Three Panthers Listed in Top 100 Free Agents List

Dan Pizzuta of The 33rd Team ranked three Panthers in his top 100 free agents list earlier this week. Below, you'll find Pizzuta's analysis along with my early prediction on their future with Carolina.

EDGE Brian Burns - No. 8

"Brian Burns has been a productive piece of several iterations of the Carolina defense once he got the green light to rush the passer. He hasn't had a big breakout season in raw stats — his 12.5 sacks in 2022 were a career-high — but he’s always making an impact, using his speed off the line. Burns was 11th in ESPN’s pass rush win rate in 2023."

My early prediction: Burns has publicly stated his desire to remain in Carolina several times. I believe the Panthers feel the same way and understand how big of an impact he has on the game. The question is whether or not the two sides are in the same ballpark with the years/money in a long-term deal. My guess is the Panthers will end up using the franchise tag and use the next year to continue talks.

LB Frankie Luvu - No. 29

"Frankie Luvu has been one of the flashiest linebackers over the past few seasons. He comes downhill out of a cannon and pairs that with solid enough coverage skills. He has 12.5 sacks and 19 quarterback hits over the past two seasons. 59.2 percent of Luvu’s tackles produced a positive play for the defense, which was 13th among linebackers with at least 100 tackles. That rate was 64.9 percent (second) in 2022. He’s always around the ball and making positive plays when he is."

My early prediction: Luvu is a pure disrupter. He's one of the most underrated defensive players in the game and played a big part in Carolina's defense finishing at or near the top of several statistical categories. I don't see a scenario in which the two sides don't get a deal done.

S Jeremy Chinn - No. 93

"Jeremy Chinn had a rough 2023 and missed a chunk of the season because of a quad injury. When he returned, he wasn’t fully in the defensive rotation nor his usual self while on the field. He’s missed time in the past two seasons, which has worn off some of the shine from his first two seasons. The best version of Chinn can bounce around the box, the slot, and near the line of scrimmage. That player would be much higher on this list, but he hasn’t been that since 2021."

My early prediction: Chinn was not shy in admitting his frustration with his usage rate in 2023. With Ejiro Evero back in the fold as the DC, I doubt Chinn's role would change much. I'd be surprised if he signed back with Carolina.

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