Which linebackers set to his free agency could be great additions to the Carolina Panthers’ defense in 2023?
A new-look coaching staff for the Carolina Panthers signals a change of schemes on both sides of the ball. New defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero brings a creative 3-4 base scheme, which needs players that fit his system and improve depth.
One of those positions is linebacker.
Shaq Thompson has had a solid career with the Panthers. But that looks to be ending within the next year or two, or potentially this off-season depending on how discussions between the players and general manager Scott Fitterer go about re-doing his contract.
Brandon Smith is promising but still unproven. Both Damien Wilson and Cory Littleton are unlikely to return in 2023.
Carolina could sign a linebacker to a short-term contract, try to add to their core with a long-term contract for the right player, or stand pat and focus on other roster needs.
No matter what the Panthers do with the linebacker position in free agency, adding another one would give Evero options and flexibility in games to move Frankie Luvu and Jeremy Chinn around the defense to utilize their versatility.
With these things in mind, who are five free-agent linebackers that the Panthers could sign?
Carolina Panthers could sign Mack Wilson Sr.
Mack Wilson Sr. played last season with the New England Patriots. He was a decent piece on their defense but also played on their special teams’ coverage units, which is high praise for anyone working for Bill Belichick.
The Alabama product played well enough in college to be a fifth-round pick. Wilson eventually became a starter as a rookie with the Cleveland Browns, but he struggled to stick and was traded to New England for Chase Winovich in the 2022 off-season.
Even though Wilson did not start many games with the Patriots, he is young and has the athletic potential to be a solid starting linebacker in the NFL under the right coaching. But it’s time the player starts fulfilling that potential on the field.
At the very least, he is a good depth option that adds value to special teams. Something the Carolina Panthers could benefit from under Chris Tabor.
The market for Wilson is not a large one all things considered. This means Carolina could sign him for relatively cheap and without a long-term commitment.
If the Panthers want to spend less money on linebacker depth to keep cap space open for off-season targets at other positions, Wilson is a solid option to pursue.
Carolina Panthers could sign Lavonte David
Despite the mileage traveled in his career, Lavonte David is still an All-Pro caliber linebacker at 33 years old. Any deal made to bring him to the Carolina Panthers would turn the linebacking core from good to elite.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have run a 3-4 defense in their last few seasons like the one Ejiro Evero will bring to Carolina. David thrived in that system and would be a great fit in the middle of the Panthers’ defense.
David’s talent is apparent, but he has also played in the NFC South for his entire career. He is familiar with what the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons do, which could ensure a completely smooth transition in this scenario.
If David plays against Tampa Bay, he has inside information about their strategies and schemes that would be beneficial to both Carolina’s defense and offense. Something that would give them a leg-up in the planning process.
Despite the clear positives from signing David, the Panthers would have to pay a lot of money to bring him in. Other teams will also be pursuing the star linebacker if he tests the market.
Even still, a one or two-year deal to bring him to Carolina would show serious intentions to contend and massively upgrade an already good front-seven.
Carolina Panthers could sign Kyzir White
Kyzir White was a standout performer in the Philadelphia Eagles’ playoff run last season. And he will be looking to get a pay raise for his efforts, either with his current employers or elsewhere.
The Carolina Panthers are a team that could utilize White’s talents as the Eagles did. So this would be an outstanding weapon for Ejiro Evero to call upon throughout his first campaign as the team’s defensive coordinator.
White fit like a glove on Philadelphia’s defense last season. Carolina’s defense under Evero in 2023 will look a lot like the system where he had success.
He was a core piece of one of the best defenses in the NFL. But someone like White will have many suitors lining up to attract him if the player and the Eagles go their separate ways.
White is set to command a solid chunk of money from whoever signs him. Something that could hold back the Panthers from approaching the one-time West Virginia star.
Last season’s performance and his talent speak for themselves, and White is a linebacker that would be a core piece of Carolina’s defense if they were to sign him. The only question is whether or not the Panthers can afford such a move in their current financial state.
Carolina Panthers could sign Bobby Wagner
Bobby Wagner was released by the Los Angeles Rams and is on the market in free agency. He is considered one of the best linebackers of this generation and will be going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he retires.
That is still a few years away, and Wagner is still near the top of his game in the final stretch of his career. He is a premier free-agent target for every contending team this off-season.
The longtime Seattle Seahawk will command a large payday from whoever adds him to their team. Therefore, the Carolina Panthers will need to maneuver money if they want to sign Wagner and still have cap space for their other needs.
It is uncertain whether Wagner is interested in the Panthers. But he does have a history with general manager Scott Fitterer and a couple of the new coaches Carolina brought in.
There is no questioning the value Wagner would add to the Panthers – both on and off the field. However, other areas of concern need to be addressed before making a splash move in free agency.
A short-term deal with a lot of money is what Wagner will get wherever he signs. Carolina has more pressing needs than getting a linebacker, but if they open enough cap space this off-season to splurge on a premier player, the perennial All-Pro is the best option to pursue.
Carolina Panthers could sign Alex Singleton
A productive 2022 season from Alex Singleton has put him on many radars this off-season. But if the Carolina Panthers want to sign him, the chances are that he would probably welcome such a switch looking at the grand scheme of things.
Singleton played with the Denver Broncos last season with Ejiro Evero as his defensive coordinator. It was arguably the best campaign of his professional career.
Therefore, it would make a lot of sense for him to reunite with his former coach in Carolina. This is down to the success Singleton had under Evero’s guidance and the comfort of playing in the same scheme.
The breakout linebacker may also be willing to take a pay cut to sign with the Panthers, which would leave more cap space for other potential free-agent acquisitions and re-signings.
Even though Singleton is not the player Bobby Wagner or Lavonte David is, he is a more affordable option with longer left in his career. And he showed signs of serious potential in 2022 on a good Denver defense, racking up a phenomenal 163 tackles throughout the campaign.
With Evero leading the Panthers’ defense, it makes all the sense in the world to bring Singleton into the fold. This could also help those currently on the roster with their own transitions into the coordinator’s way of thinking.