5 Panthers players who could secure record-breaking contracts

Derrick Brown – Carolina Panthers DT

There doesn’t appear much doubt that Derrick Brown is going to be a stud defensive tackle for years to come. The impression he left during his rookie campaign with the Carolina Panthers was highly encouraging, so if further strides are made in 2021 and beyond, the sky is the limit for the No. 7 overall selection.

Brown is a hard guy not to love.

His calm and fun-loving demeanor away from the gridiron is a stark contrast to the stone-cold killer we see on the field. Something the Panthers clearly loved in the player coming out of Auburn.

If Brown can develop his run support next season, he’ll be the complete package. His ability to generate pressure despite being constantly double-teamed was especially pleasing and the lineman is only going to get better with more talent around him on the defensive front.

Now, getting Aaron Donald money or more is a big ask for Brown. But as stated previously, the salary cap could be astronomical by the time he’s up for an extension and if his demands are backed up elite production, then Carolina will have to pay top dollar to keep him around.

This is something they’ve done in the past at the position with Kawann Short, even though that didn’t go according to plan thanks to a couple of long-term injuries.