4 solid landing spots for Jermaine Carter in 2022 free agency
By Dean Jones
It doesn’t appear as if Jermaine Carter will be coming back to the Carolina Panthers, but where are some solid landing spots for the linebacker in 2022?
The Carolina Panthers brought in Damien Wilson and Cory Littleton in free agency, which is the clearest indication yet they are now ready to move on from Jermaine Carter. The former fifth-round pick didn’t do enough to earn the starting middle linebacker job long-term in 2021, which was made worse by the organization’s decision to trade Denzel Perryman, who went on to make the Pro Bowl with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Finding a successor to legendary linebacker Luke Kuechly is proving to be a tough task for the Panthers. Hopefully, Wilson and Littleton can form a productive tandem, but that is far from a guarantee and the second level also lost the pass-rushing presence of Haason Reddick after he signed a megabucks deal to join the Philadelphia Eagles.
According to Jason La Canfora and Aaron Wilson of CBS Sports and Pro Football Network respectively, Carter is generating interest from multiple teams and should find a new home very soon if Carolina doesn’t present him with an offer as expected.
With this in mind, here are four solid landing spots for Carter in free agency.
Landing Spot No. 1
Kansas City Chiefs
Although the Kansas City Chiefs have made some impressive splashes in free agency, they do appear a little thin at the second level. Having an elite quarterback such as Patrick Mahomes is always going to help offensively, but Jermaine Carter’s experience might also be able to assist if the price is right.
Even if Carter doesn’t force his way into the starting lineup, he could become a prominent depth chart piece. This also lands the Maryland product on a contender in a hugely competitive AFC West division.
Whether this is something they are considering remains to be seen. But it does seem like a good fit from the outside looking in.