The Carolina Panthers signed Tershawn Wharton to a three-year deal worth $54 million, according to Jordan Schultz. This gives the Panthers a much-needed boost in the pass-rushing department but what else is there to know about this deal?
Wharton was an undrafted free agent out of Missouri S&T who joined the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020. He's had at least one sack in every single one of his five seasons and just posted a career-high 6.5 sacks during the 2024 season. He also had 29 tackles and seven tackles for loss during his final year in Kansas City. Wharton did this damage in 17 games and 10 starts.
While the Panthers were smart to add more help to their pass-rush, Wharton has never had more than 6.5 sacks in a single season so this contract could be looked at as an overpay. That being said, he's young (he'll enter his age-27 season in 2025) and has spent five years playing for a Super Bowl contender so he clearly knows what it takes to play on the biggest stages.
What grade do the Panthers deserve for Tershawn Wharton signing?
It's always a good idea to add solid pass-rushers and Wharton clearly is a young talent that is coming off his best season. Be that as it may, paying him $30 million guaranteed for only notching 6.5 sacks in a season and that being his career-high is going to be considered an overpay on the Panthers' part.
With Wharton not having more than 6.5 sacks in a season and the amount of money the Panthers paid him, it's hard to give this signing anything more than a C. Hopefully, Wharton jumps in and becomes a key contributor for the Panthers' defense but right now, what we know is that he's mostly had one or two sacks in a single season and just made money that indicates he's done way more than that.
For that reason, the signing gets a C grade.