Carolina Panthers Position By Position Breakdown: Cornerback and Safety
Outside of the O-Line, the biggest question mark going into this season is the secondary.
Corners
With James Bradberry and Donte Jackson pretty much cemented as the starting corners, the real battle is at nickel. With Kevon Seymore nursing a hamstring injury, Javien Elliott has made the most of it. After running with the first team last week, Elliott has started to really turn some heads.
After being cut by the Buccaneers, the Panthers picked him up and expected him to compete right away at the nickel with Rashaan Gaulden, Cole Luke, and Corn Elder. Picking off Newton a couple of times and recording some pretty impressive pass breakups, he has not disappointed. Look for Elliott to play a good amount in tonight’s matchup against the Bills.
This is a 2017 photo of Javien Elliott of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL football team. This image reflects the Tampa Bay Buccaneers active roster as of Wednesday, May 17, 2017 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Safety
With Eric Reid playing well towards the end of last season and signing an extension in the offseason, he’s all but guaranteed the starting Strong Safety spot. While there was competition at Free Saftey, the Panthers didn’t feel confident enough to go into the season with who they had on the roster.
Cue Tre Boston. The ex-Panther signed a one-year deal to shore up the safety spot. Assuming Tre Boston doesn’t get injured, I see him as the starting FS for Carolina. Look for Ross Cockrell to get some snaps at safety tonight against Buffalo as he works his way back from a broken leg that he suffered last year in training camp. This is a new position for him but he could be a nice depth piece should Boston get injured.
Sep 25, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers free safety Tre Boston (33) walks off the field prior to the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Projected Depth Chart
CB1- James Bradberry
CB2- Donte Jackson
CB3/Nickel- Javien Elliott
SS- Eric Reid
FS- Tre Boston
Here’s a look at the other position breakdowns:
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