Brandon Boykin: Latest News, Rumors, Speculation Surrounding Free-Agent CB

Scott PolacekMay 18, 2016

The Carolina Panthers announced the release of cornerback Brandon Boykin on May 16, but he is generating interest from multiple teams.

Continue for updates.

Boykin Visits with Cowboys, Won't Sign at This Time

Wednesday, June 8

Todd Archer of ESPN reported Boykin worked out for the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday but that the team passed on signing him. Archer, who first reported of Dallas' interest on Tuesday, noted the visit was for "down-the-road purposes."

Boykin "Set to Visit" Falcons

Wednesday, May 18

D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Boykin will visit the Atlanta Falcons May 23, adding that the cornerback “had some interest from the Falcons before signing with Carolina in March.”

The Panthers released him in part because their depth chart was so crowded. They drafted defensive backs James Bradberry, Daryl Worley and Zack Sanchez and signed six tryout players before parting ways with the 25-year-old veteran.

Despite the Panthers’ decision to move on from Boykin before he even stepped on the field for game action, he has proved himself a capable nickel cornerback. The Philadelphia Eagles selected him in the fourth round of the 2012 draft, and he played there until 2014 before moving to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2015 season.

He appeared in all 16 games for the Steelers, although Ledbetter said they primarily used him as a backup and special teams player.

The Georgia product has eight career interceptions, six of which came during a breakout 2013 campaign. Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus noted Boykin has played well enough on the field to merit roster consideration from a number of teams:

"
Boykin was PFF’s 29th-highest-graded CB last season—21st the season before that. In 2013, his best season in the league, he was arguably the top slot corner in the game, and had a higher PFF coverage grade than everybody except Vontae Davis.
The now former Panther has a positive PFF grade in every season of his career, and hasn’t been beaten for a pass longer than 33 yards over the past two seasons, a timespan over which he has allowed just one touchdown.
"

The Falcons are an interesting potential landing spot for more reasons than the Georgia connection from Boykin’s collegiate career.

Ledbetter pointed out Atlanta is looking for Jalen Collins to win a starting role, but he will be forced to sit out four games for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. That means there is a need for depth as the 2016 campaign approaches, and Monson’s evaluation indicates Boykin would be well-suited to step in and provide just that.