5 Super Bowl free agents the Carolina Panthers should watch closely
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers should watch B.J. Hill – DT
Finding a partner for Derrick Brown on the defensive line interior is probably dependent on the development of Daviyon Nixon and whether veteran DaQuan Jones is extended after impressing during his first season with the Carolina Panthers. Some tough choices are on the horizon for the organization, with plenty of established stars out of contract and not much money to throw around.
This could leave Jones free to test the market, which would be a blow. However, Nixon has shown enough to suggest he could be a potential starting option moving forward after the fifth-round pick left his mark as a rookie before his season ended early through injury.
Should the Panthers choose to bring in another veteran presence, then B.J. Hill is someone that’s made a real name for himself on the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021 after a difficult start to life at the next level.
Much was expected of Hill coming out of college as a second-round pick. But he didn’t hit these heights on the New York Giants and was subsequently let go last spring.
Hill has looked like a completely different player in Cincinnati, where he’s been used as a defensive tackle more often than not. With 5.5 sacks, 50 tackles, six tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits, 15 pressures, and just one missed tackle, the future is bright once again.
The lineman is no stranger to the region having played his college football at North Carolina State. Simply put, the Panthers could do far worse than look in his direction.