4 pleasant surprises for the Carolina Panthers at training camp
By Dean Jones
Zach Kerr – DT
Another player who has been making his presence felt at training camp is Zach Kerr. The Carolina Panthers picked up the defensive lineman in free agency after a spell with the Arizona Cardinals. And it is hard not to like his prospects of playing a primary rotational role behind interior duo Kawaan Short and Derrick Brown.
Kerr slotted into a backup role well with the Cardinals in 2019. This resulted in the player securing a creditable 69.5 grade from Pro Football Focus and a two-year, $3 million deal with the Panthers that also included a $500,000 signing bonus and $500,000 guaranteed.
He is a stout presence in the run game, which is an area that Carolina was sorely lacking in last season. This will be a solid plug and play option for the Panthers if either Brown or Short is forced to miss any time. It also gives Carolina’s coaching staff the option of putting the returning Pro Bowler on the edge in specialist situations.
The former Delaware standout has performed well both with the starting team and the Panthers’ second unit over the last few weeks. Kerr has undoubtedly been a pleasant surprise for the Panthers since his arrival and this is going to ensure he is a valued member of their defensive front in 2020 and possibly beyond.