The Carolina Panthers drafted three cornerbacks in the 2016 draft in an attempt to create consistency and stability in the secondary, but corner is not the only position in the defensive backfield and when the team parted ways with Tré Boston earlier this offseason, the Panthers assured themselves they will be starting a different pair of safeties for the seventh year in a row. As such, it is a time honored tradition to focus on the safety position and how it will affect the upcoming season.
| Season | Starting Free Safety | Starting Strong Safety |
| 2017 | Kurt Coleman | Mike Adams |
| 2016 | Tre Boston | Kurt Coleman |
| 2015 | Kurt Coleman | Roman Harper |
| 2014 | Thomas DeCoud | Roman Harper |
| 2013 | Mike Mitchell | Quintin Mikell |
| 2012 | Charles Godfrey | Haruki Nakamura |
| 2011 | Charles Godfrey | Sherrod Martin |
The Panthers use a system that does not revolve around the traditional safety roles, instead they use a system of two safeties that are meant to be interchangeable. Mike Adams and Kurt Coleman are as close to interchangeable pieces as you will find. Neither are new to the league, with Adams entering his 14th season and Coleman entering his 8th and both have played a number of roles in different systems. They can both play inside the box and near the line of scrimmage or roam as a high safety and make plays in coverage or as run stoppers.
Kurt Coleman:
Coleman has played the last two seasons in Carolina and has grabbed 11 interceptions over that time, the most in the NFC. After a phenomenal 2015 in which he grabbed seven interceptions (including four weeks straight) the Panthers asked Coleman to replace Roman Harper near the line of scrimmage in 2016. This affected Coleman’s play and resulted in a down year for the safety.
Coleman had one issue in 2016 that impacted every facet of his game. He played with lead feet. This caused him to be late to the ball frequently and had the largest effect on his zone coverage abilities. When Coleman got beat, it was usually a pass near him that he simply didn’t react to quick enough or was out of position by enough to cause problems but not by enough to noticeable. He plays with his eyes on the quarterback and relies on his instincts and agility to make a play before the ball reaches its target, and when you play with your feet planted, your first motion is to prepare for the action instead of actually performing it. When he wasn’t flat footed he was in a perfect position to play the ball. While he still got beat sporadically, it was more due to the athleticism of his opponent than anything he had control over. Coleman got caught flat footed as a run stopper as well. He filled gaps well enough, but when rushers made it to open field he had issues with angles and tackling, largely due to slow starts or not being ready to cut with the back.
Photo: Getty Images
Panthers fans should be excited about Kurt Coleman in 2017. The Panthers will not be asking him to play close to the line of scrimmage and be a buffalo nickel or a strong safety as they did in 2016, so Coleman will have more freedom to roam the field in a free safety role more like the role he played in 2015.
Mike Adams:
2017 will be Mike Adams’ first season in Carolina, but it will also be his 14th in the NFL. While Adams hasn’t had a stellar career, he has been a steady player who provided strong leadership on every team he played for. Adams made his first Pro Bowl in 2014 which also happened to be his first year playing for the Indianapolis Colts. Over the next two years he played solid football and acted as a true safety net for the Colts’ defense.
“He’s a football junkie. He was kind of the glue to that defensive backfield, the defense overall. He’s a guy you can count on week in and week out, and he played really good football for us. He’s done it all. He’s good around the line of scrimmage, playing the run game down in the box when you need him and you have that eighth defender, He’s good in coverage. But he’s got some really good ball skills. He’s got really good instincts. …When he’s deep in coverage he does a great job of reading the quarterback and getting a jump on the ball and creating turnovers for you.”
— Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano
During the 2016 season, Adams was used all over the field and was asked to do everything for the Colts. On one play he might be providing a last line of defense deep, on the next he would be filling a rushing lane or in man coverage against a tight end. What really stands out about Adams is the fact that he plays with a bounce in his step and a level of energy that only Thomas Davis can emulate.
Looking forward to the 2017 season, Mike Adams’ high energy play style should compliment Coleman’s more methodical approach while his versatility will provide Panthers new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks with yet another weapon that can be used anywhere on the field.
Dean Marlowe:
The Carolina Panthers signed Dean Marlowe as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He performed well in minimal snaps his rookie year and entered the 2016 season with a small amount of hype surrounding him. However, he only took three snaps in 2016 before being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Because there is a marginal amount of film to analyze, how he performs in training camp and the preseason will shed more light on his expected role in 2017. Fans are hopeful that he can step up and provide depth for a shallow secondary.
Photo: Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer
Colin Jones:
Colin Jones will be entering his sixth year with the Panthers and seventh in the league and likely won’t see his role change during 2017. Jones has made a name for himself as a special teams gunner and will continue to be a big part of Carolina’s special teams unit. While he has seen some snaps at safety, he isn’t likely to see defensive snaps unless Adams and Coleman are injured. If he does see defensive snaps, it will be as a situational blitzer due to his speed. However, should Jones be forced into a starting role, the Panthers will have a hole in their defensive backfield that opposing teams will use to their advantage. While Jones is exceedingly fast and has value as a special teams player, he may see that role eroded with the new signing of special teams ace Russell Shepard.
The gap between the starters and the back-ups is larger than it has been in years past, which is why safety is one of the biggest question marks going into the 2017 season. There is hope that Dean Marlowe, a wild card that has shown well in limited snaps, will surprise everyone and fellow back-up Jones will continue to provide value as a special teams ace and an emergency safety. The starters have blossomed late in their career and are poised to solidify the Panthers secondary with their instincts, ball skills, and versatility if they can stay healthy. The safety group will be one that is especially important to watch during training camp.
