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Carolina Panthers cornerback James Bradberry is a former second-round pick int he 2016 NFL Draft and is set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason. The 26 year old had a bit of a down season last year, but the whole team was a bit of a downer that ultimately led to Ron Rivera’s departure as head coach there.
Could he be a target for the Denver Broncos to help fill out the cornerback position that looks to be thin after Chris Harris Jr. leaves.
What kind of contract could he get
He’s going to command a high salary. Once the season ended, he made that expectation known to all.
“I feel like I’m a top corner in this league,” Bradberry said, “and I want to be compensated as such. I’m open to any and all possibilities. I understand this is a business. We’ll see what happens.”
The value of the contract he could receive in free agency is all over the map. The best guess I could find came from an in-depth report on Bradberry from The Riot Report that pegged his value somewhere in the range of Desmond Trufant’s deal. a 4-year, $45 million deal with $15 million guaranteed.
Why the Broncos should sign him
They desperately need starting cornerback talent. He seems to do well in coverage and breaks up a lot of passes. The Panthers defense overall finished average against the pass, but that might be due to the fact teams didn’t have to throw the ball to move it up and down the field. The Panthers finished dead last in yards per rush last season giving up a whopping 31 rushing touchdowns - a full 8 more than the second worst team in 2019.
Why the Broncos shouldn’t sign him
He may not be as good as the contract he’ll get. His overall grade from Pro Football Focus last season was a disappointing 59.8 and while he ranks 12th overall in pass defenses, he doesn’t get the interceptions others get ahead of him there.
Final word
I’m going to have to say no to Bradberry in Denver. He seems like a fine player, but at the contract he’ll demand in free agency it just doesn’t make sense. The Broncos should look elsewhere for top cornerback talent and continue to focus on homegrown talent.
What do you think Broncos Country?