Report: Redskins corner Bashaud Breeland to sign with Carolina Panthers

The Washington Redskins were expected to let Bashaud Breeland test the free agent market. They did, and it appears that he has landed with the Carolina Panthers.

The possibility of losing Bashaud Breeland in free agency had long been looming over the heads of the Washington Redskins. After the team elected to re-sign Quinton Dunbar for a few years, it was a foregone conclusion that Breeland would be suiting up for another squad in 2018. But, the departure of Kendall Fuller via the Alex Smith trade opened up a minor possibility that Breeland could be brought back to resume his role as the No. 2 corner. Alas, he didn’t.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Breeland is going to sign a deal with the Carolina Panthers. The contract details are not yet know, but signs are point towards Breeland landing with the Panthers. This is a sensible landing spot for him.

Breeland played his college ball at Clemson, so this is somewhat of a homecoming for him. Breeland is from South Carolina and though the Panthers are stationed in North Carolina, Breeland will still be nearer to his hometown than he was while in D.C. Additionally, Breeland’s presence is much needed for the Panthers.

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Since letting Josh Norman go, the Panthers haven’t been able to field a quality secondary. Second round pick James Bradberry has performed well, but across from him, the team had practically nothing. Norman’s departure likely played a role in the dismissal of general manager Dave Gettleman, as the team never properly replaced the current No. 1 cornerback of the Skins.

Getting Breeland as a starter for the Panthers defense is a solid option. After being frequently torched in 2016, Breeland returned to his well-rounded form in 2017 and provided good coverage for most of the year. Breeland is still occasionally beaten by higher quality receivers, but as a No. 2 corner, that’s to be expected. He will start across from Bradberry in Carolina and the two should form a solid starting cornerback duo.

For the Redskins, this loss isn’t a major blow, as it was an expected one. The aforementioned Dunbar was retained to serve as the No. 2 corner for the Redskins. While keeping Breeland as the starter would have been nice, Dunbar was likely cheaper and he wouldn’t have been able to start had Breeland returned. If either could play the slot, they could maybe co-exist. But both seem better served as outside options.

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The departure of Breeland will only be felt if Dunbar regresses in a starting role. As it stands, the Redskins will need some more corner depth, or a slot man if they don’t believe that’s the best fit for Fabian Moreau, so perhaps adding a veteran would be beneficial. The team brought in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for a visit, and he would be a good fit in the slot. Overall though, nothing should really be made of Breeland’s departure, as the team will be able to find a replacement for him.

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