The Panthers got the veteran cornerback they so desperately needed yesterday by agreeing to terms of a one-year deal with Eli Apple.
Apple’s time in the NFL has been defined by unfulfilled potential. He has the athletic tools he needs to succeed. However, as of yet he hasn’t been able to put it all together and live up to his status as a former first-round pick. Here are four things Apple brings to the table for the defense.
Length and speed
First, let’s start with Apple’s physical traits. One thing that Carolina’s cornerback room was missing before this addition was length. Donte Jackson and Troy Pride Jr. have their own positive athletic attributes. Size isn’t one of them, though. Apple offers an upgrade over them here at 6-foot-1, 203 pounds and 31 3/8 inch arms. He’s also fast, having run an official 4.40 forty at the 2016 combine and a low time of 4.24. That combination of length and speed is necessary for any outside corner.
Plays on the ball
Panthers fans should accept that Apple is going to make mistakes on the field from time to time. However, one area he’s done well in is making plays on the ball. He has the requisite long arms and busy hands to create problems for receivers at the catch-point. Apple has put them to use for three interceptions and 33 pass breakups in his career so far.
Here’s a few of his best from his time in New Orleans.
Inconsistent coverage
Breaking up passes is all fine and good. There’s alot more to playing cornerback than that, though. Apple earned a 59.1 pass coverage grade from Pro Football Focus after a challenging 2019 season. Pro Football Reference says that Apple was targeted 76 times last year, allowing 48 catches for a total of 683 yards and 100.9 passer rating. Apple has flashed at times, but he has to be more consistent in coverage if he’s going to stick around as a full-time starter.
Youth with experience
Finally, the Panthers are getting a good blend of youth and experience with Apple. He is just 24 years old and he’s already started 48 games in his career, or three full seasons’ worth. That’s three more than the team’s fourth-round pick, Troy Pride Jr., who is the next-best candidate to take James Bradberry’s place starting outside opposite Donte Jackson.
If defensive coordinator Phil Snow and defensive backs coach Evan Cooper can get Apple to clean up his technique and deliver on his promise, this could turn out to be a superb low-cost, high-reward signing.
