DaQuan Jones signing is another shrewd move by the Panthers

DaQuan Jones reportedly joining the Carolina Panthers on a short-term deal represents another solid move in free agency for the franchise.

The Carolina Panthers weren’t going to wait until the 2021 NFL Draft to get themselves a starter to put alongside stud defensive tackle Derrick Brown. According to NFL Network’s insider Ian Rappaport, the team is bringing in DaQuan Jones for a visit on Tuesday with a view to signing the experienced veteran to a one-year deal.

This represents another good bit of business by the Panthers. The organization decided to release Kawann Short and Zach Kerr ahead of time as part of cost-cutting measures this offseason, which left them thin on the defensive line interior with Efe Obada also departing in free agency in favor of a move to the Buffalo Bills.

Jones might not be the biggest name on the free-agent market. But he represents a huge need for Carolina and someone that can make a huge difference in run support.

DaQuan Jones fills a big need for the Carolina Panthers.

The former Penn State star is not what one would call a stat sheet stuffer. However, once you look a little closer into his production for the Tennessee Titans over the last couple of seasons, it’s hard not to be impressed.

Jones started all 16 regular-season games over the last three years and also played a significant role in the Titans’ memorable postseason run in 2019 that almost resulted in a surprise Super Bowl appearance. He was a commanding presence against the run, ate up blocks on the interior, and managed to provide pressure in opposing backfields when the opportunity arose.

Such was Jones’ impact in 2019, he earned a superb 77.6 grade from Pro Football Focus. This isn’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to performance. But it is one of the strongest indicators around.

One major reason behind its move is how devoid of quality this draft class appears to be at defensive tackle. There are a couple of intriguing prospects that warrant consideration, but the Panthers have much bigger needs early in the draft if they want to get the most out of Sam Darnold after trading for the quarterback from the New York Jets.

This would leave them looking at development projects who may or may not provide immediate help. Jones is far more reliable and putting him on a defensive line rotation that also includes Brown, Brian Burns, Haason Reddick, Morgan Fox, Bravvion Roy, and Yetur Gross-Matos is a mouth-watering prospect.

Carolina’s decision-makers have worked wonders in free agency considering the limited resources at their disposal. General manager Scott Fitterer has hit the ground running in no uncertain terms with plenty of assistance from other prominent staff including head coach Matt Rhule. So it would be a big surprise if significant strides weren’t made on the field in 2021.

Jones is the latest in a series of signings that may not generate many headlines but could be worth their weight in gold at a fraction of the cost it would have taken to bring them on board in normal circumstances.

It also ticks another box off for the Panthers in Fitterer’s attempts to get the franchise in a position to select the best player available when they’re on the clock. A couple of important holes need to be filled before anything else, but Carolina isn’t too far away from having this luxury following the acquisition of Jones.