Carolina Panthers should call Bashaud Breeland with Cockrell’s injury
Should the Carolina Panthers try to sign cornerback Bashaud Breeland again this offseason?
The Carolina Panthers agreed to a contract with Bashaud Breeland earlier this year however that deal was voided when he failed the physical. The reason the cornerback failed was due to a cut on his left heel while on vacation and became infected, per ESPN’s David Newton.
This was a costly injury for Breeland as he lost his three-year, $24 million contract with the Panthers. The former Washington Redskin is still a free agent even though he has had visits with a number of teams like the Indianapolis Colts, according to Stephen Holder. However the Colts appear to be moving forward their current cornerbacks.
At this point, my reporting gives no indication that Bashaud Breeland will land in Indianapolis. My sense is they’ll stand pat with the group of corners they have. We’ll see if anything changes, but I’d be surprised. #ColtsCamp
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) July 29, 2018
ESPN’s Josina Anderson tweeted last week that the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens were all interested. The Ravens seemingly the most aggressive of this group.
I'm actually hearing now the #Ravens are "getting more aggressive" w/ their interest in FA CB Bashaud Breeland & "prefer to see him tonight" after his visit w/ the #Browns. I'm also told #Jets have expressed interest all week, no visit currently scheduled w/ them now, per source. https://t.co/wrygYOYPJt
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) July 27, 2018
The Carolina Panthers may want to throw their name in the ring and put a call in to Breeland’s representative with the unfortunate injury to Ross Cockrell. The veteran cornerback broke his leg during practice on Monday and is expected to miss the 2018 season.
However, if the Panthers were to bring in Breeland the team would not be able to offer a deal anywhere near the initial contract. According to Spotrac, the Panthers have less than $2 million available in salary cap space.
The Panthers may also not be willing to make the same kind of commitment with Donte Jackson now on the roster. The team selected Jackson in the second round and he appears to be in line to be the starting cornerback of the future.
While Breeland may not be the long term option, he could be a great stop gap for the upcoming season. If the Panthers signed him to a small one-year deal, this could also give Breeland a chance to increase his value heading into free agency next year.
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While it remains to be seen if the Panthers make any moves, the team did show interest in Breeland earlier this offseason and only saw the deal voided due to a non-football injury. It would not be a surprise to see them try to bring him back.