15 Offensive Free Agents the Panthers Should Consider

We are now just days away from the start of NFL free agency and with the Panthers needing to improve in several areas, we can expect some moves will be made this offseason. However, it doesn't seem like the Panthers will make a splash signing but you never know. Over the last couple of weeks, the staff here at All Panthers on Sports Illustrated put together a list of free agents Carolina should pursue. Today, we roll out all 15 targets on the offensive side of the ball.

Mitch Trubisky

Trubisky's market value currently sits at about $8 million per year. This may seem a bit steep for a guy that was benched for Nick Foles, but it's honestly quite a bargain. Trubisky may catch a lot of heat for his ability to be a "franchise guy" but when you look at his overall numbers, they're not bad at all. He holds a 29-21 record as a starter, has a career completion percentage of 64%, and has thrown 64 touchdowns to just 37 interceptions (1 interception for every 42.6 passes attempted).

Trubisky is also more of a dual-threat quarterback than Teddy Bridgewater, which is more of the style that Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Joe Brady want at the position. If the Panthers don't feel comfortable trading up in the draft to get their quarterback of the future, Trubisky would not be a bad placeholder. It would give him another opportunity to start and run the offense and for Carolina, it would be similar to Teddy's situation only this time, at a much cheaper price.

Ryan Fitzpatrick

If the Miami Dolphins were smart, they would bring Fitzpatrick back to continue to mentor Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins were the surprise team of the NFL this season and much of that was due to the play of Ryan Fitzpatrick who helped Miami get off to a torrid start.

Midway through the year, Dolphins head coach Brian Flores shocked everyone, including some guys on the roster by making the decision to start Tagovailoa over Fitzpatrick. However, things didn't go as smooth as they had hoped and when things got shaky, Miami called Fitzpatrick out of the bullpen to try and get the team back in the game or close the game out.

Obviously, Fitzpatrick would not be the team's future but he has mentored many young quarterbacks over the years and handles that role perfectly. If Carolina drafted Trey Lance or Mac Jones, they would be able to sit and learn from Fitz until they were ready to take over the offense.

Mike Davis

If the Panthers are able to convince Mike Davis to come back to Carolina and be RB2 behind Christian McCaffrey for a reasonable price, it makes all the sense in the world to attempt to retain him. He knows the system, he produced and appeared to have been well-liked by his teammates. Every team would love to have a back that plays smashmouth football and fights for extra yardage on every carry. Davis brings that toughness and physicality to the Panthers' backfield.

In the event that McCaffrey is involved in any potential trade, it should be Davis' job to lose at that point. He proved a lot of people wrong, including myself. I would not be shocked if another team called him up and offered him slightly more money and is told he would be the No. 1 guy. If that situation arises, then Carolina may have to look in another direction. With the salary cap space available, they're not really in the position to outbid anyone.

Alfred Morris

Morris began his NFL career with back-to-back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons but his production has really declined since the 2016 season. He has a similar build to that of Mike Davis and also has a similar running style. If the Panthers are unable to re-sign Davis, taking a look at Morris as RB2 would not be a bad option. It might not be the team's best option, but he has a history of having success and is an established veteran. If he gets into the right situation, Morris could still have a couple of really good seasons in him.

Corey Clement

Clement had a good start to his NFL career but quickly faded away. He missed most of the 2019 season due to a shoulder injury and had a limited role in the Eagles' offense in 2020 with just 21 carries for 75 yards. I wouldn't feel comfortable making Clement the No. 2 back but he would be a solid No. 3 back behind McCaffrey and Davis.

David Moore

David Moore has spent the past four years catching bombs from Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. Last year he posted a respectable 35 catches for 417 yards and six touchdowns stat line. The 26-year-old has shown above-average talent but has been buried behind a depth chart that features DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Moore is more of a straight-line receiver so he wouldn't exactly fill in for Curtis Samuel. Still, he has shown a knack for catching touchdown passes and would be significantly cheaper than Samuel is expected to be.

Rashard Higgins

Rashard Higgins is an interesting player that reminds me of the Panthers' best free-agent addition last year–Robby Anderson. At 6-foot-1, 198 pounds Higgins is slim but has strong hands. He stepped in for the Cleveland Browns last season and played extremely well when Odell Beckham Jr. missed time with an ACL injury. His 37 catches for 599 yards and four touchdowns are impressive for a receiver that played on such a run-heavy offense. He excels at high pointing the ball and securing highly contested catches.

DeSean Jackson

DeSean Jackson's best playing days might be behind him but he can still run the deep route. The big problem with Jackson is his inability to stay healthy. Still, the Pro Bowler has averaged over 17 yards per reception throughout his career. It obviously doesn't make sense to sign Jackson with Teddy Bridgewater, king of the check-downs, at the helm. This signing only makes sense if the Panthers acquire a big-arm quarterback this offseason. He could also help mentor the younger receivers like Moore and Anderson. His ability to stretch the field would help open up the underneath routes if nothing else.

Jacob Hollister

Hollister’s price tag could end up being set by what behemoths Hunter Henry and Rob Gronkowski bring in, but he should be relatively cheap in free agency. Over the past two seasons in Seattle, Hollister caught 66 of 99 targets for 558 yards and six touchdowns. The 27-year-old was known for stretching the field at Wyoming. While not overly deceptive after the catch, he presents a nice frame at 6-foot-4, 245 pounds.

Tyler Kroft

Kroft will likely be among the cheaper tight ends on the market this offseason. He had lackluster production last season as the No. 2 tight end in Buffalo, where he caught 12 passes on 16 targets for 119 yards and three scores. But he provides versatility and youth. The 28-year-old pass-catcher played both receiver and tight end at Rutgers and is known for his quickness.

Jared Cook

Cook is a veteran who could likely not garner a large salary. Despite being in his 12th season last year, he caught 37 passes on 60 targets for 504 yards and seven touchdowns in New Orleans. Cook would bring a solid veteran presence for whatever rookie joins the squad, too.

Hunter Henry

This is wishful thinking. Henry is going to get paid, and I don’t think Carolina should be the team that signs that check. But if they feel like they need to address something else in the draft, plucking the price tag off Henry could be in play. Though he’s battled back from injury, Henry provides the ability to be an elite No. 1 tight end if he stays healthy. He caught 60 passes on 93 targets for 613 yards and four touchdowns a year ago.

John Miller

Like much of the Carolina offensive line, John Miller had a rollercoaster type of a season. He had some moments where he looked like he could be a promising piece of the team's future, then he also had some lapses where he was committing penalties (6), allowing sacks (3), QB hits, etc. Miller started 14 games for the Panthers in 2020 and graded out at just 61.1 by Pro Football Focus.

He may not have had the type of year he or the Panthers would have liked to of had but there's potential there for Miller to develop into a quality starter. Now that Miller has a full year under his belt in this offense and a year working with offensive line coach Pat Meyer, I expect him to take a big leap. A multi-year contract isn't ideal, but a one-year "prove it" deal does.

Jermaine Eluemunor

To help aid the Panthers' need along the offensive line, they need guys that can play multiple positions. Eluemunor has the ability to play both tackle and guard as he showed in his last two seasons with New England. This allows Carolina to be a little more flexible in who they target in the draft and gives them a player that has experience playing both inside and out.

DJ Fluker

One of the best options for the Panthers in free agency could be DJ Fluker, who parted ways with the Baltimore Ravens this offseason. He did spend two seasons in Seatle (2018-19) so the connection to GM Scott Fitterer is there. Fluker signed a one-year, $1 million deal last year so money shouldn't be the issue here.

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