The Carolina Panthers enter the offseason needing to make some improvements. The bar was low for Dave Canales in his first season with the team, helping Carolina improve from a 2-15 record to a 5-12 record last season. But while there was some progress, the Panthers are still a team that needs a lot of help.
One of the biggest areas that needs to pick up is the Panthers’ defense. Carolina had one of the worst defenses in NFL history last season, ranking last in yards per play, scoring defense, and several other metrics. The performance resulted in a thorough housecleaning that left everyone but defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero looking for a new job.
To fix the problem, Carolina will be active in free agency. But there could be a reunion or two in the works that could help the Panthers take another step forward in free agency.
1. CB Rasul Douglas
One of the Panthers’ weaknesses last year was their ability to generate turnovers. Carolina had the 13th-fewest takeaways with 17 last season, but they couldn’t find a way to intercept opponents with just nine interceptions on the year. The Panthers also had the sixth-lowest turnover rate at 8.6%, making players who can create turnovers a big priority in Carolina’s free-agent strategy.
The best player to make that happen is former Panthers cornerback Rasul Douglas. The West Virginia product began his career and won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles but was waived in the final roster cuts in 2020 and claimed by Carolina.
Douglas’s lone season with the Panthers didn’t go well, but he saw an increased opportunity with what was a career-high 821 snaps. He posted a 60.2 overall grade and 1.13 yards per coverage snap, according to Pro Football Focus, but signed with the Las Vegas Raiders the following offseason.
After bouncing around the first month of the 2021 season, Douglas found a home with the Green Bay Packers and added a ball-hawking element to his game. His five interceptions in his first season in Green Bay were as many as Douglas had in his first four seasons, and he also returned a pair of touchdowns for good measure.
Douglas continued his interception surge for the next two seasons, intercepting four passes with the Packers in 2022 and picking off five passes splitting time with the Packers and Buffalo Bills in 2023. He returned to the Bills last season but didn’t register an interception for the first time since his season in Carolina and defended just five passes.
With 19 interceptions in 120 games, he could be what the Panthers need, and with 0.95 yards per coverage snap, he could be better than his 53.9 overall grade from last season suggests. With a projected market value of $11.9 million, Douglas could be a short-term solution that could be a solid target to acquire in free agency.