The Carolina Panthers were the worst team in the NFL in 2023. The AFC South cellar-dwellers had the No. 1 overall pick but weren’t able to develop quarterback Bryce Young. Carolina felt very disjointed throughout the season and that wasn’t improved when the team fired HC Frank Reich midseason. Now, the Panthers will be on their third head coach in as many seasons but are hopeful for a better 2024 with Dave Canales.
The Super Bowl seems about as improbable in 2025 for Carolina as it could be. The Panthers do indeed have the worst odds of winning next year’s Super Bowl installed at +25000 at DraftKings Sportsbook. The Tennessee Titans (+15000), Denver Broncos (+10000), Las Vegas Raiders (+10000) and the New England Patriots (+10000) are the next closest.
The problem for the Panthers is that they don’t have a first-round pick this year and only $28.5 million in projected cap space. The front office will likely find ways to restructure players to create more caps, but the team is pretty limited in the moves they will be able to make. The offense will have most of its pieces back, but there are some big names on the defensive side of the ball that Carolina will need to find creative ways to try and retain.
2024 NFL Free Agency
Panthers free agents
LB Frankie Luvu
EDGE Brian Burns
WR D.J. Chark
CB Troy Hill
EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos
DT DeShawn Williams
CB Shaquill Griffin
CB C.J. Henderson
LB Kamu Grugier-Hill
LS J.J. Jansen
LB Deion Jones
S Sam Franklin
S Jeremy Chinn
RG Gabe Jackson
EDGE Marquis Haynes
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette
WR Laviska Shenault
LG Justin McCray
RB Raheem Blackshear
DT Chris Wormley
FB Giovanni Richi
LB Tae Davis
RT David Sharpe
WR Derek Wright
DT Henry Anderson
Carolina has already come to terms with two interior defensive linemen for depth at that position and depth tight end Stephen Sullivan. Luvu may not be a household name, but he played 93.8% of the Panthers’ defensive snaps. He showed a lot of growth last year after Shaq Thompson suffered a season-ending injury. Luvu led the team in tackles and was second with 5.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
The problem for the Panthers is that they are set to lose a ton of depth. While most teams wouldn’t sweat that as they have faith in their starters, Carolina’s depth was all guys that would be counted on to step up next season if they aren’t able to make moves. They are losing three corners and four linebackers to free agency.
The Panthers have backed themselves into a corner because they keep going after options that have a high ceiling but a super low floor. Shenault, for example, was a great move at the time, but the offense never figured out how to use him. Similar to Henderson and Griffin in the secondary if they panned out the deals would have been incredible, but because they haven’t they feel wasted.
Safety Jeremy Chinn has been a great player for the Panthers when he fits their defensive scheme. He is a versatile piece of the secondary who can be effective as a safety or dropping down as a linebacker. His being a free agent is indicative of several problems with Carolina, though, that they aren’t drafting or developing players very well. Derrick Brown has his fifth-year option picked up after being drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The Panthers had seven picks that year, and with Chinn and Gross-Matos heading to free agency, he is the only member of that year’s draft class still currently with the franchise.
Franchise tag options
EDGE Brian Burns
Burns wasn’t mentioned above, but he needs a new contract. He was drafted in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft and played last year under his fifth-year contract. There were trade talks surrounding Burns both in 2022 and 2023, but a move wasn’t made. Theoretically, this would suggest that the EDGE was in the long-term plans of the team, but no deal is in place.
Burns led the Panthers with eight sacks last year. He played in 16 games, but that was his lowest sack total since his rookie year. Burns had fewer overall tackles and passes defended than the four prior years, so he didn’t exactly help himself earn the contract he likely believes he is due. He is the likeliest candidate for Carolina to use the franchise tag, which would run the team a projected $22.794 million for 2024. The next biggest question would be if Burns is tagged, would he sign it and play or be willing to sit out for a contract?