NFL Free Agency 2014: Carolina Panthers unlikely to pursue Asante Samuel

The Carolina Panthers had one of the best defenses in the NFL last season, but their roster could see some changes in the offseason. Greg Hardy is a priority and he’s going to command a lot of money from the Panthers if they want to keep him, and trying to find money for Hardy may cause the Panthers to cut some defensive players they’ll need to replace.

Charlotte Observer reporters Joe Person and Jonathan Jone report that the Panthers will be looking at cornerback help in the offseason but that likely won’t lead them down a path that involves signing the recently cut Asante Samuel.

"It seems more likely the Panthers will try to re-sign Munnerlyn and go after a free agent younger than Samuel, who is probably an emergency fall-back option at best."

Adding Samuel could still be an option, but it seems as though he’s a last resort option for the Panthers. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott has worked with Samuel before in Philadelphia, which is why some are trying to link Samuel to the Panthers.

Should the Panthers lose out on other free agent cornerbacks, then Samuel could become a viable option. But in the meantime the Panthers will be looking elsewhere and Samuel may find it hard to get a job right away in free agency.