Panthers should keep tabs on recently discarded Super Bowl champion

Throughout the NFL offseason, there will be a lot of former stars cast aside. The Carolina Panthers could benefit from that. The defensive rebuild that they need will take years to complete, so signing placeholder players who were recently very good is a smart idea.

Take Darius Slay for an example. He's set to be released by the Philadelphia Eagles primarily because he's going to cost more than he is worth anymore. If and when a team, perhaps the Panthers, sign him to a team-friendly deal in free agency following that release, he'll be a much more valuable asset.

Eagles are releasing six-time Pro-Bowl CB Darius Slay, per sources.

If he is designated a post-June 1 release, the Eagles will save $4.3 million against the cap. pic.twitter.com/tUq4ScIK79
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 3, 2025

The Eagles will save $4.3 million, which is why they're doing it. Slay was a contributor on one of the most dominant defenses in recent memory, so it's not as if he's incapable of playing. The Panthers should be interested in those kinds of players, especially Slay.

Right now, Jaycee Horn is under contract, but he's the only cornerback of note who can say that. Mike Jackson is a free agent, though he wants to be re-signed. Dane Jackson was cut. Even if they do re-sign Jackson, adding Slay would be a smart investment.

Jan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. (2) runs off the field after defeating the Los Angeles Rams in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

It would be a cheap, one-year deal in all likelihood that allows them to focus on other positions in the meantime in the draft. Having Horn, Jackson, and Slay would be a pretty strong secondary and would free up a lot of attention on the interior.

Signing Slay would not be a long-term solution, though, so they would have to follow a two-year plan. This year, assets should go to the edge, interior defensive line, and linebackers. Then, when Slay is gone and the Panthers have young, cheap assets up front, they can use draft capital in the secondary with Horn.

It's a win-win for the long term and the short term as Carolina works to rebuild its defense. It's also a model they can use for any such player. There are going to be tons of cap casualties on defense who can still play, and the Panthers, a team likely looking at bargain-bin shopping for several positions, should be all over them.

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