Veteran CB Brandon Boykin Released By Panthers After Less Than 2 Months

by Pablo MenaMay 20, 2016, 5:05 pmNews >

The Carolina Panthers announced on Monday that they have released four-year veteran cornerback Brandon Boykin less than two months after signing him to a one-year, $840,000 deal on March 28, according to Spotrac.

Veteran CB Brandon Boykin Released By Panthers

The Panthers originally signed Boykin to play nickel corner after Bene Benwikere was promoted to an every-snap cornerback, according to ESPN.com’s David Newton. The Panthers are now the third team in just over 10 months to cut ties with him.

His signing also appeared to be a strong decision by the Panthers two months ago because of the whole fiasco involving Pro Bowl cornerback Josh Norman being released from the team– franchise-tag and all– and eventually signing with the Washington Redskins just three days before the 2016 NFL Draft.

As a response, Carolina drafted cornerbacks James Bradberry out of Samford in the second round, Daryl Worley out of West Virginia in the third and Zack Sanchez out of Oklahoma in the fifth.

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Head coach Ron Rivera told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer on Saturday he was “very happy” with what he’s seen from the three draft picks.

This may explain why Boykin was considered expendable despite recording eight interceptions in his first four years in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles (2012-2014) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2015). The CB took to Twitter to express his dissatisfaction with the decision soon after he found out:

Boykin, 25, was one of the top slot corners in 2013 with the Eagles, recording six interceptions and 17 passes defended. His main longtime issue, however, has been getting enough playing time. He has only started seven games out of a possible 64. According to Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus, he played just 23 snaps in the first 12 weeks of the 2015 season with the Steelers (24.7 percent of snaps).

Boykin was drafted by the Eagles as a fourth-round pick out of Georgia in 2012.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 01: Patrick Peterson #21 of the Arizona Cardinals carries the ball as Brandon Boykin #22 of the Philadelphia Eagles defends on December 1, 2013 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennslyvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)