Tag: Josey Jewell

Josey Jewell: Ejiro Evero, Peter Hansen were ‘big’ in decision to sign with Panthers

Panthers LB Josey Jewell on Ejiro Evero, Peter Hansen: “They were definitely big to me coming here and playing.”

Like A’Shawn Robinson before him (literally), Josey Jewell spoke about how familiarity pulled him into the Queen City.

The 29-year-old linebacker spoke with reporters on Wednesday afternoon, his first such chat since signing with the Carolina Panthers out of free agency last month. He was asked how much the team’s coaching staff, specifically defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and linebackers coach Peter Hansen, had influenced his decision and his game.

“They were definitely big to me coming here and playing,” Jewell replied. “Really enjoyed my time with them, even though it was just a year. Just the way they coach the game and they allow you to play the game and just go out there and flow and play to its true value and just go out there and findin’ the football. So that’s what I’ve enjoyed playin’ for them. Enjoyed bein’ in a specific room with Pete and he’s just a great coach.”

Josey, Pete and Ejiro spent the 2022 campaign together in Denver. That also just so happened to be the most productive season of Jewell’s NFL career—as he amassed 128 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

Jewell, who inked a three-year, $22.75 million pact, is currently projected to start alongside Shaq Thompson in the middle of Carolina’s defense.

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Ejiro Evero talks about Panthers’ familiar free-agent signings

Panthers DC Ejiro Evero will be reunited with some familiar faces from his LA and Denver days.

Continuity is key in the NFL—and unfortunately for the Carolina Panthers, they haven’t experienced a ton of it in recent years. But some familiar faces will be in the building, even if they weren’t on the team last season.

Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who was retained through the transition into new head coach Dave Canales, spoke with reporters on Thursday afternoon. He was asked about a few of the front office’s free-agent signings, particularly the ones he has a history with.

“The first part is that those guys are all very, very good football players,” Evero said. “They’re smart, they’re tough, they’re instinctive, they play hard, they’re great teammates. So from that standpoint, they uplift their team.”

Evero will be reunited with linebacker Josey Jewell, whom he coached as the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator in 2022, as well as defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson and safeties Jordan Fuller and Nick Scott—his guys over from the Los Angeles Rams days. They’ll all look to add to the defense that allowed the fourth-fewest total yards in 2023.

And although there will be some familiarity between he and his players, that doesn’t necessarily mean their roles will be the same in Carolina.

“The defense is gonna be a little bit different than how we played it in Denver, how we played it at the LA Rams,” Evero added. “So from that standpoint, it’s gonna be a little bit of an adjustment. But havin’ those guys on our team right now is such a huge step forward for us.”

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Panthers projected defensive depth chart heading into April

The Panthers defense looks quite different than it did compared to this time last offseason.

While the Carolina Panthers could have another move or two up their sleeve, (we’re looking at you, Stephon Gilmore), the major waves of free agency have crashed.

The hectic tides brought a ton of change for the team, especially on defense. Linebackers Brian Burns, Frankie Luvu and Yetur Gross-Matos, cornerback Donte Jackson and safeties Jeremy Chinn and Vonn Bell were amongst the many names that have now washed away.

But those waters also turned up some new and exciting ones.

So, as we head out of March and further towards the 2024 NFL draft, here is our projected defensive depth chart for the Panthers:

1st 2nd 3rd 4th
DE Derrick Brown LaBryan Ray
DT Shy Tuttle Nick Thurman
DE A’Shawn Robinson Raequan Williams
OLB Jadeveon Clowney K’Lavon Chaisson Amaré Barno Luiji Vilain
LB Shaq Thompson Chandler Wooten Claudin Cherelus
LB Josey Jewell Tae Davis
OLB D.J. Wonnum DJ Johnson
CB Jaycee Horn D’Shawn Jamison Lamar Jackson
CB Dane Jackson Dicaprio Bootle
SS Xavier Woods Jammie Robinson Sam Franklin Jr.
FS Jordan Fuller Nick Scott Alex Cook
NCB Troy Hill AJ Parker

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Josey Jewell posts goodbye message to Broncos Country

“I’m leaving with unforgettable memories and so much gratitude toward an organization that gave me my first chance,” Josey Jewell said.

Josey Jewell left the Denver Broncos last week to sign a three-year, $22.75 million contract with the Carolina Panthers.

After the news of Jewell’s departure via NFL free agency became official, the inside linebacker posted the following message on his official Instagram page:

Broncos country! Thank you for welcoming my family and me 6 years ago. It was a dream come true to represent the city of Denver. 

To all my coaches over the years, training staff, cooks, front office, ownership, and especially teammates, my time here has been so special because all of you, so thank you for that! 

I’m leaving with unforgettable memories and so much gratitude toward an organization that gave me my first chance as an nfl player. ✌🏼Outlaw

Jewell, 29, played for the Broncos from 2018-2023, totaling 453 tackles, nine sacks and two interceptions in 78 games (58 starts). The Broncos replaced him with Cody Barton, who agreed to a one-year contract last week.

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Broncos find their Josey Jewell replacement with LB Cody Barton

The Broncos are bringing in Cody Barton as their Josey Jewell replacement.

Three days after they lost free agent linebacker Josey Jewell to the Carolina Panthers, the Denver Broncos have found their replacement.

The Broncos agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Cody Barton on Friday, the linebacker’s agent, David Canter, announced on Friday evening.

The one-year contract is worth “up to” $4 million, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis, but the linebacker’s base salary is not yet known.

Barton (6-2, 237 pounds) entered the league as a third-round pick out of Utah with the Seattle Seahawks in 2019. He was a special teams player and rotational linebacker through his first three seasons before starting 11 games in 2022.

Last year, Barton was a 13-game starter with the Washington Commanders, totaling 121 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble and one pass breakup. The 27-year-old linebacker has recorded 352 tackles, three interceptions and two sacks in 78 career games (29 starts).

Barton will now likely be a favorite to start next to Alex Singleton in 2024. Jonas Griffith and Drew Sanders are also returning this season.

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Panthers officially announce 5 free-agent signings

The Panthers made their reported free-agent agreements officials ones at the start of the new league year.

Happy New Year, Carolina Panthers fans!

With the start of the new league year came the official announcement of the team’s five newest free-agent signees. So, yes, those terms are no longer reportedly agreed upon—they’re definitely agreed upon.

Set to join the Panthers are guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson, linebacker Josey Jewell and cornerback Dane Jackson.

Hunt and Lewis were the first two names to surface for Carolina, who were seeking to fortify their interior offensive trench for quarterback Bryce Young. And they did, with the duo expected to sign multi-year deals (Hunt for five and Lewis for four) at a combined $153 million.

Robinson will help solidify the opposite trench. The 6-foot-4, 330-pounder is expected to ink a three-year, $22.5 million pact.

Jewell could serve as the replacement for the departed do-it-all backer Frankie Luvu. He spent a season under Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who served in the same role for the Denver Broncos in 2022.

Jackson, who has ties to president of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan, comes over from the Buffalo Bills.

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3 starters Broncos could lose in free agency

With free agency about a week away, Lloyd Cushenberry seems like the Broncos’ most likely free agent to draw big interest from other clubs.

The official start of NFL free agency (March 13) is nearly one week away and the Denver Broncos still have work to do to get under the salary cap.

When the Broncos have some cap space to spare, the team will undoubtedly re-sign some of their in-house free agents, but Denver won’t be able to keep all of them.

The Broncos’ five biggest free agents this spring are arguably center Lloyd Cushenberry, linebacker Josey Jewell, tight end Adam Trautman, safety P.J. Locke and kicker Wil Lutz. Denver seems likely to lose a few of them.

Trautman and Lutz shouldn’t be too difficult to re-sign, but Cushenberry is expected to draw serious interest on the open market. The Broncos probably can’t afford to match the kind of offers Cushenberry will receive from other clubs.

The markets for Jewell and Locke are less certain. Jewell is a proven starter so he should draw decent interest. Locke only has eight career starts on his resume, so that might make it easier to bring him back.

As Denver prepares for the start of free agency, Cushenberry, Jewell and Locke appear to be the club’s three in-house free agents with the biggest risk of leaving the team for a better offer elsewhere.

Stay or go: Predicting the fates of all 16 Broncos free agents

We make stay or go predictions for all 16 of the Broncos’ in-house 2024 free agents.

NFL free agency does not officially start until the new league year begins on March 13 — teams can officially sign pending free agents from other teams on that date.

Two days earlier, the “legal tampering” window will open on March 11, allowing teams to negotiate with pending free agents from other clubs. Teams and players can reach verbal agreements, but no contracts can be officially signed until March 13.

The Denver Broncos have 16 in-house free agents who will be allowed to negotiate with other teams starting one week from today. Denver can prevent some of their in-house free agents from hitting the open market by giving contract extensions to select players before March 11.

Not everyone will stick around, though. Some players the Broncos will choose to let walk, and other players will be too costly for Denver (the team is about $14 million over the salary cap at the time of publication).

So, which players will the Broncos re-sign? Check out our stay or go predictions for Denver’s 2024 free agent class below.

1 pending free agent the Ravens could target from each AFC team

We’re looking at one pending free agent from each AFC team that the Baltimore Ravens could target

Free agency is about two weeks away, and the Baltimore Ravens have several players set to hit the open market. General manager Eric DeCosta has to make crucial decisions to fill roster holes.

While DeCosta will likely look to the free agent market for answers, several in-house free agents are candidates to sign an extension ahead of free agency.

But there are also many of them, including some of Baltimore’s higher-profile free agents, likely on the way out.

With the NFL combine set to wrap up and the new league year just eight days away, we’re looking at one pending free agent the Ravens could target from each AFC club.

5 in-house free agents Broncos should let walk

With limited salary cap space, the Broncos should let these in-house free agents walk this offseason.

The NFL’s free agency negotiating window will open on March 11. Two days later, the new league year (and the official start of free agency) will begin on March 13.

The Denver Broncos have several key players scheduled to become free agents this year, but the team won’t be able to re-sign all of them. The Broncos are currently about $14 million over the salary cap, so Denver will have to make some cap-saving moves to create more cap space.

We previously identified six in-house free agents the Broncos should re-sign once the team has some cap space to work with. Today, we’re taking a quick look at five players the team should let walk in free agency — not necessarily based solely on performance, but also with the salary cap in mind.

The biggest name on the list is center Lloyd Cushenberry, who is coming off a career year and is expected to draw interest from multiple teams.