Tag: Kamu Grugier-Hill

Former Panthers LB Kamu Grugier-Hill agrees to terms with Vikings

Former Panthers LB/emergency K Kamu Grugier-Hill is reportedly headed to Minnesota.

The Carolina Panthers just lost their emergency kicker.

According to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune, linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill has agreed to terms with the Minnesota Vikings. The 29-year-old defender, who has also been a reliable presence on special teams, spent the 2023 campaign with the Carolina Panthers.

Part of Gruger-Hill’s special-teams presence for the Panthers came on a few kickoffs . . . as the actual kicker. In total, he registered 297 of his 700 snaps  on the unit this past season.

On defense, the ninth-year veteran filled in up the middle to help patch up an oft-injured group. Grugier-Hill recorded five starts and amassed a sack, an interception and 53 combined tackles—the second-highest mark of his career.

Carolina seemingly had their replacement for Grugier-Hill in Justin Strnad, who reportedly agreed to terms on a deal with the team on Tuesday. Like Gruiger-Hill, Strnad has stocked up some experience as a special teamer.

But the 27-year-old linebacker had a change of heart and is expected to sign back to the Denver Broncos.

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Vikings foritfy depth, add Jihad Ward and Kamu Grugier-Hill

The Minnesota Vikings have fortified their depth on defense by signing LB Jihad Ward and agreeing to terms with LB Kamu Grugier-Hill

The Minnesota Vikings have mostly finished their free agency endeavors when you consider higher end talent, but finding depth pieces in the waves after the first is very important.

According to The Star Tribume’s Ben Goessling, the Vikings have signed outside linebacker Jihad Ward and agreed to terms with inside linebacker Kamu Grugier-hill.

It was reported on Tuesday that the Vikings had brought Ward in for a visit and things went well enough that they struck a deal. As long as it’s under $3 million base salary, the Vikings compensatory selections won’t be impacted. Ward will likely be the third or fourth edge and a rotational player.

Grugier-Hill was a sixth round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016 NFL draft and has made his way around the league. After spending four years with the Eagles, Grugier-Hill spent time with the Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers. He has played in 115 games with 42 starts over his career and will likely slot in as ILB three or four.

These moves will likely impact the cap very little, as they will be close to the league minimum.

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20 Valentine’s Day cards for the special Panthers fan in your life

Spread the love with our 20 Panthers-themed Valentine’s Day cards!

Still looking for that special something for that special Carolina Panthers fan in your life?

Well, look no further.

Let’s spread the love this Valentine’s Day with 20 Panthers-themed cards that friends, family members and/or significant others will absolutely fall for!

Best and worst PFF grades from Panthers’ 2023 season

PFF’s best and worst grades for the Carolina Panthers in 2023

Pencils down, players!

With the 2023 test officially over, let’s see which Carolina Panthers received the highest and lowest grades from Pro Football Focus.

2024 free agents who may be playing their final game for the Panthers in Week 18

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

Chris Tabor speaks on impact of injuries to defense

With his pair of aces in Kamu Grugier-Hill and Sam Franklin having to fill in more on defense, Panthers ST coordinator Chris Tabor spoke about the “next man up” mantra.

Injuries, especially at the top of the depth chart, often cause ripple effects in the NFL—and the Carolina Panthers have been dealing with quite a few of those recently.

Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor spoke to reporters just a few days ahead of the Week 4 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings—one that will likely see some alterations to his unit due to some setbacks on defense. He was asked how the group can patch themselves together amidst the possible changes, especially if he won’t be able to utilize linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill and safety Sam Franklin as frequently.

“You just keep goin’,” he replied. “And next man up—that’s kinda the mantra in the NFL and it’s true. There’s not really much you can do about that. Those guys—they could be playin’ for us, they could not be playin’ for us. I mean, it just happens. It happens all the time during the game.

“I mean, we sustained some injuries in the Seattle game. You just make in-game adjustments and our guys are real good about understanding the importance of it and understanding where the stress is at. And you just gotta get guys ready and that’s what we’ll do today.”

A few injuries from that Week 3 trip to Seattle saw the Panthers lose safety Xavier Woods to a hamstring injury and inside linebacker Frankie Luvu, who was already without his usual starting partner in Shaq Thompson, to a hip pointer. As a result, Grugier-Hill and Franklin—two of Tabor’s premier weapons on special teams—may be moving up into more featured roles on the defensive side of the ball.

Grugier-Hill has already stepped into a starting spot with the absence of Thompson, who will likely be out for the remainder of the season due to a fractured fibula. The same may apply to Franklin sans Woods, who is also expected to miss some extended time.

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Best and worst PFF grades from Panthers’ Week 3 loss to Seahawks

Andy Dalton, in his first start for the Panthers, earned the offense’s highest overall grade from PFF.

There were plenty of numbers put up in Sunday’s matchup between the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks. But none of them translated into the number that actually mattered—at least for the team that’s now 0-3.

Now, let’s take a look at some of Pro Football Focus’ tallies for the Panthers in the 37-27 loss:

Panthers still trying to work through replacing Shaq Thompson

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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Johnny Hekker to Hawaiians amidst deadly wildfires: We love you

Panthers P Johnny Hekker sent a touching message to the citizens of Hawaii, who are currently enduring the country’s deadliest wildfires in over a century.

Carolina Panthers punter Johnny Hekker used the last of his media availability on Wednesday to send a sincere and loving message to the state of Hawaii.

The 12th-year veteran and four-time First-team All-Pro was nearing the end of his presser this afternoon when he was asked a few hypotheticals about the roster’s emergency options. As far as the backup to longtime long snapper JJ Jansen, Hekker believes it’s definitely linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill.

“I think, right now, Kamu is workin’ on it,” Hekker said. “He’s got some real talent. Great blocker, too. Great athlete down the field. So, yeah, Kamu’s the man.”

Hekker then quickly transitioned into speaking about the ongoing wildfires in Maui, a situation that’s particularly close to the heart of his teammate—who’s a Honolulu native.

“Also, piggybacking off Kamu, guy from Hawaii—I just wanna send our thoughts and prayers to people in Maui,” he added. “I’ve vacationed in Lahaina a few times. And so, as someone who’s witnessed the natural beauty of the islands, we’re taken aback by the loss of the wildfires there and the people of the Hawaiian islands deserve a lot of aid immediately and we hope to be a part of that. I think Kamu’s got some wheels on the ground, things we’re gonna do from an organizational standpoint. He’s workin’ with Ken Winston and a few other guys to get something movin’.”

Grugier-Hill arrived at Bank of America Stadium for this past Saturday’s preseason opener wearing a shirt that read “Pray For Maui.”

The wildfires, which began last week, have become the country’s deadliest in more than a century. On Tuesday, Hawaii Governor Josh Green confirmed the death toll from the tragedy now sits at 101 people.

Hekker concluded his message with this:

“To the people of Hawaii—we love you, we’re thinking about you and wishing you all the best.”

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4 most intriguing Panthers to watch in preseason opener vs. Jets

Here are four Panthers to really keep an eye on during Saturday’s preseason opener against the Jets:

Which Carolina Panthers should you be most intent on watching today?

Here are the four most intriguing players to keep an eye on in the 2023 preseason opener against the New York Jets: