Panthers’ New Sign $96 Million Star Player Has A Message Fans Are Absolutely Going To Love…
When the Carolina Panthers’ offseason workout program started Monday, it came with the official signing of star defensive tackle Derrick Brown.
The Panthers and Brown agreed to a four-year, $96 million. Roughly $63 million of the deal is guaranteed, and it locked Brown up with the Panthers through the 2028 season.
“It’s an awesome feeling,” Brown said to Panthers.com reporter Darin Gantt. “I feel like the organization put the belief in me, and allow me just to be able to do what I do.
“Never put too much pressure on me, having high expectations for me always, but allowing me to just be who I am while doing what I do.”
With the contract comes increased expectations. Leading up to the new deal, Brown enjoyed a contract year.
He claimed 103 tackles during the year, the most for a defensive lineman in NFL history.
His play earned him a Pro Bowl nod at the end of the season.
Pro Football Focus handed Brown the fourth-best defensive grade among all interior defenders in the NFL in 2023. On that list, Brown joined players like Aaron Donald, Quinnen Williams and Dexter Lawrence.
Now the 25-year-old defensive ace is paid like he is among the elite echelon in the league.
“I think it’s no pressure but high expectations,” Brown said. “I know exactly what our game plan for the week is. Hearing you talk about it and being able to know just exactly what they expect for the week.”
Brown is among the elite and now he is paid exactly like it.
Dan Morgan will have a lot of folks around the league calling his phone at the conclusion of round one trying to pry the 33rd pick, the top pick of the second round, away from Carolina.
Teams who are in desparate need of a quarterback but can’t afford to give up the assets it takes to get one of the top four propects, will do everything they can to get in position to get someone like Michael Penix Jr. out of Washington.
In Chad Reuter’s lastest mock draft on NFL.com, he projects the Las Vegas Raiders to trade up to No. 33 to take Penix, while the Panthers receive the 44th and 112th picks in return.
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Panthers to Host Texas TE Ja’Tavion Sanders for Pre-Draft Visit..
The Carolina Panthers will be looking to add weapons for Bryce Young later this month in the 2024 NFL Draft, but not just at receiver.
Tight end and perhaps even running back could be areas where the Panthers hope to improve their depth.
As far as the tight end spot is concerned, the Panthers need to find an answer at tight end in the passing game.
Most mock draft projections have Carolina taking a receiver, edge rusher, or center with their two second rounds picks but if they want to land what many view as the second-best tight end in the class, Ja’Tavion Sanders (Texas), they’ll likely need to take him in the second, potentially in a trade back scenario.
According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, Sanders is scheduled to have a pre-draft visit with the Panthers and the Cleveland Browns this week.
Over his last two seasons, Sanders hauled in 99 receptions for 1,295 yards and seven touchdowns. On a team that featured potential first round picks Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell, he still found a way to put up big numbers for a tight end.
In Lance Zierlein’s scouting report on NFL.com, he compares Sanders to David Njoku.
“Talented pass-catching tight end with an exciting floor if he can handle the rigors of the pro game. Sanders possesses an average build, but he has room for more muscle. He flashes as a run blocker, but he isn’t consistent at the point of attack. He can get up the field from in-line or from the slot, beating man coverage at his route stems or separating quickly from turns. He is able to dig in and win combat catches underneath and has proven to be highly effective running the seam or catching intermediate throws into zone pockets. Teams looking for a tight end with a more complete game might pass on him, but his potential to open up the passing game and become a highly productive pass-catcher should be hard to pass on.”
Why the Panthers want to draft Xavier Legette
It is typical this time of year for reports to start trickling out noting which prospects have the attention of front offices around the NFL. This year, it seems as though South Carolina Gamecock wide receiver Xavier Legette is the apple of the Carolina Panthers’ eye. Ten members of the Panthers organization made the trip to attend the South Carolina pro-day where Panthers Wide Receivers Coach Rob Moore was running the position drills, according to Jordan Reid of ESPN. Even Legette himself took notice of the team’s interest and told the world about the buzz in their facility during a press conference that’s gone viral because of an accent you have to hear for yourself:
As with almost every prospect in the NFL Draft, the conglomerate of draft analysts has mixed feelings towards Xavier Legette for a variety of reasons. The Panthers seemingly agree with the pro-Legette crowd, so let’s take a look at Legette’s profile to understand what may be piquing their interest.
ATHLETICISM
Legette’s physical measurables are among the most impressive in this year’s draft class. At 6’1 and 221lbs, he clocked a blazing 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. While that is just track speed, he also showed elite on-field speed during a catch and run vs Mississippi State where he reached a top speed of 22.3 mile per hour. This would would have been the fastest recorded top speed on an NFL field last year, according to Next Gen Stats.