The Panthers have released cornerback A.J. Bouye, per an official club announcement. This comes on the heels of defensive lineman Morgan Fox‘s release, which has also been confirmed by the team.
Bouye had a couple of really solid years with the Texans, grading out as one of the league’s best CBs. He parlayed into a five-year, $67.5MM deal from the Jaguars in 2017 and things went well initially. In his first Jags season, he was a second-team All-Pro with six interceptions. Then, his play slipped year by year — he had just one interception in each of the next two seasons, enabling the Broncos to acquire him in 2020 for nothing more than a fourth-round pick.
Once the Broncos cut in February 2021, the Panthers picked him up for cheap. Now, he’s out of the picture in Carolina as the Panthers look to remodel their defense. The 30-year-old (31 in August) could still be a worthwhile veteran pickup for a team in need, though the ceiling is much lower than it was just a few years ago. The Panthers, meanwhile, will save a good chunk of change as they cancel the rest of his two-year, $7MM pact.
Due to injuries, Bouye was limited to just ten games and seven starts last year. He finished his lone Panthers season with 28 tackles, three passes defensed, and one forced fumble.