New year, new quarterback, new coaching staff — the Carolina Panthers are hoping an offseason of change will get their franchise back on the right track and potentially help them compete for the playoffs as soon as 2023. With training camp approaching, we’re highlighting the final three moves the Panthers could make before the regular season begins in September.
3 Final Moves for the Carolina Panthers
Get Bryce Young Under Contract
The Panthers’ rookies are due to report to training camp on July 26, but No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young still hasn’t agreed to his rookie contract. Young won’t participate in training camp without a deal in place, which could theoretically put him behind the eight ball as he prepares for his inaugural NFL season.
Still, there probably isn’t much reason to get too concerned about Young remaining unsigned. He’s one of eight first-round picks — including fellow quarterbacks C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson — yet to ink his rookie deal.
Plus, we already know the general structure of what Young’s contract will look like. NFL rookie contracts have slotted values, and Over the Cap projects Young’s four-year deal to be worth $37.96 million and include a $24.6 million signing bonus.
However, something is clearly holding up negotiations, and former NFL agent Joel Corry recently identified two potential hang-ups: Young’s signing bonus payment schedule and the concept of offset language.
As Corry detailed, each of the last four No. 1 overall selections received their entire signing bonus in a lump sum payment. Kyler Murray was the last top pick to collect his signing bonus via installments.
Both of the Jaguars’ prior two No. 1 choices — Travon Walker and Trevor Lawrence — were paid their entire singing bonuses within 15 days of signing their contracts, and Young will likely want the same terms.
Meanwhile, offset clauses allow NFL teams to save money if a player with guaranteed cash remaining on his contract gets released and subsequently signs with a new club.
Imagine the Panthers decided to cut Young with two seasons and $10 million remaining on his contract. If Young landed $6 million from his next team, Carolina would only be on the hook for $4 million.
Historically, the Jaguars and Rams are the only NFL teams that don’t require offset language in rookie contracts. As Corry notes, Young could conceivably argue that because neither Walker nor Lawrence had offsets inserted into their deals with Jacksonville, he shouldn’t have offset language in his Carolina contract. That’s probably not a fight Young can win, but his agent is surely making the case.
Extend Brian Burns
Brian Burns is the Panthers’ best defensive player, but they listened to several offers for the pass rusher over the past year or so. The Rams are believed to have offered two first-round picks for Burns at the 2022 trade deadline, while Burns’ name also came up when Carolina was attempting to acquire the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 draft from the Bears.
The Panthers have held onto Burns, and general manager Scott Fitterer has confirmed that the club is working on an extension for the former first-round pick. Neither Fitterer nor Burns has put a timetable on negotiations, and Burns doesn’t seem to mind if talks stretch into training camp.
“I don’t have a preference,” Burns said. “Really, I’m blessed to be in that (conversation) for an opportunity to have that (sort of a deal). Right now, I’m enjoying the process and enjoying everything that comes with it.”
Burns has accumulated 38 sacks since entering the NFL as the 16th pick in the 2019 draft, the 11th-most in the league during that span. A two-time Pro Bowler, Burns ranked 12th in the NFL with 68 pressures a year ago, per PFF.
“There’s a reason why we didn’t move him,” Fitterer said at the Combine. “We met with his agent. We didn’t get into details or really talk about him — we’ll address that when we get there. But Brian Burns, he is one of the most dominant pass rushers. He’s young … One of the most athletic guys. And he still has a ton of upside when it comes to adding more strength, playing with more technique. That’s all there. The sky is in front of him. He’s a huge impact player.”
Burns’ camp could use the fact that the Panthers turned down two first-rounders in a trade as evidence that he’s worth a significant contract. Given that Burns is still only 25 years old, there’s no reason he shouldn’t target a $25 million average annual value. Carolina might be wise to work out a deal with Burns before Nick Bosa lands an extension from the 49ers and pulls the entire EDGE market up.
Add a Pass Rusher
Burns will own one pass-rushing slot in the Panthers’ new 3-4 front, but the team needs to find someone to complement him on the other side. Former second-round pick Yetur Gross-Matos hasn’t developed into an impact defender over three NFL campaigns, which could open the door for Marquis Haynes Sr. or third-round rookie DJ Johnson to step up.
But Carolina’s depth chart also has plenty of room for a free agent addition. The Panthers boast the third-most cap space in the league ($26.6 million), so signing a veteran pass rusher shouldn’t present much of a problem.
Carolina has already missed out on free agents like Leonard Floyd and Frank Clark, who signed with the Bills and Broncos, respectively. Still, those veterans set the market on the edge, with their price tags coming between $5-7 million.
Options such as Jadeveon Clowney, Justin Houston, and Melvin Ingram remain on the board, but the best choice for the Panthers might be Yannick Ngakoue.
The 28-year-old was probably lucky to generate 19.5 sacks over the past two years, given that he ranked 91st and 60th in pass-rush win rate in those respective seasons. But he’s still an NFL-caliber defensive end and played under Carolina head coach Frank Reich in Indianapolis.
“He’s got such good get-off. He’s explosive,” Reich said when the Colts traded for Ngakoue in March 2022. “He’s just really smart. He understands the game; he understands what offenses are trying to do. He’s good situationally, and more than that, what I’m coming to appreciate about Yannick more and more is really what a leader this guy is.”
