Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
The Panthers currently have 26 players slated for free agency in 2024.
Things have changed a bit since the last time we brought you this free agent list.
A few weeks back, the Carolina Panthers held on to a few of their own—re-signing tight end Stephen Sullivan and defensive linemen Nick Thurman LaBryan Ray to fresh deals.
So, let’s take an updated look at the team’s pending 2024 free agents.
Week 18 may mark the end of an era for a few Carolina Panthers players.
Sunday will not only represent the end of a brutal 2023 season for the Carolina Panthers, but it may also mark the end of a few eras.
Here are 23 pending free agents who could be playing their last game for the Panthers in Week 18:
*List excludes pending free agents who are on the practice squad, who are on injured reserve and who have been ruled out
The Panthers dropped plenty of balls on New Year’s Eve.
Well, it turns out that Sunday’s game at EverBank Stadium really was between the Washington Generals and the Harlem Globetrotters.
Here’s everything we know from the Carolina Panthers’ New Year’s Eve loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars:
Bryce Young still finished with one of the best offensive grades for the Panthers in Sunday’s loss to the Titans.
We usually put these things out much earlier in the day. But, uh, a few things kinda sorta happened this morning.
Anyway, here are the best and worst Pro Football Focus grades for the Carolina Panthers in their Week 12 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Third time’s the charm? Derek Carr is seeking his first career win against the Falcons after two previous defeats:
Derek Carr accomplished a lot in his nine years with the Raiders, but the quarterback has yet to beat every team in the NFL. Now with the New Orleans Saints, he’ll have an opportunity to notch his first win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday after twice coming up short.
Carr’s first loss to Atlanta came back in 2016, when he threw for 299 yards with 3 touchdown passes without a turnover, but it wasn’t enough (the Falcons triumphed 35-28, pulling away with a big fourth-quarter scoring output). It was an admirable performance in a losing effort.
Things weren’t as impressive in his second outing. The Falcons bulldozed Carr’s Raiders 43-6 in 2020, nearly three years ago to the day of their last meeting (Nov. 29). Carr was sacked three times and threw an interception to Falcons linebacker Deion Jones which was returned 67 yards for a touchdown, also losing three fumbles. It wasn’t much to write home about.
So hopefully Carr can bounce back and take care of the Falcons on Sunday for the Saints. He’s had two opportunities to get his first-ever wins over other teams earlier this season, but he exited both games with injuries. He left the Green Bay Packers game after taking the lead but was pulled from the Minnesota Vikings matchup while facing a steep deficit. Let’s hope for smoother sailing on Sunday in Atlanta.
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Derrick Brown never logged more than 75 percent of defensive snaps in any of his three previous NFL seasons. He’s at 90 percent through three games in 2023.
The Carolina Panthers had injury added to insult on Sunday, as a handful of key players exited the noisy Week 3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. So, it’ll be a bit foggy while trying to get a gauge on the game’s snap counts.
But, here’s what we can deduce from the outing:
Well, at least there’s one Deion who seems to be doing alright at the football thing this weekend.
Following the exciting 47-yard touchdown connection between quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver DJ Chark, Carolina Panthers linebacker Deion Jones got himself on the board as well. With just over four minutes remaining in the first half of the Week 3 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, Jones picked off quarterback Geno Smith for the unit’s second interception of the campaign.
We'll take that! pic.twitter.com/mpsvtaQuTi
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) September 24, 2023
The eighth-year defender is no stranger to interceptions either. With that snatch, Jones now has 13 career picks—11 of which came as an Atlanta Falcon.
Carolina then turned the takeaway into three points to extend their lead. Kicker Eddy Piñeiro booted through a 44-yard field goal, his second successful try of the afternoon, to give the Panthers a 13-9 advantage.
Jones and the rest of the defense proved to be stingy throughout the entire half, denying the Seahawks of an end-zone visit despite three trips to the red zone. They led 13-12 at the break.
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Watch Smith stare down Jaxon Smith-Njigba and get picked off.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith had thrown 82 passes so far this season without an interception. That streak just ended, as Smith threw a pick to Panthers linebacker Deion Jones.
Watch Smith stare down Jaxon Smith-Njigba and get picked off.
Geno Smith throws a bad INT to #Panthers LB Deion Jones.
Panthers can take the lead.pic.twitter.com/UeXms5vfSPhttps://t.co/PMBLdIOevt
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 24, 2023
This comes on the heels of a busted coverage, a missed tackle and a touchdown for Carolina wide receiver D.J. Chark. The Panthers added three more on a field goal after Smith’s interception. They now lead 13-9.
More Seahawks Wire stories
The Panthers and DC Ejiro Evero are still trying to figure out how to replace LB Shaq Thompson.
Shaq Thompson has been a Carolina Panther for almost a decade—and that’s not by happenstance. So, it may not be easy to just replace him.
Unfortunately, that’ll be the task for defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and his unit—as the 29-year-old linebacker and team captain is likely lost for the season due to a fractured fibula. Evero was asked on Thursday about how he plans on filling the huge void in the middle of his defense.
“We are still trying to work through all those different things,” he replied. “We felt really good about how Kamu [Grugier-Hill] played in the game. Debo [Deion Jones], obviously, is gonna be up now. He’s gonna provide some depth, and we’re kinda workin’ through all those rotational things. Chandler Wooten is in play. So, we’re kinda considerin’ everybody.”
After Thompson was carted away in the first quarter of Monday night’s matchup with the New Orleans Saints, Grugier-Hill stepped up with an impressive relief appearance. The eighth-year defender, who’s really considered more of a special teamer, recorded six tackles and a sack in Carolina’s 20-17 loss.
Evero then spoke about what Grugier-Hill, and Jones, can bring in an expanded role.
“Very athletic, very smart, very stable,” he replied. “But, ya know, him and Debo are very similar type of players. They’re both guys that are . . . really good skill set in terms of coverage, runnin’ to the ball. Both smart guys.”
Jones was signed to the active roster on Wednesday. The former Pro Bowler had spent the last week and change as a member of the team’s practice squad.
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The Panthers added two new, but familiar faces to their practice squad on Wednesday.
The Carolina Panthers created two vacancies on their practice squad earlier this afternoon.
Their call-up of linebacker Deion Jones to the active roster produced the first, one which would be filled by quarterback Jake Luton. The second came as a swap of cornerbacks, with Mark Milton clearing out for former Los Angeles Ram Robert Rochell.
Here’s an updated look at the 16-man squad:
