Carolina Panthers 2022 Free Agent tracker: Who's coming and going?

Keep up to date with all the activity as the Carolina Panthers gear up for their most important free agency period in recent memory.

Things have to go right for the Carolina Panthers this offseason. Head coach Matt Rhule is getting one more chance to turn this sinking ship around, with team owner David Tepper sure to scrutinize every move carefully in the coming weeks to pile even more pressure on the former Baylor man’s shoulders.

With limited salary-cap space currently, the Panthers have their work cut out trying to strengthen problem areas while keeping some important figures around. They are also without a Day 2 draft pick following trades for quarterback Sam Darnold and cornerback C.J. Henderson – something that only complicates things from a recruitment standpoint.

Make no mistake, the conclusions made by those in power will have huge ramifications on the team’s chances in 2022. Keep up to date with all the comings and goings during the offseason in this special Panthers free agency tracker.

Who are the Carolina Panthers 2022 Unrestricted Free Agents?

Stephon Gilmore – CB

Acquired in-season from the New England Patriots
Former All-Pro and NFL Defensive Player of the Year
$6.71 million cap number in 2021

Matt Paradis – C

Tore ACL vs the Patriots in Week 9
2 sacks and 1 penalty conceded in 2021 (589 snaps)
Counts $8.29M on 2022 cap thanks to a contract restructure

Cam Newton – QB

Made bombshell return prior to Week 10 at the Arizona Cardinals
9 combined touchdowns from 8 games in 2021
Career passer rating of 85.2

Haason Reddick – OLB

11 sacks in 2021 (led team)
Signed one-year deal in free agency
$15.3M per year market value, according to Spotrac

DaQuan Jones – DT

Signed a one-year deal in free agency from the Tennessee Titans
$4 million cap number in 2021
66.4 grade from Pro Football Focus

Juston Burris – S

Played 23 games over two seasons (20 starts)
76 tackles and 2 INTs since his free-agent switch
$4M cap number in 2021

Trenton Scott – OL

335 snaps in 2021
1 sack and 3 penalties conceded (40.8 PFF grade)
28 games active over two seasons in Carolina

J.J. Jansen – LS

Team’s longest-serving player
Hasn’t missed a single game in 13 seasons
13 career tackles

Donte Jackson – CB

A second-round pick in 2018 out of LSU
12 career INTs and 209 tackles
Ended current campaign on IR

John Miller – OL

Signed one-year extension in 2021
Conceded 7 sacks and 3 penalties from 656 snaps
Benched for Carolina’s season finale

Frankie Luvu – OLB

Only Panthers player to receive All-Pro votes (special teams)
84.8 PFF grade
$1.1M cap hit in 2021

Julian Stanford – OLB

67% of special teams snaps in 2021
$1.07M cap number
121 career games (11 starts)

Rashaan Melvin – CB

Appeared for six teams during his NFL career
16 tackles over 10 games in 2021
59.2 PFF grade in 2021

Alex Erickson – WR/KR

8.9 yards per punt return in 2021
24.8 career average in yards per kick return
3 receptions from 4 targets (55 receiving yards)

Brandon Zylstra – WR

72% catch success rate in 2021
37 games (5 starts) over three seasons in Carolina
First Panthers TD secured in Week 2 vs. New Orleans Saints

Sean Chandler – S

15 games (7 starts) in 2021
48 tackles and 1 forced fumble
60.7 PFF grade

Ian Thomas – TE

A former fourth-round pick out of Indiana
90 receptions, 802 receiving yards, and 4 TDs in Carolina
52.1 PFF grade in 2021

Marquis Haynes – DE/OLB

8 career sacks from 47 games
Logged 20 tackles and 5 QB hits in 2021
$728,090 cap number (final year)

Jermaine Carter – LB

Won starting MLB job in 2021
88 tackles and 3 tackles for loss
65 games played (35 starts)

Zane Gonzalez – K

$802,778 cap number in 2021
90.9% field goal success rate
95.7% extra-point attempts made

Lach Edwards – P

47.9 yards per punt in 2021
$425,000 cap number in 2021

Who are the Carolina Panthers 2022 Restricted Free Agents?

P.J. Walker – QB (RFA)

Two years with the Panthers
55% completion percentage, 2 TDs to 8 INTs
2-0 record as a starter

Giovanni Ricci – FB (ERFA)

Undrafted free-agent signing in 2020
Converted from TE to FB in 2021
15% offensive snaps – 71% special teams in 2021

Mike Panasiuk – DT (ERFA)

$415,000 cap number in 2021
Practice squad mainstay

2022 Free Agents staying with the Carolina Panthers

CB Rashaan Melvin – Signed new one-year deal
WR Brandon Zylstra – Signed new one-year deal
DE/OLB Marquis Haynes – Signed new two-year deal
S Sean Chandler – Signed new one-year deal
OLB Julian Stanford – Signed new one-year deal
K Zane Gonzalez – Signed new two-year deal
TE Ian Thomas – Signed three-year extension ($16.5 million – $8 million guaranteed)
OLB Frankie Luvu – Signed two-year extension ($9 million)
DE Joe Jackson – Signed reserve/futures contract
LS J.J. Jansen – Signed one-year extension
FB Giovanni Ricci – Signed one-year extension ($825,000)
QB P.J. Walker – Signed one-year extension ($895,000)
Darius Bradwell – Signed reserve/futures contract
Austin Larkin and Austen Pleasants – Signed reserve/futures contracts
Spencer Brown, Madre Harper, Frank Herron, Mike Horton, Aaron Monteiro, Aaron Parker, C.J. Saunders, Colin Thompson – Signed reserve/futures contracts

2022 Free Agents leaving the Carolina Panthers

LB Jermaine Carter – Kansas City Chiefs
RB Ameer Abdullah – Las Vegas Raiders
OLB Haason Reddick – Philadelphia Eagles
DT DaQuan Jones – Buffalo Bills

2022 Free Agents signed by the Carolina Panthers

LB Cory Littleton – One year deal
P Johnny Hekker – Three year deal
C Bradley Bozeman – One year deal
DT Matthew Ioannidis – One year deal
LB Damien Wilson – Two year deal
WR Rashard Higgins – One year deal
RB D’Onta Foreman – $2.0M (one year)
OG Austin Corbett – $29.25M (three years)
S Xavier Woods – $15.75M deal (three years)

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Panthers 2022 Free Agent tracker: Who’s coming and going in Charlotte?

By Dean Jones | Jan 28, 2022