The Carolina Panthers made several eye-catching moves throughout another eventful offseason under Dan Morgan's guidance. Some came with significant hype attached. Others went under the radar but could be equally if not more important to the team's chances.
One such example is already making his presence felt on the practice field. He's also flourishing as a mentor, guiding younger teammates to higher standards in pursuit of hitting the ground running when competitive action begins in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Morgan acted swiftly in free agency to rectify some major defensive issues. There was some initial pivoting after Milton Williams got a better offer from the New England Patriots, but the Panthers are in better shape. Patrick Jones II was among the new additions, and he's wasted no time in repaying the faith shown in him by the front office.
Patrick Jones II is already making his mark on the Carolina Panthers
Jones signed a two-year, $15 million deal with a $7.23 million signing bonus and $10.25 million guaranteed. He's coming off a career year with the Minnesota Vikings, and the Panthers were confident enough in the edge-rushing upgrades to release established veteran Jadeveon Clowney.
The former third-round pick is expected to start opposite D.J. Wonnum initially. Carolina also traded up twice on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft for Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen, so it would be a surprise if they weren't featured heavily right out of the gate.
Instead of being threatened, Jones is looking to aid this fledgling rookie duo every step of the way. He's helping them find their feet, passing on advice and guidance about all areas of being a top professional. That speaks volumes about his team-first mindset and selfless character.
"Just trying to teach the young guys how to truly be a professional so far as like establishing a routine in the morning and just being very particular about everything that they do and just stuff like that. We just trying to get everything together right now. I think the big thing that you could see from everybody like when y'all watching end of practice, we having fun, and I feel like just everybody coming together as a unit. I feel like that's going to be a big time."Patrick Jones II via Panthers.com
It could go wrong, but the Panthers must be thrilled by what they've seen from Jones so far. He's bringing everyone together, ensuring the pass-rushing options become a close-knit group en route to brighter fortunes in 2025. The bar isn't exactly high for improvements, but this represents the strongest step in the right direction.
Jones needs to refine his pass-rushing moves without the benefit of Brian Flores' blitz-happy concepts. However, he sets a clean edge against the run and is instinctive enough to make things happen when given the chance. For a team that conceded more than 3,000 rushing yards last season, that's going to help considerably.
The Panthers saw something in Jones that others didn't, and they struck with conviction to get him on board. And if he takes this positive momentum through to the regular season, it won't take long for this signing to gain headlines for all the right reasons.