The Carolina Panthers have several pressing needs that must be addressed this offseason following an abysmal 5-12 performance in 2024. Although the team showed promise here and there, the Panthers' effort was largely disappointing — especially on the defensive side of the ball, finishing with the worst Pro Football Focus defense grade (44.9) by a wide margin.
Needless to say, the pressure will be on defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero to turn things around if he wants to keep his job. He'll need to Panthers to add reinforcements to help with this goal, which could lead to a reunion with one of his former pupils.
Panthers Named Potential Destination for DT D.J. Jones in Free Agency
On Wednesday, The Athletic's Joseph Person listed potential defenders that Panthers fans should monitor in free agency. One of those free agents is none other than defensive tackle D.J. Jones, who previously played a season under Evero with the Denver Broncos.
The dust is settled from the NFL Combine and free agency is on the horizon 👀
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) March 5, 2025
Now that the calendar has turned to March, what’s worth watching for each NFL team?
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The Panthers struggled to prevent the run throughout the 2024 season, surrendering an NFL-worst 179.4 rushing yards per game with the worst-graded run defense (37.5) on PFF. It shouldn't come as a surprise that they might target a 305-pound nose tackle like Jones to help fix that issue.
Jones, 30, has played eight NFL campaigns, with the last three coming with the Denver Broncos. The former Ole Miss product spent the 2022 campaign with Evero as his DC, resulting in 22 solo tackles, six broken-up passes, 2.0 sacks, and a 63.6 PFF defense grade.
It's worth noting that the Broncos allowed the 10th-fewest rushing yards per game and 11th-fewest yards per carry that year.
Although Evero joined the Panthers during the following offseason, Jones still managed to find success in his former coach's absence.
The Greenville, SC native has recorded 51 solo tackles, three defended passes, a trio of forced fumbles, and 3.0 sacks in 33 appearances across the last two years. He's also coming off a strong 2024 performance that saw him earn solid PFF grades in terms of run stoppage (64.6), pass rushing (70.6), and overall defense (67.3).
According to Spotrac, Jones' current market value sits at $11.2 million annually. Even though that isn't a small chunk of change, the Panthers' $33.7 million in available cap space gives them enough room to pull off a deal that would help address a glaring need.
Person also wrote that the Panthers "get the depth chart to a place where GM Dan Morgan can go best player available in the draft." Signing Jones — even if it's only to a short-term deal — would help with that goal while setting reuniting Evero with a defender he can consistently rely on.
Assuming the interest is legitimate, the Panthers can make their first offer to Jones when the NFL's tampering window opens on Monday.