Carolina Panthers free agency 2020: Top 5 targets

1. Vic Beasley, edge rusher

Rookie Brian Burns had a solid showing in this first NFL season. He established himself as one of the top young pass rushers in the NFL. His combination of quickness and bend allows him to generate strong pressure.

Things will be much tougher in his second year as teams will know he’s coming. It will be made more difficult if the Panthers don’t add another pass rusher to the defense.

Carolina has two key contributors in Bruce Irvin and Mario Addison hitting free agency. These were the team’s top pass rushers, tallying a total of 18 sacks between the two of them. Their success last year means they’ll get plenty of attention in free agency.

The one thing that will hurt their market is age. Both players are 32 years old, which might be the reason why the Panthers let them hit the open market.

Vic Beasley is a much younger option who would serve as an ideal replacement for those departing veterans. Beasley finished with 8.0 sacks last year, but four them came in the last quarter of the season.

Targeting Beasley would count as the Panthers’ big splash for the offseason. Their limited cap space puts them in a bit of a corner when it comes to free agency spending.