Carolina Panthers Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Panthers To Host Mike Williams, Michael Gallup; Jets To Meet With Ex-Chargers WR

March 16th, 2024 at 11:03pm CST by Ely Allen

Last year, the Panthers made a number of big moves in order to acquire receiving weapons for their rookie quarterback, Bryce Young, signing wide receivers Adam Thielen and DJ Chark and tight end Hayden Hurst before also drafting Ole Miss wide receiver Jonathan Mingo in the second round.

Carolina continues to strive to build around Young this offseason. After trading for Steelers veteran Diontae Johnson, the team is set to host two more wideouts to add to their corps.

Newly released wide receiver Michael Gallup didn’t have to wait long to hear from interested teams. He’ll head to Carolina this week for a free agent visit, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The Cowboys cut ties with Gallup yesterday following his third straight season in which he failed to amass 500 receiving yards. Gallup showed promise over the first three years of his career.

After a rookie season in which he caught 33 balls for 507 yards and two touchdowns, he exploded onto the scene with double the receptions, 1,107 yards, and six touchdowns in a successful sophomore campaign. He followed that up with 843 yards and five touchdowns in the 2020 season before entering his current slump.

Last night, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer informed us that the Panthers would also host former Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams for a visit next Tuesday. Los Angeles released Williams this week in order to clear $20MM of cap space as the team desperately tried to get within salary cap compliance. Williams is coming off a year in which he missed 14 games due to a torn ACL. He’s still 29 years old, though, and is only two years removed from a year in which he had career highs in receptions (76), receiving yards (1,146), and touchdowns (9).

Carolina isn’t the only scheduled visit for Williams. Per Sheena Quick of FOX Sports, the veteran wideout will visit the Jets the day before heading to Carolina.

New York has used the free agency period so far to completely rebuild their offensive line and secure a more reliable backup quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers. Now the team will need to focus on adding to a wide receiving corps that saw only Garrett Wilson surpass running back Breece Hall in receiving yards in 2023. The Jets did reportedly consider trading for Williams’ former teammate, Keenan Allen, but the veteran ultimately found himself in Chicago. Barring any other additions, Williams would be joining Wilson, Allen Lazard, and Xavier Gipson in New York.

In Carolina, Gallup and Williams both represent decent fits for a room with two experienced wideouts already in place. A top-three group of Thielen, Johnson, and Mingo seems like it’d be an adequate corps to roll into the 2024 season with, but adding Gallup or Williams doesn’t necessarily make it a crowded room. Williams is clearly the bigger get of the two and would challenge Thielen or Johnson for a WR1 or WR2 role, but he has plenty of experience sharing the spotlight during his several years with Allen in California. Gallup, too, has worked in crowded rooms before, and would fit more squarely as a WR3 or WR4, allowing Thielen and Johnson to comfortably take the lead.

The Panthers will have a chance to sell a fit to both receivers in the coming week. Despite a league-worst 2-15 record last year, Carolina has made it clear that their strategy from the last offseason hasn’t changed. They intend to build their offense around Young, and they’ll look to bring in Williams or Gallup to assist with that.

Panthers To Add S Jordan Fuller

March 15th, 2024 at 3:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Rams came to terms with Kamren Curl late Thursday night. Curl will proceed to take over for Jordan Fuller, whose Panthers visit will produce an agreement.

Carolina is adding the longtime Los Angeles starter, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. It is a one-year deal worth up to $5.25MM, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds. Fuller will step in after the Panthers moved on from Vonn Bell one year into a three-year deal.

For Fuller, this will bring a reunion with former position coach Ejiro Evero. After the Panthers added one of Evero’s ex-Broncos starters — linebacker Josey Jewell — they will give him one of his old Rams pupils. Evero coached Fuller from 2020-21, working as Rams safeties coach and then DBs coach in that span.

Fuller ran into a couple of bad injury breaks in Los Angeles. The former sixth-round success story saw an ankle injury sustained in Week 18 of the 2021 season keep him out of the Rams’ ensuing playoff run that ended with a Super Bowl LVI win. A hamstring injury then managed to end Fuller’s 2022 slate after just three games. The Rams ran into some IR-activation issues that season, but Fuller did not establish much momentum despite commandeering a starting job as a Day 3 rookie in 2020. Last season did bring a resurgence; Fuller started all 18 Rams games and intercepted three passes while also forcing three fumbles.

A new coaching staff is coming in once again, but Carolina made a point to retain Evero. It is then unsurprising the team is giving the popular interviewee some of his former defenders. Fuller, 26, should still feature some upside. He will attempt to use this season as a means to securing a more lucrative contract.

The Panthers have released Bell and let Jeremy Chinn join the Commanders. A former Defensive Rookie of the Year silver medalist, Chinn had fallen out of favor in Evero’s scheme. The team still has starter Xavier Woods under contract; he will be set to team with Fuller as the Panthers aim to rebound from a woeful 2023 season.

Panthers To Sign OLB K’Lavon Chaisson

March 15th, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers met with Jadeveon Clowney on Thursday, but the team is waiting out other clubs’ interest. Clowney is meeting with the Jets on Tuesday. In the meantime, Carolina has added two edge rushers.

K’Lavon Chaisson will follow D.J. Wonnum to Charlotte. The former Jaguars first-round pick is joining the Panthers on a one-year deal worth up to $5MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Chaisson disappointed in Jacksonville, but Carolina will provide a second chance for the LSU alum.

Chosen with one of the picks obtained in the Jalen Ramsey trade, Chaisson could not establish himself as a starter or a productive rotational rusher with the Jaguars. He will head to Charlotte with just five career sacks. Though, he did notch two of those last season. The Jags used Chaisson as a starter in just 11 games during his four-year tenure. During Doug Pederson‘s two-year run, Chaisson logged 18% and 25% snap shares on defense.

Chaisson, 24, posted eight QB hits last season while playing 17 games as a backup. Wonnum has a better history as a sack artist, having registered 23 on his Vikings rookie contract. Chaisson profiles as more of a flier who should probably not be considered a lock to make the team. After the Jags passed on Chaisson’s fifth-year option, he came up in trades. As expected, a Jags regime that did not draft the former SEC standout is moving on.

Trading Brian Burns for an underwhelming haul (second- and fifth-round picks) and seeing Yetur Gross-Matos join the 49ers, the Panthers are starting over on the edge. Hybrid pass rusher Frankie Luvu is also bound for Washington. Burns, Luvu and Gross-Matos combined for 18 of the Panthers’ NFL-low 27 sacks last season.

Panthers To Meet With Jadeveon Clowney; Jets, Ravens Interested

March 14th, 2024 at 8:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 14: Clowney has another suitor in the Jets. The defensive lineman will visit with the Jets next week, according to Garafolo. The veteran will consider “multiple options” before making his decision. Clowney’s Jets visit is set for Tuesday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.

The Jets are in natural need of some reinforcement on the edge. The team lost Bryce Huff to the Eagles, opening close to 500 defensive snaps alongside Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers.

MARCH 13: Known to take his time during free agency, Jadeveon Clowney has spent the 2020s journeying the league on one-year deals. The South Carolina alum’s next trip will be in a familiar region.

The Rock Hill, South Carolina, native is set to make a trip to visit the Panthers, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. A few teams are monitoring the Clowney market; this includes the Ravens, who coaxed a quality season from the nomadic pass rusher in 2023. The Panthers are meeting with Clowney, Chase Young and D.J. Wonnum on Thursday, ESPN’s David Newton tweets.

It took Clowney until mid-August to land a deal last year, and the former No. 1 overall pick’s Baltimore pact was worth only $2.5MM. After another bounce-back season, the South Carolina alum can aim higher. Clowney has never secured a long-term deal since the expiration of his Texans rookie contract, but he has done well for himself on this bevy of one-year agreements. Though, the edge defender has never come especially close to the kind of top-market contract that once seemed in play while he was in Houston.

En route to a No. 1 defensive ranking, the Ravens received Clowney’s top sack season. Known more for an all-around game, Clowney has never reached double-digit sacks in a season. His three Pro Bowls came back in Houston. But the once-elite prospect has four seasons with at least nine sacks on his resume.

Injury issues and inconsistency have impeded Clowney on the contract front, as he was not especially productive in Seattle, Tennessee or during his second year in Cleveland. But he did total nine sacks opposite Myles Garrett in 2021 while helping a previously edge-deficient Ravens team thrive — opposite September addition Kyle Van Noy — last season. Clowney totaled 19 QB hits for the second time in three years.

The Panthers made a rather surprising decision to accept second- and fifth-round picks from the Giants to wrap their years-long Brian Burns saga. That tag-and-trade transaction leaves the Panthers with next to nothing at edge rusher, with former second-round pick Yetur Gross-Matos agreeing to a two-year, $18MM 49ers deal as well. Clowney would help, though the move would remind — to a degree, at least — of last year’s Justin Houston stopgap addition.

Mentioned as being interested in retaining Clowney earlier this week, the Ravens are again in need on the edge. Their most recent band-aid pass rushers — Clowney and Van Noy — are both free agents. While Baltimore extended Justin Madubuike on a deal that set up the big-ticket Chris Jones and Christian Wilkins contracts, the team needs to fill out its outside linebacker depth chart once again.

Panthers To Sign D.J. Wonnum

March 14th, 2024 at 3:59pm CST by Ben Levine

The Vikings have already lost Danielle Hunter in free agency, and his edge partner will depart Minnesota as well. D.J. Wonnum has a two-year deal in place with the Panthers, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

Wonnum’s two-year deal with Carolina will be worth $12.5MM, according to Sheena Quick of 1340 Fox Sports.

The former fourth-round pick spent his entire career in Minnesota. His role fluctuated through his four years with the organization, with the edge rusher alternating between part-time player and full-time player. The 2023 campaign represented the latter, as Wonnum started 14 of his 15 appearances while appearing in more than 80 percent of his team’s defensive snaps.

In each of his two seasons as a starter (including 2023), Wonnum compiled eight sacks. That performance didn’t earn him the best spot on Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings in 2023. The 26-year-old ended up ranking only 74th among 112 qualifying edge defenders, although the pass-rusher did earn a surprisingly strong grade for his run defense.

The Panthers have been hunting for some depth to replace Pro Bowl defender Brian Burns, was was traded to the Giants earlier this week. The team hosted Chase Young earlier today, and they’re set to meet with Jadeveon Clowney. Wonnum will be part of the equation when it comes to Burns’ replacement, but he surely won’t be the only answer.

With Hunter and Wonnum out of the picture, the Vikings have completely revamped their pass-rushing corps. Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard, and Blake Cashman are among the recent acquisitions who should get looks on the edge in 2023.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/13/24

March 13th, 2024 at 9:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are today’s free agent tender decisions:

RFAs

Tendered:

Giants: CB Nick McCloud
Rams: LB Michael Hoecht
Seahawks: CB Michael Jackson, LB Jon Rhattigan

Non-tendered:

Cardinals: DL Jonathan Ledbetter
Commanders: LB Jabril Cox, RB Derrick Gore, LB De’Jon Harris

ERFAs

Tendered:

Panthers: RB/KR Raheem Blackshear
Titans: LB Jack Gibbens

S Jordan Fuller To Visit Panthers

March 13th, 2024 at 7:53pm CST by Ely Allen

After moving on from Vonn Bell and watching Jeremy Chinn sign with the Commanders, Carolina will need to add to their safeties group in the offseason. Well, they won’t wait long to address that need, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, as former Rams safety Jordan Fuller is set to visit the Panthers this week.

Fuller just finished his rookie contract in Los Angeles and joins an interesting free agent safety market that includes several veterans who fell victim to the salary cap purge last week. Many teams have already jumped on signing safeties as big names like Xavier McKinney, Kevin Byard, Rayshawn Jenkins, and Jonathan Owens have all recently found new teams. The safety shuffle is sure to continue in the coming days.

Fuller is coming off a strong rebound season in 2023. After starting 12 games and intercepting three passes as a sixth-round rookie in 2020, Fuller held on to the full-time starting job the following year and led the Super Bowl-winning Rams in tackles during the regular season with 113 total. Ankle surgery would keep Fuller from the glory of playing in a Super Bowl victory, though, and he would miss all but three games of the 2022 season, as well.

In his contract year this past season, though, Fuller started every game, finishing second on the team in total tackles with 94 and leading the team with three interceptions. If a deal is reached in Fuller’s visit this week, Carolina would likely hope that Fuller would be able to slot in immediately as a starter next to Xavier Woods. If not, both Fuller and the Panthers should have plenty of options in what is sure to be a busy offseason for safety transactions.

Panthers To Sign CB Dane Jackson

March 13th, 2024 at 1:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

Dane Jackson will not stay in Buffalo on a second contract. The free agent corner has agreed to a deal with the Panthers, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Carolina was prepared to move on from veteran corner Donte Jackson by releasing him. Instead, a trade with the Steelers was worked out which will see the team acquire Diontae Johnson in exchange for Jackson. In need of a starting-caliber replacement in the secondary, Dane Jackson will provide an intriguing option on that front.

The latter will receive up to $14.5MM on a two-year deal, Pelissero adds. Given those terms, Jackson will be counted on as a starter with Carolina. The former seventh-rounder started a total of 28 games across his four seasons in Buffalo. That figure includes 14 starts in 2020, a season in which he recorded two interceptions and 12 pass deflections.

The 27-year-old saw his defensive snap share drop to 50% last season, and his ball production suffered as a result. Jackson also endured the worst season of his career with respect to coverage performance in 2023. He allowed a 74.3% completion percentage and a passer rating of 109.6 as the nearest defender. While Jackson drew a career-high PFF grade in coverage, improvement in his overall play will no doubt be a goal for the Panthers.

Buffalo moved on from Tre’Davious White earlier this month, and the team also cut veteran safety Jordan Poyer in a cost-shedding move. Jackson’s departure will add further to the turnover seen in the Bills’ secondary. The Panthers, meanwhile, will seek to use Jackson as a first-teamer opposite Jaycee Horn moving forward as they look to replicate their strong play against the pass from last season.

Steelers To Trade WR Diontae Johnson To Panthers For CB Donte Jackson

March 12th, 2024 at 10:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Diontae Johnson trade rumors will indeed produce a deal, and for the second straight day, the Panthers are involved in a big trade. The Steelers are sending the veteran wide receiver to Carolina, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports.

One season remains on Johnson’s contract, with Schefter adding the Panthers will now pay the sixth-year receiver’s $3MM roster bonus due later this week. After five Steelers seasons, the shifty route runner will settle in as a Bryce Young weapon.

The full trade will involve cornerback Donte Jackson coming back to the Steelers, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. Carolina will send Jackson and a sixth-round pick for Johnson and a seventh. The picks will come in 2024. The Steelers are sending No. 240 in this swap, with the Panthers moving No. 178 to Pittsburgh, per veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer. The No. 178 choice is originally a Cardinals selection.

A report earlier this month indicated the Panthers would move on from Jackson, via trade or release; Carolina has found a trade partner. After rumblings of a Johnson deal surfaced as well, the two will end up being exchanged.

For the Panthers, this provides Young with a proven wide receiver. The Panthers were light here last season, contributing to the steep freefall. Johnson will now join Adam Thielen atop the Carolina aerial pecking order. As Thielen is going into his age-34 season, this trade will provide a player in his prime for Young to target.

Heading into his age-28 season, Johnson has not been the most consistent receiver. Drops have plagued the elusive target, whose effort level has also come into question in Pittsburgh. But Johnson will be playing for a big contract in 2024. The Steelers gave the Toledo alum a two-year, $36.7MM extension just before the 2022 season. That deal fell short of the market set by fellow 2019 Day 2 picks A.J. Brown, Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel and D.K. Metcalf, but Johnson’s production has checked in south of those standouts’. He has still shown a consistent ability to create separation, doing so almost entirely with limited QB play. Johnson’s presence will help the Panthers determine Young’s value as a pro.

Johnson totaled 1,161 yards in 2021, Ben Roethlisberger‘s final season, and exceeded 850 yards in 2020 and ’22. Last season, the Steelers’ Kenny Pickett–Mitchell Trubisky–Mason Rudolph platter struggled for the most part. Johnson also missed four games due to a hamstring injury, coming in with 717 receiving yards and five touchdowns — after he memorably failed to score in 2022.

This will leave the Steelers with George Pickens leading the way at receiver, though it should be expected the AFC North club will target another starter-caliber wideout in a deep draft at the position. Johnson is one of many Day 2 wideouts the modern Steelers have turned into long-term starters. Pittsburgh broke with its usual tradition of these players leaving during or after their rookie contracts by extending Johnson, but after trading Chase Claypool and then executing this swap — and then cutting Allen Robinson — Pittsburgh will need to give Pickett (or, more likely, Russell Wilson) more help.

The Panthers also gave Jackson a second contract, re-signing the boundary corner in 2022. He is due a $4MM roster bonus March 16; these teams are trading picks, players and bonus obligations. One year remains on Jackson’s pact, a three-year, $35.18MM deal signed after the expiration of his rookie contract.

The former second-rounder has spent his entire six-year career in Carolina, but he was due to count $15.72MM against the cap in 2024. The Steelers will have Jackson on their 2024 cap sheet at $10.5MM, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac.

Coming back from a 2022 Achilles tear, the 28-year-old corner also had a down 2023 in coverage. Jackson allowed three touchdowns as the nearest defender and surrendering an opposing passer rating of 107.7. Pro Football Focus graded Jackson just outside the top 60 at corner, though he has shown better form in the past. The Steelers, who released Patrick Peterson last week, will see if Jackson can become a fit opposite Joey Porter Jr.