A year ago Sunday, the Carolina Panthers signed free agent receiver Jarrett Boykin. He didn't even make it to the fourth preseason game.
The NFL's other Boykin has a much better chance of working out.
Cornerback Brandon Boykin — no relation to Jarrett — will visit the Panthers on Monday, according to a source. The meeting was first reported by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
Boykin has eyed the Panthers since the start of free agency, a source said, and while a couple other teams have shown interest, even a bidding war may not shoot his price up significantly. General manager Dave Gettleman does most of his spring shopping from late March to mid-April and Boykin, 25, seems like an ideal buy.
It doesn't take much to figure out a nickel corner is currently at the top of Gettleman's shopping list. Boykin just so happened to be one of the league's best in the slot during his first three seasons, and he was solid when the Steelers let him play last year. More on that later.
With Bené Benwikere moving to the outside, Boykin could fill the gaping hole in the slot. At 5-foot-10, 182 pounds, he's smaller than what the Panthers prefer on the outside, but he could also play there if needed.
Like Benwikere, Boykin's wanted a bigger role on the outside. That's what got him shipped out of Philadelphia.
An Eagles' fourth-round pick in 2012, Boykin made only six official starts in his first three seasons. But he played plenty and broke out in 2013 with six interceptions, 16 pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
Last summer, the Eagles started shopping Boykin, who was unhappy and heading into a contract year. They eventually found a buyer when the secondary-needy Steelers came calling early in training camp. But after giving up a 2016 fifth-round pick, Pittsburgh strangely buried him on the bench.
Boykin was limited to mostly special teams until he finally started seeing full-time snaps in Week 12. He then helped solidify the secondary during Pittsburgh's playoff push. Despite playing just a quarter of defensive snaps, Boykin was the Steelers' highest-rated corner by Pro Football Focus last year.
So why did it take Pittsburgh so long to play him?
Some believe the pick they sent the Eagles would turn into a fourth-rounder if he hit a certain number of snaps. It seems odd the Steelers would hold out someone who could help just for that, but so was the fact they were trotting out guys who weren't as good.
As a rookie kickoff returner with the Eagles, Boykin had the third-best average in the league among guys who had that gig full-time.
Carolina's kickoff return game was less than inspiring last year. Of players who had at least nine chances, Fozzy Whittaker's average of 23.2 yards per return ranked 32nd.
In college, Boykin returned an SEC record four kickoffs for touchdowns.
Boykin would be the third Georgia Bulldog on the Panthers' defense. That would certainly make linebacker Thomas Davis and defensive end Charles Johnson happy.
In 2011, Boykin won the Hornung Award, given to the most versatile player in college football. Three years later, the award went to Washington's Shaq Thompson.