Charles Tillman Brings Much-Needed Leadership, Playmaking to Panthers Secondary

In 2014, the Carolina Panthers became the first team to repeat as NFC South champions, despite finishing the season with a sub-.500 record.

One of the team's issues in 2014 was a pass defense that, while a respectable 11th in the league in yardage allowed, seemed to give up big plays at the worst possible time, while failing to generate many of their own.

The Panthers took steps to address that on Thursday, by adding a face that's very familiar to head coach Ron Rivera.

As Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports, the Panthers have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with veteran cornerback Charles Tillman, who has played his entire 12-year career to date with the Chicago Bears:

At first glance, it may appear a signing that's much ado about nothing. After all, Tillman is 34 years old. He's played in only 10 games over the past two seasons (including two games this past season) thanks to a pair of triceps tears.

However, there's a reason why this is such a bittersweet day at Halas Hall:

Tillman is a two-time Pro Bowler, and to be frank the fact that "Peanut" was only named to two Pro Bowls says more about the sham that is the Pro Bowl selection process than it does Tillman as a player.

As recently as 2012, Tillman was not only a Pro Bowler but also a first-team All-Pro. That season Tillman tallied 86 tackles, three interceptions and a ridiculous 10 forced fumbles.

Yes, you read that right. Ten.

Years	G	GS	Tackles	Sacks	INT	FF	PD	DTD
2003-2014	156	152	856	3.0	36	42	119	8

In his career, Tillman has forced an equally ridiculous 42 fumbles with his "Peanut Punch." If a receiver or ball-carrier is sloppy handling the ball anywhere near Tillman, you can bet the rent Tillman will pop it out.

In that 2012 season, Tillman ranked third among all NFL cornerbacks at Pro Football Focus. The year before that he was seventh.

Simply put, if you designed a machine to create the optimal Cover 2 cornerback, Tillman would pop out. As stout against the run as any corner in the league and strong in both man and zone coverages.

This is no doubt the point where some will point out that it isn't 2012. It's 2015, and Tillman's last two seasons were injury-marred messes.

It's a fair point, although Tillman insisted to Tom Pelissero of USA Today back in February that he still has something left in the tank:

"

The positive is I haven't had that much wear tear on my body in those two years. I've had time to heal up really good.

I think my resume speaks for itself. All 10 years of playing (through) multiple injuries – it takes a lot to keep me off (the field). But this one, I couldn't go because I couldn't protect myself.

"

Whether Tillman is right or simply hopeful really doesn't matter—either way this was a great signing for Carolina.

Let's assume the worst for a moment—that Peanut's shell just won't hold up to the pounding NFL players take anymore.

Even in that worst-case scenario, the Panthers just essentially added an extra coach and a player who is sure to command the respect of young corners like Josh Norman and Bene Benwikere.

It's a role that Tillman played for the Bears last year when he got hurt and rookie Kyle Fuller was forced to replace him, and at that time Tillman told Rich Campbell of The Chicago Tribune that he was willing to do whatever his team asked of him.

"If they need me to sweep, cook, pick up some travel bags, be a cheerleader, just coach — if I see something, my presence there, if it helps, I'll be around," he said.

And it isn't just the things that Tillman can teach those youngsters about coverages, receiver tendencies and forcing turnovers. Tillman is the definition of a pro's pro. He won the Brian Piccolo Award (awarded annually to the Bears player who "exemplifies the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor of the late Brian Piccolo") three times. He was the Ed Block Courage Award recipient in 2009. The Salute to Service Award winner in 2012. The Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2013.

As a mentor for young players, you aren't going to do any better.

Of course, Tillman maintains that he's not ready to just stand on the sidelines offering guidance just yet. And so long as he's healthy, we really haven't seen anything to contradict that.

Has Tillman lost a step? Yes. Age spares no one. But Tillman can compensate for that drop in athleticism with over a decade of experience. He isn't about to bite on the first play-fake he sees, or got caught woefully out of position. At 6'2", Tillman matches up well with lanky red-zone threats like Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson of the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

And when he's on the field, Tillman remains arguably the best in the business at his position when it comes to forcing turnovers and stuffing the run.

That tenacity offers the Panthers another option—moving Tillman to safety ala Charles Woodson.

And the Panthers could use the help there. 2014 starter Thomas DeCoud was a train wreck for the Panthers, ranking 74th among safeties at PFF. The team released DeCoud in February, leaving the untested Tre Boston as the tentative starter at free safety.

It's a move Tillman has resisted in the past (he told WSCR-Radio in February of 2014 flatly that "I don't want to play safety anywhere"), but the prospects of either playing safety or not playing at all may have softened that stance.

This doesn't mean the Panthers want Tillman to play safety. We likely won't know until training camp exactly what the team has in store for him.

What we do know is that Tillman (if healthy) is capable of filling a number of roles. Mentor. On-field coach. Capable cornerback. Probably a more-than-capable free safety.

Given all that, it's easy to see why the Panthers rolled the dice with a one-year, "prove it" deal with Tillman.

And it's equally hard to find something not to like about the deal.

Gary Davenport is an NFL Analyst at Bleacher Report and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and the Pro Football Writers of America. You can follow Gary on Twitter at @IDPManor.