Another insider says he would not be shocked if the Carolina Panthers spend big in the coming days.
Joe Person of The Athletic dished out his latest mock draft for the team on Thursday. Included in his projections was the following bit about a potential splurge in free agency, which (unofficially) begins on Monday.
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He writes:
. . . don’t be surprised if the Panthers open their wallets next week for Devin Lloyd, Kaden Elliss or one of the other top free-agent linebackers. It’s a position that needs to be addressed with a big swing, if not more.
The inside linebacker position is one of Carolina’s most obvious weaknesses heading into 2026, especially with some uncertainty surrounding their starters from 2025. Christian Rozeboom, the team’s leading tackler, is headed for the open market while 2024 third-round pick Trevin Wallace, who’s had both of his pro campaigns cut short by shoulder injuries, has yet to instill full confidence in his role.
Person’s note follows suit with this past weekend’s report from ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, who wrote that the Panthers might make some “big moves” on defense for the second straight offseason.
Lloyd and/or Elliss would certainly fit that bill—with the latter, a first-time Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro in 2025, expected to receive around $20 million per year on a new deal.
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Teams can come to terms on contracts with free agents on March 9 at 12 pm ET, the start of the legal tampering period.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: NFL offseason: Panthers may ‘open their wallets’ for free-agent LBs