Safety Landon Collins Working Out With Carolina Panthers

/

The same day after C3’s Mel Mayock, the cooler cousins to Mike Kiper, mocked Landon Collins to the Carolina Panthers, NFL.com announced that Collins has a private workout scheduled with the Panthers.  Coincidence…..I think not, just like Mel Mayock and Mike Kiper aren’t coincidental nicknames.  And for the internet snoods, we like to have fun around here—so everyone has a nickname, even those who shop at the iSnoods store.

It’s no secret Carolina could use some help at safety.  It’s been a weakness for the Panthers for the last several years.  Dave Gettleman hit on Mike Mitchell in what was akin to betting a single number on the roulette table.  It helped a secondary that looked good mostly because there was a ferocious front seven terrorizing quarterbacks all day.  They played well enough, but there was always that lingering fear that they could get beat by the big play.  Remember the last play of the Dolphins game in 2013 that almost ended in disaster?

Last year, Carolina tried to get by with Roman Harper.  It’s amazing he played as much as he did and as well as he did late.  Carolina’s front seven struggled without Greg Hardy and the secondary missed Mitchell. Harper played better as the season went on, but arguably his greatest contribution was as a mentor off the field.  Bene’ Benwikere attested to this in a C3 podcast as the Panthers entered the playoffs. 

Landon Collins

NFL teams have become more pass-happy in the last decade, trotting out more three and four receiver sets.  Defenses are adjusting by playing more nickel zone and the safety has become increasingly more important against more aggressive air attacks.  It’s not surprising Carolina is in the market for a safety. Surely, no one believes that Kurt Coleman is the organizations long-term answer. Adding Collins to what is quickly becoming a rejuvenated, youthful secondary could add the needed pop when anyone ventures deep across the middle.

Here’s why Mel  Mayock mocked Collins at 25:

“The Panthers have their pick of Ereck Flowers, DJ Humphries, and Jake Fisher. I had hometown standout out DJ Humprhries here in our previous Mock and that would still be a great pick. But think about this: this Draft is so deep at Tackle and so thin at Safety that if the #1 Safety in the draft is there, he will be the pick. Roman Harper is not getting any younger and this week’s signing of Kurt Coleman is more about Special Teams and depth than finding a top-flight Safety. Collins would be the long term solution and would be a great compliment to Sticki Wiki, Josh Norman and Tre Boston. I can only imagine how Panther Nation will react, but Collins is the Top 10 talent that fell on Draft Day. ”
— Mel Mayock

Like the idea of Carolina grabbing Collins if he's around at #25? Leave a comment below. 

By the Professor, aka Tony Dunn
Follow me on Twitter @Cat_Chronicles