The Panthers have made it official: They agreed to terms with cornerback A.J. Bouye.
The team previously signed Rashaan Melvin in free agency, leaving defensive tackle as the one glaring need on the defense.
“What we wanted to do going into this draft, through free agency, through this trade with Sam [Darnold], was to just get rid of all the needs we have,” General Manager Scott Fitterer said Monday after acquiring Darnold. “We wanted to get to a place where the roster was in a good spot, and we could take the best available player at number eight.
“We could always move up, and we could always move back, but this puts us in a position to make the right football decision for this team moving forward.”
Bouye, 29, will miss the first two games of the regular season while finishing up a suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
The Broncos released Bouye on Feb. 10 in a cost-cutting move after only one season. Bouye joined the Broncos last spring in a trade with the Jaguars but played only seven games due to a shoulder injury, a concussion and his suspension.
Bouye has started 69 games in his career and has 14 career interceptions, including one off Darnold in 2019.
