Which pending Carolina Panthers free agents could surprisingly be re-signed as the franchise gets set for more changes to the football operation in 2024?
Some big decisions await for the Carolina Panthers in 2024. Team owner David Tepper is once again on the lookout for a new head coach, ending this ill-advised experiment with Frank Reich way ahead of time as the organization continues to hold the distinction of national embarrassment.
The Panthers have multiple key needs to fill. They are giving up the No. 1 overall pick to the Chicago Bears currently and might not have much money to go around if the likes of Brian Burns and Frankie Luvu are extended, so the new regime should be under no illusions as to the size of the task awaiting them in Carolina.
Some players will be long gone when their contract expires. Others will be high-priority extension candidates. And there are a few who have improved their chances of getting new deals for one reason or another.
With this in mind, here are three Panthers players set to enter free agency who could be surprisingly re-signed in 2024.
Carolina Panthers could re-sign Yetur Gross-Matos
Cutting Yetur Gross-Matos loose after his rookie contract expired in 2024 seemed like a foregone conclusion before the season. The former second-round pick hasn't met expectations, but switching to a 3-4 outside linebacker under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero seems to have brought a renaissance of sorts.
Gross-Matos has flashed moments of quality, even though his momentum was cruelly cut short by a trip to injured/reserve. The Penn State product returned in Week 13 and a strong end to the season might see a surprising extension come his way as a result.
While Gross-Matos won't ever reach the heights anticipated coming out of college, he could be a serviceable rotational piece if the money is right. But much will depend on how the new head coach and perhaps even a different general manager perceive his prospects.
Carolina Panthers could re-sign C.J. Henderson
Much like Yetur Gross-Matos, the future of C.J. Henderson looked bleak heading into the season. The much-maligned cornerback struggled to make the necessary impression following his trade from the Jacksonville Jaguars, which put him in the dreaded draft-bust territory after coming into the NFL as a top-10 pick out of Florida.
Henderson's done well to fight back when all hope seemed lost. Having better coaches on the defensive side of things helped, but he's coped admirably with increased responsibilities after Jaycee Horn went down in Week 1.
There are still lapses in concentration that might not ever get eradicated from Henderson's game. This is dependent on the financial implications, but giving the defensive back a one-year extension to prove his worth under another different coaching regime has obvious benefits.
This one could go either way, in all honesty. Henderson can boost his chances by putting together a solid run of games down the stretch - something he looks more than capable of despite showing some rust at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers upon his return to the rotation in Week 13.
The Panthers have had countless problems in 2023. However, the defense has done more with less, which could see a few depth chart pieces retained when it looked for all the smart money as if they'd be moved on without much fanfare.
Carolina Panthers could re-sign Jeremy Chinn
Things haven't been great between Jeremy Chinn and the Carolina Panthers this season. Had it not been for an unfortunate injury just before the trade deadline, there's a high chance the do-it-all defender wouldn't be part of the set-up right now.
Chinn was one of many Panthers players who made their respective returns in Week 13. But to see Alex Cook getting reps over the former second-round pick at safety was extremely disappointing.
Whether this was due to bringing Chinn back gradually or not remains to be seen. We'll find out more over the next five games, which could be the last we see of the Southern Illinois product in a Carolina uniform.
And yet, a situation could emerge where Chinn gets an extension.
The Panthers will have a new head coach. With pressure mounting on general manager Scott Fitterer, a complete rest cannot be dismissed. They could have a completely different view of Chinn and how he could potentially assist part of a different set of ideas.
Everything should be on the table. Chinn has undoubtedly regressed since taking the league by storm as a rookie outside linebacker, so switching him to the second level permanently in a 4-3 base scheme could be worth its weight in gold.
An extension for Chinn would be surprising. When push comes to shove, the player would likely welcome a fresh start after how things have unfolded over the last three years.