Charles Godfrey released by Carolina Panthers
A year after playing in just two games because of a season-ending injury, Carolina Panthers defensive back Charles Godfrey finds himself on the free-agent scrap heap after a nightmarish first half of the 2014 regular season. Maybe it was the ill-effects of the injury or the fact that he was playing a new position (or some combination of both), but Godfrey has being playing the worst ball of his career. Once a key leader at the free safety position, Godfrey has been displaced by veteran offseason signings, as former Atlanta Falcons safety Thomas DeCoud usurped Godfrey as the starting free safety before Godfrey was moved into the slot.
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After demoting him from his preferred position, Godfrey has been released by the Panthers, per ESPN’s Adam Caplan. Godfrey’s agent Doug Hendrickson released the news via Twitter (the Panthers have now announced the move), and it will be interesting to see how long it takes for him to land somewhere. He has plenty of experience under his belt at 28, and he once picked off five passes in a season. If he can stick to his natural position at free safety, then there’s a chance he could find a role somewhere (most likely as a third safety).
Godfrey’s release isn’t a surprise, as the Panthers asked him to restructure his deal this past offseason before asking him to take on a cornerback role. He never played there since his college days at Iowa, and it’s clear that he can’t adequately play the position. The Panthers are, as sad as it is to say, probably better off without him, but I hope he can find his footing somewhere.