The Carolina Panthers are looking to make some quality additions this offseason to raise the floor on the team.
They'll get their first crack at it when the legal tampering period opens up on Monday. Carolina will have $31 million to play with, according to Spotrac. While the Panthers are expected to make some signings, a couple of players could be on thin ice after free agency.
One player to keep in mind is linebacker Josey Jewell. Last March, the Panthers signed Jewell to a three-year, $22.75 million deal to help stabilize the middle of the field, but that didn't happen.
The Panthers were last in the league in run defense (179.8 yards per game allowed), and Jewell struggled. Over 12 games, Jewell totaled 97 total tackles, seven TFLs, and 3.5 sacks. He missed time due to a hamstring, quad, and concussion.
While he found his way around the ball, Jewell still wasn't the most effective player at his position. According to PFF, he had a 56.5 overall grade (136th among 189 graded linebackers), a 52.2 run defense grade (165th among 189 graded linebackers), and a 60 coverage grade (82nd among 189 graded linebackers).
The Panthers need to get better at stopping the run and could look to free agency as an avenue to get better in that area.
Although Jewell is signed through the 2026 season ($7.7 million in 2025 & $7.8 million in 2026), Carolina could move on after the 2025 season with just a $2.3 million dead cap hit.
The Panthers could add another presence to that group and give Jewell some competition. That said, having good linebacker play goes a long way, and Carolina didn't get that enough in 2024. We'll have to see if they make a veteran addition in free agency or in the NFL Draft, but it's clear they need better production at the position.