20 Defensive Free Agents the Panthers Should Consider

DE Benson Mayowa

Mayowa has been a consistent pass rusher over the last three years averaging just over 5.5 sacks per season. Obviously, he doesn't need to be a double-digit sack producer but he would give Brian Burns a ton of help. Panthers GM Scott Fitterer has a connection to him after playing in Seattle this past season and back in 2013.

DE Brent Urban

Urban is the perfect type of free agent for Carolina. He's a veteran that's been in the league for seven years but is not going to warrant a big payday as Gene mentioned above. The Panthers don't need to hit a home run with a free-agent defensive lineman, they just need to establish quality depth behind their starters and Urban can do that.

DE Dawuane Smoot

Smoot may not be ready to be a full-time starter just yet, but man, having a player like him sitting behind Burns and Gross-Matos would really help Carolina's depth. It also gives the Panthers some insurance incase Gross-Matos or Burns were to miss any time with injury. He would give very similar production to that of Benson Mayowa.

DE Carl Lawson

Lawson is coming off the best year of his four-year NFL career and in my opinion, the best is yet to come. He missed some time earlier in his career due to a torn ACL, which set him back a little bit but he's finally back to being exactly what the Bengals thought he would be when they drafted him out of Auburn in 2017. It's likely that with the season he just had that he will be the priciest of all the options listed, but he would be well worth it. Signing Lawson would cure many of the Panthers' pass-rushing issues.

DT Johnathan Hankins

Hankins has a very similar skill set to that of Panthers rookie Derrick Brown but he does have a tad more experience. He hasn't quite lived up to his expectations since being drafted in the 2nd round by the New York Giants, but don't let that scare you away. The Panthers need to clog up run lanes better than they did this past season and that's what Hankins does best.

DT Davon Godchaux

Although he is coming off an injury, I believe signing Godchaux would be a solid get for the Panthers. Much like Hankins, his best football is still ahead of him. It can't hurt for Carolina to take a flyer on him and with his recent injury and how Miami's defense performed without him as Alain mentions above, it could make him a very cheap option.

LB Bud Dupree

Dupree tore his ACL on Dec. 2 but expects to be ready by training camp. In 11 games last season he had 8.0 sacks, 31 total tackles, 8.0 TFLs, 15 QB hits, and two forced fumbles. Dupree, only 28, played on the $15.8 million franchise tag last year and the Steelers likely can’t afford to tag him again this year. His price tag could potentially be hefty if a bidding war starts.

LB Leonard Floyd

Floyd had 10.5 sacks, 11 TFL, 55 total tackles, and 19 QB hits a year ago, but the 29-year-old benefitted greatly from playing beside Aaron Donald. The season could have been enough to get him paid upward of $13 million a year, though.

LB Avery Williamson

Williamson, 29, was traded to Pittsburgh for the second half of the season by the New York Jets last year. He’s an inside backer used to stop the run and finished with 111 total tackles, three TFLs, three passes defended, and one interception last year. He lacks great pass coverage skills but is solid against the run. He could wind up coming cheap with some of the other backers on the market.

LB Jarrad Davis

Davis is a curious case. He only started four games last year but made the most of his time on the field with 46 tackles and two forced fumbles. He had 96 tackles in his rookie year and then 100 the next season but dropped to 63 after playing in only 11 games in 2019, leading to reduced playing time — but new head coach Dan Campbell loves the 27-year-old.

LB Raekwon McMillan

McMillan could be an ideal depth signing. He started four games last year and only had 27 tackles in Las Vegas, but he was a regular starter in Miami, logging 105 tackles his rookie season. He likely would be cheap.

LB K.J. Wright

Though Wright, 32, is getting up there in age and has played his entire career in Seattle, he’s still a menace in pass coverage. He had 86 tackles, 10 passes defended, one interception, a forced fumble, 2.0 sacks, and 11 TFL in 2020. He was the only player in the league to post double-digit passes defended and tackles for loss after he moved into more of a run stopper last year to help Seattle’s defense. His price tag could likely come under $10 million a year.

LB Nicholas Morrow

Morrow, 26, really came to life last year when injuries took hold of Las Vegas. He had 78 tackles in 11 starts with nine passes defended, one interception, eight TFLs, and 3.0 sacks. He’s an athletic guy, and the price tag could end up being low.

CB Richard Sherman

At the start of the offseason, this move would have been impossible for the Panthers to make. Sherman is expected to demand $13-15 million a year. But with the recent moves to create more cap space, Carolina is suddenly in the market to sign the veteran cornerback. Sherman will be 33 years old when the season begins but he is still a valuable piece for a defense that desperately needs a big corner. At 6-foot-3 he can still go head-to-head with the best receivers in the game. The NFC South features so many big-time wideouts like Michael Thomas and Mike Evans that the Panthers do not currently have an answer for. Sherman has undeniably slowed down in recent years but he is just one year removed from being PFF's No. 1 ranked CB. He also has some history with Fitterer, who was employed by the Seahawks when Sherman was drafted. This could come into play if a contract is negotiated.

CB Xavier Rhodes

Rhodes had a nightmarish 2019 in which he got beat routinely in one-on-one coverage. He bounced back last season, however, proving that the previous year was just the result of playing through injuries. Rhodes will be 31 when the season begins but his play last season proves that he has another couple of years left in the league. Another positive about the former Minnesota Viking is that he will demand significantly less money than Sherman. At 6-foot-1 he isn't as tall as Sherman, but he would still be able to match up with bigger receivers if given some safety help over the top.

CB Kevin King

Kevin King has spent the last four seasons with the Green Bay Packers where he was drafted in the second round back in 2017. King ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at the NFL combine which is outstanding given his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame. The talent is there with King although his play on the field has not always matched this talent. The Panthers would be betting that a change of scenery could unlock the 26-year-old's true potential. The Packers' defense relied on using a lot of zone coverage which did not always suit King's skillset. Putting him in man-to-man coverage would benefit him on his new team.

CB Quinton Dunbar

Quinton Dunbar had a rough 2020 season due to nagging injuries. He is another big corner to make the list at 6-foot-2. Unlike Darby, Dunbar has had an inconsistent career. He has struggled at times to be trusted in one-on-one situations. A lot like King, the talent has never been in question. The only worry is if he will be able to stay with opposing receivers game after game. Dunbar is worth the risk as long as the contract is on the lower end for a CB until he proves that his potential can meet production.

FS Jaquiski Tartt

Tartt has all the talent in the world to be one of the best safeties in the game but as Grant mentioned, his health is a concern. His versatility is something that would benefit the Panthers who have very little depth in the secondary. Defensive coordinator Phil Snow likes to move his guys all over the field, so naturally, it would be a pretty good fit.

SS Karl Joseph

Joseph is one of the most underrated safeties in the entire NFL. He's not terrific in pass coverage but he plays really physical and makes a ton of plays near the line of scrimmage. Partnering Joseph up with Jeremy Chinn would be one heck of a safety tandem.

SS John Johnson

If the Panthers want to make a splash on the defensive side of the ball in free agency, well, Johnson may be the guy you want to target. He's only been in the league for four years and has quickly become a star talent. Johnson has eight interceptions, 32 passes deflected, and 350 tackles so far in his NFL career. He may be a bit on the pricey side but it might be worth it to have the back end of your defense taken care of for the foreseeable future.

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