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Carolina Panthers: Jarrett Boykin’s chances still good

By Kevin Parvizi

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The Carolina Panthers came into the offseason knowing that they would need to make significant upgrades at the wide receiver position, and they achieved this by making three notable moves. Firstly, they reunited with Ted Ginn Jr., who spent the 2014 season with the Arizona Cardinals after having the best season of his career in Carolina in 2013.

They then added former Green Bay Packers backup receiver Jarrett Boykin, who put himself on the map after injuries to Randall Cobb and James Jones in the 2013 season before being benched in 2014 in favor of the much more talented and promising Fresno State rookie Davante Adams. And, of course, the Panthers biggest addition was the selection of Devin Funchess with the 41st overall pick in the draft.

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Ginn and Funchess join Kelvin Benjamin and Corey Brown as the four wide receives who are locks to make the Panthers 53-man roster out of training camp. But outside of those guys, it’s a crowded field at the position, and the remaining players of note (including Stephen Hill, Brenton Bersin, and Boykin) will have to do everything they can to separate themselves throughout the offseason.

Unfortunately for Boykin, the veteran offseason signing hasn’t managed to do that in OTAs, as the Charlotte Observer’s Joseph Person, who is as plugged-in and blunt as they come, wrote that while the former Packer didn’t necessarily “struggle” in OTAs, he didn’t distance himself from the rest of the receivers on the roster in the competition for a roster spot.

I know it’s important to keep all types of news this early in the offseason in their proper perspective, as they don’t mean too much yet. But Person’s remarks on Boykin are troubling, because how many times do you hear a beat writer singling out a notable free agent signing as someone who hasn’t impressed in OTAs? A veteran with a high cap charge or a raw rookie are usually the culprits here, but it’s interesting to see that Boykin, who is still just 25, has been a very early disappointment.

The final “He’s not off to a strong start” isn’t a damning statement from Person, but, again, it’s worth mentioning, because Boykin is exactly the type of receiver who can quickly find himself on the roster bubble. Yes, he was signed this offseason and is young, but he isn’t an athletic receiver by any means and is merely a possession-type backup. He’s the type of guy who should look solid at this stage of the offseason while younger guys are still grasping things, and yet he doesn’t look better than the crowd; that says something.

Boykin has a meager $700,000 cap hit this upcoming season, and that makes it seem hard to believe that the Panthers would release a cheap player on a one-year contract. Plus, he did catch 49 passes for 681 yards and three TDs (a surprisingly robust 13.9 yards per reception) in 2013, but those numbers were inflated by Aaron Rodgers and come from a player who drops the ball too often for someone without plus athleticism for the possession.

Even though Boykin is cheap, he carries just $20,000 in dead money if released, whereas releasing veteran receiver Jerricho Cotchery, whom most closely- but clearly not perfectly- resembles Boykin’s role on the roster, would cost the team $1.8 million in dead money compared to an overall cap hit of $1.95 million. If the Panthers want to release a slow-footed chain-mover, then it won’t be Cotchery.

Although his 2013 numbers were largely thanks to opportunity, Boykin does bring some value to the table with his strength and ability to find space in the intermediate game. But given the fact that he’s slow and doesn’t bring much upside to the table, he could easily be given the axe if a guy like, say, Stephen Hill shows a spark in August. Boykin is a much safer bet to produce and is probably the better player overall, but the Panthers have a great wide receivers coach and would probably rather take the higher-upside player in the case of a tie (Hill is also cheaper at a $594,500 cap hit).

May 28, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers receiver Jarrett Boykin catches a pass during the practice held at the Bank of America Stadium practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Even though the competition is tight, there’s plenty of room for Jarrett Boykin to make it onto the roster, since he has experience, a unique trait in his strength, and past production to lean on. But if someone like Hill shows up, he could find himself in a tough spot.

Ultimately, Boykin will probably have to truly struggle to be released, simply because he’s one of the Panthers four proven options with Ginn, Benjamin, and Cotchery being the others.

But at this point, he’s competing to be the No. 4 receiver behind Benjamin, Funchess, and Ginn Jr., and what hurts him is the fact that he’s not as expensive to release as Cotchery.

While a young receiver’s emergence could spell trouble for Benjamin, his spot on the roster could be decided by whether or not he’s better than Cotchery and Hill, who are his main sources of competition for a gig.

The Carolina Panthers are in a position where they have to think hard before releasing a wide receiver, so Boykin is safe unless if he falls behind the two players mentioned in the previous sentence.

If that’s the case, then he could be released, but he could also be retained simply due to his cheap contract (that, of course, lasts just one year) and past production.

Next: Looking at Panthers biggest holes on defense

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