3 Remaining Free Agent LBs the Panthers Have to Consider Signing

The Carolina Panthers badly need another linebacker. We've suspected for a while that LB2 was an issue, and that has manifested tenfold during the preseason. It is dire beyond Devin Lloyd on that depth chart.

A user on X is reporting that the Panthers are looking to add another linebacker to the roster. We can't verify this claim, and it's not being reported by any of the beat reporters covering the team. That doesn't rule it out, though, because it is likely given the current setup of the linebacker corps.

The Panthers are looking to add another linebacker to the roster, despite the ongoing position battle between Trevin Wallace and Claudin Cherelus. #KeepPounding
— The Black Panther (@SirrPurrSource) August 25, 2026

There is one problem with this scenario, though. Should the Panthers sign a player now, they would be committing, essentially, to giving him a roster spot despite not technically earning it.

Because between now and Sunday, there's just not much time for the veteran FA signing to really make an impact. Darren Waller signed well over a week ago, and he still has hardly practiced. The alternative is to sign a LB for a few days and then cut him? That doesn't make any sense.

So, if the Panthers do sign a linebacker, they have to keep him through the final cuts and give him a spot someone else might've earned. That said, the linebacker situation is so dire that it's probably worth it. Here are the three best options.

Bobby Wagner

Bobby Wagner has been coasting off of name recognition the last few years, but he's still a surefire Hall of Famer. And he proved last year that he has a little bit left in the tank. As a rotational or secondary linebacker, he'd probably thrive in a limited role next to Devin Lloyd. It would be a short-term fix, but the Panthers don't need a mainstay.

Kenneth Murray

Kenneth Murray hasn't reached the heights of some other free agent linebackers (like Wagner or Bobby Okereke), but he is significantly younger than most other options. He's not yet 28, so there could be another level to his game that the right situation (perhaps playing alongside Lloyd) could unlock.

Shaq Thompson

Whoever the Panthers sign isn't going to drastically move the needle, so why not go for someone that would be an excellent veteran presence and a fan favorite? Fans loved Shaq Thompson, and he was a good linebacker in Carolina. It wouldn't hurt to see if a return home might help give him a second wind late in his career.

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