Panthers Letting A’Shawn Robinson Land with Buccaneers Might’ve Been Smart

The Panthers made two substantial additions this offseason to improve their defense. They also parted ways with a player who wound up with an NFC South rival.

Oct 26, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end A'Shawn Robinson (94) before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Recently, analyst Zoltán Buday of Pro Football Focus gave his thoughts on each team’s work in free agency. He boiled it down to his favorite and least favorite move by the clubs.

When it came to the Carolina Panthers, he lauded the addition of 2025 Pro Bowl linebacker Devin Lloyd. Meanwhile, he was less-than-enthusiastic when it came to the signing of five-year pass rusher Jaelan Phillips.

During free agency, it hardly surprising to see organizations sign players from teams within their own division. This offseason, linebacker Kaden Elliss returned to New Orleans after three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. The seven-year pro spent his first four NFL seasons in the Big Easy.

Rival Buccaneers have added a pair of former Panthers

Dec 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (17) is tackled by Carolina Panthers defensive end A'Shawn Robinson (94) in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been trying to put back the pieces after a season in which they finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Recently, the club picked up one free-agent linebacker and one veteran defensive lineman that was cut loose by the current NFC South champions.

Hence, general manager Jason Licht inked Carolina’s top tackler in 2025 in Christian Rozeboom. The Bucs also added 10-year pro A’Shawn Robinson, who was let go by the Panthers earlier this month.

For Tampa Bay, this was Buday’s least favorite move in terms of Todd Bowles’s club. In regards to Dave Canales’s club, it looks like addition by subtraction for a team that still has some work to do on the defensive side of the ball.

Panthers may have parted ways with A’Shawn Robinson at the right time

Oct 19, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end A'Shawn Robinson (94) reacts after a sack in the second quarter against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

“Robinson has been past his prime for a couple of seasons,” explained Buday, “and a Panthers front office that needed all the help it could get on defense released him. Although his 2025 was better than his previous two seasons, Robinson still ranked just 45th among interior defenders with a 63.7 PFF overall grade. At this stage of his career, he is probably a situational role player. Yet, his contract suggests the Buccaneers think otherwise.”

That contract amounts to one year and $10 million. What’s interesting is that the Panthers wound up opening up $10.5 million of cap room with the release of the well-traveled defender earlier this month.

To be fair, Robinson’s first season in Charlotte saw the team without 2023 Pro Bowl defensive tackle Derrick Brown for all but the first game of 2024. The club wound up dead last in the league in total defense and rushing defense. The Panthers allowed a mind-boggling 179.8 yards per game on the ground, and Robinson’s 54.6 PFF grade in ’24 was tied for the worst in his 10-year career. The irony here is that Robinson, brought in to stop the run, tied for the team lead with 5.5 sacks.

At the very least, the Panthers/Buccaneers series just got a little more interesting.