Tag: Donte Jackson

Panthers reportedly restructuring TE Ian Thomas’ contract

The legend of Ian Thomas may be living on in Carolina.

The legend of Ian Thomas will live on.

According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, the Carolina Panthers are restructuring Thomas’ contract—a move that will keep the 27-year-old tight end on the roster moving forward. 2024 would mark his seventh season with the organization.

Thomas, an Indiana University product, was selected by the Panthers in the fourth round of the 2018 draft. He’s appeared in 94 of a possible 99 games since—having amassed 116 receptions for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns.

Carolina re-signed Thomas on a three-year, $16.9 million deal in February of 2022. As he did in the second season of that pact in 2023, Thomas will likely be taking a pay cut to stick around for the 2024 campaign.

If he does indeed last into the season, Thomas will have played under four different full-time head coaches in Carolina (Ron Rivera, Matt Rhule, Frank Reich and Dave Canales).

The Panthers, additionally, are expected to part ways with a number of fellow veterans including tight end Hayden Hurst, center Bradley Bozeman and cornerback Donte Jackson.

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Panthers reportedly planning to release Bradley Bozeman

Per NFL Network, the Panthers are expected to release C Bradley Bozeman.

Well, so much for competition.

According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the Carolina Panthers are expected to release center Bradley Bozeman at the start of the new league year. Bozeman, who has spent the past two seasons in Charlotte, signed a three-year, $18 million extension with the organization last spring.

The possibility of this departure became a bit real this past week, when Joe Person of The Athletic reported that the team was looking to add another center into the mix. Person wrote the following on Thursday:

With Taylor Moton entrenched at right tackle and Dave Canales and Dan Morgan committed to Ikem Ekwonu at left tackle, the Panthers are focused on bolstering their inside line spots. In addition to guard, the Panthers also want to bring in a center to compete with or replace Bradley Bozeman, according to sources familiar with the team’s thinking.

Per Pro Football Focus, the sixth-year hog molly allowed the most sacks (eight) and sixth-most pressures (32) amongst all centers in 2023. Bozeman’s place as a downhill blocker in new head coach Dave Canales’ wide-zone run approach also raised some doubts about his status moving forward.

In addition to Bozeman, the Panthers are also reportedly expected to part ways cornerback Donte Jackson and tight end Hayden Hurst in the coming days.

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Report: Panthers expected to trade or release Donte Jackson

Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Panthers are expected to part ways with CB Donte Jackson.

One of the longest-tenured Carolina Panthers may not be tenured by the Carolina Panthers much longer.

According to ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, the team is expected to part ways with cornerback Donte Jackson. Fowler notes that the Panthers will likely look to trade or release the 28-year-old defender in the coming days.

Such a move would logically go down before March 16, when Jackson would earn a $4 million roster bonus. A release of the veteran corner would save Carolina $5.9 million of cap space this offseason.

A standout speedster at Louisiana State University, Jackson was selected by the organization in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft. Since then, he’s made 76 starts over 80 games—recording 303 combined tackles, 14 interceptions and three forced fumbles.

Jackson played in 16 of 17 games this past season after sustaining a torn Achilles tendon in 2022. He was named the team’s Ed Block Courage Award winner for his valiant recovery and comeback.

2024 would mark the final campaign of the three-year, $35.1 million deal Jackson signed with the Panthers two springs ago.

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Potential 2024 offseason cuts and cap casualties for the Panthers

Who could be on the chopping block for the Panthers this offseason?

The Carolina Panthers aren’t exactly strapped for cash heading into free agency, but they aren’t exactly loaded with it either. So, how can they inch closer to the latter situation?

Here are four potential cap casualties for this offseason:

Panthers’ 4 biggest needs entering free agency

Much of the Panthers’ 2024 offseason should be spent on helping out Bryce Young.

The Carolina Panthers are fresh off tying an NFL record for the most losses in a 17-game regular season and produced one of the most cringeworthy offenses in recent memory. So, uh, yeah—they have some work to do this offseason.

To make it a bit simpler, let’s check out their four biggest areas of need as we inch closer to free agency.

Carolina Panthers Honors: Our 2023 season awards

If the NFL isn’t going to honor individuals from the 2023 Panthers, then we will!

NFL Honors, the league’s annual awards show, will be held tonight out of Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas. And, uh, not that they deserve it—but this year’s Carolina Panthers won’t be well-represented.

So, somebody’s gonna honor our guys, right?

Here are our awards and winners from their 2023 season:

Ranking the dawgs on the Panthers’ roster

Who let these dawgs out in Carolina?

In what will assuredly become a thing amongst Carolina Panthers fans in 2024, new president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan put the call out for some dawgs this past Thursday. Heck, it may already be a thing—as his partner in crime and new head coach Dave Canales just answered said call with an actual canine.

But before Morgan and Canales go search for more, let’s identify and rank the roster’s current dawgs following the 2023 campaign.

Donte Jackson named Panthers’ Ed Block Courage Award winner

Donte Jackson has been named the Panthers’ 2023 recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award.

Donte Jackson has had a year that’s worthy of recognition, and he got it on Wednesday.

As announced this afternoon, the sixth-year cornerback has been named the Carolina Panthers’ 2023 recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award.

The award, which recognizes a player from each team who “exemplifies commitments to the principles of sportsmanship and courage,” honors Jackson’s leadership and his comeback—one that may have seemed improbable at one point to the 28-year-old.

Jackson tore his Achilles tendon in last year’s Thursday night victory over the Atlanta Falcons. He told reporters this past summer that his recovery from the devastating injury wasn’t an easy trail to navigate.

“I spent a lot of time throughout this process just thinkin’ like, ‘Man, am I ever gonna feel the same?” he said back in July. “Am I ever gonna have the same ability? So just bein’ out here and just feelin’ back to normal, just feelin’ back good and just movin’ around and being back with the guys—it’s just a blessing.”

The former second-round pick has since turned in a solid comeback campaign. Pro Football Focus currently has Jackson graded at a 67.2 in coverage, the second-highest of his career.

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Best and worst PFF grades from Panthers’ Week 15 win over Falcons

For the first time in 2023, Bryce Young has earned PFF’s highest offensive grade for the Panthers.

Did Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young just quietly have his coming-out party?

Here are the best and worst Pro Football Focus grades for the Week 15 win over the Atlanta Falcons:

Best and worst PFF grades from Panthers’ Week 15 win over Falcons

For the first time in 2023, Bryce Young has earned PFF’s highest offensive grade for the Panthers.

Did Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young just quietly have his coming-out party?

Here are the best and worst Pro Football Focus grades for the Week 15 win over the Atlanta Falcons: