DE Yannick Ngakoue
With both Mario Addison (Bills) and Bruce Irvin (Seahawks) leaving in free agency, the team desperately needs to add another starting-quality EDGE defender to pair with 2019 first-round pick Brian Burns. Jadeveon Clowney is likely going to be too expensive to sign, but Ngakoue would make a hell of a consolation prize.
Ngakoue is a ferocious pass rusher, totaling 37.5 sacks and 85 quarterback hits in just four seasons so far. He’s also as disruptive as any defensive lineman that’s likely to be available this year outside of Clowney. Best of all, he’s still in his prime at just 25 years old.
The Jaguars have hit Ngakoue with the franchise tag – worth $19.316 million this year. However, he’s made it clear that he wants to move on based on a tweet from Tuesday when he said it’s obvious his time is up. Trading for and then signing Ngakoue to a long-term deal won’t be cheap. However, it would solidify the book-ends for the defense a long time and allow the Panthers to focus on other positions of need.