 3.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
Mitchell started his career by spending four seasons in Oakland before joining the Panthers. Following his stint in Charlotte, Mitchell spent four seasons in Pittsburgh and spent 2018 with the Colts.
Mitchell has a reputation as a hard-hitter who plays the game with a physical edge, as proven by his nine career forced fumbles.
Because of his physical style and 145 career games, Mitchell carries more mileage than a Boston or a Cyprien.
Still, if the Panthers thought the 31-year-old has a little gas left in the tank, he would provide similar veteran benefits as Berry but with fewer injury concerns.
Glover Quin:
Another safety with some miles on his tires, Quin has been a steady force in the secondary for the Lions for the past six seasons.
Before joining Detroit, Quin was a fourth-round pick of Houston in 2009 and went on to play four seasons for the Texans.
Perhaps the most reassuring factor about Quin is his durability. The six-foot, 207-pound safety has played and started in all 16 regular season games in every season except his rookie campaign in Houston that saw him appear in 15 games and start 12.
For those scoring at home, that's nine straight seasons without missing a regular-season start.
Quin brings some flexibility to the secondary-- something head coach Ron River and defensive coordinator Eric Washington value. He started his career in Houston as a corner and has played both free safety and strong safety across his career.
Quin's best moments came in 2014 when he opened eyes with a career and league-high seven interceptions. Quin has forced 10 fumbles in his career-- four of which came in 2017.
Quin's 2018 in Detroit was a bit of a down year, as he failed to record an interception for the first time since 2011.
At 33, Quin is the oldest of the options on this list. Still, his durability and predictability speak for themselves.
Jahleel Addae:
Addae isn't as much of a household name as a Berry or a Quin, but he was a reliable piece for six seasons as a Charger.
Addae was due $6 million in 2019 and by cutting him, the Chargers saved $5 million in cap space.
The cost-cutting measure left the Chargers without a safety who broke out as a box safety for the past two seasons.
In six seasons as a Charger, Addae appeared in 80 games with 59 starts and tallied two interceptions, three forced fumbles and 4.5 sacks.
Addae's lone defensive touchdown was a memorable one-- he picked off a pass and returned it 90 yards for a touchdown in the franchise's final game in San Diego.
Addae, a 29-year-old who came into the league undrafted out of Central Michigan and debuted for the Chargers in 2013, is listed as 5-10, 195 pounds, which makes him the shortest and lightest safety on this list.
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