Well, this wouldn’t be a great start to the offseason for the Carolina Panthers now, would it?
On Monday, Pro Football Focus published its 2022 free agency predictions—forecasting 50 landing spots for their top 50 players set to hit the open market. Of those 50 are Carolina’s Stephon Gilmore and Haason Reddick, both of which won’t be back according to PFF.
Gilmore, who’s ranked 15th amongst all free agents, flies off to the Arizona Cardinals in these projections on a two-year, $28 million deal.
“Gilmore returned from his injury in Week 8 and gave the Panthers some much needed reinforcements at cornerback,” the post details. “He finished the year with a 79.4 coverage grade while allowing an 80.7 passer rating and only two touchdowns (both in one game). Gilmore thrives in a man-heavy scheme where he can press and get his hands on receivers. The Cardinals are a great fit, as Vance Joseph’s attacking defense could use a lockdown corner such as Gilmore. Though he could see some regression with age, he’s an upgrade over Marco Wilson.”
Arizona would need to do a bit of housecleaning to make such a signing, as they sit $813,256 over the cap with -$3.8 million in effective space. But Gilmore, still a fine player and leader, could be worth it to help get the Cardinals to the next level in the NFC.
Then there’s Reddick, who goes back home to the New York Giants on a three-year, $35 million pact.
“Reddick’s pass-rushing production predictably took a minor step back in 2021 after his huge breakout year in 2020,” PFF says of the Camden, N.J. native. “Nonetheless, 11.0 sacks and 47 total pressures still rank pretty well compared to the rest of the league. This means Reddick should have a decently sized market this offseason. He is a good fit for Wink Martindale in New York, given his aggressive blitz-heavy scheme that needs athletic edge-rushers that can get after the quarterback when schemed free.”
As opposed to a potential loss of Gilmore, where the Panthers could have insurance with Jaycee Horn in their pocket and Donte Jackson open for business, a loss of Reddick might sting a bit more. The beauty behind Carolina’s defensive front was its depth and flexibility—which, in turn, kept its pass rushers relatively fresh in a finely-tuned rotation. Being without their leading sack-getter would not, of course, help fortify that.
Regardless, seeing either man leave would obviously hurt the Panthers as they enter a particularly crucial campaign.
